Roku TV settings and tips you (probably) didn’t know

Raise your hand if you have a Roku TV. If you have one, or if you’re thinking of buying one, keep reading, because we’re going to dive in to some lesser known settings and tips that will help you get the most out of your big screen.

What is a Roku TV?

Let’s break this down, shall we?

A Roku TV is a smart TV that connects to the internet and has Roku OS built in. It’s easy to use, has a customizable Roku home screen, and a simple remote that allows you to quickly launch TV shows and movies.

It also comes with automatic software updates that make sure you get the latest features and newest streaming channels. Roku TVs come in a variety of screen sizes, a range of price points, and offer features like 4K Ultra HD, HDR, and even Dolby Vision.

Now, you may be wondering, “How’s that different from a Roku player?”

A Roku streaming player is a device that you plug into any TV with an HDMI port to access Roku OS and streaming channels like Netflix, Hulu, and thousands more.

Let’s dive into essential Roku TV tips.

Picture mode

What if we told you that a simple setting on your Roku TV could adjust the image quality to suit both your media preferences and viewing environment?

Changing the picture mode can enhance your visual experience, especially given the different types of devices you might be using, like cable boxes, Blu-ray players or gaming consoles.

You can pick from a number of standard picture modes on all Roku TV models:

• Low Power: This is the default setting which is optimized to save energy
• Normal: Good for everyday viewing in moderate to bright rooms
• Vivid: Gives you an intense and brilliant picture for use in rooms with a lot of light
• Sports: Optimized for sports viewing where camera-panning and action shots are common
• Movie: Ideal for darker rooms to view the movie as the director intended

To change picture modes, begin playback of a movie or TV show, press the * button on your Roku TV remote, locate the setting for Picture Mode, and use buttons on the D-Pad to make your selection.

Your Roku TV is pretty darn smart, too. It stores unique picture mode settings for each video input, so if you have a cable box on one input and a Blu-ray player on another, it will remember your preference for each when you switch back and forth.

Brightness settings

Unlike picture modes highlighted earlier, brightness settings won’t change based on what input you select.

Why would you want to change brightness settings, you ask? Contrary to what you might think, changing the brightness settings doesn’t adjust how bright your Roku TV is—it adjusts how dark the darkest parts of the image are.

To adjust your brightness, press the * button while actively watching a title, or find it in the Picture Settings menu on your Roku TV. Remember, the effects of these settings will vary based on what you’re watching as well as your viewing environment, so try out the different options and find what you like best.

Theme packs

This feature is available on all Roku devices (not just Roku TVs), but it’s one that our customers absolutely love. Changing the theme pack is one of the most popular ways to personalize your Roku device. Not to mention, it’s fun!

To change your theme pack, click the Home button, scroll to the Settings menu, then Themes, and select Theme Packs. Just pick the theme pack you want, install it, and you’re all set! P.S., be sure to check out the new Roku city screensaver that is based on our popular screensaver.

Sleep timer

Ever told yourself “Just one more episode…” and dozed off before you finished? Of course you have.

Enter the Roku TV sleep timer. It’s perfect for when you might not stay awake through that last episode or if you just like having the TV on as you fall asleep.

You can enable a sleep timer in a few different ways:

• Press the * button when you’re actively watching TV to pull up the options menu
• Navigate to the sleep timer shortcut on your Roku TV home screen
• Use Roku Voice to specify a command, like “Turn off the TV in 30 minutes.”

Video Game Mode

If you’re a heavy gamer, especially one that enjoys online multiplayer games, the words “latency” or “lag” are a real buzzkill. Even a millisecond of lag from your TV input or internet connection can be enough to spoil the fun.

While your TV can’t help with internet lag, Game Mode on Roku TVs can help cut down any input lag—meaning the time it takes for your TV to process the images from your game console.

Game Mode disables some of the image processing functions to improve gaming performance. Not a bad trade-off for less input lag and a seamless gaming experience. Game Mode isn’t a feature you’ll need to always keep on—especially when you’re streaming—but it’s a real game changer when you need it.

Ready to level up your streaming experience? Check out our TCL Roku TV models and Hisense Roku TV models!

We hope you learned a thing or two to make your Roku TV experience even better.

Looking for more pro tips? Here’s how to stream local channels on your Roku device.

Happy Streaming!