Roku is the latest company to lean into the trend of throwing artwork onto your TV screen, offering viewers some serene relaxation time when they’re not actively watching something.
Today the company announced a new feature / app called Backdrops, and it all sounds very familiar.
Whether wanting to relive that unforgettable sunsets captured or showcase a favorite piece of art, the choice is in the hands of the viewer.
Credit where it’s due, Samsung’s The Frame sparked this whole phenomenon, which has since been copied by Hisense, TCL, and other TV makers.
Amazon has also brought an “Ambient Experience” to its Fire TV platform for a similar effect.
There’s more to The Frame’s success than the artwork alone, of course; the TV has customizable bezels and a matte screen finish that makes the whole effect more convincing.
One nice aspect of Roku’s approach is that there’s no subscription required to access any of this; Backdrops will let the company’s customers choose between “thousands” of art pieces for free.
Roku is at least recognizing it’s a little late to this game with the silly, over-the-top video up top that describes Backdrops as “revolutionary.” But fear not: Backdrops won’t be replacing Roku City as the default screensaver on Roku’s platform.
Backdrops can be triggered manually, or you can set an artwork collection to display whenever a Roku TV is in its “off” state.
Bu if you doze off on the couch, you’ll still wake up to Roku’s signature side-scrolling metropolis screensaver.
In order to give viewers a peaceful, relaxing moment when they’re not actively watching anything, Roku is the newest company to jump on the trend of projecting artwork onto your TV screen. The company unveiled Backdrops, a new feature/app today, and everything about it seems very familiar.
With a catalog that includes “famous classics, wide-ranging museum collections, abstract designs, and more,” Backdrops will first be available on Roku-branded TVs and third-party Roku TV sets, before being extended to Roku streaming devices “later in the fall.”. “.
For additional information about what to anticipate, see this:.
In addition, viewers can access additional information about the artwork, such as the name of the creator, the year it was produced, and a synopsis of each image. They can even schedule images from their own collection to be shown on the biggest screen in their house. The viewer has the option of showcasing their favorite work of art or reliving an unforgettable sunset.
Due credit to Samsung for creating The Frame, which inspired other TV manufacturers like Hisense and TCL to follow suit. A similar “Ambient Experience” has been added by Amazon to its Fire TV platform. Naturally, The Frame’s popularity isn’t solely due to the artwork; the TV’s movable bezels and matte screen finish add to the overall effect.
With that ridiculous, ostentatious video up top characterizing Backdrops as “revolutionary,” Roku is at least acknowledging that it’s a little late to the game. “.
But don’t worry—Backdrops won’t take Roku City’s place as the platform’s default screensaver. The two operate somewhat in different ways. You can program a collection of artwork to show up whenever a Roku TV is in the “off” position, or you can manually activate backdrops. However, Roku’s iconic side-scrolling city screensaver will still greet you when you wake up if you fall asleep on the couch. After all, it’s valuable advertising space.
