Channels & viewing

Are your Roku channels not working? Find troubleshooting tips for adding/removing channels, logging in, authentication, activation, playback issues, and more.
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culverm
Reel Rookie

Why can't channels sign you in using an activation key on Roku only?

I spoke with a support person for a well known Roku channel. They said they can't offer activation keys anymore and had to take that capability away on their Roku channel. This is where you see an activation key on the TV and type it into the website where you are logged in to also log you in to that channel on the Roku. They said Roku doesn't want developers to use them, so to log into the Roku channel you have to "type" the password using the remote. Roku "typing" is a gigantic pain. Why would Roku take this away and make signing into channels more difficult? It isn't mroe secure because it will just motivate people to use simple passwords that are easy to "type." This is moving backwards. If anyone has any pull with Roku, please tell them this is garbage. So many of us are walking a tightrope between Roku and some other streaming hardware. You are making the choice less difficult. 

4 REPLIES 4
Michelle3
Roku Guru

Re: Why can't channels sign you in using an activation key on Roku only?

May I ask, which Roku channel is the capability taken away on?

~ Jordan

I’m into videotapes and old electronics stuff, including extenders, converters and analog 4:3 TV sets (which are obsolete these days), and Miss Bianca is my favorite character in Disney’s The Rescuers (1977) and its sequel, The Rescuers Down Under (1990). I am not a Roku employee, only a user like you. ~ Jordan

Roku Express+ 3910X
0 Kudos
culverm
Reel Rookie

Re: Why can't channels sign you in using an activation key on Roku only?

I was going to keep that under wraps, but what the **bleep**. Criterion Channel. 

0 Kudos
Strega
Roku Guru

Re: Why can't channels sign you in using an activation key on Roku only?

Roku themselves have gone away from activation codes because so many people were getting scammed by lookalike roku activation sites.  I didn’t know they had required channels to do that as well.

Activation codes are certainly easy, but it seems that quite a few people can’t reliably type a URL.

renojim
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Why can't channels sign you in using an activation key on Roku only?

Most people can't spell URL let alone understand how they work.

Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee.
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