Channels & viewing

[Bhando]

In the Roku main menu when you open up the featured free menu, I noticed the movies Ted and Ted 2 are both claiming to be free on Vudu. I select either one and once opened to watch it has two options and both are to rent or buy the movies. How disappointing.  Anyone else having this issue? TIA for any input.

[AvsGunnar]

@Bhando 

Not a big Vudu user, but just checked and same. The Free w/ads of Ted and Ted2 probably just expired and not reflected accurately in the Roku Search. (or just Vudu's way of getting you to look at their channel, who knows).  Since I don't use it often, can't tell you if it ever was free, though I am asssuming it probably was.  Best just to go to Vudu Channel, navigate to Free, then Movies and see their current offerings.   I am sure they rotate their content between paid and free w/ads.

[R3Arts]

I am experiencing the same problem with numerous movies. They are listed in FEATURED FREE but when selected show VUDU FREE watch in HD. Yet when selected after VUDU loads the RENT OR BUY screen shows up, NOT FREE!

NOTE: These are usually lesser movies I am not familiar with, have not seen, and might watch but not if I must pay extra!

[AvsGunnar]

@R3Arts 

Would be nice to know the titles of these movies when this happens.  This way can determine if it is a problem with the Roku Search function or if an intentional bad policy of Vudu.

You can determine this pretty easily by looking at Vudu's Free Movies at https://www.vudu.com/ or https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/uxpage/View-All-Free-Movies-TV/206. 

If you find that it is being offered for free and then attempting to be charged, Vudu can be contacted at https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/contactus.

I really doubt they are being shady and deliberately attempting a bait & switch, most likely just an improvement has to be made in the Results shown.  However, it has been going on for awhile now, so can definitely sympathize with frustrated users expecting to see Free content as advertised.  

[R3Arts]

AVSGUNNAR, There have been more than a few "9", Robin Hood, The Lost City of Z, Jeremiah Johnson, Serenity, Batman: The Killing Joke, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot, Death Race, Prospect, Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds, Paul...So having wasted sufficient time on just going through the FEATURED FREE/ADVENTURE Menu and clicking ANY that said VUDU, I'll stop there. I will just note that I probably would not watch most of those and that I did find one title Yashamini, Princess Half Deamon (season 1) that was on Vudu and was free! I also checked the non-Vudu offerings and they are actually free!

(I also checked Public Enemies which is under the CRIME subheading of Featured Free another Vudu Watch Free in HD it ain't free either. So there are a dozen examples. As a further check, Vudu does have the movies I purchased so it knows it is me. 

,,

[R3Arts]

@AvsGunnar  Not wanting to spend more time I checked a couple of them and they ARE NOT FREE ON Vudu. Therefore I conclude that the issue is in the Roku Featured Free menu as it seems almost all the offerings linked through Vudu are not Free Features!

[AvsGunnar]

@R3Arts 

I'm with you on that.  I do think that Roku Search is not synced with Vudu Channel properly.  Definitely not an issue of Vudu not recognizing you as a user.  I ran a couple of the movies you posted above and are free on other Channels, but definitely not Vudu.  Jeremiah Johnson is on Movieland. (a classic for sure.)

The above testing and movies you provided allows Roku to know that it is not a Vudu issue, but more likely a Roku issue.  I know @RokuDanny-R has looked into this before and may be able to provide an update as to its status.