The "big deal" is that it is advertised as a no-fee tv box and then you (seemingly) can't even complete the initial set up without entering a valid credit card/paypal acct? Yes, you CAN bypass the card or paypal entry, as detailed here (and thank you!), but it is made to seem like there is no option of setting up/using the box without the card/paypal info. That is false advertising and it feels like coercion from Roku as the first experience with the company. I was quite angry that I couldn't even start the box up without having to enter my credit card?? How do I even know if I'm keeping the Roku box if I can't try it without divulging my credit card information? What if I just wanted to send it back to Amazon for a refund? What about all that information I just gave away to them? Just trust that no issue on my credit card will ever occur in the future? Naive. Companies do not invest money into actually secure databases. They don't suffer when you are hacked.
I don't want the hassle of worrying about getting my account hacked, my info compromised, and my credit card possibly being charged, even if I don't deal with the company any longer in the future. I don't distribute my card # willy nilly on the internet as there is no true security; the possibility of hacking is always lurking. And this has happened many times before with other companies - e.g. the dreaded 'fyi: your information has been hacked via our shoddy company's online database' letters, AFTER I had no dealings with the companies in question. To say there's 'no risk' is foolish. It just hasn't happened to you YET. (Companies sell your information as well. Look into it. That is why so many services are 'free.' They make the real money off your data.)
We purchased Roku boxes to cut ties with the cable tv companies and use free streaming services that are available, such as Tubi. If we have to provide a credit card to Roku, this is similar to a subscription service. There is always risk involved with providing a card number and the banks are starting to ask detailed questions about how you're distributing your card when there's a problem with unauthorized charges. In addition, there are posts online of people who have been charged for pay tv services on Roku without their knowledge or consent and Roku did not resolve the issue.
Finally, if you have children, this opens up a whole other level of vague worry as I wouldn't hand my children my credit card and I don't want even a small chance of them subscribing to a tv service by accident. I don't have time for any further annoyances in my life, especially from a tv box that was supposed to simplify my life. There are insufficient child control features on the Roku as it is and then to have to worry that some glitch will allow your children to pay for subscriptions is extremely irritating. There are rock solid child controls on our cable tv service which may force my hand in keeping the cable and only using the Roku with supervision (as if you tell your children to watch tv because you want to watch their every move?? Bad product).
Bottom line: this whole shake down of "give us your credit card or we won't activate the box you just paid money for" is poor form and leaves a bad taste in one's mouth towards the company overall. We also have pre-existing streaming subscriptions to things like Disney+ and wouldn't subscribe through Roku in any case. So I have no need to provide that information to Roku and it shouldn't be demanded.
