Forum Discussion

cranneberry's avatar
cranneberry
Channel Surfer
8 months ago

Connecting Roku 3 without cable box

I have several big TVs connected to Xfinity...I pay a monthly fee for each box.

i have a little TV next to my desk...I would like to have news on in the backgriund while I am working.

i have a Roku 3 that I use to connect one of my big TVs (not a smart TV) when I want to stream, such as Youtube or Netflix. 

i want to avoid paying for another xfinity box--it just isn't worth it. Is there a way to connect my Roku 3 to the small TV for viewing just a few channels, for free? If so, can you tell me exactly how to set it up, such as what cables I need?

Thanks in advance...

8 Replies

    • atc98092's avatar
      atc98092
      Community Streaming Expert

      Assuming your Samsung has an HDMI port, then there's no issue connecting a Roku player to it. The problem might be with the model Roku you have, as the two versions of Roku 3 are now almost ten and almost 12 years old. Looking at the Xfinity support page for Roku, they do support both models at this time. Just be aware that support for that old of a box might go away without notice. Of course, even the basic Roku Express can be bought new for a low price (currently on sale for $17.99). That would be far less expensive than paying rental fees for another cable box. 

      Also, be aware your TV is a 720p display. The single HDMI port will accept a 1080i signal, but not 1080p. All Roku players support 720p over HDMI, so you should be OK. Just don't try to set it to 1080 in the Roku display settings menu.

      • cranneberry's avatar
        cranneberry
        Channel Surfer

        Dan--thank you for responding.

        I have plugged my Roku into elec power and into the HDMI recepticles on the TV and the Roku. My cable cord is plugged from the wall into ANT IN on the back of the TV. When I turn on the TV, I get snow and a message that says Weak or No Signal.

        My Samsung remote does nothing...I have to turn on the TV with the xfinity remote. If I press TV Input, choices come up, including HDMI, but I cannot change it on either remote. 

        Under Cable Without a Cable Box in my TV manual, it told me to plug the cable into ANT IN but maybe this is wrong? It doesn't seem logical to me that without a cable box, my TV would still be (somewhat) controlled by the xfinity remote.

        Thanks...