Roku launches in UK

Connected TV set-top provider Roku has become the latest US over-the-top video specialist to launch in the UK. Two of its streaming players can from today be pre-ordered from Amazon in the UK and Ireland, the first time the devices have been made available to European customers.

The devices currently offers more that 40 channels of content including on-demand films and content from Netflix, which launched its own UK service on Monday, giving users the chance to watch Netflix content on TVs. Roku said it would announce “major content” partners for the UK and Ireland by the time the devices ship to customers in those countries at the end of January.

Roku also offers live and on-demand sport from MLB.TV and the Ultimate Fighting organisation, music from Classical TV and Tuneln, photos and videos from Facebook and Flickr, news and entertainment from WSJ Live and FoxNews.com along with various games including Angry Birds.

“Roku launched the first ever streaming player to deliver Netflix to consumers in the US and now we are among the first to bring Netflix to residents of the UK and Ireland,” said Clive Hudson, vice-president and general manager for Europe at Roku. “In addition to Netflix, we are launching with a variety of entertainment channels and look forward to expanding our content selection in the same way that we have in the US where we have more than 400 channels today.”

The Roku LT is the cheaper device with a retail price of £49.99 (€60). It connects to TVs and to the internet via WiFi and supports up to 720p HD video. The Roku 2 XS costs £99.99 and offers the same content found on the LT but with the addition of games. It comes with a motion-controlled games remote and a MicroSD slot for additional game storage. It supports up to 1080p HD video and comes with a USB port.