Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Roku has found another TV partner in Sharp

Steve Smith
By

roku sharp tv best buy
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If you like the idea of a Roku TV but have been reluctant to buy into a brand you’re not familiar with, then you may be interested to know that Sharp is now partnering with Roku and will soon be offering several models of TVs that run on Roku’s operating system.

Sharp is now the fourth and most recognizable TV brand to make a Roku TV, following Insignia (Best Buy’s house brand which was also just added), Hisense and TCL.

Recommended Videos

“We believe the benefits of the Roku platform combined with the superiority of the Sharp brand makes an appealing combination for consumers looking for a great smart TV experience,” said Vishnu Rao, director of technology planning for Sharp Electronics, in a press release.

Related

The Roku TV home screen can be personalized to feature TV entertainment choices, various devices such as game consoles, cable boxes and Blu-Ray players, as well as other streaming channels like Netflix and Hulu. The service also provides access to the Roku Channel Store, which features more than 2,000 channels, with movies, TV shows, live sports and more all available.

The models will also feature Roku Feed, which informs customers when their most wanted shows and movies are available to stream and how much doing so would cost. After selecting a movie or show to follow, Roku will send automatic updates regarding when the program is available, or any changes to its status, such as a price drop.

Roku TV is controlled through a separate remote designed specifically for the platform. If you’re so inclined, you can also download the Roku TV app on any iOS or Android compatible device, which will let you cast Netflix, YouTube and other entertainment directly onto your TV.

Currently Sharp’s Roku line is limited to two TVs, both sold exclusively through Best Buy on only available for in-store pickup: a 43-inch for $380 and a 50-inch for $500. Both models are 1080p, LED sets with three HDMi inputs and one USB port.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Steve Smith
Steve Smith
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steve doesn’t really like to write about himself in the third person. He’s not The Rock. He is, however, a writer who has…
Roku bets big on its own TV brand — but is it a good idea?
Roku Plus Series television in a living room setting.

Roku makes TVs now.

If reading that makes you feel a little confused, you aren't alone. So-called "Roku TVs" have been available to purchase for years, and essentially 75% of all new smart TVs in the U.S. run Roku. But while those TVs were powered by Roku's operating system -- the same system found in Roku streaming boxes and sticks -- the TVs themselves were built by Hisense, TCL, and a handful of other brands.

Read more
Sharp is bringing one of the first OLED Roku TVs to the U.S. in 2023
Sharp OLED TV.

Sharp has been on the fringes of the U.S. TV market for several years, but that might be about to change. The company, which is still headquartered in Japan ,but has been majority-owned by Chinese manufacturing giant Foxconn since 2016, has announced that it plans to sell a Roku-powered 4K OLED TV in the U.S. in spring 2023. It could be the first opportunity for people to buy a Roku TV with an OLED panel. The company will also introduce its latest mini-LED-powered QLED TV, the Aquos XLED.

Sharp's Japan-only DS1 OLED TV Sharp

Read more
Did Roku just upend the midrange TV landscape?
TCL's Scott Ramirez at CES 2023.

One of the biggest stories of CES 2023 isn't on the show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It's not the hottest new gadget or even a bigger, better TV. It's not a Sony car. It's not faster. It's not smaller.

No, the biggest news of CES 2023 may well come down to a logo. Specifically, the Roku logo adorning the front of new Roku-branded Roku TVs. That phrase sounds a little odd, of course. But the simple fact is that while "Roku TV" may well be the name for a television that's powered by the Roku operating system — and three out of four new TVs sold in North America have been of that nature for a number of years now — the televisions themselves have always been made by another company.

Read more