Hisense and TCL Announce Availability of Roku TV Sets
Roku announced that it would partner with Hisense and TCL to create Roku connected televisions back at CES in January, but as with a lot of CES announcements the products themselves weren't quite ready. Today, the three companies made good on that announcement by releasing the availability dates and specs for the first Roku TVs.
Both Hisense and TCL are aiming for value shoppers with their releases. Hisense will sell four sets (40-, 48-, 50-, and 55-inch models) in late September. All four will offer HD resolution, with a 120Hz native refresh rate on the larger two and a 60Hz refresh rate on the smaller two. Each will have three HDMI ports, as well as USB and digital audio connectors. Hisense isn't announcing MSRP pricing, but will leave pricing up to the retailer.
TCL will also release four models: 32-inch ($229), 40-inch ($329), 48-inch ($499), and 55-inch ($649). They're available for preorder on Amazon now, and will be available from major electronics retailers in the next few weeks. All of TCL's sets will have a 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and three HDMI ports.
The sets have more similarities than differences since all run on the Roku operating system and include integrated dual-band Wi-Fi. The Roku TV OS is almost identical to the Roku set-top box OS, but with the ability to connect and access an HD antenna, cable box, game console, Blu-ray Player, and even a set-top box. The Hisense and TCL versions of the Roku OS have only slight cosmetic differences.
All Roku TVs will come with Roku's compact and simple remote. Since the remote lacks a number pad, owners will use their cable or satellite remote when accessing pay TV channels.
A Hisense Roku TV with remote.
Related Articles
Ready or not, here comes 8K. Look for 8K sets to hit the market later this year, with TCL creating the first Roku model.
08 Jan 2019
The Chinese TV-maker is expanding from two to four lines in the U.S., with the top line offering Dolby Vision technology and 4K resolution.
05 Jan 2016
The more powerful (and expensive) Roku 4 supports 4K streaming, and adds helpful content discovery options in its upgraded operating system.
06 Oct 2015
Roku has also created a reference design for a 4K TV, and is working with Netflix to provide UHD video for owners of Roku 4K TVs.
05 Jan 2015
Video on-demand or live linear? New content or repurposed? Roku knows what works in set-top box video, and it's happy to share its experience with partners.
19 Nov 2014
Is the company staying quiet about new funding because it's planning an IPO? The Wall Street Journal says Roku plans to go public.
23 Oct 2014
A study of set-top box adoption finds that Roku has a commanding lead, thanks to an association with Netflix and a smart product strategy.
09 Jul 2014
No longer a "little company," Roku says it now accounts for a quarter of all video viewing in households that have its devices
13 May 2014
A second version of the Streaming Stick works with more TVs and has a lower price, providing a cord-free experience to more viewers.
04 Mar 2014