According to Roku Official account on Reddit, the USB power output was more than doubled on the new Ultra to support more demanding USB devices. I'm still waiting to get a response on my query on if the WiFi chipset and CPU were upgraded. I bought the 4640X recently so I'm still deciding if I should return it for the 4660X.

Streams wrote:

I pre-ordered the new Stick from Amazon since I am a Prime member.  Should I have ordered from somewhere else?

Me too, I cancelled my Roku.com pre-order when I saw the Stick+ 4K listed at Amazon.

The 2017 Ultra is also now on Amazon, thinking about pulling the trigger given all the changes being mentioned above...

avtella wrote:

According to Roku Official account on Reddit, the USB power output was more than doubled on the new Ultra to support more demanding USB devices. I'm still waiting to get a response on my query on if the WiFi chipset and CPU were upgraded. I bought the 4640X recently so I'm still deciding if I should return it for the 4660X.

Thanks for the info.  500mA to 1.1A USB bus power, interesting.

I returned my 4640X and got the 4660X at least for the remote it was worth the exchange. They just recieved stock at Best Buy.

It.s my time for another Roku box and I'd like some advice. My overall choice is limited to the Ultra because I like my home theater streaming connections to be hardwired.  The question is:  should I get the 2017 Ultra with the optical-out deleted; or look for possible final clearance pricing on the 2016 Ultra with the optical-out included.  I have carefully checked all the usual suspect websites, including Wiki, and can find no information on improvements to processor, memory, or channel storage in the 2017 model.  Is the system board of the 2017 basically the same as the 2016?

Pompey wrote:

 The question is:  should I get the 2017 Ultra with the optical-out deleted; or look for possible final clearance pricing on the 2016 Ultra with the optical-out included.  

The removal of the optical port on the Ultra is not an issue for most assuming the TV has an optical audio output port.  If the TV is switching the HDMI inputs then the TV's optical output would provide audio to the soundbar or whatever, a Roku optical output is redundant.  Personally I prefer using HDMI to provide audio to a soundbar because HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio.

mike1597 wrote:

Pompey wrote:

 The question is:  should I get the 2017 Ultra with the optical-out deleted; or look for possible final clearance pricing on the 2016 Ultra with the optical-out included.  

The removal of the optical port on the Ultra is not an issue for most assuming the TV has an optical audio output port.  If the TV is switching the HDMI inputs then the TV's optical output would provide audio to the soundbar or whatever, a Roku optical output is redundant.  Personally I prefer using HDMI to provide audio to a soundbar because HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio.

Some people need the optical port for surround sound to non-HDMI AVR's. Not all TVs will pass surround sound via optical out. My LG TVs do, but that's not necessarily universal.

When will the developer information be updated?

https://sdkdocs.roku.com/display/sdkdoc/The+Roku+Channel+Developer+Program#TheRokuChannelDeveloperProgram-RokuModelsRokuModelsandFeatures

Can anyone independently confirm the Wiki information about the 2017 Ultra (model 4660)?  Is it true that the channel storage has been REDUCED from 1 GB to 512 MB compared to the 2016 Ultra (model 4640)?  Why would Roku do this? If so, since the CPU seems unchanged, the RAM seems unchanged, and the optical out port is deleted -- are you actually getting LESS with the new model?  If that is the case, might it be better to get the 2016 Ultra (4640) at a price that can be found cheaper in the marketplace?  Does the newest model address any of the production run issues that might have affected the first Ultra?  I have not pulled the trigger yet.  I want to read more online reviews of the 2017 model. Any thoughts?

Pompey wrote:

Can anyone independently confirm the Wiki information about the 2017 Ultra (model 4660)?  Is it true that the channel storage has been REDUCED from 1 GB to 512 MB compared to the 2016 Ultra (model 4640)?  Why would Roku do this? If so, since the CPU seems unchanged, the RAM seems unchanged, and the optical out port is deleted -- are you actually getting LESS with the new model?  If that is the case, might it be better to get the 2016 Ultra (4640) at a price that can be found cheaper in the marketplace?  Does the newest model address any of the production run issues that might have affected the first Ultra?  I have not pulled the trigger yet.  I want to read more online reviews of the 2017 model. Any thoughts?

I noticed that as well and wondered about the value equation between the 2016 and 2017 as it appears to be the very same core CPU also. Based on that data the 2017 model is just a less expensive(half the channel storage and no optical output) version of the 2016 model. One could say the the 2017 fits just below the 2016 when ranking the models for performance and features.

Keenan wrote:

I noticed that as well and wondered about the value equation between the 2016 and 2017 as it appears to be the very same core CPU also. Based on that data the 2017 model is just a less expensive(half the channel storage and no optical output) version of the 2016 model. One could say the the 2017 fits just below the 2016 when ranking the models for performance and features.

It might come down to an issue of reliability.  If the newer model addresses any hardware gremlins that may have resided in the first model, then the calculus for any buying decision will be easier. I have no idea if such is the case.

Pompey wrote:

Can anyone independently confirm the Wiki information about the 2017 Ultra (model 4660)?  Is it true that the channel storage has been REDUCED from 1 GB to 512 MB compared to the 2016 Ultra (model 4640)?  Why would Roku do this? If so, since the CPU seems unchanged, the RAM seems unchanged, and the optical out port is deleted -- are you actually getting LESS with the new model?  If that is the case, might it be better to get the 2016 Ultra (4640) at a price that can be found cheaper in the marketplace?  Does the newest model address any of the production run issues that might have affected the first Ultra?  I have not pulled the trigger yet.  I want to read more online reviews of the 2017 model. Any thoughts?

Based on the developer documentation.  The 2017 Roku Ultra has 512 MB  NVM (Flash) Storage and the 2016 Roku Ultra has 1 GB NVM (Flash) Storage.  This really isn't an issue since there is a microSD slot to add storage for channels and games.
If the new remote with IR TV power/volume buttons are important to you then the 2017 Ultra may be a better fit.
If you must have an optical port then the 2016 Ultra is currently the only option.
If you don't need Ethernet or Optical then 2017 Streaming Stick+ looks interesting.

One thing I noticed, from the original Roku 3 up to the 2016 Ultra, they all used the same 12V 1A power supply with the same barrel connector (at least, all the units I've bought).

But the 2017 Ultra uses a new 12V 1.5A power adapter with a unique barrel connector size.  The Ultra hardware's supposedly the same, but I guess the fact that the 2017 rev bumps up its max USB port bus power from 500mA to 1.1A necessitated more headroom from the power supply.

BTW it's pretty impressive that the 4K Stick+ with supposedly the same SOC as the Ultra can still be made to sip off many TV's anemic USB 5V bus power.  It comes with a 5V 1A USB power adapter as backup, but I'm guessing might be able to run off even less amperage from TV USB ports?

What's even more interesting is that the 2017 HD Stick supposedly comes with a 5V 1.5A USB power adapter (based on online specs, since I didn't buy this model).  This would be more amperage than what's bundled with the 4K Stick+.  Doesn't make sense, why not use the same USB power supply SKU for both models, or if not why bundle the smaller power supply with the 4K model?

beq wrote:

What's even more interesting is that the 2017 HD Stick supposedly comes with a 5V 1.5A USB power adapter (based on online specs, since I didn't buy this model).  This would be more amperage than what's bundled with the 4K Stick+.  Doesn't make sense, why not use the same USB power supply SKU for both models, or if not why bundle the smaller power supply with the 4K model?

Actually my 2017 HD Stick came with a 5V 1A USB power adapter.  I prefer not to use the TV's USB port because I'm to impatient on boot up times and it allows for system updates when the TV is off.

^ Ah OK, that makes more sense.

beq wrote:

I have two old 4200X Roku 3's (bought at different times) hooked up to same TV -- one can use HDMI-CEC to auto change the TV input, the other can't.

Same test TV (old Vizio HDTV), with both 2017 and 2016 Ultra's hooked up (both on OS 8.0).  The 2017's 1-touch play works, but not the 2016's.  Strangely the 2016 Ultra was previously used with a family member's LG 4K TV, and I think its 1-touch play did work there.  I can't tell if these players really do have different CEC compatibility, or something screwed up on my end...