Getting Started - Setup & How-to

[jeffrok]

Hey all,

I've been around for awhile but this is my first time needing advice on setting up a Roku for a family member in another house. 

It's for my "challenged" sister, who is pretty technology-wise, but isn't completely independent life-wise.

I'd like to set up a Roku for her with channels independent of the ones of my own (I know, needs a new Roku account).. I could set her up to be registered to my less-used Yahoo email address, but it'd also be a lot easier if Roku allowed profiles on their boxes/TVs.. I could switch between configurations (channels, logins to said channels, etc) without needing separate Roku accounts.. 

In your experiences, how have you set up Rokus for family members or friends, who you need control of their boxes, and usually remotely?

Thanks!

[renojim · Accepted solution]

I use a different one of my email addresses for my mother's Roku.  I add channels for her, but she could also add them if she wanted to.  I have a PIN set up so that she can't accidentally subscribe to or purchase something, although I think that would be impossible as there's no payment method attached to her account.  She could screw things up by removing a channel, but that could be fixed remotely.  She's not one to go exploring available channels, so the setup hasn't really changed in years.

[makaiguy]

Connect the Roku to one of your TV's at home.  Set it up and link it to that new Roku account and set up the channels as you wish.

The difficulty comes at her house if you're not there to install it.  If she can't handle your directions is there a friend or neighbor you could talk through it on the phone?  Everything should be set up except the net connection.  The physical connection is pretty easy, but you've have to talk them through making the network connection.  The hard part may be finding someone at the other end who can determine her network's net name (SSID) and password.

[jeffrok]

I'm not worried about the physical setup- I'll be doing that. 

I'm just wondering about the easiest way to set it up software-wise..