This model Roku with the composite cables is not made anymore.or I cant find it on their web site. I see it on Ebay and Amazon but the prices are superhigh. Any ideas where I might find this Roku model that works with older tvs. Thanks for any info.

As you say, they are discontinued.
I went through this ordeal myself a couple months ago. It is a shame that Roku turned their back on older TVs.

I owned a couple of Roku Express+ units, and had one fail altogether after 6 months. The only redeeming value to this model is the composite output; otherwise the responsiveness is very laggy, and the heat dissipation is very poor.

What I ended up doing is getting a Roku Ultra, an HDMI converter, and a video scaler so that the aspect ratio is correct on a 4:3 screen.

What video scale are you using? I have a Roku express for now but realize it’s days are numbered.


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What video scale are you using? I have a Roku express for now but realize it’s days are numbered.




I misspoke, and the device is actually a scan converter, Hall Research model #VHD-180. It has VGA and component video inputs, and VGA, component, and composite outputs. So, I have an HDMI-to-component converter on the input, and use the composite output to the TV. What I find most valuable with this is that the scan converter allows me to center-crop the 16:9 output from the Roku to fit a 4:3 screen, especially when viewing 4:3 native content. Without the scan converter, 4:3 native content from the Roku would be shown with letterboxing AND pillar boxes on the screen, and I don't like that.

I've had this setup going for a couple weeks so far and it seems to be good-enough, although it feels like it's bordering on being a Rube-Goldberg scheme.

I made a video on this very thing because I have new Roku's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltxawcWYSTU

You'll need a few things, HDMI to Composite, and if required, an RF modulator. BUT, new Roku's don't support 480i or even a 4:3 output, so I had to improvise and adjust the vertical size to make it 16:9.

But as user181, that can also be fixed with a proper scan converter. I don't watch much 4:3 content anymore, so it wasn't a concern for me. This at least keeps all 480 lines usable, whereas letterboxing would lose some resolution, so it depends what you'd want. Crop and center to 4:3, or keep the aspect ratio and maximize resolution that you can get.

One benefit of the VHD-180 scan converter is that it has a button on it (and an IR remote!) to toggle the aspect mode. That makes it more convenient to be able to change based on the programming you're watching.

There are a couple HDMI-to-composite adapters that I've bought & tested which do preserve the aspect ratio, but that results in letterboxing AND pillar boxes (black bars on all 4 sides) when viewing 4:3 content.

I personally don't know why Roku removed the 4:3 option. It was only ever available on models that had composite, but it did it over HDMI as well, so it's a software lockout. It'd be nice if someone just hacked the firmware to offer the option again since it's in the menu, but not visible.

I personally don't know why Roku removed the 4:3 option. It was only ever available on models that had composite, but it did it over HDMI as well, so it's a software lockout. It'd be nice if someone just hacked the firmware to offer the option again since it's in the menu, but not visible.


I agree with you. There is no technical reason why they can't offer 4:3 as a video output option. It's too bad, as that would certainly be the cleanest, most elegant solution.

As you say, they could at least still put it in the firmware, even if they want to cost-reduce the unit by eliminating the parts for the composite output.