Roku May Have Finally Fixed The Biggest Headache In Tv Streaming - Here's How

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• New Roku upgrades will beryllium free to each existent customers.
• The upgrades see an AI-enabled Roku Voice feature.
• The institution is launching a caller $198 smart projector.

Roku, nan streaming instrumentality manufacturer, announced earlier this period a database of updates for existing Roku users, on pinch a caller affordable projector. The updates included enhancements to nan Roku City screensaver, Roku Voice, Live TV Channels, nan Roku mobile app, and headphone mode. 

One of nan biggest updates is nan preamble of artificial intelligence (AI) features to its Roku Voice feature. The upgraded sound acquisition will alteration Roku Voice to reply questions astir shows, movies, characters, aliases actors. Users tin inquire much nuanced questions, specified arsenic "How scary is The Shining?" aliases "What are different movies pinch X actor?"

 Also: I changed 6 settings connected my Roku TV to importantly improved nan performance

Roku Voice will support discourse during nan conversation, allowing you to inquire follow-up questions astir nan aforesaid topic. This update is coming soon to each Roku devices, and users will beryllium capable to acquisition this done nan Roku Voice distant aliases nan mobile app. 

Bluetooth headphone mode is besides coming to nan Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus, eliminating nan request for nan mobile app and allowing you to brace Bluetooth headphones straight pinch nan Roku streaming sticks. Until now, you needed to link your Bluetooth headphones to your telephone and usage nan Roku mobile app to alteration headphone mode pinch these devices.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Looking for nan adjacent champion product? Get master reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

New interactive buttons are being introduced to trailers connected nan Roku platform, including a "Ways to Watch" fastener and a "Save" button. You tin spell consecutive to nan movie from nan trailer without having to backmost retired from nan trailer menu.

The Live TV Channel is getting an updated look. You'll spot a caller Search barroom successful nan Live TV Channel Guide and nan Live TV Zone. When you spot nan titles aliases browse done nan platform, Roku will show up to 2 streaming apps nether each title wherever you tin stream, prioritizing your progressive subscriptions.

Also: Which Roku streaming instrumentality should you buy? I tested each model, and here's my pick

For sports fans, Roku is introducing caller find features, including unrecorded scores that look connected nan tile cards of each matchup, without requiring a circumstantial crippled selection. If you property nan caller Reminder fastener for a sporting arena that's coming up, you'll get a notification erstwhile nan crippled is astir to begin. 

Coming later is simply a caller customization characteristic to constrictive down your preferred content, including your favourite sports and TV aliases movie genres. 

The mobile app is besides receiving updates, including shortcuts that characteristic celebrated requests, specified arsenic closed captions and mounting slumber timers. You'll besides beryllium capable to complaint movies and shows and people them arsenic already watched (something I'd emotion to spot Netflix adopt). The apical of nan app will athletics a caller navigation bar, allowing you to scroll done categories seamlessly. 

The announcement included nan caller expertise to interact pinch buildings successful Roku City that person been featured successful a promotion. As an introduction, Roku added caller marquees that you tin prime to beryllium transported to an exclusive euphony capacity from Demi Lovato. 

Also: Your Roku TV has hidden settings and paper screens - here's really to entree them

After unveiling the first Roku TV projector past month, nan streaming instrumentality institution announced nan caller Vankyo smart projector which is disposable astatine Walmart. This portable projector features 1080p HD resolution, car keystone, car focus, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It's priced astatine $198 and features 330 lumen brightness, a 1500:1 opposition ratio, and 2 5W speakers.

Roku precocious expanded its smart location compatibility to see Philips Ambilight, offering a much immersive streaming and gaming acquisition pinch Philips Hue lights.