Roku Device Features, Settings & Updates

[kturcotte1980]

Tech/hardware wise, is there anything preventing Roku from updating the Streaming Stick+ and the Ultra to support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision? If it's possible, what's the actual likelihood of that happening?

[Heyitsrick]

This is an interesting article from a year and a half ago that says it's possible to implement Dolby Vision completely via software, vs. relying upon a specific hardware chipset.

Dolby Vision Via Software

The primary issue for Roku, in my opinion, is the licensing fees for implementing Dolby Vision.  No free lunch.

[Maelish]

Is HDR10+ backwards compatible with HDR10?  Because if Roku isn't going to use the HDR10+ standard, it would be nice to know.  

The reason HDR10 took off so well is because it's a free standard.  It's not the best of the 5 competing standards but it's better than not having HDR.

I suppose it might be dependent on the standards built into the TV.

[blade_005]

"Maelish" wrote:
Is HDR10+ backwards compatible with HDR10?  Because if Roku isn't going to use the HDR10+ standard, it would be nice to know.  

The reason HDR10 took off so well is because it's a free standard.  It's not the best of the 5 competing standards but it's better than not having HDR.

I suppose it might be dependent on the standards built into the TV.

HDR10+ is backwards compatible to HDR10. It is another layer on top of the HDR10 base. All PRIME VIDEO is now HDR10+ encoded, but any device that supports HDR10 only will stream it just fine.

[kturcotte1980]

So then there's no technical reason why HDR10+ couldn't be added to current Roku devices that support HDR10

[blade_005]

"kturcotte1980" wrote:
So then there's no technical reason why HDR10+ couldn't be added to current Roku devices that support HDR10

Don't know. Technically, perhaps not. I think it is more a question as to whether HDR10+ becomes more ubiquitous than just a PRIME VIDEO streaming option that today is only support on a very select number of Samsung TV models.

[tr0]

I am more worried about if Roku's choice of dynamic HDR formats (Dolby Vision) fails, it'd be nice if they could just do HDR10+ via an update. If a TV can do DV, it must be able to technically do HDR10+.

[elmoso]

As much as a fan i am of Roku and being one their 1st top 100 customers that bought their early devices. I have to say that the Amazon Fire TV has a leg up on Roku when it comes to new formats. Their devices support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision w/out breaking the bank on a Apple TV box.