![]() Older and unsupported devices can access Emby’s media catalog using DLNA (uPnP) streaming. Alternatively, run Emby on Android, your NVIDIA Shield streaming box, or as a containerized app using Docker.Įmby is then accessed using client apps for a good range of platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux, devices like Android TV and the NVIDIA Shield, and even smart TV platforms like Samsung’s Tizen and LG’s WebOS. It also runs natively on many NAS drives including those running FreeNAS or proprietary systems from Synology and Western Digital. The server can run on computers running Windows, macOS, Linux, and even FreeBSD. Like Plex and Jellyfin, Emby is a media streaming platform that must be installed as a server. Like Jellyfin, Kodi is open-source and entirely free to use. You don’t have to plug all of your local media into your main Kodi machine (though that would be the fastest way of accessing it) since you can map network shares, NAS drives, and more. ![]() Otherwise, the Ultra LT is a smart investment for those who feel about 80% ready to take the premium streaming box plunge.Kodi works as a standard DLNA uPnP server to bridge the gap between your main entertainment center and other devices that are on the same network. If you don't need Ethernet or microSD ports, the Roku Streaming Stick+ is still probably your best bet, as it's $20 cheaper than the Ultra LT and a lot smaller. And while the full-fledged Ultra also has a better remote, the Ultra LT's is no slouch. I do kind of miss the USB port (I don't miss the remote finder), but that port is hardly a make-or-break feature for most viewers. In that respect, the Ultra LT is a success. In creating the Ultra LT, it's pretty clear what Roku wanted to do: shave a few features off of the Ultra, while shaving a few dollars off the price at the same time. ![]() The Roku Ultra LT is still pretty fast in the grand scheme of things, but reports of its increased speed may have been exaggerated. YouTube, for example, stabilized in 4K resolution and HDR colors almost immediately, while it took about 30 seconds on Amazon Video. AmazonĤK resolution was more of a mixed bag and seemed to be dependent more on the app. Some apps, even high-profile ones like Netflix, sometimes took 10 or more seconds to launch. However, I didn't notice any significant speed increases from previous Roku models. It's just that Roku touted the Ultra's faster processor and ability to launch apps an average of 20% faster. That's good if you use those apps, and useless if you don't. There are also four dedicated buttons for Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Sling. The Ultra LT's remote has everything else, though: media-control buttons, directional buttons, a voice search button, and power and volume buttons that work on newer TVs after a painless pairing process. That's not damning it with faint praise it's just that the new Ultra's remote has two extra programmable buttons. The Ultra LT comes with the second best Roku remote you can get. ![]() The search doesn't bias results, so you'll often have to do a little legwork to find what you're looking for, especially if your search contains a common term (like "Star Wars" or "Marvel"). It's also annoying, since you'll likely come up with dozens and dozens of marginally related videos. This channel is best for larger groups and users who prefer multiplayer games. However, because it comes with ads, you will need to pay 1.99 to get them removed. Roku's search feature is mostly very good, since it's almost guaranteed to find what you're looking for, no matter how obscure. Neon Party Games is a Roku private channel that is free to download and access. If you search for titles, actors, directors and so forth, Roku will trawl through hundreds of different streaming apps, helping you find the cheapest place for your desired content. If you want to find a particular app, you can browse for it in the store or search via voice or text entry. Apple TVĪs far as navigation goes, it mostly comes down to Roku Search, which is easily the broadest search feature available in a streaming OS. Some of Roku's competitors have adopted similar systems, but aside from Apple TV, no other OS lets you do this so seamlessly. You can also move the apps up and down and side to side, so you can put your favorite apps right up top and consign the ones you use infrequently to the bottom of the screen. You can install or eschew whatever apps you want you're not required to have, say, Amazon Video or YouTube. There's also the fact that you can customize the placement of your apps, which is welcome. But in the Settings menu, you can disable many of these options, leaving your home screen with just the features you actually use. By default, the Ultra LT home screen has a variety of options, including My Feed (which lets you monitor prices on movies and TV shows you're interested in), the Fandango Movies and TV Stores, an app store to find new Streaming Channels, and so forth.
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