The new icon-based search results are less usable and ultimately an unwanted change. Please revert to the prior list-based functionality.
I understand that someone at Roku likely made a commitment to deliver this and it's hard to change course once committed. Please be unappologetically Agile and adjust based on your customers' feedback. While good on paper, this new approach is not translating to a wanted user experience. The development time invested so far was a success but ONLY if what's learned from customer usage is fed back into the development plan. Otherwise it's just a waterfall project that operates as if the first opportunity to get feedback is once the entire system is delivered in a big bang.
If this functionality will be delivered regardless then please also include the functionality for the customer to choose between the icon and list as part of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Many thanks for your consideration.
Suddenly, the search function has changed on my ROKU, definitely FOR THE WORST!
For instance, I search a name, "Myna Loy". Instead of a list of items, each showing a title and then a list of actors and director on each item as one moves along the list, a set of icons appear. One must click on an icon and the information is far more limited.
This AWFUL!
The new search format is a loser, the previous one was great. Please stop testing new sucky ones and go back to the best one.
How long do you plan to do this "functionality" test - it's been 4 MONTHS now and we do not want only to search within the confines of ROKU - or maybe we all need to consider FIRESTICK
and it only searches within the confines of the ROKU community - used to be we could see what channels a particular movie was offered on
Hi Danny,
I'm sure by now that you can see that the changes to the search feature are NOT being received well. Every one of the replies I have read, and yes, I read them all, are negative. I also echo that sentiment. The old list feature for doing a search gave excellent information for any actor, movie or TV show. It also allowed us to see what channel was necessary to watch each one. The new format is clunky to say the least. At the outset, you are given a list of items that have nothing whatsoever to do with what you are looking for. If you do a search for a certain actor like say Jack Lemmon. You get a list of every person with the first name of Jack shown on the screen. This is far to time consuming to navigate who you are looking for. Even when you complete the name, the others are still there.
As the community said, please either revert back to the list feature or give us a choice of whether we want to use the list feature or the thumbnail feature.
Thanks
UPDATE 9/11/2022, for a few minutes this morning my ROKU Ultra offered the original wonderful search. I was so happy! But a second search brought back the useless newer so-called search that has prompted me to leave ROKU altogether. I feel extremely ripped-off because I've invested in several ROKU devices specifically because of the simple and efficient interface. Now I want my money back as the loss of search functionality renders my ROKU investment wasted and discouraging. Dang and drat!
By the way, I messaged on ROKU's Facebook page and did get a reply asking for specifics. I sent them a link to this discussion forum. I haven't heard anything else on Facebook from ROKU.
Also I checked the Better Business Bureau for ROKU complaints, and there are plenty, mostly related to account or payment issues. However I think there's justification to enter BBB complaints regarding this sudden subtraction of ROKU functionality, yanking the rug out from under users, bait-and-switch, whatever one may want to call it. Eh?
ORIGINAL POST:
Danny boy howdy I hope this can get fixed soon. The search is completely unworkable for me. The previous search seemed nearly miraculous in its ease and accuracy and speed. Everwho thinks this change is a good idea needs to be checked and balanced. PLEASE return the search functions that were one of the reasons I *WAS* a Roku fan and advocate. It's essential to my enjoyment and appreciation of Roku. Thanks for your time and consideration.
At least give us the option to return the search screen to a useful function. The new screen to put it bluntly just sucks. The other recommendation functions already show movies and tv shows. You are adding a needless layer to the search engine.
It appears that this issue first appeared in May of 2022, but it just showed up on my system, a Roku 3, a day ago. Surely, Roku has received enough negative feedback to realize it was a bad idea. Any word from them what they are going to do about it? Or are there parties other than users, say content providers, to whom they are beholden, that would overrule the desires of Roku users?
Thanks,
Terry
I liked the old search that showed a list. Anyway to change back?