Channels & viewing

[Bobo1950]

I question whether it's a channel provider issue.  I had been receiving the proper channels for several months and all of a sudden all my channels now come out of Philadelphia when I live in Chicago.  This problem is unique to just one provider.  It's happening through FUBO, HULU, Sling, and every other provider I use.

[pmorner]

Your answer is totally FALSE!. I am having the same problem others have described...all of a sudden, ALL of my Roku apps think I live in Philadelphia...I live in Chicago!!! How do I fix this on Roku???

[pmorner]

does anyone really work at Roku?...why is this issue not being communicated to subscribers and when will Roku fix THEIR problem?

[atc98092]

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@pmorner wrote:

does anyone really work at Roku?...why is this issue not being communicated to subscribers and when will Roku fix THEIR problem?

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It is not a Roku problem. Each channel developer has their own method on how to determine your location (if that's something they need to know). The Roku has no idea where it is, other than the time zone. And just because it only happens on a Roku device means nothing, because the apps for Roku devices is written in a completely different programming language from apps on Fire TV, Apple TV, or other types of operating systems. The apps may all look the same, but the function completely differently underneath. It is a problem with the channel, not the Roku device. And only the channel provider can resolve the issue.

Sometimes the ISP (your Internet provider) is the actual culprit, because where they connect their internal network to the Internet backbone can make your IP address based location inaccurate. My employer funnels all Internet access for the entire country through a gateway in Oklahoma City. Any function that is attempting to determine my location (ads on web pages are one great example) always thinks I'm in Oklahoma, when in reality I could be in Seattle, Washington DC, Anchorage, Honolulu, and any of the hundreds of locations with have. I could even be in Guam, but the system would show me as in Oklahoma City.

[pmorner]

how could I be getting commercials from Phil/NJ while watching content on BOTH Sling and Pluto...Until I updated my Roku 2 weeks ago, I was getting commercials on both apps from Chicago....the way it is supposed to be.

[atc98092]

I can't say, as I don't use either of those channels. But what I said holds. The Roku device is not telling the app when it is located. The only Roku devices that have that level of location information is the TVs, because they use your zip code to acquire the correct TV listings for your area. I just looked at my Ultra 4800 Settings/System menu, and they do now have a Zip Code entry. Mine is blank, as I've never entered that information.

I can't recall ever seeing ads localized for my area, as I don't use any channels that might provide such ads. I have PBS Kids installed for my grandson, and it is reporting my local PBS station correctly. I made no location entry when I installed it. Peacock doesn't appear to provide my local NBC station, and The Roku Channel Live TV doesn't provide local channels either. 

I do have Pluto installed, so I made a quick check of what it says for "local" channels. It doesn't appear to offer anything in my local area. It has Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, DFW, Colorado, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, New York, and a few other "local" stations. All but one are CBS News stations. I went to Pluto on my Nvidia Shield, and I saw the same exact stations. Doesn't look to me that Pluto offers true "local" channels. 

[gdbark]

Having the same problem I have 3 tVs with fire stick and the local channels for major networks are local.  However the Roku stick local channels are 200 miles away.  Seems pretty clear it is the Roku

[Violet101]

I had the same problem. I did check my ISP and it is in my market – Los Angeles. However all TV Roku apps are showing programming and ads from the Phoenix market.
I couldn’t figure out why I was seeing ads for Phoenix congressional races until I saw a change in programming🙄