It’s been a few months since the launch of Roku Streaming Stick +, a device that turns a normal TV into a smart one. If you haven’t had a chance to use this device, then you go through the information given in the sections below in order to find out whether you need such a device or not.
The Roku Streaming Stick + is a small adapter that installs directly into the HDMI port of a TV and turns it into a smart TV by allowing it to display thousands of “channels” like Netflix, NHL, Hulu and more.
Roku has launched several such devices since 2012 in the USA. The popularity of Roku increased many folds after every passing year. From all the Roku range, the new device is the one that best embodies this evolution, bringing together the company’s advanced technologies (4K resolution, HDR, voice search), but in a case the size of a long key USB.
Depending on your TV, the Streaming Stick + format may be a strength or weakness. The device does not need a place under your TV, which is good, but it is quite long, which should force most to use their side HDMI ports on their screen, especially if it is mounted on the wall.
At home, the Roku adapter is perfect with the Hisense H9 TV that furnishes my living room, since the side ports are placed behind the screen, not directly to the side. Those with a completely flat screen may have a problem though.
Interestingly, the antenna of the Streaming Stick + is placed in the power cable to keep it away from the TV itself. The strategy allows www Roku com link to announce a Wi-Fi range four times larger than before. This cable is quite short, which allows to power from a USB port of his TV easily. An extension cable is however available for those who want to plug into a traditional power outlet.
Among the other strengths of the Streaming Stick +, I rather like the little controller that came along with the device. It does not have the elegance of the Apple TV controller, but it is compact, and it can be used to turn on the TV and change the volume.
Finally, note that the mobile application Roku can listen to the TV from his phone directly, not to make a noise at night, for example. This is a considerable advantage for some. An update in May should also allow several people to listen to TV this way, which was not possible so far.
Another strength of the Streaming Stick + is finally the reliability of Roku, which has systematically updated all devices launched since 2012, improving them and offering them additional features for free.
Some compromises
Power side, the Streaming Stick + is faster than some adapters of the genre (the Amazon Fire TV, for example), but it is still slower than high-end models (which are also more expensive, it must be recognized) of Roku com link activation code.
And, if Roku displays an impressive number of channels (more than 5000), the quality is not always the rendezvous. For content, especially in 4K, the offer of Apple seems more interesting to me.
Technically, some will also regret the lack of standard HDR Dolby Vision. The problem is, however, more theoretical than practical, since few services use technology anyway.
Who is it for?
Roku Streaming Stick + is an interesting option for those who want to turn a second TV into a smart TV, to access Netflix, Plex, VMedia or other similar services.
For owners of a new 4K TV, which probably already offers integrated applications like Netflix, Roku offers some advantages, but these are probably too minor to be worth the investment. For rare models that are not smart, the adapter is, however, a choice.
The Streaming Stick + is not for all homes, but it should meet the basic needs of those looking for a device like this, especially when they do not want to invest in a more expensive model.