Unlike most soundbars, Roku’s doubles as a streaming video player akin to a Roku Streaming Stick+, providing both video and audio output when plugged into a television’s HDMI-ARC socket. Roku’s streaming remote also handles audio settings, so you don’t need to juggle a separate remote to enhance dialog, reduce loud sounds, or boost bass levels. An on-screen menu system guides you through pairing the subwoofer and satellite speakers, and with the new surround setup, you can up-mix stereo audio to surround (for movies and shows) or sync audio evenly across the front and rear speakers (for music).

This kind of system could become the next big battleground for streaming media platforms such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV. Budget 4K televisions are readily available for less than $500 now, including ones that support advanced HDR formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and you can get streaming players to match for less than $50. Unless you plan to be on the bleeding edge of TV resolution at 8K, the next logical step is to make sure sound quality keeps up. Read the full column on TechHive.

Of course, it’s possible that the two companies will come to terms ahead of the big game, but if you were planning to stream the game on a Roku device, and you’re not paying for a live TV streaming service you can use to access Fox instead, it’s time to make backup plans.

Other streaming devices will still have the game for free in the Fox app (including 4K HDR on supported Fire TV devices and 4K on the Apple TV 4K), and you can always use an antenna to watch the game instead. If you haven’t already signed up for YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo TV, or AT&T TV Now, you can also grab a free trial on Roku and immediately cancel to avoid being auto-billed. There’s even a chance that the NFL app on Roku will continue to stream the Super Bowl for free, but I’m still trying to confirm this. (If you’re having a Super Bowl party, as I am, you’ll likely want to have a backup plan or two in place either way.)

Goodbye, PlayStation Vue: Sony has made good on its plans to shut down PlayStation Vue on January 30, as I confirmed this morning that the service is no more. While Sony has been promoting YouTube TV as an alternative, and now offers a YouTube TV app on PlayStation 4 consoles, that service still has some holes in its channel lineup, is less integrated with Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV devices, and lacks the mult-view mode that made Vue essential during March Madness. I don’t have much else to say that wasn’t in my column from late October, but I’m still sad to see Vue go.

AirTV 2 review: Over at TechHive, I’ve reviewed the AirTV 2, a networked TV tuner that streams local channels from an antenna into the Sling TV app on Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, iOS, and Android mobile devices. The $100 box has a slicker design and supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 now, but otherwise it’s the same as the original, which is a shame. I was really hoping for more DVR options, 60 frames per second video support, and surround sound this time around.

AirTV is still an interesting proposition given its integration with Sling TV and its lack of subscription fees for over-the-air DVR. But if you’re not committed to Sling’s service, you’re probably better off with other options like Tablo, Plex DVR, Channels DVR, or Amazon’s Fire TV Recast.

Nvidia Shield’s remote upgrade: Nvidia came out with a new version of its Shield TV streaming box last fall, and as noted in my review at the time, the remote control is a major improvement over the original. It has dedicated volume keys instead of an awkward touch-sensitive slider, backlit buttons, and a programmable button, plus its design is less prone to slipping between couch cushions. If you still have an older Shield, you can now buy the remote by itself for $30. Unfortunately, it appears to be out of stock as of this writing, which might be an further indication of how bad the original remote was.

Unfortunately, retailers aren’t discounting the $200 Shield TV box, which is required if you want to use the device as a Plex or Channels DVR server.

One other deal worth noting: B&H has Amazon’s Fire TV Recast DVR with four tuners and 1 TB of storage for $180, which is $100 off the regular price. With this device, you can record live TV from an antenna, then stream it to Fire TV devices around the house. The only catch is that you won’t get it in time for the Super Bowl.