Roku today released a new software update that is available now for select Roku streaming players and all Roku TVs. The update adds two big features for Roku TVs.
The first new feature for the Roku TV is live pausesing a DVR like feature which lets you pause live over the air TV. Roku says you can pause digital broadcasts for up to 90 minutes. You will need a USB flash drive with at least 16GB of space to use the feature.
The second feature is mobile private listening. This feature is already available on some of Roku’s more premium streaming devices, such as the Roku 3.
The feature is now being made available for all Roku TV models by way of the mobile app for iOS and Android. Instead of connecting headphones to a remote control, you can connect them to your smartphone to listen in private. To enable the feature, your mobile device will need to be connected to the same network as your Roku TV.
Roku is also introducing a new audio guide for select players. The audio guide can help with navigating menus and is activated by pressing the * button four times.
Roku players that come with remote controls with volume controls on the remotes, such as the Roku 3, Roku 4, and more can now be used to control the volume of your TV or AV receiver if you have a TV that supports HDMI via CEC (Consumer Electronics Control).
Multiple users can now connect to a Roku player and use the Play on Roku feature, which lets you instantly share photos on your TV. Finally, Roku has implemented a number of updates to improve the overall streaming performance of all players, and the Streaming Stick can now automatically detect the TV’s display setting and select the best setting for itself based on the resolution of the TV.
The Roku OS 7.5 update is available now to download in the settings for some users/devices and it will be rolling out to Roku users over the next few weeks.
Here is a full list of the changes in the 7.5 update.
Key Roku OS 7.5 Features:
- Live TV Pause (Roku TV models only) – Never miss a play with Live TV Pause, a new feature available for all Roku TV models. When an antenna is connected to your Roku TV, you can now easily pause and playback digital broadcast TV to make sure you never miss a minute of the action when you head to the kitchen for a snack run. Using this new feature, over-the-air TV can be paused for up to 90 minutes. Live TV Pause requires a low cost USB flash drive with 16GB or more of storage capacity to be connected to your Roku TV.
- Mobile private listening for Roku TV models – Roku OS 7.5 brings a popular feature that’s currently available on select Roku streaming players (3600X, 3700X, 3710X, 4620X, 4630X, 4640X) to all Roku TV models. When using the latest version of the Roku mobile app for iOS and Android (V3.6.0), Roku TV owners can now enjoy private listening via their mobile device while watching streaming content. With this new feature, you can listen as loud as you like while not disturbing others in the house. Simply launch the Roku mobile app while connected to the same wireless network as your Roku TV, connect a pair of headphones to your mobile device and enjoy.
- Audio Guide – To provide a better entertainment experience for the visually impaired, Roku OS 7.5 includes a new Audio Guide feature that is available on Roku TV models in the US as well as select Roku streaming players (4640X, 4630X, 4620X, 3710X, 3700X, 3600X). This feature uses text-to-speech to assist with navigation of the Roku user interface and onscreen menus. Audio Guide can be activated by pressing the “*” button on the Roku remote four times consecutively, or by selecting to turn the feature on/off within the new Accessibility category in the Settings menu.
- Roku player remote volume control – Roku streaming player models with remotes that feature volume buttons (4640x, 4630x, 4400x, 4230x, 4200x) can now control the volume level of TVs and audio receivers that support volume control via HDMI® Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) technology.
- New feedback option for streaming channels – You can now quickly provide feedback on your experience with streaming channels by pressing the Options button “*” on your Roku streaming player or Roku TV remote control when the channel tile is highlighted. Simply select “Give us feedback” from the options menu to report your experience to help ensure our channel partners are aware of potential issues.
- Roku Media Player auto launch (only works with Roku devices that include USB input) – Roku OS 7.5 makes accessing your stored videos and other content easy by automatically launching the Roku Media Player when you insert your USB storage device. This feature can be disabled if desired.
- Screen mirroring added for more Roku players – Roku OS 7.5 adds our screen mirroring feature to the Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+ and Roku Ultra. Screen mirroring allows you to wirelessly mirror your compatible Android, Windows Mobile, Windows 10, or Windows 8.1 device’s screen onto your TV screen. More information about screen mirroring on your Roku device is available here.
- Play on Roku support for multiple mobile devices – Roku OS 7.5 and the updated Roku mobile app for iOS and Android now enable multiple people to use the Play on Roku feature on a Roku device. This feature is great for a party or post-event gathering so everyone can share photos from their mobile device with the group on the big screen at the same time.
- Improved search experience – Updates to Roku search provide results more quickly as you enter the title, actor or director you want to search. Relevant search results are displayed as soon as you begin entering text to help make finding what you want to watch easier. In addition, the relevancy of search results across the 100+ channels now included in Roku search has been improved.
- Streaming performance – Roku OS 7.5 includes a variety of updates to improve the overall streaming performance of your Roku device. Videos will start more quickly in some channels and channels supporting video playlists have more seamless video transitions.
- Auto display detection – The Roku Streaming Stick® (model 3600X) will now auto-detect the TV display setting and select the optimal setting based on your TV’s resolution.
Roku OS 7.5 Bug Fixes
- Logitech Harmony remotes can now wake-up a Roku 4 player.
- Fixed bug where a Roku 4 player occasionally displayed content in the upper left corner of the screen after display settings were changed from 720p/1080p to 4K UHD.
- Fixed bug where the focus of the Roku user interface would occasionally appear off center in some user interface themes when scrolling through menus.
- Fixed bug that caused the screen to flicker when playing some games on select Roku streaming players (models 3600x, 2720x, 2710x, 2700x, 2500x, 2450x).
- Fixed bug where a Roku 4 player would display inconsistent black levels when display setting was manually changed to 4K UHD.
- Fixed bug where some Roku TV models would experience occasional delay during playback when using the Roku Media Player.
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