A Roku streaming device enables you to stream movies, TV shows and much more over your home internet connection to your TV. These movies and TV shows are brought to you by streaming services such as Netflix, The Roku Channel, and Hulu, that can be accessed through the Roku streaming device.

What is streaming?

When you watch a video on your smartphone or a movie on your laptop, the signal is sent over the internet to your home, and then over your wireless network to your smartphone or laptop where it is converted to video and audio. This process of delivering media content over the internet is known as streaming.

Streaming lets you watch video or listen to music “on-demand” which means whenever you want without waiting for a show to be broadcast or downloaded.

What type of Roku streaming devices are available?

There are three types of Roku streaming devices – Roku streaming player, Roku® Streaming Stick® and Roku TV™.

Roku streaming player

A Roku streaming player connects to your TV using a Premium High Speed HDMI® Cable just like a cable box or Blu-ray™ player. Plug in the power cord, connect to your wireless network and activate your Roku account to start streaming.

If you are connecting to an older television, some Roku players also include a composite connector. You can use the product comparison chart to learn which players work with your TV.

To learn more about setting up a Roku streaming player, review the setup instructions below:

Roku Streaming Stick

A Roku Streaming Stick does not need a separate High Speed HDMI Cable, instead it plugs directly into an available HDMI input on your TV. The power adapter can be connected to the USB port on most TVs, or plugged directly into a wall outlet. After your Streaming Stick starts up, connect to your wireless network and activate your Roku account to start streaming.

The Roku Streaming Stick is ideal should you want to take it with you when you travel.

To learn more about setting up a Roku Streaming Stick, review the setup instructions below.

Roku TV

Roku TV is a smart TV with the added functionality and features of a Roku streaming player. From one simple interface, Roku TV provides access to all your entertainment sources such as a game console, cable box, antenna or streaming channels like Netflix and YouTube.

Roku works with a variety of TV manufacturers which build Roku TVs with different screen sizes, price points, and picture resolutions. To learn more about available models, view a list of smart TV brands offering Roku TV.

After your Roku TV powers on, connect to your wireless network and activate your Roku account to start streaming. To learn more about setting up a Roku TV, review the setup instructions.