Roku showed their current product lineup--their three best-featured internet streaming video products ever, all high-def, none over $100--at a press event here in New York City last week. The availability, pricing and HD specs come on the heels of their updated service announcements, including Hulu Plus for viewing favorite new/classic TV shows. Also brand new to Roku is Baeblemusic, a dedicated on-demand channel that brings live concerts, music videos and other exclusive, original programming from the world of independent music directly to the living room.
The entry-level Roku HD ($59.99) supports streaming of premium content from providers such as Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, Pandora, MLB.TV and Ultimate Fighting Championship, all in addition to Hulu Plus. It offers built-in 802.11g Wi-Fi connectivity in addition to an Ethernet port, with up to 720p video and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel surround sound, as available. It also allows users to add new apps from the Roku Channel Store.
The step-up Roku XD ($79.99) provides all of those features but with a maximum resolution of 1080p as well as superior 802.11n wireless connectivity, for extended range. The remote control also adds a a handy Instant Replay button for a quick seven-second backward skip, handy for missed dialogue.
Top of the line is the Roku XDS ($99.99) which does all that the Roku XD does, and more. The rear panel brings the broadest array of A/V connectivity options (HDMI, Y/Pb/Pr Component Video via adapter, Digital Optical Audio and Composite Video with Analog Stereo) as well as the ability to play content from an attached USB drive. Wi-Fi on the Roku XDS is a robust dual-band 802.11n, for even better performance than the XD.
All three models are available now.
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