Channels & viewing

[pappabees]

No longer an issue for me. I simply bought a $29 fire stick and now I have the app and can run VidAngel directly on my TV.  So now I no longer even need Roku.  Thanks for showing better ways Roku.  Much nicer than having to load it on my Ipad or phone and cast it to my TV.  I can now directly access my App and play it without any of the other issues.  Like I said my next OLED purchase just got a lot easier as I don't even have to think about is it a ROKU tv.   Sweet freedom of choice is always a great thing. 

[pappabees]

Wow every angle and excuse or whatever.  Nope I don't pay for ROKU just the 4 Boxes I purchased over the years and recommended many more that friends have purchased.  Then when replacing TV I actually went with ROKU TV's so I could dump the box.    Yes I get that VidAngel is an uncertified app but if you check their (VidAngel's) post they have been asking to be certified multiple times and get denied without any reason why. 

They (VidAngel) have even posted their replies and denials from ROKU and ROKU refuses to certify them or tell them why.  So really this post was at least in part added to by me to see if we can get them to at least explain what a developer has to do to get added to their list beside be one of the moguls that just seems to get added without question.  Lets see drop Porn hub (no big deal to me) and accept say Showtime or HBO MAX (another Porn hub just less of it)  and act like hey were all about that certification  that we will not tell you why you can't have.     

Come on at least be up front and admit why you don't want to allow a channel on your system.  

honestly I don't care anymore as I have moved on and just like I probably helped others make choices to purchase ROKU's I can now help them choose something else.    I am not saying I am a big influencer by any stretch but I do what I can and onwards and upwards and moving on.  Thanks for a good 10 years ROKU but I don't need you anymore.  Just reminds us old people of the Betamax debate and may you go they way of the dinosaur for draconian tactics.  

[pappabees]

Well it works for me just fine. All I have to do is go to search and I found what I wanted and it played directly.    I have watched 3 shows directly through my fire stick.  maybe there are some that won't play i'll have to wait and see. Not saying there are not some but what I wanted is working for now.  Time will definitely tell I suppose. 

[DBDukes]

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@pappabees wrote:

... act like hey were all about that certification  ,,,

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Act like? You're saying that's a lie? 

I just do not understand the mindset that some people have that if a fact doesn't fit what someone wants, they deny the facts. The thing is, facts don't care. They simply are. You don't like the facts. I get that. But they remain the facts. And any statement you make contrary to the facts is, in fact, non-factual. And yes, that's a polite way of saying it.

You found VidAngel on Fire TV. Great. You should be happy, but what are you doing? Responding to an issue you no longer have.

I'm here to help anyone that has an issue with their Roku. If you have a Roku issue, I'll gladly help.

I'll also correct any misinformation that someone posts, so that others can understand what's really going on. If you spread more misinformation, I'll correct it.

If you, with 10 years experience using Roku, can help others with issues, that would be appreciated by many.

But if you do choose to do that, be open to learning things. I know a lot about Roku devices and how things work. But, I also know that I don't know everything. When I'm out of my depth, things with which I have no (or very little) experience, I will defer to others. And I learn from their experience. I can then use that to help others, which, again, is why I'm here. If you choose to hang around and help others, using your decade of user experience, as I said, it would be appreciated. But you must also be willing to learn.

[TrooperDada326]

@pappabees @This isn’t an airport, you don’t need to announce your departure 

[simplyme]

The reason that I got Roku in the first place was to be able to watch VidAngel with it

[DBDukes]

@simplyme 

I don't know if VidAngel ever submitted their app for certification. They said they did, but I've seen other statements they made that were false, so I don't put any faith in any statement they make. But even if they actually did, I can see why Roku would have rejected it. I don't know why, but I have suspicions, if it happened, that is.

Recall that VidAngel lost a $62-million judgement for violating copyright. That's what bankrupted the company. They restructured, and negotiated it down to just under $10-million they owe for, well, breaking the law. They infringed on content owners rights in violation of copyright law. And a violation of the law makes them lawbreakers. That's all established fact. Look it up.

Again, I don't know why Roku rejected them (if they did; VidAngel has made dishonest statements, so I am hesitant to believe them), but I suspect it's to avoid financial risk. All apps must allow for using Roku Pay to subscribe. They don't require a user to only use Roku Pay, but it has to be an option. And, with a history of copyright violations, Roku taking money from illegal subscriptions would have put Roku at risk.

Some have said that VidAngel did no wrong. The courts say otherwise. Some say that VidAngel has changed their business model to one that's now legal. I don't know if they have or haven't. Again, their dishonest statements make me skeptical. But if they have, they still have to code the app to standards. And, with a history of copyright violations, they would, I think (I don't know, but it seems reasonable to me) have to prove to Roku that they are legal now. And, I suspect, that would involve Roku doing an extensive study of them, and get Roku legal involved. I don't see a rubber stamp process.

Now, VidAngel may indeed now be running a legit business. And if so, great. And if they are, and if their app passes muster, I expect Roku to certify an app.

After all, Roku had issues with PlayOn some years ago. You probably don't know about that, but I remember it well. PlayOn was used primarily to circumvent copyright law and content owners rights -- commonly called video piracy -- and Roku kept pulling PlayOn apps from the Private/Non-certified app library. PlayOn would upload, and Roku would take it down. It got to the point where Roku banned mention of PlayOn from these forums.

Well, PlayOn changed their business model. They now have two apps in the Roku Channel Store.

So, there is hope of redemption for VidAngel after their illegal activities. If they have gone legal and legit -- and the fact they are in the Amazon app store indicates (but doesn't prove) they have -- then if their app functions and code meets Roku standards, I expect Roku will certify the app.

On the other hand, many pirate TV apps are available in the Amazon app store without cracking the Fire OS, so it may be that VidAngel is still operating illegally. I don't know. Roku has more stringent requirements with the recent revamp of Private/Non-certified apps to the new Beta app process. Whether or not Roku will certify depends entirely on VidAngel. Roku won't pay any attention to pleas to certify an app and ignore their processes. If you want to make a plea to someone to resolve this, plea to VidAngel to not break the law and write a good app.

[TrooperDada326]

I honestly never have heard of VidAngel and I’ve been a cord cutter for 10 years. Constantly I see people in this community posting about generic channels they use. And now they go unsupported. But yet if you stick to legit channels such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and others you have no issues. You people honestly need a filter system for your kids to watch TV? Interesting 

[DBDukes]

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@TrooperDada326 wrote:

I honestly never have heard of VidAngel and I’ve been a cord cutter for 10 years. Constantly I see people in this community posting about generic channels they use. And now they go unsupported. 

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They were big enough for Disney and Warner Bros to sue.

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@TrooperDada326 wrote:

... But yet if you stick to legit channels such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and others you have no issues. ...

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Not everyone likes everything they offer. More choice is a good thing. PureFlix is a good and legal option available for Roku.

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@TrooperDada326 wrote:

... You people honestly need a filter system for your kids to watch TV? Interesting 

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I've seen plenty of movies that had gratuitous content. I read that Hitchcock even threw some in Frenzy because he was worried it wouldn't get a big enough audience. I don't know if that's a fact, or just an urban legend. Either way, the problem with Frenzy wasn't the lack of gratuitous nudity. The movie was no better for it, and would have been no worse without it. But Hollywood gonna Hollywood.

I have no issue with people wanting to filter what's seen by family, or by themselves. Keep in mind the filters could be for themselves. What doesn't make sense to me is filtering out the content, and Hollywood still getting money for it. All that does is convince Hollywood people want more of that. So there's more of that. I don't use such filters. If I don't like the content of a film, I won't watch the film.

Now, I do research a movie before I go to see it or purchase it. I'm not shocked when such comes on the screen, because I did my research. But most people don't. For that reason, I see the usefulness of a filter option. It's just not one I would use, not because of my prior research, but because if I want to send a message to Hollywood, I'll do it by not buying their filth.

[TrooperDada326]

@DBDukes I YouTube TV, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Prime, Paramount+, Peakcock, ESPN, Disney+, PlutoTV, Tubi, Crackle, Vudo, Redbox, YouTube and AMC. I have more than enough channels to watch enough movies and shows for a lifetime. And they’re all legit supported certified channels.