Roku breaks outside the (set-top) box, introduces its own Roku TV line

By Caleb Denison Published January 6, 2014

roku breaks outside box introduces tv hisense rokutv final — Image used with permission by copyright holder

While LG is announcing its new smart TV interface powered by webOS, Roku is doing its part to push the smart TV experience forward with the recently announced Roku TV. The company and its wildly popular set-top boxes have been the darlings of cord-cutters for years, but now the company is taking its simple, easy-to-navigate interface, and embedding it right inside a selection of televisions.

According to a blog post by Roku’s CEO, Anthony Wood, the company has partnered with Chinese manufacturers TCL and Hisense to produce the new televisions, ranging in size from 32 to 55 inches. TCL and Hisense are both top-selling brands in China, and have recently made a power play for the US market – this partnership will likely bolster those efforts.

Hisense-RokuTV_final-2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Everything users have come to expect from Roku’s set-top boxes will be available in the new Roku televisions, including a simplified remote control. Roku now offers 1,200 channels of content, including all the major video-on-demand apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant, Vudu, etc., plus the ability to work with media server apps such as Plex. Roku devices, including the new televisions, can also be controlled via an iOS or Android app.

Roku didn’t disclose any information about pricing and availability for its new televisions, but TCL and Hisense both have yet to make their announcements here at CES 2014. Stay with Digital Trends as the show progresses and we’ll bring you the latest developments.

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