Update on Roku

[imoldernu]

If you have ROKU:

There is a lot going on, that you may not be aware of. There are now more than 1700 CHANNELS (not movies, channels) available.
They are not ready available and the process to add channels, while relatively simple, is not explained through Roku.
Two of these that link to live TV are:
"Film On" and "Nowhere TV"

http://mkvxstream.blogspot.com/2013/03/roku-private-channels-2013-roku-channel.html

Instead of trying yo explain how to add channels, you may go to this Forum site.
The link is to one small part of the site, that explains the multi channel availability.

Best Apps to Manage Roku Channels

While at this point, just exploring the official Roku channels may take a long time, learning how the system works may pay off in the long run.

The 1700 channels include every imaginable special interest subject, from antique cars, to investing,to medicine, learning Sanskrit, books on tape, etc....

Yes... overkill, for sure, but a "wiki" type resource that may well be another road to the future.

BTW... did you know that you may use your phone or tablet to navigate Roku on your TV? Apps are available on Google Play.

 

[Senator]

I have a ROKU, and I agree, plenty of channels. Many free ones.

I would like to stream some cable news, so if I watch ROKU, I get the same view as a cable channel. Stuff like Fox and CNBC.

 

[Gotadimple]

I have a ROKU, and I agree, plenty of channels. Many free ones.

I would like to stream some cable news, so if I watch ROKU, I get the same view as a cable channel. Stuff like Fox and CNBC.

You need to go here: Livestream Roku App on Livestream

I understand this is a relatively new channel to Roku that does stream live TV. I thought I saw a Fox news logo on their web page.

-- Rita

 

[imoldernu]

Find myself using Roku, more and more as the commercials on regular tv are creeping past the 20 minutes per hour average.
One of the channels that looks interesting is Put.io After reading some reviews, I am tempted to try, but it would be my first "pay for" channel. Wondering if anyone here has used it. If it's as good as they say, with a little bit of work, one month's price of $9.99 could pay off in the ability to download movies and shows, not available any other way. There's also a $.99/day option.
Would appreciate any feedback on how this works and how easy it would be to use.

Aside... am really into Nowhere Tv....

 

[ERD50]

Find myself using Roku, more and more as the commercials on regular tv are creeping past the 20 minutes per hour average.
One of the channels that looks interesting is Put.io After reading some reviews, I am tempted to try, but it would be my first "pay for" channel. Wondering if anyone here has used it. If it's as good as they say, with a little bit of work, one month's price of $9.99 could pay off in the ability to download movies and shows, not available any other way. There's also a $.99/day option.
Would appreciate any feedback on how this works and how easy it would be to use.

Aside... am really into Nowhere Tv....

I can't comment on put.io, but I'm not sure what you are saying about Roku versus commercials? What are you watching over Roku? We have two boxes, I really don't do much other than use them to access netflix, internet radio sometimes, the Smithsonian channel, a few others I guess - but those aren't really direct replacements for commercial OTA TV.

-ERD50

 

[steelyman]

Did you know that Google Earth Pro is now free?

 

[imoldernu]

I can't comment on put.io, but I'm not sure what you are saying about Roku versus commercials? What are you watching over Roku? We have two boxes, I really don't do much other than use them to access netflix, internet radio sometimes, the Smithsonian channel, a few others I guess - but those aren't really direct replacements for commercial OTA TV.

-ERD50

I guess it depends on what one watched on OTA... Sports and events like yesterdays Country Music Awards aren't typically on Roku, so there's not much choice there. With a little bit of patience, learning the best way to find favorite live broadcasts, many local stations are available on NowhereTV... which is available on Roku.
Being a News Junkie, I watch a lot of AlJazeera America TV, (Roku), and live broadcast of most of the major news channels... MSM live news is available on their own channels on Roku... More here:

Watch Live Breaking News Free Online And With Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV, And more! - Cord Cutters News

Spend a few minutes on this site (reviews) to see the kinds of optional hardware to ease into cord cutting.

I use Plex which adds my photo, music, and movie/TVseries collection. Plex,
the free computer program, is open source, and has become so good that it is better than Roku, for finding information on entertainment sources... genre, decade, actor, date, movie banners, watched, recommended, alphabetical, and overall, and the ease of operation. It is also nearing the streaming options of Roku, for streaming channels. Truly nearing the ultimate for watching video on the TV or Computer.

Feeding a TV through an HDMI cable, and using that older computer that's in the garage, you can operate Plex using a remote mouse, from your easy chair, without Roku.

Whether Roku, Chromecast, Plex or the many, many streaming options, the change from OTA is a work in pogress. A personal opinion here... The idea that production of content is the driving force for continuing the current captive TV audience is problematical. In the first place, (again, my opinion), the world doesn't need Kardashian clones on every commercial station. The current core of 183,000 US TV show episodes should last for a while, and IMDB has defined 1,800,000+ different movies and TV shows to sate the appetite of the most avid TV watcher.

Monthly subscriptions to Pay TV range from the 'practical' low of $55/mo. to well over $200...

Frankly, while I am an advocate of lowering the cost, our actions don't yet follow that advice... "do as I say, not as I do" Currently weaving the way to a simple home design for watching without using four or five different controls. The shake out has begun. Watching it happen is fascinating.

 

[imoldernu]

Did you know that Google Earth Pro is now free?

We're having a ball, going through the different places we've lived over the past 50 years, to see how much they've changed. I spent a half hour riding the roads between my house and my grandmother's house... about 7 miles... from my memory back in the early 1940's. It was heartwarming to see that not much has changed.

 

[rockymountainhigh]

Did you know that Google Earth Pro is now free?

Thanks! Just installed it.

 

[kramer]

What does Google Earth Pro have to do with the Roku?