Signing up for premium service
If I sign up for a premium service from Roku, can I still view it from my computer or smartTV? Is there any advantage or disadvantage to signing up for it from my computer rather than through Roku.
Forum Discussion
In my experience, if you sign up via Roku, or probably any third party like Apple TV etc., you may find it difficult to use the service outside of that ecosystem. But, at least sometimes, you can figure it out.
For example, I originally signed up for Paramount+ via Roku. I couldn't use Paramount+ directly. In this case, they knew my email, but apparently, the Roku-created-for-me P+ account used a randomly generated password. (Which is good because it implies that my password at Roku is probably stored in a one-way-hash, or at least that they don't hand out my Roku password to third parties.)
But I wanted to use P+ outside Roku, so I canceled on Roku, waited for it to end, then went to P+ and did a reset password so I could enter a P+ password of my own and resume my subscription directly. So, I was able to do it, but it was a bit tricky.
Could I have reset my P+ password, gotten direct access, and still be paying through Roku? I don't know - didn't try. I was worried that Roku, paying my subscription, but no longer having the right password for the account at P+ might lead to trouble so I didn't try it.
Based on this experience, I think the simple answer is to sign up directly with content companies.
I guess my experience has been a little different with the Apps/channels I have used or subscribed to. I have been able to view channels/subscriptions on a variety of devices with no issues, other than jumping through the hoop of linking the service to how you are subscribed, like for example, ESPN+ to the service you use. Or in the case of Netflix, its restrictions on number of devices or regional restrictions. I am a bit surprised that the experience isn't consistent no matter how you sign up for a subscription. I will say though I have seen lots of complaints about signing up through a Roku subscription, but I don't personally have any experience with that as I have never signed up for subscriptions that way.
IN GENERAL - When you subscribe to (and pay for) a premium subscription through a third party like Roku, Amazon, Sling, etc., your account is with that third party, not the channel itself. In many (most? all?) cases you have to access this channel through that third party's platform. In Roku's case this normally means access from within The Roku Channel instead of the channel's own app.
If you'd like to use other platforms as well, your best bet is to subscribe directly with the channel on its own website. Then you can use the channel's website plus its app on any supported device including phones, tablets, and a range of streaming platforms, using the login parameters you establish with the channel.
