Roku expands their streaming player product lineup today with the introduction of the Roku SD and Roku HD-XR. With these two new players, Roku now offers three different price points for consumers that have different wants and needs all while supporting streaming content from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and MLB.TV.

On the low end of the spectrum, we have the Roku SD (pictured above) which features:

• Connects to TV sets via yellow/red/white video/audio cables
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g connectivity
• Ethernet port
• Stream their favorite movies and TV shows to their TV at up to DVD quality

The mid-range Roku HD and high-end Roku-HD-XR (pictured above) feature:

• HD streaming capabilities
• HDMI or component video connections (S-Video or Composite connections available also)
• Optical audio output
• Roku HD-XR features support for 802.11n dual-band connectivity
• Roku HD-XR also includes a USB port for future usage

Prices for the three players are as follows:

• Roku SD - $79.99
• Roku HD - $99.99
• Roku HD-XR - $129.99

For a limited time, buy one of these players from Roku or Amazon.com, and you’ll receive free shipping.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku, Roku SD, Roku HD-XR

You know them for the popular $99 dollar Roku Player but I bet you didn’t realize Roku has a line of players called the BrightSign family designed for the digital signage business. The company expanded this product lineup today by announcing five new models – an inexpensive player that loops HD videos and playlists, two models that offer basic or advanced interactivity, and two models with simple or advanced networking for remote content delivery and reporting. Here’s the rundown on the five new BrightSign models:

BrightSign HD110:

• For simple looping video playback
• Update content by inserting an SD card
• HD video
• HDMI and VGA connectivity
• Playlist support and looping media
• Zones with support for video, images, and text tickers

BrightSign HD410:

Builds on the HD110 features

• Supports interactive playlists
• GPIO (general purpose inputs and outputs) and serial ports for interactivity and control:

• button inputs
• lighting controls
• synchronization
• support for AMX, Quadravox and other control systems

BrightSign HD810:

Builds on the HD410 with features of:

• Component video support
• Expansion A/V Module support for more audio outputs and GPIO controls
• Touch screen and USB device interactivity
• USB speaker support
• Real-time clock for content playback scheduling
• Live video in a window via our USB video input accessory
• USB dongle content updates

BrightSign HD210:

Supports all the features of the HD110 and adds:

• Remote content updates
• Networked RSS feeds for news, weather and more
• Real-time reporting for ad playback confirmations
• Networking groups to target content updates
• Supports either BrightSign Simple Networking or BrightSign Network Manager
• World class security, authentication
• Redundancy and failsafe modes

BrightSign HD1010:

The HD1010 delivers all the features of the BrightSign family in a single product. This model rolls all the capabilities of our products into a single unit.

• Comprehensive and customizable interactive controls
• Fully featured zones
• Synchronization and scheduling
• Wi-Fi networking
• Facilities for live video feeds

All five models support a variety of media formats including MPEG-4 part 10/H.264 and prices for the five models range from $285 to $650.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku, BrightSign Player, Digital Signage

Ah the Roku Player – the little player that could. First the player delivered  Netflix streaming direct to the television set at an affordable price.  Then it received a 720p HD upgrade a few weeks back that allowed it to stream HD videos from Netflix. Now, Zatz Not Funny is reporting that Roku is privately testing a new beta software update that will bring Amazon Video On Demand support to the player. If all goes well, the support will be rolled out in version 2.0 of the software update. Not too bad for a $99 dollar player.

[Check it out via DVICE.com]

Technorati Tags: Roku Player, Amazon Video On Demand