Roku has added another product to its range of products in the Streambar, a two-in-one effort that’s a soundbar and a 4K HDR streamer.
The Streambar (£129) was already available in the US, but it’s availability in the UK marks Roku’s continued expansion in Blighty with a streaming proposition Roku asserts is a cheaper and niftier way for customers to reduce the clutter in the home with the Streambar capable of streaming and acting as a soundbar.
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Design-wise it’s a compact unit, with four 1.9-inch full-range drivers separated into two centre speakers for dialogue, while two angled side-firing speakers disperse sound wider into the room. HDR support is HDR10 and broadcast HLG, and there’s compatibility with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant through connected devices.
With Spotify Connect, listeners can stream straight from the soundbar, while Roku has implemented a number of settings to boost the volume of voices, automatically lower loud commercials and put the Streambar into Night mode so other people in the house aren’t disturbed. Everything is included in the box, including a voice remote for controlling the TV.
Also announced was support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit for select 4K Roku devices. The update should arrive on the Roku platform by the end of 2020, making the smart service even more comprehensive in terms of compatibility.
About the release, Mark Ely, Vice President Product Strategy at Roku said: “Over the years TVs have gotten thinner, reducing space for built-in speakers, resulting in less impressive sound, while new streaming services have changed the way we watch TV. With the Roku Streambar, we offer an easy and all-in-one solution to that challenge. Our engineering teams in Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States have been working together to design and build the Roku Streambar from the ground up to deliver an incredible streaming experience and the ultimate upgrade for any TV.”
The Roku Streambar is pencilled in for release online and in retail stores by the end of October for £129.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
