Streaming Services.
Premium:
Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Hulu, Redbox Instant, HBO Go, Google Play Movies and TV, HBO Now, Showtime, Showtime Anytime, Starz, Movies Anywhere, CBS All Access, MLB.TV, NHL, NBA, WWE Network, NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL, UFC, Tennis Channel, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV NOW, Spectrum TV, FandangoNOW, YouTube TV
Other:
YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, Flickr, and more
Description. The Roku Ultra is similar in form to the Roku 4 but smaller, it has the remote finder button and of course, the familiar purple Roku tag is hanging off one side. It has an HDMI out, a microSD card slot for expanding its built in memory, a side-mounted USB port, and a wired Ethernet port for connecting to a home network, but lacks an optical digital audio output. Like the other players' remotes it has dedicated buttons for accessing Netflix, Hulu, Sling and HBO NOW, as well as A/B game buttons (and purple navigation controls). It also has a standard headphone mini-jack that automatically shuts off the sound to a TV or A/V receiver, allowing you to listen privately even when others are in the same room. The Roku Ultra remote also adds a built in speaker which is used for their lost remote finder feature.
Setup. This player is generally easy to set up, though it was one of only a few tested models that require you to register the device using a computer. All the connections are well labeled, so you can easily see where to connect the HDMI and other cables. It has an onscreen guide that automatically scans for available Wi-Fi networks, but it does not support an easier WPS connection, which doesn't require entering a password. We found updating the firmware for the box is easy because it will automatically prompt you if there is a firmware update.
Ease of use. For everyday use the box is easy to use:
Interface. The main home screen uses graphic tiles for all the available apps and content, and it can be customized for easier access to your favorite apps. It has a search function that will search several of the available video streaming services for content. It also has a very responsive voice search function which makes searching a lot easier than when trying to type in search terms with the on screen keyboard. Thanks to a the fast processor, we found this Roku to be responsive, which made navigating the menus and content pleasing.
Remote control. The provided remote is simple, with few buttons that are well sized and labeled, with high enough contrast that they can be seen in a room with low-light conditions. However, some buttons are labeled with non-standard icons, which could be initially confusing. The remote doesn't require line-of-sight to control the box. It is a motion-sensing remote that is only used to play certain games. It also has a built in mic and a dedicated voice search button. A unique feature is its built in headphone jack, with volume controls right on the remote. When a headphone or earphone is plugged into the remote, it cuts off the sound from the TV. You can also download an iOS, Android, Windows, or Fire OS app that lets you use a phone or tablet to control the player, and use the device's QWERTY keyboard to enter text, making it easier to enter passwords. The app also lets you search for content and use the device's built in mic to do voice searches, access channels directly without navigating the player's menu, and beam photos and music stored on the device to the player via its "Play on Roku" feature.
Picture quality. This player supports 4K UHD and HD output. In general we found the streaming picture quality for both HD and UHD to be excellent. Though, we did notice that the black levels are a bit lower than they should be, which will hide deep shadow detail. 4K content is better than standard DVDs but not quite as sharp or detailed as from a 4k UHD Blu-ray disc, and UHD content matches what we see with streaming content on the best UHD Smart TVs. However, you will need an UHD TV in order to stream UHD content, and the quality of the video you'll get is largely dependent on the speed of your wired or wireless network.
Audio. This player will output multichannel digital audio via its HDMI.
Connections. It has an excellent number of connections, including one HDMI output, an Ethernet port, DLNA support, a microSD card slot for memory expansion, and one USB port (that can be used with an external hard drive) so you can play images, videos, and music. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standard (802.11ac), which supports dual-band: 2Ghz and 5GHz networks, and the remote has a headphone jack. It supports "casting," which allows you to load content from YouTube and Netflix onto the player and control the video from the app on your mobile device. It also supports screen mirroring, so you can mirror the screen of any Android, Fire OS, or Windows device on to your TV via the player.
Miscellaneous. It support 4K Ultra HD resolution output and will play UHD content from several streaming services including Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon and personal photo and video files via the USB ports, though; you need to have an Ultra HD TV to be able to view the 2160p output. The player also comes with a pair of earbud headphones.
Firmware Version. All players are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing.
Firmware version for the Roku Ultra (2018) is: 9.0.0 build 4142-46
