Is a Roku worth buying?

Rokus are the most popular TV streaming boxes for good reason: They're super easy to use and offer a wide array of streaming channels. They're our favorite, too. ... And once you get that Roku, be sure to add WIRED's channel! Updated June 2021: We've added the Express 4K Plus, which replaces the Premiere. Roku Technical Support

Music Streaming

Listening to music might not be the first activity you think about when considering a new Smart TV, but—if it’s available on your TV—you’ll be surprised at how much you’ll use it, especially if the TV is in a kitchen, a bedroom, or some other location in the house where you don’t already have an audio system. As with streaming video services, though, not all Smart TVs have apps for some of the most popular services, such as Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn.

Check the Smart TV’s app store to see if your favorite music streaming service is available. The speakers in nearly every TV—smart, average, or dumb as a brick—sound weak and wimpy, however, so we highly recommend using a set of bookshelf speakers or a decent soundbar with the TV to make the experience more enjoyable.

Media Player

It’s much more pleasant to look at family photos on a 50- or 60-inch screen in your living room instead of scrunching everyone together in front of a tiny computer screen—or, worse, passing around a smartphone.

A basic DLNA-compliant media player can provide access to all of the digital videos, photos, and music located on a network-attached storage device or computer on your home network. More advanced media players and servers, such as Plex, can organize, categorize, and convert your content, making it super-easy to access all of your digital stuff. Roku Remote Not Working