Roku Device Features, Settings & Updates

[2pints]

Not very often you get news of a new firmware update, but according to trusted reviews a big new Roku update is on the way, rolling out from the 1st of May, bringing with it voice search to models such as the Roku Streaming Stick+ this will be Rokus first steps into the world of voice activation, and will allow Roku to slowly catchup with other services that have offered voice search such as Amazons Fire TV.
 the update is due from the 1st of May, source: http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/roku ... ck-3460980

[Basil]

The UK version doesn't have a voice remote like the US version has? Bummer. Glad it's rolling out over there. It would be great if Roku could get everything approved by the various agencies earlier to have a truly common line of devices.

[beq]

^ Not only that, I hear Roku hasn't even started selling the Stick+ altogether in Canada, until next month that is


Anyways looks like they've been announcing to the press...

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/roku-an ... -1-update/

https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/24/1727 ... w-features

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/04 ... -partners/

"Ars" wrote:
Roku OS 8.1 will also debut soon with a new private listening mode that allows more than one user to listen to the audio of Roku-streamed content via the Roku remote or their smartphone with paired headphones. Previously, private listening was limited to one user at a time, but the new feature allows up to four users to listen with their own headphones at once. Roku OS 8.1 will be available this May.

Interestingly other outlets claim multiple private listening audio streams will only work via the Roku app on mobiles, but Ars says will work via multiple enhanced remotes as well (up to now I've paired multiple remotes but only one headphone jack could be active at a time).

I wonder how complicated it is to maintain lip sync on multiple wireless audio streams at the same time (either Wi-Fi Direct or via infrastructure Wi-Fi)?


EDIT: The supplementary live news feeds on the Roku Channel is also interesting.

[Basil]

Yep. I'm liking what it says.