Roku Finally Gets a 2D Menu System

DeviceGuru writes "Many of us have griped for years about Roku's retro one-dimensional user interface. Finally, in conjunction with the release of the new Roku 3 model, the Linux-based media streaming player is getting a two-dimensional facelift, making it quicker and easier to access favorite channels and find new ones. Current Roku users, who will now begin suffering from UI-envy, will be glad to learn that Roku plans to push out a firmware update next month to many earlier models, including the Roku LT, Roku HD (model 2500R), Roku 2 HD, Roku 2 XD, Roku 2 XS, and Roku Streaming Stick. A short demo of the new 2D Roku menu system is available in this YouTube video."

If you can only move in one dimension, like LCD

[raymorris]

If you can only scroll up and down, through a long list, that's one dimension. Think single line LCD display. Compare to a standard desktop, where you can move the mouse up and down, or left and right (2D). Tbe display is 2D obviously, but if the navihation is just up-arrow and down-arrow, that's one dimensional navigation.

TOSLink is only 2 channels

[bigtrike]

You'd be better off with high quality analog outputs. TOSLink is limited 2 channels, so any conversion with more channels (assuming the Roku even supports that) requires some sort of encoding scheme and a loss of quality.