Can You Use a Roku 4K Device On a Non-4K TV?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, my friend has an extra Roku Ultra device. It’s a 4K one. Do you know if it will work on a TV that’s not 4K. He wants to give the Roku Ultra to me but I don’t know if it will work on our TV which is just HD, not 4K. — Teresa, Roanoke, Virginia.

Teresa, you’re right. The Roku 4K Ultra streaming device can display 4K programming on a 4K TV, but it will work with any TV that has an HDMI connection, including older high-def models. (In fact, any Roku device that’s 4K-enabled will work on a HDTV.)

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However, note that it will not show any programming in 4K on your HDTV. For that, you would need to buy a 4K TV and connect the Ultra to it rather than your current high-def TV.

Roku says a successful Ultra to HDTV connection will also require a high-speed HDMI cable unless you are connecting a Roku Streaming Stick+ to the set. (The Streaming Stick+ also can display 4K programming on a 4K TV.)

So Teresa, tell your friend to send that Roku Ultra over because it will perform without an issue.

Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.