Tell me about using Roku

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by head_unit, Apr 26, 2020.

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  1. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    That is a feature, and it can be disabled in your TV set. It's usually only on a single HDMI input, so the quick fix is to move the Roku Stick to another input.
     
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  2. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    I don't own one of the Roku TV's, so not sure if WiFi is required with those sets but I do have a Roku Streaming Stick+ plugged into a HDMI port on my LG OLED.

    I know the ROKU Streaming Stick+ checks for both Wifi signal strength and Internet speed. My network router is in a different room (aprox. 60 feet away) than my LG, so I was experiencing a lot of buffering and freezing because

    the WiFi signal was to weak. In addition to the distance the signal had to travel, it encountered several interior walls.

    I was able to solve that problem by purchasing a eero WiFi Mesh system. Now my WiFi signal to the LG is excellent but the Internet speed could use some improvement.

    I haven't decided yet if I wanted to sign-up for faster Internet service. So far, I haven't had any buffering, image freezing since I installed the eero.
     
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  3. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    If you don't have WiFi, you'll need either a Roku with an Ethernet port or a Roku TV with a wired Ethernet port. A Roku Ultra is only $89.63 at Target (don't even bother to check Amazon, as they are pushing their Fire devices.)

    All the TCL 5, 6 and 8 series TVs have a Roku built in, and a wired Ethernet port.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
  4. Joey Self

    Joey Self Red Forman's Sensitivity Guru

    Well, both.

    If I'm watching CBS on YouTubeTV, I can't hit "channel up" to go to NBC; I have to back out complete to the main menu and move the cursor to NBC.

    If I'm watching a show through one of the Roku apps, I have to get out of one app to go to another. But I expected that; I didn't think I could go from Netflix to Tubi just by scrolling down.

    JcS
     
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  5. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    I did a search, and it is possible to "channel surf" with some TVs using the HDMI-CEC feature that @Big Jimbo found annoying. It allows you to use the TV remote to control some features of the Roku.

    YouTube TV Now Lets You use Your TV Remote to Channel Surf on Some TVs - Cord Cutters News

    From the article:

    A Reddit user noticed that their Sony TV remote allows them to navigate channels on YouTube TV with the up and down buttons, just like with traditional cable TV. This has been an option on PlayStation Vue but now seems to be supported on YouTube TV.

    The Reddit post noted that the remote worked by enabling HDMI-CEC. What does that mean? HDMI-CEC stands for HDMI Consumer Electronics Control. It’s a feature that can help your TV and devices pair together better.

    How-To Geek explains that the HDMI-CEC feature allows devices connected to your TVs HDMI ports to effectively communicate with your TV. So, when a device is connected, you could be able to control it with the TV’s remote control.

    Unfortunately, manufacturers tend to make it difficult to find the feature by giving it different names. How-To Geek shared the following list of names used for this feature by different manufacturers to help you find the option on your TV.
    • AOC: E-link
    • Hitachi: HDMI-CEC
    • LG: SimpLink or SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC)
    • Mitsubishi: NetCommand for HDMI
    • Onkyo: RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI)
    • Panasonic: HDAVI Control, EZ-Sync, or VIERA Link
    • Philips: EasyLink
    • Pioneer: Kuro Link
    • Runco International: RuncoLink
    • Samsung: Anynet+
    • Sharp: Aquos Link
    • Sony: BRAVIA Sync
    • Toshiba: CE-Link or Regza Link
    • Vizio: CEC
    To enable the feature, go to your TV’s settings and look for the name your TV manufacturer gives HDMI-CEC. You might also have to look for the feature in the settings of your connected devices and enable it there as well.
     
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  6. softl

    softl Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New England
    My Samsung remote changes channels up & down on youtubetv. I tripped over this yesterday. I didn't do any modifications to it. I stream YouTube, Roku, Netflix, etc and OTA locals.
     
    Chris DeVoe likes this.
  7. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Actually, it's easier than that. Hit the down arrow on your Roku. The first time it shows where you are in the program and the name of the program. The second time, it highlights "Networks" and shows your list of networks. If you organize your networks, it shows the networks in the list around the one you are currently viewing.
     
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  8. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    My Samsung has their "Anynet+" version of HDMI-CEC, but the set is so old that it doesn't support it. It's from 2008 and the dumb thing keeps working. And, as I said earlier, the hardware maker doesn't want to upgrade anything and the last firmware update for my 2008 TV...was in 2008.
     
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  9. softl

    softl Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New England
    The Roku is an app on my Samsung TV. The kitchen TV is a Roku stick, the bedroom TV is a Roku tv.
    I was mistaken about the channel buttons. Just got home and tried it, didn't work. My mistake.
     
  10. jkauff

    jkauff Senior Member

    Location:
    Akron, OH
    My Roku TV has the Spectrum app available.
     
  11. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    What's the picture quality on this Roku setup? Does it show true 1080p or 4K? What's the largest TV screen that retains image quality?

    I have an old 32in. Samsung circa 2014. I'm going to have to check to see if it as "Anynet+". This thread has peaked my interest in cutting the cable. Just hope it doesn't require I live in a large metropolitan area that gets strong streaming signals. I live in a small town.
     
  12. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    It is as good as the source and the processor in the Roku. If you're planning to do a lot of 4K HDR, don't cheap out - get the Ultra. They have a 4K demo channel on it and I've seen amazing looking stuff via it.
    It handles as good a picture quality as the provider makes available. Unlike cable, one Roku displays one stream and all of your bandwidth can go to displaying that as well as possible. Even in YouTube TV or competitors like Sling, you are still getting one stream at a time. In contrast, a cable system has to fit all of the channels you might wish to see on a single coaxial cable simultaneously, and each user selects what to see at each box. YouTube TV feeds one program stream to each viewer.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2020
  13. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    One other thing about the Ultra? It has a port for a micro SD card, so if you have a lot of channels, or a honking huge one like YouTube TV (which is basically a cable box as an app) you can stick a 128 gig card in there and have plenty of storage.
     
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  14. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    I'm having a bit of Roku weirdness with Amazon, CBS All Access, and the sound that I get.

    I hooked up a Roku streaming stick a few years ago when CBS All Access was premiering STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. The sound that I got was listed as LPCM-48 on my Sony A/V receiver. I had hoped for at least Dolby Digital 5.1.

    Someone, maybe here, recommended that I get the CBS App through Amazon, since my Amazon delivered Dolby Digital 5.1. So, during the intervening years sometime, I canceled CBS All Access, and ordered CBS All Access through Amazon. At that time, I could use my TVs Amazon App and it delivered Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

    Then the TV's Amazon app became too old to keep up with Amazon's redesign standards, so the app was discontinued. So I then had to resort to the Roku to get Amazon. And when I accessed the CBS shows via Roku, I was again limited to LPCM-48.

    Last evening, we were watching an old STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION on the Amazon App (CBS All Access channel within). It was its usual LPCM-48 sound. The video started to break up a bit, possibly our Wifi, or other Amazon bandwidth issues. As a test, I switched to the CBS All Access direct app, still on the Roku, and still functional, and I found the same episode we were watching. I was suddenly blown away with this loud, clear sound, and looked over at the Sony A/V receiver, and there it was reading "Dolby Digital 5.1".

    Oh, I thought, maybe CBS All Access has fixed their wonky sound issues through the Roku. But when I checked every other STAR TREK series, they all came through as LPCM-48, including DISCOVERY.

    I'm left with only puzzlement.
     
  15. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    ^My own little problem that no-one else is interested in or experiences, I guess.
     
  16. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    Oh, it's interesting, but it's so convoluted and confusing it makes my head hurt that you even spent that much time explaining it to us just as much as living through it just to watch TV and be entertained.

    I wouldn't know what to talk about because I can't relate due to the fact I'm stuck watching Spectrum Cable "Basic Limited" and not experiencing your problems but then I'm listening to basic stereo audio on Boston Acoustic satellite speakers and small sub. I do know that even that signal is being juiced upstream because when I play the same PCM CD quality stereo of my CD music through my Sony Blu-ray player there is a huge roll off of the 3Khz to 12Khz spectrum where it sounds murky. All cable news announcers and SNL live music performances sound perfect. 'S' sounds are very natural. But music played from CD's sounds like crap!

    My conclusion is there are NO STANDARDS anyone is adhering to when it comes to quality in audio and imaging.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2020
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  17. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    Ah, I assume if I get a Roku stick, I can watch Netflix and YouTube and Amazon Prime? (Not YouTube TV, that too, I mean just YouTube). I have an older 32" TV, my kid wants to be able to take outside for workout videos, thinking that plus a Roku Stick could be my perfect test case.
     
  18. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    Yes. If there is access to Wifi, you can access all of those and more.
     
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  19. thgord

    thgord In Search of My Next Euphoric Groove

    Location:
    Moorpark, CA
    I know it should be obvious, but you also must subscribe to those pay to play streaming services.
     
  20. arley

    arley Forum Resident

    I have DirecTV satellite service as well as Roku for streaming. I find Netflix and Amazon Prime more stable when I access them through Roku. YMMV.
     
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  21. Stereosound

    Stereosound Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
  22. Stereosound

    Stereosound Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
  23. Alan G.

    Alan G. Forum Resident

    Location:
    NW Montana
    An aside, as a warning: when setting up a new Roku device, there will be a point when they give you an onscreen code and have you go to their website to enter it. Make sure you enter the whole URL into the address field. What’s been happening is that some put “Roku” into search and up comes a scam site, looking like the real thing. Your code WILL FAIL. There will be a phone number to call where they’ll want to be paid (saying it’s a recent Roku change) to clear it up.

    Roku does NOT charge for any of this. Be careful.
     
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  24. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    Swell. So, in addition to all the new streamers using their own proprietary upgrades in the tech to make your old teevee obsolete, and the Apple and the Roku and the Sling and the Firesticks and all the other devices not offering the full variety of compatibility, now we have ransomeware to deal with?

    Yeah, thanks FCC, for once again being in the public's corner. :rolleyes:
     
    Tim Lookingbill likes this.
  25. Brenald79

    Brenald79 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Pretty big news that HBO Max isn’t on Roku or Fire Stick.
     
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