Archive for Roku

TCL Announces Roku Powered Lineup For Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags , on November 1, 2018 by itnerd

TCL today announced pricing and availability of its new TCL Roku TV models in Canada. The much-anticipated portfolio for Canada includes three lines of TCL TVs that merge superior picture quality with the industry’s best smart TV experience – the award-winning 6-Series boasting Dolby Vision HDR technology, critically acclaimed 4-Series with stunning Ultra HD picture quality, and the simply smart 3-Series featuring a high definition display, all running the Roku OS to deliver more than 150,000 movies and TV episodes.

While all TCL Roku TVs are powered by the Roku OS, each of the three series delivers a unique combination of design, features and performance to fit the needs of every consumer. Crowning TCL’s lineup, the premium 6-Seriesis available in a 55” model (55R617-CA) for $849 and a 65” model (65R617-CA) for $1249 at your favorite retailer. The other models are also available now, starting under $400 for the 43” 4-Series (43S425) screen size while the 3-Series starts with a 32″ model (32S325) at less than $200.

TCL Roku TV 6-Series: Powerful Performance

Elevating the home entertainment experience with enhanced voice capabilities through its first-class smart TV operating system, the new TCL 6-Series combines stunning 4K high dynamic rangepicture performance and powerful stealth metal design for a superior TV experience. The set supports Dolby Vision, a comprehensive and premium HDR solution, as well as open HDR and now boasts HDR Performance Package Pro to further elevate the experience. Leveraging the HDR technology that powers Dolby’s most advanced cinemas around the world, Dolby Vision on the 6-Series TV transforms viewing experiences in the home by delivering greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich and detailed colors. Dolby Vision is an end to end ecosystem embraced by major Hollywood studios, global content distributors, and OEMs worldwide. More than 200 hours of episodic content and 240+ movies are available in Dolby Vision via OTT streaming or 4K UHD Blu-ray disc.

To achieve impressive High Dynamic Range performance, the 6-Series TVs deliver unmatched contrast ratio among LCD TVs using TCL’s Contrast Control Zones® technology to identify bright and dark areas in each frame of content and control each zone within the frame to yield striking contrast between light and dark areas. The new 2019 6-Series features an impressive 96 zones for the 55” model and 120 zones for the 65” model.

HDR Performance Package Pro on 6-Series televisions also feature Wide Color® Gamut with NBP Photon technology for even more realistic colors. TCL’s NBP Photon technology (Nano Band Phosphor) is an innovative combination of high-output LEDs with precision phosphors that deliver a palette on 6-Series TVs nearly matching the DCI-P3 reference color standard found in the professional equipment used by Hollywood content creators. Just as a director envisions the brilliant and saturated colors of a movie using the best camera and display technologies available, the color performance of the 6-Series accurately recreates the vibrancy of the director’s vision in your own living room.

While NBP Photon technology helps ensure vibrant colors, an all-new iPQ Engine® intelligently tailors precise colors based on the capability of each TV to maximize coverage of the DCI-P3 Hollywood color reference standard. Using intelligence gained in TCL’s deep vertical integration throughout the production supply chain and employing this intelligence via an algorithm that monitors performance on each 6-Series, TCL’s iPQ Engine controls the colors so that each TV’s performance consistently delivers an accurate image across the color spectrum for an out-of-the-box experience that’s closer to reality.

Additionally, TCL utilizes HDR Pro Gamma technology to create a custom tone map for different environments to accurately reproduce details so they remain easily visible in any lighting condition. To deliver impactful HDR performance in any viewing environment – from dark home theaters to bright living rooms – TCL’s new HDR Pro Gamma feature ensures every detail is captured in HDR entertainment content and is perfectly visible. The 6-Series offers picture settings available for dark home theaters (HDR Dark), moderately bright living rooms (HDR Normal), and even the brightest sunlit spaces (HDR Bright) so that stunning HDR is available anytime and anywhere.

TCL Roku TV 4-Series: Stunning Picture

The 4-Series marries 4K high-dynamic range, which delivers bright and accurate colors for lifelike viewing, with a super slim elegant design for an upscale TV experience. Offering stunning Ultra HD picture quality with four times the resolution of Full HD, as well as 4K upscaling to display other content in near-Ultra HD quality, the 4-Series 4K HDR TCL Roku TV also includes a dual-band Wi-Fi to capture every moment.

TCL Roku TV 3-Series: Simply Smart

The 3-Series is TCL’s most versatile series with smaller sizes to fit every room in the house, even on a kitchen countertop. These models featurea high definition display, paired with an advanced refresh rate and dual-band Wi-Fi, housed in a sleek design so they look great powered on or off.

For additional product information please visit www.tclcanada.com for the full portfolio.

Roku Adds Amazon Prime Video In Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 1, 2018 by itnerd

Roku today announced that Amazon Prime Video is now available on the Roku® streaming platform in Canada. Prime Video offers Roku customers easy access to a popular collection of movies, TV episodes and Prime Original series available exclusively on Prime Video to instantly stream at no additional cost to a Prime or Prime Video membership.

With access to Prime Video’s extensive collection of popular and award-winning Prime Original series, movies and TV shows Roku customers will be able to instantly stream popular titles available in HD and 4K HDR such as the recently released Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan starring John Krasinski, Emmy and Golden Globe winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, American Gods and new seasons of popular favorites like The Grand Tour, The Man in the High Castle and Goliath, starring Golden Globe winner Billy Bob Thornton. Customers can also look forward to upcoming series like the highly anticipated Prime Original series Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts, directed by Sam Esmail (creator of Mr. Robot) and coming to Prime Video on November 2.

Roku users will be able to access Prime Video by selecting it from the Roku Channel store found on their TV home screen. Prime Video is available for Roku 2 (except for models 2720x and 27020EU), Roku 3 (except for model 4230x), Roku Express, Roku Express+, Roku Streaming Stick (except for models 3400x, 3500x and 3500EU), Roku Streaming Stick+, Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+ and Roku Ultra as well as Roku TVs. New customers can sign-up on device or at PrimeVideo.com.

Next Month on The Roku Channel….

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 29, 2018 by itnerd

The Roku Channel officially launched in Canada in July and has since been offering consumers free entertainment on the Roku platform. Each month, The Roku Channel features a selection of movies and TV shows from major studios, alongside an aggregated selection of entertainment from existing channels on the Roku platform.

Here are some of the highlights for September:

Chicken People

Chicken People is a funny and uplifting look at the world of show chickens and the people who love them. Starting at the largest national poultry competition, likened to the Westminster Dog Show for chickens, Chicken People follows three top competitors over the course of a year as they grapple with life’s challenges while vying to win the next year’s crown.

Spy

Melissa McCarthy plays a desk-bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.

It Had to be You

A whimsical romantic comedy about a neurotic jingle writer who’s always dreamt of a big and exciting life, ‘It Had To Be You’ explores the choices women face today while satirizing cultural expectations of gender and romance.

Also keep an eye out for:

 

Gunpowder & Sky Announces New Sci-Fi Channel on Roku, DUSTx

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 8, 2018 by itnerd

Gunpowder & Sky, the global content studio, announced today that it has launched DUSTx, a new destination for mind-expanding science fiction that  explores the future of humanity through the lens of science and technology. DUSTx will be available on all Roku devices starting August 18, 2018.

Exploring the edge of possible – from the known, the legends, the titles everyone loves, to the new voices of tomorrow – DUSTx kicks off with more than 20 films, 30 series and 200 of its best short films, including: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the 1989 sci-fi comedy starring Keanu Reeves; Paycheck, the 2003 sci-fi action film based on Philip K. Dick’s short story, starring Ben Affleck; A Scanner Darkly, the 2006 animated sci-fi thriller directed by Richard Linklater, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name and starring Reeves, Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder; “Beyond Westworld”, the 1980 television series based on the Michael Crichton helmed film Westworld; and “Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K)”, the 1988 cult-favorite comedy series created by Joel Hodgson, and a slate of DUst short films  including Bad Peter, starring Frankie Shaw (Showtime’s SMILF), Rise, starring Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Taken) and Jonah, starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Black Mirror).

This news comes on the heels of DUST’s announcement that it has partnered with Lionsgate and the directors of the feature film KIN to create a sci-fi short movie competition called KIN x DUST, as well as the acquisition of Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell’s sci-fi western Prospect, DUST’s first feature film which premiered at SXSW to critical acclaim and is set to debut theatrically later this year. Additionally, DUST’s sci-fi short, Bad Peter, starring Golden-Globe nominated Frankie Shaw (“SMILF”), was an official selection at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Roku Channel Launches in Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags on July 23, 2018 by itnerd

Roku today announced the launch of The Roku Channel in Canada, a new streaming channel specifically dedicated to helping consumers find free movies, TV shows and more on the Roku platform. The Roku Channel requires no subscriptions, fees or logins. The ad-supported channel is expected to average about a third less advertising per programming hour than ad-supported linear TV in Canada.

At launch consumers can stream hundreds of movies, TV shows and documentaries for free. Every month The Roku Channel will feature a selection of box office hits and great classic movies, starting with Bad Boys, Julie & Julia and Grown Ups, alongside a curated selection of content from existing channel publishers on the Roku platform. Publishers participating at launch include American Classics/Hatch Farm Studios, FilmRise and Total Content Digital; others are expected to be added over time.

Currently, the Roku streaming platform offers a collection of more than 5,000 free and paid for channels that offer access to 150,000 movies and TV episodes. The Roku Channel will be rolled out over the coming weeks, starting today. Once available for their device, Roku users can add the channel from the Roku Channel Store and start streaming free movies and TV shows.

CBS All Access Comes to Roku Devices in Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags on May 11, 2018 by itnerd

CBS All Access, CBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand service, is now available on Roku streaming players and Roku TV models in Canada. The service, which launched in Canada in April, marking its first expansion into an international market, offers Canadian viewers more than 7,500 commercial-free episodes on demand spanning full current seasons of select CBS series, entire previous seasons and classic shows, as well as the ability to live stream CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service.

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For $5.99 CAD, CBS All Access brings thousands of episodes of CBS’ leading programming to digital platforms, making it simple for fans looking for more CBS content to get it in one easy-to-use, multiplatform service. CBS All Access includes the following on-demand programming in an advertising-free environment, with more to be added:

  • Current, building seasons of nearly 20 primetime shows including NCIS, BULL, SEAL TEAM, MACGYVER and INSTINCT, with new episodes available seven days after they are broadcast.
  • All past seasons of 15 primetime series including NCIS, SURVIVOR, ELEMENTARY, MADAM SECRETARY and more.
  • CBS All Access original series including season one of THE GOOD FIGHT and comedy series NO ACTIVITY, with more to be announced.
  • Ability to livestream CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 streaming news service featuring live, anchored coverage and original reporting.
  • Current episodes of select daytime and late-night favorites including THE TALK, RACHAEL RAY and THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT.
  • More than 30 CBS Classic series including all episodes of hits like CHARMED, THE GOOD WIFE, HAWAII FIVE-0 and CSI.

In addition to today’s launch on Roku streaming players and Roku TVs, CBS All Access is also available in Canada at cbsallaccess.ca, on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and on Apple TV and Chromecast. CBS All Access will be launching on additional connected devices in Canada in the coming months.

To sign up for CBS All Access in Canada visit: cbsallaccess.ca

A New Screensaver For Roku Users

Posted in Commentary with tags on May 2, 2018 by itnerd

Roku is rolling out a new beautiful and dynamic screensaver to Roku devices. Imagine a city as dense in population as New York and as bright as Tokyo. The new “City Stroll: Movie Magic” screensaver feels like you’re driving by a cityscape with dozens and dozens of popular movie and TV references. Take a cruise under the glowing lights and explore a city filled with movie magic.

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If you’ve set a personalized screensaver, Roku will not override it and you can find “City Stroll: Movie Magic” in the Roku Channel Store. If you have a Roku Ultra, where the Aquatic Life screensaver is the default screensaver, you can find “City Stroll: Movie Magic” in the Roku Channel Store. If you miss the old screensaver, Big City Stroll, now called, City Stroll: Skyline, you can find it in the Roku Channel Store.

First Sanyo Roku TVs Launch At Walmart Canada

Posted in Commentary with tags , on May 1, 2018 by itnerd

Funai Corporation, Inc., the exclusive North American license partner for Sanyo consumer televisions and home video products, today announced a new TV series that runs the popular Roku OS, to be available at Walmart Canada in-store and online starting early May.

Funai Sanyo Roku TV - Front Angle 2.jpg

The new Sanyo Roku TV series includes four screen sizes – 32-, 40-, 43- and 50-inch. All four sets feature outstanding Sanyo TV picture and sound performance and run on the easy-to-use Roku OS. Roku’s customizable home screen allows consumers to organize their favourite streaming services and inputs, such as antenna, cable boxesandgaming consoles. To find new entertainment, consumers can search for actor, director, TV show or movie title through the universal Roku Search feature.Sanyo Roku TV users in Canada getaccess to150,000+ movies and TV shows across5,000+ free or paid channels. SanyoRoku TVs are also compatible with the Roku mobile app, allowing consumers to control their Sanyo Roku TV froma mobile device and use otherfeatures such as voice search and private listening.

The new Sanyo Roku TV series offers Full HD resolution, 120 Brilliant Motion Rate to provide clear and vibrant images in fast action scenes, and wireless LAN 802.11ac MIMO for seamless streaming.

The Sanyo Roku TV series is comprised of the following models, starting at C$248:

Model Number         Screen Size                 Available                     Price

FW32R18FC                32-inch class               Early May                    C$248

FW40R48FC                40-inch class               Early May                    C$348

FW43R48FC                43-inch class               Early May                    C$398

FW50R48FC                50-inch class               Early May                    C$498

 

Review: Roku Streaming Stick +

Posted in Products with tags on April 28, 2018 by itnerd

Roku has come out with a new Streaming Stick called the Streaming Stick +. And this isn’t just the best streaming stick that Roku has made, it’s the best streaming device that they’ve made to date. First, let’s look at the Streaming Stick + and remote:

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You plug the Streaming Stick + into the HDMI port of your TV and then you plug a USB cable from the Streaming Stick + to a USB cable into a USB port on your TV. But this is no ordinary cable:

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If you take a look closely, there’s a block in the middle. That’s a WiFi receiver that’s built-in to its USB cable. That gives you 4x the range and a stronger signal which means that watching Stranger Things in 4K will be insanely smooth. And from my tests, that claim is accurate. It supports 802.11ac MIMO dual-band wireless to further ensure that streaming is smooth.

What other tricks does it have? Try these for starters:

  • 1080p
  • 4K UHD TVs
  • 4K UHD HDR TVs – Supports HDR10 technology

I found a client who has a 4K HDR TV to test out the 4K HDR support and watching an episode of Stranger Things  in 4K was stunning.

Another thing that I will draw your attention to is the remote. It has a power button on it along with volume buttons. That way, you can power on and off your TV and control the volume with a single remote. In fact, it tries to figure out what TV it has and sets itself up so that you (hopefully) don’t have to do any voodoo to make it work with your TV (I didn’t have to in my case. Your mileage may vary). That’s going to be a godsend to people who hate to juggle remotes like my wife for example. It also includes a voice search function that is not only insanely fast to use, it is a first for a Roku Streaming Stick. In fact, the Streaming Stick + is just insanely fast overall. You can thank a new quad-core processor that’s inside the Streaming Stick +. Everything was smooth and fluid when I tested it. Setup was quick and easy and anyone can do it.

What really is the cherry on the cake is the price. At $90 CDN The Roku Streaming Stick + is a no brainer if you want to join the streaming generation. It will be on the street on May 1st and I say grab one if you want to do streaming right.

Roku Announces Sanyo as its Newest Roku TV Brand

Posted in Commentary with tags on April 6, 2018 by itnerd

Roku today announced that the Sanyo brand is now part of the Roku TV licensing program. Funai Corporation expects to ship the first Sanyo Roku TVs in Canada this quarter.

The Roku TV licensing program offers TV OEM partners an easy, efficient, and cost-effective way to build smart TVs that consumers love to use. The Roku operating system provides consumers with access to an ever-growing library of content as well as regular, automatic updates so they can be sure they have the latest and greatest features.

Sanyo joins RCA, Insignia And Sharp as partners with Roku.