The Streambar looks like a smaller version of the Roku Smart Soundbar, measuring just 2.4 x 14.0 x 4.2 inches (HWD) and weighing 2.4 pounds. It’s a tiny speaker that can easily be tucked under your TV. Like the Smart Soundbar, it has no controls on the front or top, and only has a single LED indicator in the center of the front. On the back, you’ll find an HDMI port, optical audio input, USB port, power adapter port, and reset button. There are also two threaded holes on the back for wall mounting. The included remote is exactly the same as the one that comes with the Roku Smart Soundbar and most Roku TVs. It’s a simple black wand with a distinctive purple control pad above which are the home, back, and power buttons, as well as a pinhole microphone. Below the control pad are the playback controls and a microphone button for the Roku voice search function. Below that are dedicated buttons for Disney+, Hulu, Netflix and Sling TV. Finally, there is a volume rocker and mute button on the right edge. The Streambar is best used via an HDMI connection if your TV has an HDMI ARC port. This way, all audio signals from the TV are sent directly to the soundbar, while the soundbar itself can also act as a fully functional media streamer. In addition, the volume can be controlled directly from your TV’s remote control. As a media hub, the Roku Streambar can stream video in 4K with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) in HDR10 and HLG, but does not support Dolby Vision. The speaker also supports Bluetooth for streaming music directly from your phone or other device. The Streambar uses the same Roku user interface as Roku’s standalone media hubs and TVs, and supports the same thousands of Roku Channels. Most major streaming services are present, including Apple TV, Disney+, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, Sling TV, and YouTube. Twitch is the only major service currently missing on Roku, so gamers might want to look elsewhere. Thanks to a recent update, the Streambar now supports Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. This means you can stream content directly from your iOS device or Mac to the Streambar. The Roku app supports streaming content from smartphones, but AirPlay 2 is a much more seamless system for Apple users.
