Amazon PBS subscription better then Roku PBS app?

[Lsbcal]

Background:

We have a Passport subscription to the local PBS station and like a lot of the content like Masterpiece, Nova, Secrets of the Dead, Walter's Choice, etc. Some content especially of the more extreme political sort is not to our liking but we can ignore that.

The problem is the Roku PBS app beside being poorly designed shows a short about upcoming shows at the start EVERY TIME you start watching a show. I don't know if I can turn that off other then muting it. This occurs even if you get out of an ongoing show and restart it. It is very annoying and tends to the (sometimes extreme) political.

So I'm thinking we can get PBS on Amazon at $6/month with a subscription and I don't think they show the irritating upcoming shows info (or do they?). Does Amazon PBS have all the shows compared to the Roku app?

 

[audreyh1]

I suspect all the PBS shows have something at the very beginning before a new show starts, same as when broadcast. Most of the time for us it is a brief Viking “support” ad. We just mute if desired. Rarely do they feature upcoming shows. And once started the shows are uninterrupted.

OK - we don’t experience this every time we resume a show, just when we start a new show. The PBS app on the Apple TV device works very well, we have no complaints at all.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Background:





So I'm thinking we can get PBS on Amazon at $6/month with a subscription and I don't think they show the irritating upcoming shows info (or do they?). Does Amazon PBS have all the shows compared to the Roku app?

They might not show the irritating ads (or maybe they do), but be prepared for excess loading times when you want to start the app going through Amazon.

 

[Lsbcal]

Thanks Audrey. The problem must be associated with the Roku app.

 

[audreyh1]

Thanks Audrey. The problem must be associated with the Roku app.

It’s a little confusing because I can’t tell from the OP quote whether it’s just at the beginning of a new show.

We’re usually watching a Masterpiece show and that seems to usually run the Viking support ad.

Maybe when we’ve watched a science show they start with a preview of other PBS shows.

 

[Lsbcal]

Example: we are watching Seaside Hotel (a Walter's Choice show) which is from Denmark and has subtitles. If we turn off the show 1/2 way through an episode, then next time we get to see the same introductory reminder about an upcoming UNRELATED show. Right now that upcoming show is about hip hop and political anger. Every time we tune into a new episode or midway into an episode, there is the same thing.

So I'm hoping the the Amazon Prime stuff will not have this. I should probably just try an introductory offer and check it out but am hoping some have already done this.

 

[tulak]

I tried this using the PBS app on Apple TV. When I started the show, it played a 30s preview of another PBS show (the hip hop show you mentioned). I then exited, closed, and relaunched the app. When I selected resume I didn't get a 30s preview.

So in my case it resumed without an ad, but it makes me wonder if it's time dependent? Maybe if I resume in a few hours or the next day, I'll see the ad/preview?

 

[audreyh1]

OK - we are not seeing any ads on resume via Apple TV PBS app. Only when a new episode starts. I almost never watch a whole show - 1/3 to 1/2 at a time. DH can binge watch for hours, but I can’t.

BTW I enjoyed Seaside Hotel. I really enjoy content from other countries. The cultural and location aspects are just as interesting as the show.

I did see the hip hop thing recently. Can’t say which program it was, I was checking out a few different PBS shows yesterday.

 

[audreyh1]

I tried this using the PBS app on Apple TV. When I started the show, it played a 30s preview of another PBS show (the hip hop show you mentioned). I then exited, closed, and relaunched the app. When I selected resume I didn't get a 30s preview.

So in my case it resumed without an ad, but it makes me wonder if it's time dependent? Maybe if I resume in a few hours or the next day, I'll see the ad/preview?

No, I only ever see it once. If you tell it to start at the beginning (rather than resume), it might show it again, I don’t remember.

 

[tulak]

No, I only ever see it once. If you tell it to start at the beginning (rather than resume), it might show it again, I don’t remember.

That's good to know.

I'll admit that I get mildly annoyed at the 30s ad, especially since I'm paying for the service and I'm willing to pay more to avoid ads. But at least it's only once and related to other content that might be interesting to watch (trying to focus on the positives ).

 

[Lsbcal]

Well with the Roku app you will get to know each ad by heart. Soooo.. irritating.

Also the app is designed very poorly and has been pretty static, no improvement. For instance, if you come back to a show it defaults to play-it-from-the-start. You loose your place if you did not move it to resume. And the My List function is pretty lame too.

 

[Gotadimple]

I use the Roku streaming device with my PBS Passport account. When starting up a show I do see a Viking message, but they are a sponsor But, sometimes you see sponsor's message when watching in real-time - so it's a PBS thing and that's the way it goes.

There is no guarantee that Amazon is able to get PBS to strip out sponsor messages just because you access via the app. The Amazon app is just a pass-through to access the PBS streaming service (available via Roku device and/or app) and no guarantee there won't be a sponsor's message before the show begins.

I have never had a problem using my Roku device to start/stop and re-start a program. The OP may want to contact Roku about what they are seeing.

 

[audreyh1]

That's good to know.

I'll admit that I get mildly annoyed at the 30s ad, especially since I'm paying for the service and I'm willing to pay more to avoid ads. But at least it's only once and related to other content that might be interesting to watch (trying to focus on the positives ).

Well just to reiterate that PBS has always had some leading announcement before the show starts even in broadcast form, whether it’s the show’s sponsor “brought to you by…” or some other PBS programming or whatever.

The PBS passport which is basically monthly or annual PBS membership (and tax deductible for itemizers) gives you access to their entire passport library, rather than limiting you to the most recent 2 weeks of content which is available for free in their app.

PBS has so much great content I’m always way behind. But I view the monthly cost as my supporting membership to PBS (which it is). I particularly liked being able to dissociate myself with the (not so local) PBS affiliate, now defunct, and have my membership through one of the Central Texas PBS stations.

 

[tulak]

I know, they’ve always done it. Similar to when I tune into the local NPR station. It’s not a big deal, but I guess I got used to the skip button that other commercial streaming services use.

I should spend more time on the PBS app. They have tons of good content, but I usually gravitate towards documentary/current affairs shows on PBS.