eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Roku has announced a special Black Friday offer on its HD-XR Player, a Netflix streaming appliance that is Wi-Fi enabled and can also play high-definition video.
The offer begins at 11 a.m. EST (8 a.m. PST) Nov. 27 and is available only to the first 500 customers who visit the company’s Website. The device, which normally retails for $129.99, will be available for $65, including free shipping. The XR is also notable because it includes the fastest Wi-Fi on the market, wireless N.
In October, the company announced the release of the HD-XR as well as the Roku SD player, retailing for $79.99. The addition of these two models expands the family of digital video players to three; the original $99.99 Roku HD player debuted in 2008. All players stream video from Netflix, Amazon’s Video On Demand service and MLB.TV. Roku is offering free shipping on all Roku devices if purchased through Amazon.com or the company’s Website.
The HD-XR Player comes with its own remote control and includes all the cables required to connect to a standard television. The Roku players feature composite, S-video and component video outputs; stereo and optical audio outputs; and HDMI integrated audio and video connections. Roku claims the devices, which are about the size of a jewelry box, take only 5 minutes to set up.
The Roku SD player connects to the TV using the included yellow-red-white video/audio cable and incorporates the aforementioned Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) technology and an Ethernet port for broadband connectivity. The Roku HD and HD-XR players feature high-definition streaming capability, connecting to any TV using HDMI or component video (both products also include S-video or Composite video outputs as well). The Roku HD-XR adds the latest Wi-Fi standard and 802.11n dual-band, and works with legacy routers. Roku notes the HD-XR player also includes a USB port for future use.
Recently, the company also announced the Roku Channel store, which offers free channels such as Twit.tv, Facebook Photos, Flickr, Pandora Internet Radio, Blip.tv and FrameChannel. The company said many other developers are working on Roku Channels now, and they expect additional developers to adopt the Roku platform over time. New channels will appear in the Roku Channel Store automatically as they become available, Roku stated in a company release.
All Roku players are compatible with the Roku Channel Store, and the store will be delivered as an automatic and free upgrade to all existing Roku customers over the course of the next two weeks, the company claimed. New customers will automatically be upgraded when they first install their Roku player.