Channels & viewing

[BobBoyce]

I purchased my first ROKU device to test a couple of months ago. I enjoy watching Stargate SG-1, Grimm, and X-Files on Comet TV. The ROKU was recommended by a friend that uses one on his SDTV. I had bought a couple of other brands first to test on a 4KHD TV in my existing home, connected to my StarLink system. I'm glad this happened before I purchased four 4KHD ROKU devices for the four 4KHD TVs purchased for install in my new home that is nearly completed.

[andyross]

Why would this have an effect on you buying other Roku's? The Comet app was NEVER available on FireTV or Google/Android TV devices. The choice to pull it was made by Sinclair, not Roku.

[Strega2]

@BobBoyce 

I wouldn’t be too worried about any specific streaming service changing.  Roku has lots of them.  Many will probably come and go because so many streaming services are losing money. If you are concerned with a dispute between a streaming platform and a streaming content provider (which was not the case here) then you can get several streaming platforms to defend against that.  In any case: expect stuff to keep changing in the world of TV.

[BobBoyce]

I would not want to invest in multiple devices that will not provide me with my main channel of interest. I currently get Comet TV through Dish Network. I could stream it through my Hopper3 and send it to my new home via WiFI, if I intended on keeping it active. I do not subscribe to any premium channels on Dish Network I'm just not interested in that sort of content. I have their basic package. Dish Network has recently been dropping channels via satellite in favor of streaming many of those channels through the Hopper3 via an internet connection. After they recently stopped carrying NASA, I decided to drop Dish Network as well. As a retired Aerospace Engineer, I was involved in aircraft/spacecraft/satellite R&D. One of the reasons I'm seeking a simpler life in retirement. My new home is in the woods at the rear of my property. I border with a National Forest, which is full of very tall trees that cannot be cut down. Those trees would interfere with line-of-sight to both the Eastern Arc and Western Arc geosynchronous satellites for Dish Network! My northern sky is open, which is how I can get such great bandwidth via StarLink.

[andyross]

I think it's a good idea to have at least one device from an alternate platform, even if it's a Smart TV's built-in system. Different platforms can vary in how apps work, not just what is available. I have Philo, and the Roku version has been greatly updated over the past year (multi-tasking, vertical lists of shows, sorting of saved shows by type, list of shows in recorded order, etc...) The Fire TV version is still the same as it was. The Roku version of some of the FAST services either have no Live TV Guide, or have no ability to access a Favorites list. The Roku version of Max currently has a weird issue with how the transport keys (play/pause/ff/rew) work. They do work properly with Fire TV.

[Strega2]

Keep in mind, NASA dropped its cable service.  That is to say, NASA dropped Dish. 

If I was going to go streaming-only, I would have at least two platforms.  (Heck, I’m not streaming only and I still have more than two streaming platforms.  They’re only slightly more expensive than dirt. 😀)

[winduptoy]

Yes, I do have TWO streaming platforms. My VIZIO SMART TV and my ROKU 4K. Roku works faster, therefore I prefer it to my smart tv. My Vizio smart tv is 4K so is my Roku. That little Roku really revved up my picture quality!!! 

[winduptoy]

Yeah, I dropped Dish Network as soon as my contract was up, so I could start streaming. Don't get me wrong. I LIKED Dish Network, I just don't like paying $120 a MONTH to watch TV when everything is basically RE-RUNS anyway.

[winduptoy]

On a personal note. As someone who's had (DirecTV), (Dish Network) and (Spectrum). I must say that, I think SPECTRUM digital cable provider is BY FAR DA BEST. It had more than the (other two). 🙂

[AvsGunnar]

I think as more people move to streaming, you should also consider learning how to connect a laptop to your TV via HDMI cable  and/or using casting apps from mobile devices/tablets/laptop.

As long as you have access to a web browser and the content is available online, you have an alternate way to access your content if an app is unavailable for a specific streaming platform or if there is an issue with an app. (kind of minimizes the number of streaming devices you need to purchase and have dangling from the back of the tv).

Comet TV still allows free access via their website for watching live. https://comettv.com/watch-live/

----

Using laptops and similar methods was how I primarily streamed before adding Roku. (and still do for a lot of my content).