Soundbar help (1 Viewer)

[Beef Ravioli]

I searched and all the threads that had any mention were older. 

I am interested in a particular soundbar and am curious if anyone here has it or knows someone that does. I am not looking for a premium home theater experience. Been using the tv speaker for the last year so anything will be an upgrade. 
 

I have a Roku streaming device on my bedroom tv and saw this soundbar/streaming combo on Amazon. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Roku Smart Soundbar with built-in 4K Streaming Media Player https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085FSVM75/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7jvvFbWGMZ7BW

 

[Hawks64]

Most reviews are positive for it, it has optional wireless surround and sub options so it could be a decent little system. No personal experience though.

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Gonna give it a chance based on the reviews on Amazon, Best Buy and Google. Also has free returns in case it’s no good. 

 

[Mr.Pack]

I wish they had one in this price range for an Amazon Fire Stick

 

[Hawks64]

I wish they had one in this price range for an Amazon Fire Stick

It has Roku built in so you should be all set streaming wise unless you use Kodi or the equivalent.

 

[Fat Nick]

My $0.02 - Combo devices are rarely worth it in the long run.  

I've bought a few - what always happens is one portion becomes obsolete, or breaks, before the other.  Then you have some dodgy system being used in a way it wasn't ideally intended.  My first example is those old TV/VCR combos you used to see in the 90's.  The VCR would always break...then you had a giant TV with a bulky worthless attached VCR, and often they had fewer inputs to connect a working TV to.  Same thing here.  4K streaming devices are SO cheap these days - why not just buy whichever one you want, and pair it with a good sound bar.  That way, when a new streaming stick comes out that has better resolution, higher speed, etc.  your sound bar isn't tied to the old technology.  Without knowing 100%, I'd bet a regular sound-bar is more "user friendly" towards 3rd party streaming sticks than the one with the built-in roku which may have features in place to force use of the Roku interface for certain things...that may be fine now, but you might not want it 4 years from now.  

 

[Hawks64]

My $0.02 - Combo devices are rarely worth it in the long run.  

I've bought a few - what always happens is one portion becomes obsolete, or breaks, before the other.  Then you have some dodgy system being used in a way it wasn't ideally intended.  My first example is those old TV/VCR combos you used to see in the 90's.  The VCR would always break...then you had a giant TV with a bulky worthless attached VCR, and often they had fewer inputs to connect a working TV to.  Same thing here.  4K streaming devices are SO cheap these days - why not just buy whichever one you want, and pair it with a good sound bar.  That way, when a new streaming stick comes out that has better resolution, higher speed, etc.  your sound bar isn't tied to the old technology.  Without knowing 100%, I'd bet a regular sound-bar is more "user friendly" towards 3rd party streaming sticks than the one with the built-in roku which may have features in place to force use of the Roku interface for certain things...that may be fine now, but you might not want it 4 years from now.  

Problem is that the new technology is tied to a whole stack. So want the new HDR or 8k or HDMI 2.1 well it's more than just the streaming device. You need a new stick/device and you need the new display.

 

[Brony]

I just bought a new TV (samsung).  I used to be able to control the TV volume through my old Soundbar (Vizio) using a single remote.  Now if I want to use the soundbar and change volume, I have to have the soundbar remote. 

So I vote for whatever setup allows one remote control. 

 

[Jaysus]

I just bought a new TV (samsung).  I used to be able to control the TV volume through my old Soundbar (Vizio) using a single remote.  Now if I want to use the soundbar and change volume, I have to have the soundbar remote. 

So I vote for whatever setup allows one remote control. 

Plug the soundbar into the HDMI ARC port to fix that...

 

[Fat Nick]

Problem is that the new technology is tied to a whole stack. So want the new HDR or 8k or HDMI 2.1 well it's more than just the streaming device. You need a new stick/device and you need the new display.

Agree...but with separate devices, you at least only have to replace the specific items that are not compliant as technology advances.  With combos, whenever the weakest link in the chain goes obsolete, the whole thing has limitations.  In general, speakers are speakers.  They play whatever signal they get - spend the money on a good sound bar with HDMI / Fiber Optic inputs, and then pair it with whatever streamer you want.  You'll end up replacing the streaming stick way before the sound bar.  

 

[Hawks64]

Agree...but with separate devices, you at least only have to replace the specific items that are not compliant as technology advances.  With combos, whenever the weakest link in the chain goes obsolete, the whole thing has limitations.  In general, speakers are speakers.  They play whatever signal they get - spend the money on a good sound bar with HDMI / Fiber Optic inputs, and then pair it with whatever streamer you want.  You'll end up replacing the streaming stick way before the sound bar.  

Honestly it depends on what you have doing the decoding and processing for you as well as what upgrade you're talking about. Not to mention what audio capabilities you want in a soundbar. And IMO soundbars are already a combo and at 180 bucks this "combo" is cheaper than the device I use for streaming so just replace it when a new tech you want comes out IMO. He's looking for ease and convenience with something like this so to me it's a no brainer.

 

[Brony]

Plug the soundbar into the HDMI ARC port to fix that...

only 2 HDMI inputs on the TV and one of them is the HDMI ARC.Plus soundbar doesn't even have that option. I'm currently using digital optical.  

 

[Jaysus]

only 2 HDMI inputs on the TV and one of them is the HDMI ARC.Plus soundbar doesn't even have that option. I'm currently using digital optical.  

It doesn't matter what option the soundbar has on it, just plug it into the ARC on on the TV and you will be able to control the volume with your TV remote. Look into getting a HDMI switch for the other HDMI port so that you can still use the 2 devices that you have plugged in now. 

 

[DocHolliday]

only 2 HDMI inputs on the TV and one of them is the HDMI ARC.Plus soundbar doesn't even have that option. I'm currently using digital optical.  

Buy a new soundbar.  

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Arriving tomorrow. I did not think the direction that @Fat Nick mentioned but I use and keep stuff long after they are the latest and greatest technology. As long as one of the two functions does not break in a year, and it sounds significantly better than the tv speakers, I’ll probably be happy. 
 

Will report back on the ease of setup, initial thoughts, etc. 

 

[Hawks64]

It doesn't matter what option the soundbar has on it, just plug it into the ARC on on the TV and you will be able to control the volume with your TV remote. Look into getting a HDMI switch for the other HDMI port so that you can still use the 2 devices that you have plugged in now. 

Thought ARC support was required on both HDMI ports for it work.

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Got it hooked up this evening. Not as easy for me as it probably would be with a newer tv (don’t have hdmi with the arc) and someone that new technology better than your average 90 year old. I am pitiful with technology! 
 

Had it all hooked up just like the quick setup guide showed me and couldn’t get the tv and the soundbar to link or anything. Tried all the ports, changed tv settings, watched two YouTube tutorials, read two roku articles, walked away to hang two mirrors my wife has been on to me for several weeks, come back and the wife is trying to fix the roku, does most everything I have already done, and then ask me if we should turn off the whole power strip I have the tv and roku plugged into. I say sure, she turns it back on in five seconds and everything starts working?!?!?! 

The rest of the setup took 10 minutes. Watched a couple minutes of some roku intro that highlights how cool the sound is. Watched a little bit of Bourne on Hulu. Definitely better than the tv speakers but have not listened enough to give an honest review. 
 

Again, the setup is probably a lot easier for most than what it was for me.