Roku Announces Cheaper Subwoofer and Updates $30 Express Streaming Device

Roku today announced new budget-friendly hardware, including a $130 Roku Wireless Bass subwoofer and an updated Roku Express streaming device. The company also detailed Roku OS 11.5, which includes features that should mean less time spent helplessly looking for something to watch.

$130 Roku Wireless Bass

The Roku Wireless Bass Subwoofer is designed to boost the bass heard from the Roku Streambar, wireless speakers, or wireless TV soundbar. The upcoming 5.25″Roku subwoofer is a cheaper version of the already released 10″Roku Wireless Bass Pro.

The cheaper subwoofer has a frequency response of 50-200Hz, while the more expensive Wireless Bass Pro has lower frequencies in the 40-200Hz range. Roku describes the new subwoofer as having a front-port design versus the Wireless Bass Pro’s downward-facing design and sealed enclosure.

Ultimately, Wireless Bass should be a bit quieter at 90dB versus 102dB for the Pro model.

For those with limited space, the good news is that the Wireless Bass will take up less space (13.7 inches high, 6.7 inches wide, and 12.4 inches deep) than the more powerful option (11. 8 x 11.8 x 11.8 inches). savings due to different speaker widths.

Like the other Roku subwoofer, the Wireless Bass must be within 30 feet (9.1 m) of the TV to work.

Starting Nov. 7, Roku will only sell the Wireless Bass for $130, $50 less than the Wireless Bass Pro’s MSRP. Roku will also bundle it with their Streambar (which itself has a $130 MSRP) for $250.

Updated Roku Express

Today, the San Jose, California-based company also announced a 2022 version of its junior streaming device, the Roku Express. The device now supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5GHz), a feature that Roku’s more expensive streaming devices already include, including the Roku Express 4K+ ($40) and Roku Ultra ($100).

Roku’s announcement claimed that the device had “beefed up”the amount of storage, but didn’t go into details. As usual, it will support resolutions up to 1920×1080 with the option to scale up to 1280×720.

The 2022 Roku Express is still $30, with presale starting today.

Roku OS 11.5

In terms of software, Roku OS 11.5 and its new features will begin rolling out to Roku devices “in the coming months,”according to Roku’s announcement today.

One long-missing feature is Continue Watching, which makes it easy to pick up a show or movie from where you left off. The option will live in the main screen menu under “What to watch”. However, this feature will not immediately work on all platforms. For starters, it should work with HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount+, and The Roku Channel.

For all those times when you can’t remember that movie or show you wanted to watch, OS 11.5 will provide a Save List feature outside of the Roku channel and the Roku mobile app. User save lists will become available in the “What to see”section.

Other future features of the OS seem to be more focused on keeping viewers interested in more content, whether long, short, free, or paid.

Users should be prepared to see a “collection of posts with brief content focused on entertainment”in the home screen menu. Roku is calling it The Buzz and says it will include content such as trailers, interviews and images from a growing list of brands including AMC+, Apple TV+, BET+, IGN, Showtime, Starz, The CW, Vevo and more.

Also joining the main screen menu is the Roku Store. He will try to persuade people to add more channels, including free and paid ones.

Other notable updates with OS 11.5 include the addition of Bluetooth Private Listening for the Roku Ultra, Streambar, and Streambar Pro, and a Live TV channel guide for the Roku mobile app remote.