Channels & viewing

[highstream]

Looking at Roku as an alternative to high priced Spectrum TV cable, it took me a good 15 minutes to find the sports premium page (wow, what a poorly organized website). Now that I'm there, how does one find the premium channel prices, i.e., what I would be getting into? Thanks,

[Ello2022]

Looking through Roku isn’t the way to go about it.  A Roku is only a device. If you want to cut the cord (which I did 10 years) then Google “cord cutting”. Here is a link. If you still want live TV I suggest YouTube TV

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/beginners-guide-to-cord-cutting/?amp

[highstream]

Thanks, but that link is not it. Someone I know that uses Roku says they subscribe to the MLB Channel. Isn't that and most of the other sports channels live? In any case, the link you provided doesn't get me any closer to seeing what actual costs would be for adding channels. 

The problem with the other streaming services is the channels even their premium subs don't include, ones that I watch some of the time. Don't know how I'd get around that short of nonstandard means.

[Ello2022]

If your looking to cut the cord the link I sent is the place to start. Researching through Roku isn’t the best place. Maybe if you can provide more information of what you are looking for I can help you. There is no MLB channel. There is MLB.TV but if you want that subscribe directly through their website. Then download the MLB.TV channel onto your Roku. But please explain exactly what you want to do. Like I said I’ve been a cord cutter for years so there isn’t much I don’t know. Most sports requires a TV provider. When your looking at the Roku channel store that’s all it is. A place for channels. It’s not a place to do research and find prices. That’s what Google is for 

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/subscribe?affiliateId=MLBTVREDIRECT

[DBDukes]

@highstream 

There are three ways to purchase subscriptions on Roku. Well, up to three. And how you purchase can impact the cost, as a special offer can be for one way but not the other. I'm going to use Starz in this example, but that's only because I saw the app just now. This will apply to many different apps and services, and be a guide to how to get your answer.

1. Directly to a service. You'd load the app and go to the service's Website and subscribe there. Some services have add-ons, and you get the pricing from there. You could subscribe directly to Starz on their Website, load the Starz app and log in with the credentials you set up on the Starz Website.
2. Using Roku Pay and the service. Subscription apps must offer the ability to subscribe through Roku, using Roku Pay. Remember when you set up your Roku account and it asked for a credit card? That's why. Prices for subscriptions are listed on the app.
3. Within a service, such as Roku Channel. You can add subscriptions within Roku Channel for many services. The prices are listed before you subscribe. When you do this, you watch the service via Roku Channel, or in some instances (including Starz) optionally via a separate app that is added to your Roku menu.
   This is also true if you were to add Starz to Hulu+Live TV or YouTube TV (if you feel you need a service like that). Your subscription to that service via whatever means can have additional add-ons such as Starz, HBO, etc.

So, it depends on how you want to get the service and pay for it. Prices are usually the same regardless of method of subscription, but they can vary. You may see $1/month for three months for a service, but that's only for new subscribers or through a certain billing method or subscription method.

[Ello2022]

@highstream  if you want to know how much a certain service is or how to subscribe you’re better off doing a Google search. Once you know what you want and you subscribe to it then all you do is find the channel in the Roku channel store and install it on your Roku. Then login with the credentials you created online. There are probably at least 2000 channels available in the Roku channel store so you’re going to be searching forever unless you specifically know what you want. You mentioned MLB. So a simple Google search for how to watch MLB without cable will tell you the answers. Here is a link 

https://www.etonline.com/mlb-2022-how-to-watch-baseball-without-cable-this-season-182108?amp

[highstream]

Thanks for the replies. I know what I want and assumed the pricing could be found directly thru the Roku site. I see that’s not possible or, at least, so simple. I’ll have to check with my friend to find what she’s paying for the MLB channel. I got the sense it was far less than the $25/month the latter’s site shows.

[Ello2022]

@highstream  There is no MLB channel. There is only MLB.TV. channel. Your friend might have deal through their tv provider. The Roku channel store is basically a place to find channels. Pricing can be found online. If you explain in detail what you would like to do and how you would like to watch it I center help. Is your team a local team? Air on a local channel? I live in CT. I’m a Sox fan. I watch everything I need with NESN. I can get NESN with FuboTV or DirecTV Stream. I provided 2 very useful links. Here is a 3rd

https://www.techhive.com/article/582746/how-to-watch-baseball-online.html/amp

[highstream]

I’ve spelled out what I want to do — look at Roku as a TV alternative to Spectrum cable. On the Roku sports options page is MLB, among others. Call it what you will technically, it and others are the same for practical purposes at this stage — figuring out what the costs would be.

[DBDukes]

@highstream 

If you use MLB.TV today via another source, then you're already familiar with it, and the cost involved.

As for subscriptions to stuff, that depends on the stuff. It also depends on how much you really need.

If you are simply trying to mimic cable, there are live streaming services that are essentially "streaming cable" that run from $7/month (Frndly.TV) up to $70 month (Hulu+Live TV, DirecTV Stream) and more.

Then there are free ad supported services (Pluto TV, Roku Channel, etc) that include live streaming. Do you want certain channels? Or are you simply looking for certain types of content? Those aren't the same thing, after all.

Let me give you an example using my mother. She kept cable for years, then when she cut the cord, tried an expensive live streaming service to get that an other channels. Then she discovered that Pluto TV had the same kind of content that she watched, and didn't really care that it was not the exact same. So she dropped the service and cut her bill even more.

That's not to say you can find everything you want for free or for very cheap, but you won't know for sure until you try it.

Pick out the channels that you must have. Not want, but absolutely would go nuts if you didn't get your fix of the shows on that channel. Then enter those in the online tool at https://suppose.tv along with your ZIP code and streaming platform (Roku, whatever). It will show the services that carry the channels you must have.

If you DVR a lot of content today, to the point of watching just about everything from DVR, then a service such as Hulu might be good ($7/month).

If you have HBO, consider HBO Max, which has the content of HBO and more.

If you are able to put up an antenna for local channels, then you may find that if you still need a live streaming service, that the cheaper ones may have the content you want.

Places like CordCuttersNews.com and the Suppose.TV app are tools to offer guidance, but only you know what you want. And you'll have to decide what works best for you. Pricing is like buying a car. You go to the dealership and check the prices. Well, to see what you can get Sling TV for, you go to Sling TV. There's work to do.

One thing, though. You can get a Roku and still keep cable. Try it out and see what content you like. Use the free trials that some services offer and see if they fill the bill. Do one at a time though, so you can focus on it and see if it gets you what you want. Between free trials, look around the free offerings and see how much you watch that way.