Network - Wireless & Wired Connections

[atc98092]

I do have uncompressed UHD HDR content, and agree that buffering can happen. But when I connect to my only 5 GHz AC connection, it gets worse. So I don't think my access point is very good. Since I too use my Shield for that content, I haven't bothered replacing my access points. But I agree that a Gigabit Ethernet connection should be a given on the top end player. 

[mike_s]

Roku doesn't need more than a 100 Mbps Ethernet, because that's much more than sufficient to meet the documented streaming capabilities.

Average Streaming Video Bit rate: H.264, up to 10 Mbps. H.265 and VP9, up to 40 Mbps. Peak Video Bit rate: 1.5x average (for all). Maximum audio rate is 768 Kbps. So, with protocol overhead, etc., they only need maybe 45 Mbps average. If someone is trying to stream 100+ Mbps content, they're exceeding the documented capabilities of the box, don't have a valid complaint, and are on their own.

Source: https://sdkdocs.roku.com/display/sdkdoc/Audio+and+Video+Support

[atc98092]

If a Roku didn't support local media streaming, you would be correct. But Roku can and does market (document) their players and TVs as capable of playing local media, and with 4K/HDR it is not out of line to exceed 100 Mbps bitrates. So if they want to support streaming local media, they need to support the bitrates available. Just because online sources don't exceed Fast Ethernet doesn't mean local sources aren't allowed to. So their documented support does include local, high bitrate media, so their hardware should be capable of supporting said media. 

[mike_s]

Nope. You're still wrong. No where do I see where Roku has claimed streaming rates above what I've already quoted, local or remote.

their documented support does include local, high bitrate media

Citation needed.

[atc98092]

I'm simply referring to their acknowledged support of local media, not specific bitrates. You are correct that they make no such bitrate claim. Supporting local media means supporting the bitrates that are necessary for such support. 

[mike_s]

Supporting local media means supporting the bitrates that are necessary for such support. 

You are confusing want and need. Bitrates greater than 40 Mbps average aren't necessary for local media, even 4K HDR. There are lots of people, including myself, streaming local media just fine within the well defined constraints. But, I encode my content at rates supported by my target playback devices. The figures already given also apply to USB sources, which are capable of well over 200 Mbps data rates.  If you can playback content at greater-than-supported rates, bonus!, you got more than you paid for.

And, there's no reason to believe that the processing wouldn't then become the bottleneck if there were a faster Ethernet port. These are low cost devices, and work well for their intended, wide-based, consumer market. Net-net - you're unreasonably asking for something beyond the documented, supported capabilities. It sounds like you want something else, Rokus are made for mass-market consumers.

[twiceover]

Because it would be an added cost to 99.9% of their users.

[atc98092]

This will be my last comment on the subject. I am not saying every Roku device needs a GE connection. But there should be a "flagship" model that is for the user that can make use of higher end items, such as lossless audio bitstreaming, Dolby Vision, graphics based captions, additional codec support, and perhaps a few other things. No, not every Roku user needs such a device. But there certainly are some that would like one. Yes, there are other streamers on the market that get close, such as the Nvidia Shield, but Roku could undercut the Shield price, offer the same level of support, and the user benefits from the simple to use Roku interface. That last point is a strong feature for many users. 
.
Carry on... 

[Iona-D]

I have a feeling that I am far from the only one with, well, let's call it "Internet limitations" for somewhat depressing accuracy.  Speaking for myself, I'm lucky that I could even afford to have broadband internet access slow that it is.  I bought an Ultra last month just for it's Ethernet Cable wired port "boost" to stream at a barebones rate to minimize buffering (more info here.)    It works mostly well even at high traffic times and that's money well spent.  

Someday, in a world that allows me financially to live in a place where real high speed internet is offered with all that super speed unlimited data/bandwidth there for the taking, then I would be more attuned to being fancy features orientated, I would like my Ultra-or whatever Roku similar model in existence at that time-to take full advantage of all that tech abilities.  I doubt that I will ever live there and my Ultra as it is now will suffice along with my POTS copper landline and multiple shared within my household as well as the neightborhood data/bandwidth  for the foreseeable future.  

That is the real world for most!

[Radical32937]

FWIW
TCL Roku tv 6 series has gig Ethernet. And Plex client on Roku streams uncompressed 4k HDR beautifully well over 100 mbit.