Roku mobile app

[makaiguy]

@jonal-

Sorry, I wasn't thinking re the Roku TV remote.  With that you could control the Roku TV but still would not have private listening capabilities.

The Roku Remote Pro, $30, has a built in headphone jack for private listening and is compatible with all Roku TVs. https://www.roku.com/products/accessories/roku-voice-remote-pro

Additionally it is rechargeable so you don't have to keep feeding it batteries, accepts voice commands, has two programmable buttons for commonly used commands or channel access, and controls via WiFi directly without going through your local WiFi network so it doesn't have to be pointed at the Roku.

This is the only currently available remote with the headphone jack - neither the Voice Remote nor Voice Remote Pro 2nd edition has one.

[makaiguy]

@AvsGunnar-

Nice suggestion re WiFi hotspot on a laptop.  I haven't traveled with a laptop since I retired 20 years ago so I didn't think of it.  The Android tablet I travel with doen't have this capability.

[AvsGunnar]

@makaiguy 

I am completely the opposite.  Bunch of laptops for different things because I need the inputs/ports and software. Especially for traveling when strangers forget to leave me their wifi password.

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On your Android tablet, you may be able to share your wifi a couple of different ways. (Both methods below work for my Android 13 phone).

Method 1 - Connect Android device to the wifi, then enable the hotspot.

1. Disable/toggle off the mobile data under Settings/ Network & Internet (just to make sure your hotspot won't connect to the mobile data).
2. Connect to the wifi network.
3. Enable/toggle on the Hotspot under Settings/ Network & Internet/ Hotspot and Tethering / Wifi Hotspot and toggle the Hotspot On.  This will broadcast the "hotspot" to other devices under their available wifi connections. When the devices connect to the hotspot, they will actually be sharing the wifi network connection.

Note: If you want to verify that you are actually using the wifi network and not your mobile data, just disconnect the Android device from the wifi connection and all the connected devices should also fall off from the internet connection even though you still have the Hotspot on. (they remain connected to the hotspot but do not have internet access).

Although there is no need to once you have your Android device connected to the wifi, you can then enable your mobile data back on if you want to for some reason. (ie. just so you dont forget to put it back on later).

(Roku mobile app should be able to connect to your Roku device under the above method while connected to wifi and serving as "hotspot" on the same device).

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Method 2 - Use the tethering method, either USB tethering or Bluetooth Tethering

If you have your Android phone and Android tablet, you may/should be able to able to do the tether workaround. (tablet just either needs USB port or Bluetooth capability in order to tether the wifi connection.)  FYI... these same steps can be used for a laptop/PC as well.  Basically your phone becomes an improvised wifi adapter.

1. Connect the phone to the public wifi network. (or your private/home network wifi).

2. In the Android phone, need to enable the Tethering feature.

    2a. For USB tethering, enable USB Tethering under Settings / Network & Internet / Hotspot & Tethering (just toggle on the USB tethering).  Then connect a USB cable from the phone to the tablet.

    2b. For Bluetooth instead, you would just enable Bluetooth Tethering under the same settings. (eliminates need for the USB cable). Settings / Network & Internet / Hotspot & Tethering.
   

3. Establish the connection between the phone and tablet (using either USB or Bluetooth)
3a. If using USB, once the USB cable is connected, should show a wired connection at the tablet.
3b.  if using Bluetooth, verify Bluetooth connection between the phone and the tablet. Settings / Connected Devices

4. Connect the phone to the the wifi network. Settings / Network & Internet / Internet (toggle on the wifi). Again, disable the mobile data just for assurance. Once the tablet is connected you should have internet access. If all is good, then just enable the Hotspot on the tablet and your devices should be able to connect to the tablet's hotspot and share its wifi connection.

(On my Linux laptops, if I use the Bluetooth tether, my Hotspot toggle is under the wifi category/adapter, so I have to toggle on wifi as well. It then shows/broadcasts my laptop hotspot as the wifi network to other devices. May need to do this on the tablet as well, but shouldn't have to, since Android based.)

Note: If you give unique names to all your hotspots, you will know which device is acting as the hotspot (ad-hoc).

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With the above methods, you should be able to connect the Roku and still be able to use all your devices.  If using a laptop rather than tablet, likely need to adjust firewall settings to allow Roku mobile app to communicate with the Roku device.