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Roku Streaming Stick hands-on: a set-top box without the box

Roku Streaming Stick hands-on: a set-top box without the box

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Roku's Streaming Stick is a wireless media streamer that plugs directly into an HDMI port for super simple setup.

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Gallery Photo: Roku Streaming Stick hands-on pictures
Gallery Photo: Roku Streaming Stick hands-on pictures

Roku's Streaming Stick is quite possibly the most straight-forward "set-top box" that we've ever seen; and we use the term lightly because it's not even really a box. To get it working, all you do is plug it into an MHL HDMI port and you're in business. MHL stands for Modal High-definition Link, and mitigates the need for a power supply since it siphons juice from the TV itself. Roku told us that Best Buy will bundle the stick with its Insignia TVs, serving as its primary smart TV solution. We couldn't get exact pricing information out of the rep, but when it goes on sale in the second half of the year it'll be "in line with [the pricing of] the players" (read: more than $50, less than $100).

Roku Streaming Stick hands-on pictures

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