Jump to content

Your Roku set-top-box


morpheus1
Go to solution Solved by speechles,

Recommended Posts

morpheus1

If you're using a Roku box, would you please say which, including model number. And if you care a brief comment on how Emby client plays with it? Including such feedback as video quality, audio connection options, stereo vs 5.1, 7.1, etc. And any other technical details you may wish. As well, perhaps devs can say which box is best to buy now considering future development.

 

I'm thinking of getting a Roku set-top-box but want to ensure I make a sensible choice. I suspect this information will benefit others as well who may be looking for  a reliable energy efficient client that's easy to use for the non-tech folks some of us live with.

 

Thanks a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Solution

No Roku model supports 7.1. The best you will get is 5.1(we can transcode 7.1 to 5.1) if the device on the other end of the HDMI (your TV or AVR) supports surround sound. In lack of such, the Roku will tell the app your device supports stereo. We read all capabilities directly from the device. So as you change your settings on the Roku the app will adapt accordingly.

 

The Roku supports downscale on device. So your 4K movies will still direct play on 1080p/720p televisions. If audio needs to be transcoded we copy the video stream whenever we can. We go out of our way to keep direct play/direct stream as much as possible.

 

Video Quality is sometimes dependent on the quality of your video. You can correct most of the quality problems with settings on the television. The Roku does appear dimmer than the same signal over HDMI from my PC HDMI port using the same "Standard" setting. So when watching Roku I use the "Movies" setting on my TV which makes everything brighter. Then when using the PC HDMI I choose "custom" where I set everything for gaming. I have a Vizio TV with a Roku Ultra #4640 attached.

 

Typical wattage for the Roku Ultra to consume is 4.5Watt (.0375 Amps). Far less than the Xbox. We also continually develop the Roku app, you will not be left hanging. There is a constant effort to move forward and keep things rolling. You do not need to worry Emby will leave you with a broken Roku app that becomes unusable and frustrating. We are your friends. We listen to your feedback. Your media, your way.   :)

Edited by speechles
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a few weeks ago a Roku Ultra 4660R for a secondary TV.  The Roku is ethernet hard wired and directly connected to an old 1080p LCD Tv that support only PCM stereo.  My primary system is a nvidia shield connected to a Yahama AV receiver (Supporting HD audio) to a 4k HDR TV.  My libraries are mostly 1080p (x264 and x265) but I have few 4k HDR movies.

 

Here are my thoughts so far on the Roku

  -Minimalist UI interface.  Very simple to use

  -The roku does a very good job converting frame rate, no stutter or micro stutter (something the Shield struggle with)

  -Downscaling is very nice.  I have some 4k HDR movies and the video direct play.

  -Processing power seems ok, navigation through apps and menu is smooth (It's not the Shield though)

  -Pretty much for all my content, the ultra direct play the video.  For the audio part, except for AAC, emby server has to transcode it for my setup cause my TV doesn't support dolby or DTS and roku removed dolby support.

  -For AAC 5.1, the roku downmix it to AAC 2.0.

 

About Emby client, look and feel pretty much like other emby client except that some livetv views are not available yet like recordings and schedule.  But tv guide is there.  You can chase play an in progress recording, but you need to go into the recordings library and find it since there is no "recordings views".  Skipping through commercials need some time to adapt to.  Roku player doesn't work like any other player for skip forward and backward.  But when you get use to it, it works ok.

 

Roku added support for mpeg2 decoding in a recent firmware update. But I think they have still some work to do on it.  It mostly work ok if the bitrate is under 17mbps.  I have an OTA channel with bitrate around 19mbps and the playback pixalizes and breaks up (I think it's a roku firmware issue).  But with the emby beta client, you can now select the bitrate on the OSD menu.  So switching the bitrate to 15mbps in that case forces emby server to transcode and that fixes the problem.

 

For a secondary TV without any fancy AV receiver, I'm very satisfied with my purchase.  But I wouldn't replace my Nvidia Shield with it on my primary system.  The reason is the lack of HD audio passthrough.  If you plan to connect it to an AV receiver that support HD audio, then I would suggest the nvidia Shield.  But if you don't care about HD audio, the Roku ultra does a good job.

Edited by rouq
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

morpheus1

No Roku model supports 7.1. The best you will get is 5.1(we can transcode 7.1 to 5.1) if the device on the other end of the HDMI (your TV or AVR) supports surround sound. In lack of such, the Roku will tell the app your device supports stereo. We read all capabilities directly from the device. So as you change your settings on the Roku the app will adapt accordingly.

 

The Roku supports downscale on device. So your 4K movies will still direct play on 1080p/720p televisions. If audio needs to be transcoded we copy the video stream whenever we can. We go out of our way to keep direct play/direct stream as much as possible.

 

Video Quality is sometimes dependent on the quality of your video. You can correct most of the quality problems with settings on the television. The Roku does appear dimmer than the same signal over HDMI from my PC HDMI port using the same "Standard" setting. So when watching Roku I use the "Movies" setting on my TV which makes everything brighter. Then when using the PC HDMI I choose "custom" where I set everything for gaming. I have a Vizio TV with a Roku Ultra #4640 attached.

 

Typical wattage for the Roku Ultra to consume is 4.5Watt (.0375 Amps). Far less than the Xbox. We also continually develop the Roku app, you will not be left hanging. There is a constant effort to move forward and keep things rolling. You do not need to worry Emby will leave you with a broken Roku app that becomes unusable and frustrating. We are your friends. We listen to your feedback. Your media, your way.   :)

Speecles, I must say, you matched the kind of very friendly, very helpful and extremely insightful responses I'm used to getting from Sir Luke here. Every single question I had was answered, and more related information provided. I thank you, ever so dearly. Folks like you keep this community going. Thanks for your time, for your thoughts and for everything you put into this response, and for making this experience, asking, such a very pleasant one. Thank you!  Your response was so complete, I dare not ask any follow up, and so I marked it as "best answer." Thanks a lot, indeed. Now I can't wait to get my hands on a Roku. Thanks as well for the assurance, that I don't 'need to worry (that), Emby will leave you with a broken Roku app.' For such support, just as soon as I have some cash, I'd put it into the project, as a way to contribute. I do feel the sentiment 'we're your friends.' And most important, trust the spirit of the statement. Thank you! Finally, it does help that you own a Roku. Thanks ever so much! With this, I skip the whole lirc and Linux box client option. Too geeky for the non-geeky folks around here. You, Speechles, are my hero. And you will forever be remembered as my promise to contribute financially to this project, each time I sit and relax to enjoy Roku and Emby. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

morpheus1

I bought a few weeks ago a Roku Ultra 4660R for a secondary TV.  The Roku is ethernet hard wired and directly connected to an old 1080p LCD Tv that support only PCM stereo.  My primary system is a nvidia shield connected to a Yahama AV receiver (Supporting HD audio) to a 4k HDR TV.  My libraries are mostly 1080p (x264 and x265) but I have few 4k HDR movies.

 

Here are my thoughts so far on the Roku

  -Minimalist UI interface.  Very simple to use

  -The roku does a very good job converting frame rate, no stutter or micro stutter (something the Shield struggle with)

  -Downscaling is very nice.  I have some 4k HDR movies and the video direct play.

  -Processing power seems ok, navigation through apps and menu is smooth (It's not the Shield though)

  -Pretty much for all my content, the ultra direct play the video.  For the audio part, except for AAC, emby server has to transcode it for my setup cause my TV doesn't support dolby or DTS and roku removed dolby support.

  -For AAC 5.1, the roku downmix it to AAC 2.0.

 

About Emby client, look and feel pretty much like other emby client except that some livetv views are not available yet like recordings and schedule.  But tv guide is there.  You can chase play an in progress recording, but you need to go into the recordings library and find it since there is no "recordings views".  Skipping through commercials need some time to adapt to.  Roku player doesn't work like any other player for skip forward and backward.  But when you get use to it, it works ok.

 

Roku added support for mpeg2 decoding in a recent firmware update. But I think they have still some work to do on it.  It mostly work ok if the bitrate is under 17mbps.  I have an OTA channel with bitrate around 19mbps and the playback pixalizes and breaks up (I think it's a roku firmware issue).  But with the emby beta client, you can now select the bitrate on the OSD menu.  So switching the bitrate to 15mbps in that case forces emby server to transcode and that fixes the problem.

 

For a secondary TV without any fancy AV receiver, I'm very satisfied with my purchase.  But I wouldn't replace my Nvidia Shield with it on my primary system.  The reason is the lack of HD audio passthrough.  If you plan to connect it to an AV receiver that support HD audio, then I would suggest the nvidia Shield.  But if you don't care about HD audio, the Roku ultra does a good job.

Thanks a lot, @@rouq. This is good to know of this other option, Nvidia Shield. I think I have the kind of amplifier you mentioned, it being a network received. But I think I can get 5.1 without HD. I'm not so particular about HD audio. I don't know what I'm missing, as I can't hear what I can't hear; if you know what I mean. I say the same of recent super TVs that provide pictures neither my mind or eye can tell differences on. There are, in my view, two aspects to technological development in this area; what science says is possible and what the eyes can see, the mind interprets and the ears hear. The technical bits can be improved, but the human bits, not so. So, why buy a television or audio device that neither my hear, eyes or mind can appreciate?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@morpheus1 Feel free to ask any further questions, if you have any. It is okay to be new. It is okay to ask questions. I will be here to answer them. Don't feel the need to post in the same thread either. You can create new threads for any issues, feature requests, or basically any question you have. It is always nice to deal with pleasant people. When you get your Roku let us know what you think of the app. Thanks. :)

Edited by speechles
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...