Roku announced Wednesday that it will soon publish a software upgrade that allows users to combine the streaming tech company’s smart soundbar, wireless speakers and subwoofer into surround-sound configuration.
Roku is not yet bundling its $159 Smart Soundbar, its $159 subwoofer and its $199 Roku TV Wireless speakers. It’s allowing the devices to work together, and be controlled through the Roku interface, via the software upgrade, which will debut in February.
Previously, the smart speakers were designed to be used only with smart TVs powered natively by the Roku operating system.
Demonstrated to Next TV at CES earlier this month, the surround sound system’s components all connect to each other wirelessly—a boon, as anyone who has ever fished speaker wire to set up the components knows.
Controls such as volume adjustment are handled via an app in the Roku OS.
Notably, the Roku smart sound bar has a player natively integrated. So that means that if you already own a Roku device, or an enabled TV from a Roku partner such as Chinese brand TCL, you’re looking at redundancy.
