Forum Discussion

Jrez's avatar
Jrez
Reel Rookie
6 years ago

Feature Request - My Feedback

I started with Roku when it first came out. We loved it but over time the User interface has become old. 

I have tried and tested them all. I have tried googletv, androidtv, andoid boxes, firetv and of course roku.(sorry not a fan of apple products - ecosystem too limited for me))

The 2 best options > Roku, Fire TV

We now prefer Fire Tv (We want to use Roku but not the way it is) Clunky.

So If Roku wants to continue to be the leading independent platform (not exactly independent) it needs to improve its interface.

1. Make the ROKU channel the new home screen. Yes, it is similar to Fire TV and many other streaming services. If not by default allow us to choose that option to make it the default. All the current menu choices on the left can now go to the top going across or have it pop out like Netflix. Allow the user to customize which rows\ streaming banners to include from streaming channels if available on the Roku channel screen.  

2. Provide live playing content in a rows\ streaming row for a quick view. 

3. Allow a few buttons to be programmed on the remove for your favorites, above the ones you license on the remote.

4. Improve Remote setup to find all your equipment, TV, Sound Bar, Speakers, Xbox, PlayStation, etc. Your competition does this better. The remote should always control the TV Volume, adding the ability to change the TV source would also be nice and no one else has it. Add the ability to have the buttons light up in the dark.

5. Allow Us to Auto launch a channel. This would improve Cordcutter's switch over. They are used to turning on their tv and cable is on the last channel they watched. So when in sleep mode clicking any button will wake up the device and go to you default streaming service.

6. Improve voice Commands so we can do everything from voice commands on any given channel, no one can do that. Yes, Google would be a good partner and android tv is horrible.

7. Partner or Build a better DVR that works with all the channels that provide live TV including the awesome Roku TV antenna options. 

8. Improve your search to include all channels. I understand that most of the searches are driven by revenue and licensing agreements but you can still show your banner ads, I just want to be able to search for anything on anything.

9. If you really want to be king, figure out a way to license or get local channels in a user's area without the antenna or figure out a way to include the antenna channels as a stream in ROKU so we don't have to switch. This would keep us looking at your ads - lol.

That's all for now. This is what I've learned from my years of streaming and testing. 

Look forward to your response(s).

cutting the cord

14 Replies

  • bluejaysfan75's avatar
    bluejaysfan75
    Newbie
    6 years ago

    Well? 5 months and any response? I mean clearly there's no public reply, but I thought you may have been given a PM. You have a number of good ideas put forth. But too many I think. In fact I think it harms your cause rather than helps. A couple grand ideas but impractical or not feasible as in with the design of the remote it would not be able to keep it's current form and could end up looking like a VCR remote from 1982...plus you can o my tell someone their **bleep** is old, out of date, and obsolete so many times before they get offended.    [[|:{ )>   ⬅Thats Inspector Hercule O Petite-fleur (his friends call him pancakes).

  • RonW's avatar
    RonW
    Reel Rookie
    6 years ago

    Hello, I see you have many valid requests, and as stated earlier maybe overload for tech support. However the reason I am here is #3. "Allow a few buttons to be programmed on the remove for your favorites, above the ones you license on the remote". I don't use Hulu, Sling or Disney (just how many movies can one watch, especially if no children under 71 in the house). Anyway, I see you have not received any responses from "Roku Tech Support", so I guess we can only count on a "maybe" in future units. 

    • Jrez's avatar
      Jrez
      Reel Rookie
      6 years ago

      Thanks for the reply.

      It's a bit frustrating. They have a good product but still trying to make it cable like and have all your streams work together for a full a experience. The home screen is just old and they really need to use the roku channel as the home screen with a snapshot of whats available on each stream like amazon firetv. I use firetv as our primary streaming device but it's a little slow and the ads are really starting to bug me!  The quick launch buttons would be better if we could program them, but its all about money.

      • RonW's avatar
        RonW
        Reel Rookie
        6 years ago

        JREZ,

        I was looking at Amazon FireTV but didn't like the aspect that it does not record and store like Roku does. 

        Now that you have indicated that it gets slow and has "ADs" I think I'll get another Roku in the near future.

        Thanks for your info,

        RonW

         

  • 02vreyes's avatar
    02vreyes
    Newbie
    6 years ago

    Roku need to improve closed caption. Not all the channels does not have or do have closed captions. I alway want to watch abc news live and there no closed caption but it's always on closed caption. When will Roku need to update with closed captions every channel?? please update with closed captions,

    • bili4u7's avatar
      bili4u7
      Newbie
      4 years ago

      They wound up with the "Intel Inside" and "Innovative Labs" and "Sound Blaster X-Fi" and so on stickers from other past buys - in a cabinet some place, generally neglected and clearly unused.

      You can likely discover unsanctioned Roku T-shirts and so on the off chance that you search online

      • WhiteCrow49's avatar
        WhiteCrow49
        Channel Surfer
        4 years ago

        I guess it doesn't matter anymore for me. After more and more programs became audio free, I finally gave up and switched to the Fire Stick 4K yesterday. Now I have audio. Now I don't need to use data streaming from my phone to the TV.

  • WhiteCrow49's avatar
    WhiteCrow49
    Channel Surfer
    5 years ago

    You have many good ideas. I have a smart Samsung TV that isn't that smart, meaning it doesn't have Bluetooth capability. I listen to programs with headphones plugged into the remote. In general, that's okay, but when I get up to pour some more coffee, it's a nuisance. If I could speak with developers, I would encourage them to include Bluetooth capability in the next generation of Bluetooth devices.

    • Siciliano57's avatar
      Siciliano57
      Streaming Star
      5 years ago

      I like your #3 and #5.

      We recently switched from SlingTV to YouTubeTV and wish the remote had a blank button to program a particular streaming option. We had SlingTV for 2 years and had constant issues with local channels buffering.  I purchased better antennas, and even signal boosters.  I believe the issue was streaming via wifi using the AirTV box.  I could use the same antenna, scan 109 local channels and have no buffering. 

      YouTubeTV is missing some channels we had with SlingTV but Roku has several of the channels we added.  YTTV has NBC Bay Area sports that Sling no longer has so I can watch my local teams again.

      As for the Auto Launch to a specific channel, I can’t believe this is not in the settings.  I tried the Auto Launch screensaver but had some issues with it so I remove the screensaver.  This option should be a no-brainer for Roku.

       

  • K7KOJ's avatar
    K7KOJ
    Newbie
    3 years ago

    First are the stupid vendor buttons on the remote.  I hate those things, along with most of the Channels you license them to.  They should be replaced with just a couple of buttons:  A quick picture zoom toggle.  A quick settings button and/or Inputs button.  At least give us an option to buy a remote without vendor buttons.

    The Media player is awful!  It works for me but feels like 1970's tech to me. Just a few simple improvements would bring it into this century:

    a) New UI built from the ground up with modern vid gallery.

    b) Bookmarks to remember what has been watched.

    c) Support for more file types.  Perhaps description fields.