Solving playback issues

[Ravis]

I need to browse 1000s channels to find 1. There's no SEARCH facility in my Roku ultra. Please help! Thanks. 

[atc98092]

Not following you. Do you have 1000 channels installed on your Roku, and you're trying to find a specific one? If so, that's far too many on a device. It simply doesn't have the storage space for that many, and it will have to swap out channels in memory as you move between them. But if that is the case, then no you cannot search for an installed channel on the device. 

If you are referring to browsing the available channels in the Channel store, there is a search function for that, either using the web site or on the device itself. 

Could you explain your issue a bit better, please? 

[RokuMary-F · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ravis,

Welcome to the Roku Community!

Thanks for posting and we will do our best to assist you. If we understand it correctly, you'd like to be able to Roku Search to find what you want to watch on your Roku streaming device.

Can you please verify your current location?

Please be advised that Roku Search is available in English in Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and in Spanish in Mexico and the United States.

Please keep us posted and we'll continue assisting you from there.


Best regards,
Mary

[Ravis]

I am from India and now I know why I am not able to search! 

Isn't it very odd that available installable channels are only searchable to some specific region? 

I purchased Roku ultra in India because it is available here and had read some great reviews about it.

Please help. Thanks. 

[Ravis]

A moderator had informed that SEARCH is only available in a few countries like US & CANADA, and not in India. 

Isn't it very odd that "available installable channels" are only searchable to some specific region? 

I purchased Roku ultra in India because it is available here and had read some great reviews about it. 

Please help. Thanks 

[atc98092]

Roku is not officially supported in many countries, India being one of them. To see the supported countries, go to the Roku web site and scroll all the way to the bottom. There you can select a different country and a list will appear when you select it. 

My guess is the reason for certain function availability limited to specific countries deals with licensing issues. When companies license the use of certain content, they often include restrictions on where they can be used. This is often because the content owners have agreements with other entities for exclusive use in specific locations. 

[Ravis]

Search function is limited to specific countries! One can only laugh at that! Huh. 

Anyway thanks for your kind response.

Now I know I made big mistake purchasing Roku ultra. 

[fredguttman]

I am in the US

[renojim]

@fredguttman, if you're in the US and search isn't available the most likely reason is that your account is associated with the wrong region.  I don't know of a way to prove it, but the only way to fix it is to create a new Roku account (use a private or incognito browser window when you do), factory reset your Roku device, and link the device to the new account.

If you go into the Channel Store (or Streaming Channels, or Streaming Store, or whatever they're calling it these days), do you see the usual US channels/apps like Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount, Discovery, etc?  If not, that would be an indication that your account isn't seen as a US account.

[babalopa]

Isn't it strange that "available installable channels", are only searchable in specific regions? I bought a Roku Ultra in India based on its availability and positive reviews.