"kharrisma" wrote:
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Like a lot of other people, I gave cable the boot due to it's rapacious business practices, and instead purchased a Roku streaming device. Was quite happy with it, until I started running into channels like "The History Channel," and now "NatGeo," that won't play unless you tell them who your "Provider" is, and log in through them to watch.
The long and short of it is: just because you see it listed as "available" in the channel store (or whatever they're calling it these days,) that doesn't mean it's available for you to watch. Some of these "offerings" require a cable subscription in order to watch them.
I don't understand WHY Roku shows these channels as if they were available for watching through a streaming device, when in fact they're NOT... unless you have a cable subscription (which kind of defeats the whole purpose of buying a Roku in the first place, doesn't it?) Why would somebody with a cable subscription buy a Roku in the first place? You've got cable... you've got internet... what's the point of having a Roku at all in that situation? I don't get it. I really thought that Roku had positioned itself as "The answer to cable"... but maybe I just got the wrong impression. If so, they've certainly changed their tune.
"kharrisma" wrote:
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I'm beginning to think that they're just all in bed together... given cables' deep pockets, they probably just quietly bought Roku, left it mostly alone to appease cable haters like me, and just as quietly started adding their 'cable-subscription-required' content. And no, I'm not some conspiracy-theory nut... I just for the life of me can't understand why I'm seeing things in the Roku that I can't watch unless I ALSO have cable. And if I had cable, why would I have a Roku?....
DBDukes
Roku Community Streaming Expert
Note: I am not a Roku employee.
If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
DBDukes
Roku Community Streaming Expert
Note: I am not a Roku employee.
If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
So anyway, prospective cord cutters: know that Roku is not a direct replacement for cable........
"nocable" wrote:
I don't think that there is a way to control your Roku settings so that Roku ONLY displays channel that are completely free, with no outside subscription or fees required. That said, many channels on Roku offer a combo of "free" and subscriber programming.
"kharrisma" wrote:
As I said, what's the point of having internet, cable, AND Roku? It's like going through a middleman to buy your groceries... it just ain't necessary, and is even foolish.