Hisense and TCL launch Roku TVs

Roku, a US media player company, has partnered with two Chinese electronics manufacturers to launch televisions primarily intended for viewing content on various streaming video services.

The Roku TVs are manufactured and sold by Hisense and TCL. As soon as the TV is turned on, the viewer will not see a normal TV channel or HDMI input, but will be presented with a standard menu in which various streaming video services are mentioned. These include Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Vudu and HBO Go. The user can optionally change this preference in the options menu.

If streaming video services are offered as standard, the TV viewer will watch streaming content faster, Roku argues. The Roku TV’s remotes also provide access to VOD services with a number of buttons, while numerical keys have been omitted. The televisions can also be controlled via a Roku mobile app.

The devices marketed by TCL have full-HD screens of 32″, 40″, 48″ and 55″. Prices range from $229, or approximately $170, for the 32″ unit and $649, approximately $480, for the 55″ unit. Hisense’s Roku TV line includes 40″, 48″, 50″, and 55″ models. The prices of these TVs have not yet been announced.