Channels & viewing

[paulkcc]

I just subscribed to Acorn on their website, but when I try to watch it on Roku it asks me to sign up through them for another $6.99. I thought there was a way to link my subscription to my Roku device, but I'm not seeing it. Any help would be appreciated.

[renojim]

If you're trying to access Acorn through The Roku Channel, try the stand-alone app.  It should allow you to sign in.

https://channelstore.roku.com/details/272ba82f0e179295b316d12896f9cdbc/acorn-tv

[paulkcc]

When I go to that link, it shows Acorn as already installed since I've had the channel in the past. When I click on the Acorn app, it asks me whether I want to sign up for a monthly or yearly fee. I tried deleting the channel and adding it again, but get the same results. I have already paid for the channel through the Acorn website, and thought that there had been an activation code or link when I'd done that in the past.

[renojim]

When you deleted it and added it again, did you perform a "System restart" under Settings->System or Settings->System->Power (depending on your Roku model) after removing it and before adding it again?  That clears out any information the app may have saved on your device, so if you didn't, try the "remove, restart, add" procedure again.  Beyond that, I'm out of ideas.  It should allow you to sign in with your Acorn credentials, but Acorn is one of those providers that seems to generate far more problem reports than others.  They are responsible for their own app, so you might want to try to reach out to them.

[paulkcc]

Thanks for your replies. I tried the "remove, restart, add" procedure, but I'm still getting the same thing. I have tried to contact Acorn, but so far they just changed my password, because they think I'm having trouble accessing my Acorn account. I can get to that, it just won't show my payment to Acorn on my Roku. Anyway, I appreciate your efforts. Next time I'll know to subscribe through Roku rather than the channel.

[renojim]

@paulkcc, keep in mind that if you subscribe to something through Roku you can generally only use the subscription on Roku devices, so if you wanted to watch something on your computer or a non-Roku device you wouldn't be able to.  That's why it's often recommended to subscribe directly with the provider if you're wanting to use the subscription anywhere.  Acorn just seems to have some kind of issue with their Roku app.

[makaiguy · Accepted solution]

@paulkcc-

In the home page of the Acorn channel app installed on your Roku (not Acorn in The Roku Channel) click the options (*) button on your Roku remote.

In the popup dialog, if it shows Sign Out:

• This is probably a left over from your previous subscription.
• Click on Sign Out and confirm you want to sign out.
• When it returns to the main page click the * button on the remote again to get a new popup dialog.

In the popup dialog, click on Already a subscriber? Log in

In the next dialog:

• If your Roku account uses the same email address as you used to register with Acorn, click the CONTINUE button.
• Otherwise, click the Use Different Email button and on the next screen enter the email address you use for Acorn.

Enter your Acorn password and Log In.

[paulkcc]

Thank you so much. Acorn had given me 3 answers, none of which worked. I'd tried a factory reset on my Roku, as well as deleting the channel and reloading it. I had about given up, and was going to just trying casting the channel from my PC to Roku, but this did the trick. Thank you again.