What streaming services do you use? Why do you like or dislike them?

[Overmind One]

Okay, I wound up with a Roku Express, and I really like it! I already have PlayOn to record from Netflix (when I had it) and Amazon prime, but the Roku has an app called MyMedia and also the PlayOn channels, and with it I can play anything on my hard drives like Kodi. Only I get a real remote and an easier to use interface.

I really was not that into Roku until I started playing around with it. They are quite capable, and the streaming quality is top notch. I have been adding channels and apps, and it is really impressing me a lot. There are cool free channels like Pluto TV and Crackle that was mentioned earlier, plus the standard pay services (including CBS Ass Access).

Spectrum was trying to get me to buy their Streaming TV service for an additional $19.00 a month, and they included the Roku. If I decided not to do the service, I got to keep the Roku.

 

[YJ02]

CBS Ass Access

was that a slip or intentional??

 

[YJ02]

Pluto TV

pluto tv is very cool

i really love how they have those aggregate news channels where you just get headlines with very little to no pontificating, editorializing or whining from the anchors

 

[YJ02]

Okay, I wound up with a Roku Express, and I really like it!

well welcome to the party!

 

[Overmind One]

was that a slip or intentional??

You know me. Plus, the "L" is clear on the other side of the keyboard.

 

[Overmind One]

well welcome to the party!

I now use it to watch Amazon Prime instead of my browser.

 

[YJ02]

oh yeah..TUBI TV is kind of ok as well. movies and some tv shows. a lot "b" stuff but some good stuff too

they have a decent documentary selection

 

[YJ02]

one thing i do not like about roku is that if you use the roku search for a movie or show, it will only give you results to streamers you have to pay for. crackle is on the results list as well, i guess because they do have a pay option

so, a movie you want to watch may be on tubi or pluto or wherever, but you will only get it for NF, amazon, hulu, vudu,etc

 

[YJ02]

You know me. Plus, the "L" is clear on the other side of the keyboard.

i would say it is apropos given the current lineup?

 

[PussyGalore]

Are there commercials on Pluto TV? How does it work?

 

[YJ02]

Are there commercials on Pluto TV? How does it work?

it depends on the 'channel'

just two out of the lineup for example

THE YOUNG TURKS (yes! someone went and gave Cenk Uygur a broadcast channel on tv) has like one :30 sec commercial

the 'movie channels' may have 2 or 3

the news aggregate channel--you may go an hour without a commercial and then a couple

sometimes you just get the pluto tv screen that says "we will be back shortly"

BUT, they are nothing compared to the type and time of commercials on DIRECTV or other 'traditional' broadcasters
-------

right now i am watching one of their on demand movies (a documentary called THE INSTITUTE)--free of course. there has been one 15 sec and one 30 sec commercial break

some are just strange to--very very local commercials as if you were watching a local station--so defin no IP location targeted commercials

yesterday there were ads for a rochester (ny or mn?) car place. today a law firm in arkansas

Overall if you were to compare it to CRACKLE free , PLUTO has far less and shorter breaks

http://pluto.tv/guide/

 

[Overmind One]

Are there commercials on Pluto TV? How does it work?

The short answer is YES.

 

[YJ02]

have hulu everything now..dropped psvue for hulu with 'live' tv

i wish hulu had a grid display for channel search

and

some networks on hulu still run commercials despite paying to not have commercials

also, weird things with some networks. FOX you can on demand shows but can't watch live

AMC you can watch live but most shows are not available for on demand

that why i am not watching TWD (shocking yes!!) i don't have the stomach to sit through and watch the whole episode of Rick and the funky bunch. got to be able to FF TWD as needed to be able to watch any of it!


they do have some decent originals also

as well as a huge selection of sci fi!

 

[Joelist]

I use a Roku Ultra as my past experience with the smaller models was they lacked sufficient CPU and GPU power to do everything properly.

 

[Overmind One]

I use a Roku Ultra as my past experience with the smaller models was they lacked sufficient CPU and GPU power to do everything properly.

Interesting. Examples of the problems? I am using a Roku Express.

EDIT:

The new Express: https://www.roku.com/products/roku-express

 

[Joelist]

Chiefly it was buffering issues and occasional freezeups. The Ultra has not experienced those issues.

 

[Overmind One]

Chiefly it was buffering issues and occasional freezeups. The Ultra has not experienced those issues.

The newer Express has a newer GPU and CPU. I have not experienced problems with it other than it wanting more bandwidth. . I only experience that when streaming music, downloading and watching on Roku at the same time, and not often.

 

[Joelist]

I'm glad to hear that, as it indicates Roku got the point that their hardware was too weak for their software and boosted it across the whole line.

 

[Overmind One]

I'm glad to hear that, as it indicates Roku got the point that their hardware was too weak for their software and boosted it across the whole line.

Your Ultra does a lot of 4K stuff, has a voice remote and tons of additional features. I just compared the two units. However, the quad core CPU is the same. The GPU in the Ultra does 4K and the Express only does 1080 and 720. But that is fine for me since I do not have 4K.

https://www.roku.com/products/compare

 

[YJ02]

reposting this from the punisher thread (more appropriate here )

I never get those msgs; isn't the version of your roku player SUPPOSED to be the same as my roku tv as far as performance, etc. but that could just be to sell more of them, idk

the only issue i have been having lately is with netflix stopping play and then bouncing my tv all the way back to the roku menu and sometimes restarting the tv!

NOT one other app does this-not amazon (which is strange cause doesn't netflix use amazon's servers or something?), not hulu not youtube..nothing

nf customer spt says that it isn't them--of course--its me!

i need to unplug my tv and then plug it back in. but, this only works in a singular fashion. the next day i need to do the same thing, so i am thinking it is THEM.

again, an oddity seeing how the roku was developed by netflix you'd think they'd keep up or keep them well-knitted to one another? and/or, not advance their player beyond the limits of one of the most popular devices used to stream their content

ps-- this problem only started after they made a change to their p,layer. the one that brought the audible "duh-dun" when you get to the "who'watching" screen