Sign in / up

back to article Roku 4 specs leak: Yes, it's got 4K streaming and a games controller

The much-anticipated Roku 4 will come with 4K ultra high-definition resolution, a separate games controller, and a faster quad-core ARM processor. That's according to specifications that were briefly published in the online Roku developers guide just before the device's imminent launch. The information was quickly taken down. …

COMMENTS

Post your comment
House rules Send corrections
Add to 'My topics' unstar *
  1. Steve Knox
    Mushroom

    OH FFS!

    If you're going to push a screenshot with text, don't shrink it down to an unreadable size, and FOR THE LOVE OF * DO NOT USE .JPG FOR TEXT.

    6 0 Reply
    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: OH FFS!

      It's to stop other publications stealing it. The details are in the story.

      C.

      0 4 Reply
      1. dan1980
        Reply Icon

        Re: OH FFS!

        Fair enough - you want to watermark it. But I think the problem is that once you click to open the full-size image, the text is very small. That it's a JPEG is understandable (to me) but why make it so darned small?

        2 0 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re:

          Years of being dyslexic give me at least one small advantage. Recognising words via shapes and other cues.

          Though I do agree I had to squint a little to read it. :P

          0 0 Reply
  2. Duncan Macdonald

    Seems underpowered

    The processor spec (quad core ARM and 1.5GB RAM) is what would be expected from a cheap no name smartphone or tablet.

    2 3 Reply
    1. Grade%
      Reply Icon

      Re: Seems underpowered

      It plays "games". :)

      1 0 Reply
      1. Steve Crook
        Reply Icon
        Joke

        Re: Seems underpowered

        Yeah I was wondering about how well it would do on a Crysis 3 benchmark :-)

        1 0 Reply
    2. Sykobee
      Reply Icon

      Re: Seems underpowered

      OpenGL ES 2.0 is a bit behind as well, for a gaming device.

      The new Apple TV at least has 2 GB and supports Metal graphics API (and OpenGL ES 3.1 features).

      This Roku needs to be cheaper, despite its 4K support, to compete. It sounds like it's not using the latest technology though, so that might be the case.

      3 0 Reply
  3. Thomas Whipp

    Amazon prime video?

    The main gap on my Roku stick is that there isn't an option to play Amazon video, just a big wall o silence on why and when (if ever). I'm much more interested in that vs a hardware bump. The sell is content independence and its a big gap

    0 0 Reply
    1. John Bailey
      Reply Icon

      Re: Amazon prime video?

      Why?

      Because Amazon want to sell you the streamed video AND the player. And the content of their app store.

      When will you get Amazon video on a Roku? Probably just after you get iTunes on it.

      1 0 Reply
      1. Richard 81
        Reply Icon

        Re: Amazon prime video?

        Alternatively it might be because BSkyB have a big stake in Roku, and would rather you gave them money for Now TV. As I understand it, you can get Amazon Prime on the US version of the Roku.

        4 0 Reply
        1. Sykobee
          Reply Icon

          Re: Amazon prime video?

          Thanks - Roku crossed off the list then (as I might as well make use of my Prime sub).

          1 0 Reply
      2. GitMeMyShootinIrons
        Reply Icon

        Re: Amazon prime video?

        "Why?

        Because Amazon want to sell you the streamed video AND the player. And the content of their app store."

        A little unfair given that Amazon do clients for smart TVs (Samsung and LG for a start), Xbox, iOS and Android devices.

        0 0 Reply
    2. Ugotta B. Kiddingme
      Reply Icon

      Re: Amazon prime video? um... YES

      My Roku 3 has an Amazon button on the the remote, right next to the Netflix and Hulu buttons. To be completely honest, I have NOT set that up yet because I just got Prime a few days ago when it was on sale. However, the Roku website clearly says it supports Amazon Instant Video.

      That being said, I REALLY like my Roku 3. The "channel" selection is broad and that's not even counting the "hidden" channels which cover an even wider variety of content, including a range of "adult" options. The model 3 (and presumably 4) has a remote that doesn't require line of sight AND allows simple use of headphones so you can watch without bothering others.

      2 0 Reply
  4. MacGyver

    Codecs?

    Does it support H.264 or H.265? It seems important to know whether or not a 4k player has a hardware decoder built-in that can use a codec that cuts the entire stream size in half.

    I have DTelecom and they (tired) to impose a 75gb monthly bandwidth cap (with speed reduced to 384k /sec after going over), a singular 1080p movie can be 10gb in size, a 4k 2.5 hour movie could push 40gb. Being able to cut that size in half seems relevant.

    2 0 Reply
    1. Steve Crook
      Reply Icon

      Re: Codecs?

      It would be interesting to know. Last time I looked at this (while I was ripping some of my Blurays) there wasn't much, if any, hardware support for h265(HEVC). Remember reading an El Reg article (I think) that there was some kerfuffle about adopting a common, open and freely licensed codec for UHD content and that world plus dog were actually looking at Google's offering or but mostly anything that wasn't h265.

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/01/alliance_for_open_media/

      0 0 Reply
  5. Jim 59

    A media streamer needs to have proper power & be able to watch all sources. But this is never going to happen. The market is doomed to be a series of low powered machines with budget CPUs and clunky interfaces, hamstrung by whatever temporary media deals the manufacturer can pull off at the time. Notwithstanding the quad core in this one.

    The market is so poor that many are nudged towards the illegal route - torrenting, kodi-enabled hows-your-father in a Pi2, media PC or similar.

    And the BBC contribute to the situation by being very restrictive about what the iPlayer will run on, in order to protect their 1930s funding model into perpetuity. How much they had to pay Apple for that "i" we will never know.

    2 0 Reply
    1. Known Hero
      Reply Icon

      Yup

      I would pay for a legal genesis alternative if they let me.

      But noooo, they dare not give up their control of what media I watch, They must control my viewing habits, or how else will they ensure that they wield control of the money for new content.

      Until I have a genesis alternative (doesnt even need to be perfect, I shall continue with genesis etc etc) Weirdly I stopped downloading mp3's and paid for music, when they provided a multiplatform solution which allowed me to choose what I wanted to listen to.

      0 0 Reply
  6. tony2heads
    Joke

    Will it spy on me

    can't be a really top end home entertainment device without recording every word I say and relaying it to foreign corporations.

    3 0 Reply
  7. ecarlseen

    Privacy policy?

    I was thinking about buying one of the new Amazon streaming devices until I read the privacy policy; more or less "We won't share your data with other companies, but internally we can consume and process every button press." I wonder if the Roku 4 will be any better (or worse)? Apple's lack of 4K support puts them off my list.

    1 0 Reply
  8. Richard Boyce
    Joke

    750K

    "Supports Games < 750K: Yes

    Supports Games > 750K: Yes"

    Why no support for 750K?

    3 0 Reply
  9. Stuart Halliday
    WTF?

    Ok, so who's wondering what Western Digital is going to do?

    0 0 Reply

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

Forgotten password ?

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon