Roku Channels – Liberating the Way You Watch TV

I understand how hard it is to make changes and enter into the unknown, especially for those of us who are fifty-something or consider their selves technologically challenged, but cutting the cord and streaming programs at your own convenience can be so liberating.

Considering I thought the DVR (Digital Video Recorder) was the best thing since the internet, I shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that Anthony Wood, the inventor of that wonderfully intelligent gizmo, was also the inventor and founder of Roku, pronounced “Roh-koo.” This little streaming device is simple to use and so inexpensive that I’ve become rather passionate about sharing my experience in hope others might also enjoy exercising their freedom to choose. 

One of the best things about the Roku player is the ability to select your own channels and have them accessible with the click of an icon. With over 750 channels in the Channel Store, there’s a channel for everyone. 

The following is a small sample of the available channels within the various categories:

• MOVIE & TV (131): Netflix; Amazon Instant Prime; Hulu Plus; Redbox Instant; Vudu; Crunchyroll
• MUSIC (69): Pandora; Plex; Vevo; Tunein Radio; iHeartRadio; Spotify; Amazon Cloud Player 
• GAMES (65): Angry Birds; Angry Birds Rio; Video Poker; Mouse About; Jeopardy
• FOOD (23): Allrecipes.com; Chow; The Outdoor Cooking Channel; Simply Vegetarian;  Drinks
• SPORTS (53): MLB.TV; CBSSports.com; NHL GameCenter; Sail TV; USAC Racing TV
• PHOTOS & VIDEOS (28): Facebook Photos & Video; Flickr; USB Media Player; Vimeo
• NEWS & WEATHER (47): WSJ; RT; CNN International; HuffPost Live; 8ctave HD 
• KIDS & FAMILY (29): Disney; PBS Kids; Family TV; Ameba; Kaplan College Prep
• FITNESS & OUTDOORS (42): DailyBurn; All Fitness TV; YogaVibes; YogaGlo;  NetFit
• SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (25): TED; CNET; TWiT; NASA Edge; Spacevidcast
• TRAVEL (26): The Venture Channel; Cruise Addicts; Outer Banks TV; MyDestination TV
• SCREEN SAVER & APPS (40): Weather4us; Cloc; WebCam-One; Nature Window TV
• INTERNET TV (89): Twonky; Just The Story TV; ComedyTime;  blip.tv; HSN; Gay Life TV
• SPECIAL INTEREST (83): QVC; The Yachting Channel; The Coin Vault; Hypnosis TV
• INTERNATIONAL (37): DISHWorld; DramaFever; Africa Live; Sahara TV; Haiti TV Network
• RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUALITY (229): Sky Angel; K-LOVE Radio; Parables TV; PAX
• NEW (45): Nook Video; Courier Times; Hollywood Ticker; Today’s Daily App. 
• MOST WATCHED (25):  HuluPlus; Netflix; Amazon Instant Video; Disney; Pandora; Vevo;  
• FEATURED PAID (46): Movie Vault; Classic  Westerns; Photo Puzzle; Totally Vegetarian  

Once you’ve made your selections the channel’s icon or logo will appear when you click the home button of your Roku remote, and can be re-arranged in the order of your own choosing. Using the < or > buttons you can easily navigate across the screen, click the “ok” button and it only takes a moment for the streaming to begin. There is no longer a need to worry about setting your DVR or looking at a TV schedule, and you are now able to view what you want, when you want ... With brief, limited commercials.

As noted, some of the channels require a very nominal, one-time fee. Other channels offer low monthly or annual subscription rates such as HuluPlus, Netflix and PlayOn. If you live in an area where an OTA (over the air antenna) will not work, this is a very inexpensive and easy way to access the local networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, and the The CW.

Speaking from my own experience, I truly feel liberated and so encourage you to also brave this newer territory that is quickly gaining popularity. Soon you will be able to sit back and enjoy viewing television without a contract or a bundle of channels you never watch. You might even have extra time to imagine what you could do with the money you have saved. And if you aren’t quite ready to cut the ties with your cable or satellite provider just yet, the Roku player also complements your own programming by adding additional features to your current subscription. 

Please feel free to use the comments to ask questions, and I’ll do my very best to answer them.

Browse, click, stream – and enjoy!

Navigation and Content

Streaming content to your television from your Roku player requires little more than a decent internet connection.  Living in a rural area, we don’t have lightning speed internet.  A test this morning indicates a download speed of just over 3Mbps, which is really at the lower end of internet speeds now available, yet we are still able to happily stream our programs.

Unlike conventional TV programming, the majority of the content is not live or same day stream.  Most of the programs, however, are available the day after they have aired and contain only very short, limited, commercials.  Like most who have enjoyed the DVR technology, we typically recorded our shows and watched them at a later, more convenient time, so next day availability has never been an issue.

The channels available on the Roku player now number over 750 channels, many of which are free.  As I noted in my first post, “Thinking About Cutting the Cord?” we subscribe to Hulu Plus and watch much of our content from that channel.  For news clips and live coverage, we tune into CNN International, RT America, WSJ Live, and the Huffington Post Live.  Roku also offers dozens of music channels.  We listen to free Pandora, but others include Plex, Vevo, Slacker, and Spotify to name a few.  If you are looking to rent or own a movie, there are channels for Netflix, Vudu, Amazon Instant, Blockbuster and Redbox.

When you turn on your television and click the Home key of your Roku remote, an option appears for The Channel Store.  Clicking this displays a screen of familiar icons sorted by categories such as New, Popular, TV and Movie, News, Weather, Music, etc.  Simply add the channels of interest to you, and you are quickly on your way to viewing television in a new and liberating way.

In future posts I’ll discuss specific channels, popular shows, and how to access them.  If you can browse the web or use a remote, you have the knowledge and ability to stream your programs to any television which has been connected to a Roku player.  It’s as easy as that.

Browse, click and enjoy.

Thinking About Cutting the Cord?

In October of 2012 my husband and I cut the satellite cord, and I’m here to blog about the experience.

Dissatisfied with the tier of programming offered, the continual rise in subscription rates, and the mandatory contract which renewed with every single change made to our subscription, we had decided enough was enough.  We aren't sport fans, we don’t like reality shows, and we don’t speak Spanish – so this ruled out many of the channels we were paying for.  When it came down to it, we realized there were only a handful of TV programs we actually enjoyed watching and yet we were paying just under $90 a month for a "choice" package, one DVR, HD and an additional TV.

Total Choice?  Not exactly.  If it were our choice, we would be able to select a certain number of channels and create our own package, or pay a set price per channel.  But subscribers of satellite and cable know that is not how it works.  The satellite and cable companies select the channels and offer packages that are always lacking channels that are only available in their next tier or package.  And then they lock us into a contract.

Sound all too familiar?

Our contract had expired and we were suddenly free to explore options.  Before cutting the cord, we started scouring the web for information on streaming devices and settled on the Roku2 XD which we purchased at our local Walmart for $79.99 plus tax.  Set up was a few simple steps: 1) Connect one end of the HDMI cable (not included) to the Roku player and one end to the HDMI port on the TV;  2) insert the batteries (included) into the Roku remote; 3) connect the power cord to the Roku device and wall outlet; 4) configure your wireless network which is automatically detected; and 5) link the Roku player to your Roku account and you’re good to go.    

We cut the cord the following month and have no regrets.  We were so happy with our choice that we bought a second Roku for our bedroom, and sent another as a gift.  Since then, we've recommended streaming to anyone who will listen and they are now among the happy streamers who have cut the cord.

Aside from the Roku player, we subscribed to Hulu Plus for $7.99 a month and bought an annual subscription to PlayOn which was on sale at the time for $29.99.   To summarize – for a little more than one month’s subscription to our satellite provider, we are now able to view almost everything we watched before we cut the cord ... and it costs us all of $7.99 a month.  Why pay more?

I’ll be writing about what’s available to view and the current events that continue to change the way TV is viewed with the hope of  encouraging others to cut the cord and make a choice that is truly their own.

Your questions and comments will help determine future blogs, so please feel free to post questions and comments, and I'll happily reply.

Click, browse, and enjoy!

Note: Roku and the Roku logo are registered trademarks of Roku, Inc. in the United States and other countries.