Roku Device Features, Settings & Updates

[GlenB]

Has everyone else found that Roku's built in speed test is worthless?

I am hardwired via a Gigabit Ethernet with fiber to home gigabit internet. When I run speed test I get 58Mbs onetime then 73Mbs the next it gives me a different answer almost every time.

[atc98092]

Yes, I've never found any speed test on Roku to be accurate. Speedtest.net had a Roku channel for a while, and it was just as bad. The speed test built into the Netflix isn't any better. No idea why, but they've never been accurate. 

[andyross]

Roku's do not support Gigabit Ethernet, so will top out in the 90's at best. Also, streaming video doesn't need much bandwidth. Even 4K tops out in the 20's or so.

[makaiguy]

I suspect the Roku and Netflix tests send you test files from their own servers at anticipated rates simulating max rates they'd use during normal operation. So you won't ever see a result higher than that, no matter how fast the last ISP-to-you link is. Their intent is to see if your speed is adequate FOR THEIR SERVICE, not an overall speed test of your system.

[atc98092]

Netflix tops out at 16 Mbps on 4K. Don't know precisely for Prime or Vudu, but likely about the same. However, when streaming my UND rips on my local network I can easily exceed 100 Mbps. All of my Roku devices buffer with them. For some reason my 5 GHz wireless isn't any better than just using the Ethernet. I have to use my Shield for my UHD rips, since it has a Gigabit jack.

[ghb51]

Don't forget that speed is also determined by whatever wifi card is in the Roku, a quick search didn't yield any answers, but i doubt it's very speedy to a) keep price low and b) because it's just not needed to stream as has already been pointed out. For example, a $350 Acer desktop tower i looked at recently has an Intel wifi card that tops out at 450mbps, so imagine what's inside a $100 Roku or a $30 Express.

[thetick]

Wifi on embedded devices these days is not a card.  It's most definitely integrated on chip with CPU / Video / Ethernet / USB / Bluetooth etc...otherwise it would cost lots more than $30 for the Express.

These chips are called SOCs (System On a Chip).  

I checked recent Rokus use an ARM Cortex A53 architecture so likely BCM2837 SOC as Roku has used Broadcom designs in the past.  Anyway it's similar to Raspberry Pi3  which was a $35 in 2016.

https://www.cnx-software.com/2016/02/29/raspberry-pi-3-board-is-powered-by-broadcom-bcm2827-cortex-a...