Channels & viewing

[ToddAndMargo]

Hi All,

I do adore the Roku channel as their taste in shows is pretty good.  

Problem: I despise commercials. 

Is there a way to rid myself of the commercials?  I am more than willing to pay a reasonable amount for such, if that's what it takes.

-T

[atc98092 · Accepted solution]

The Roku Channel is a free service, therefore they run ads. Roku doesn't currently offer a paid ad-free version. No idea if it's under consideration, but for now you have to put up with the ads. 

[Kieran449]

When I watch old retro shows, like "I dream of Jeanie", there can be several commercials not in the original commercial slot as originally intended. Too many and too long.

The original show was already made, so there should me no extra long (up to 5) commercials on a production that already made their bulk load of money back in the 60s/70's. Overhead cost should be minimal.

For 5 dollars a month, I'd pay ROKU channel to not have commercials on retro shows.

[ToddAndMargo]

If Roku won't let your out of them completly, I'd also go for $2/month to zip/fast forward across them.

[Tartan]

Since I can't get rid of commercials is there a way to search for content that doesn't have commercials? Or would this just be the services I paid for before I bought the Roku box? 

[Streamer317]

@Tartan  Any free streaming service is going to have commercials. That’s why they are free. The Roku channel, Tubi, Crackle and PlutoTV are all free and All of them have commercials. Hulu is a paid service at five dollars a month and it has commercials. So exactly what are you looking for?

[Tartan]

So the word "Free" on the content that pops up when I do a search always means commercials? Apparently the couple who recommended Roku to me did not understand that. Unfortunately, it's too late to return the box. I should know better than to believe in magic. 

[Streamer317]

@Tartan  it doesn’t matter if it’s a Roku’s, Firesticks, Chromecast, or Nvidia shield. You can get Pluto TV free on any of those devices. And it will have commercials. People pay for cable TV and there’s commercials. They’re offering you free entertainment. The commercials are paying for your free content. This has absolutely nothing to do with Roku. Even if you were using a free over the air antenna there would still be commercials. If you want something that’s completely commercial free then you can sign up for Netflix or HBO Max. It’s a true fact of life that nothing is really free

[Strega]

Yes, paid content providers – like Netflix, prime, etc. are commercial-free.  (Some, like Paramount+ have a low price/some commercials plan and a high price/no commercials plan.)

You can occasionally find some commercial-free material hiding.  For example, there are some university lectures and NPR shows on youtube that are commercial free.

There are a few channels where I haven't figured out their business model.  Some might be using the standard internet startup plan: 1) Capture eyeballs. 2) Figure something out to make money.  These often go out of business at step 2, but that doesn't stop people from enjoying them on step 1.

No, the cheap little black plastic box doesn't magically make commercials go away, or allow time travel, or make you lose weight, but it can still be useful.

[Lisako76]

I would happily pay as well.   Not only are the commercials the she ones over and over,  they pay super loud!  If I watch roku in the evening I have to keep my hand on the remote mute button to hit it before they commercials wake up my son.  It's ridiculous.   Come on roku, give us a paid option!