Saturday, March 9, 2019

Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #313





Hi, everyone !!



With such a vast number of new channels last week, you'd expect the numbers to be lower in the past seven days but, instead, we've had ANOTHER DECENT CROP OF NEW CHANNEL ADDITIONS to boost the UK Channel Store total. To wit, no less than SEVENTY-NINE NEW ROKU APPS have been added to the already vast selection of over six thousand one hundred apps which populated the channel store as of this time last week. This means we've now been blessed with nearly one thousand new apps, during a period of just ten weeks, any of which UK Roku owners can add to the individual selection of apps that are installed on their device(s). As if that wasn't enough, there's also numerous items of streaming-related news for me to report on so, without further delay, here goes...


Let's begin with the only item of Roku-specific news to emerge during the last seven days... which was the announcement - via press release - that Roku devices can now interact with Amazon's 'Alexa' for voice control of Roku players and Roku TV's via devices such as the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.






Now, before you get too excited, I should point-out that this new Roku Skill for Alexa is US-ONLY so you won't find it on the 'Amazon.co.uk' website or be able to add it to UK-registered 'Echo' units. If, however, you are located in the United States and/or have an US-registered Amazon 'Echo' then you can add the Roku Skill for Alexa via the 'Amazon.com' website, as shown in the image below:-




HINT: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!



As you can see from the current '2-star' average after 126 reviews, there are several caveats plus some other minor niggles which people have observed about this new Roku Skill for Alexa. Hopefully, the "powers that be" at Roku will see their feedback and use it to improve the skill in due course. One of the major downsides is that, much like their 'Google Assistant' implementation (again, US-only) from late last year, there is no way to use this skill in conjunction with the 'Netflix' channel (app) for Roku. From what I've read, there's far too much for me to go into detail in this 'Weekly RoundUp' post... so I'll probably compose a dedicated article on the subject whenever I can find the time to do so. Until then, anyone wishing to know more about this new Roku Skill for Alexa will find a complete list of compatible Roku devices in this related post from the "Official" Roku Stream Blog. If you're looking for advice on how to integrate 'Alexa' with your Roku device(s), or a list of commands that will allow you to control media playback and/or search for content on your Roku player - as well as some extra phrases unique to 'Roku TV' models - then this help article from Roku Support may be of use.


Moving on to the Roku-related news stories from the past week, the first thing I'd like to draw your attention to - given the popularity of the 'NOW TV' service with Roku customers in the UK - is the "leaked" details, via the small print in one of their recent offers, that there is soon to be yet another PRICE HIKE FOR 'NOW TV' CUSTOMERS who have already been hit with increased costs for both the '1-Day' and '1-Week' passes for 'Sky Sports' over the last month or so. This time around, it's the COST OF A 'SKY CINEMA' MONTH PASS RISING TO £11.99 FROM 2ND APRIL 2019 and that means AN EXTRA TWO POUNDS PER MONTH for the privilege of streaming their movies !!





AS BEFORE: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!



Given they have yet to increase the quality of their streams to 'Full HD" (i.e. 1080p) - something that was originally promised for last year - this could prove very unpopular with 'NOW TV' customers, who are already expected to pay more for their movies than subscribers to other 'SVoD' services such as 'Prime Video' and 'Netflix' - both of whom offer 'Full HD' as standard. This recent spate of price increases could well have been instigated by US cable giant 'Comcast' who outbid 'FOX' in a blind auction to buy 'Sky' last September - a deal which reportedly cost them upwards of USD $39 Billion (i.e. roughly GBP £30 Billion at the time) - and might well be part of an attempt to recoup at least a small proportion of that outlay as soon as possible. Given how most people (including myself) first switched to streaming 'Sky Cinema' to avoid the (ahem) Sky-high pricing (if you'll pardon the pun) being charged by the satellite TV provider, they will likely need to tread very carefully if they wish to avoid a similar churn in subscriber numbers by over-charging for 'NOW TV' passes. For many, if forced to choose just the one Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) provider, as a result of these higher costs, the fact that Amazon's 'Prime Video' service and 'Netflix' offer a choice of both movies and television shows (combined) for a single subscription will likely mean customers will choose one of those as opposed to paying 'NOW TV' more money (twice over) for the seemingly ever-increasing cost of their separate movies and entertainment passes. Let's hope they (i.e. Comcast / Sky / NOW TV) don't decide to implement yet another price hike if/when they do introduce 'Full HD' streaming to their service because I don't see myself (or many others) willing to be squeezed further financially just for the "benefit" of streaming a few more-recent movies only a matter of months sooner! :-/


Of course, if the cost of all these streaming subscriptions continues to rise, more and more people are likely to switch to cheaper and/or free alternatives. One such free service, which has been gathering momentum on both the 'Roku' and 'NOW TV' platforms since being extended to the United Kingdom (following a highly successful launch in the United States some time earlier), is 'Pluto TV' and it is they who are the subject of the next item of Roku-related news to come my way since last weekend. Some of you may recall, towards the end of January this year, 'Viacom' announced their acquisition of 'Pluto TV' for the sum of USD $340 Million in cash. By way of a followup to that news, 'Viacom' has since issued another statement - via press release - to confirm that the acquisition is now complete! :-)








Founded in 2013, the US-version of 'Pluto TV' now streams more than 100 channels and thousands of hours of on-demand content spanning television & movies, sports, news, lifestyle, comedy, cartoons, gaming and trending digital series. Today, it has more than 12 million monthly active users across devices, including smart TVs, streaming players, mobile devices, desktops and gaming consoles. If you've installed the UK-version of 'Pluto TV' on your 'Roku' and/or 'NOW TV' device(s) then you'll no doubt be aware that the range of content and channels in the United Kingdom is (currently) but a fraction of what is available in the United States. However, relatively speaking, the 'Pluto TV' service is still in it's infancy - as far as UK streamers are concerned - and, despite coming a long way in only a short time, Viacom's acquisition of the free streaming television service should ensure the growth of 'Pluto TV' is accelerated globally... although, in addition to the extra content provided by 'Viacom', it could also lead to an increase in the amount of advertising shown on the platform. Given the fact that they have already made it quite clear about how they intend to keep 'Pluto TV' free to the end-user, it is hardly surprising that they will need to support this with ads. To this end, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish has said: "We have a ton (of ads) to sell and that is where Pluto TV comes in" so, from the sound of it, there's little danger of having to pay for 'Pluto TV' anytime soon. The other bit of good news is that the plans are for 'Pluto TV' to operate as an independent subsidiary of 'Viacom' and as such 'Pluto TV' will continue to be led by President and CEO Tom Ryan. Meanwhile, for those of you who have yet to discover the wealth of free content on offer, you can either add the 'Pluto TV' Roku channel online via the Roku Web Channel Store... or just use the built-in Roku 'Search' feature on your Roku device to find and then install it from there - one thing is for certain, when it comes to streaming movies and TV shows, and that is: you can't beat free! ;-) :-)


In other Roku-related 'Viacom' news, it was revealed - via the 'TVB Europe' website - Viacom owned catch-up service 'My5' has recently signed a content partnership deal with an Israeli cable group. This agreement, with multi-channel cable TV company 'HOT Telecommunications Services', denotes the first ever foreign-language content deal for the platform and looks set to include a selection of no less than four original Hebrew language drama series produced by HOT. According to the 'TVB Europe' report, all of the content will debut on 'My5' in Spring of this year and will be subtitled in English. :-)








Having originally been opened up to third-party content last summer, when 'My5' was linked with the likes of PBS America, A+E Networks’ Blaze, Together channel, Little Dot Studios, and BET... those who enjoy foreign-language drama can look forward to streaming true-life Hebrew drama "Miguel" (6 x 60 minute episodes), along with comedy drama "Juda" (8 x 60 minute episodes), family drama "Mekimi" (5 x 60 minute episodes) and two series of crime drama "Sirens" (each with 10 x 60 minute episodes) very soon. James Tatam, VP of Commercial, Digital & Operations at 'Channel 5', said:

“Israel has produced some of the most compelling original drama in recent years, so we’re excited to partner with HOT for our first foreign-language offering on My5."

Meanwhile, Tal Granot - CEO of HOT Telecommunications Services - went on to add that:

“HOT is the leading communication group in Israel and the home of Israeli creation. The demand for top Israeli content is increasing worldwide and for more than a decade Israeli series created by HOT have received and won international awards. We are excited to be partnering with Viacom, enabling UK viewers to watch some of HOT’s productions.”

In what has been a very busy week for Roku-related news, 'My5' were not the only catch-up service in the United Kingdom to have bolstered new content partnerships. In fact Scotland's 'STV' even went one better than 'My5' by securing not just one, but two additional partners. As it's Video on Demand (VoD) service, 'STV Player', continues to expand... an announcement was made - via press release - to the effect that 'STV' has partnered with two international content providers: Flame Distribution and Jukin Media, both of whom will provide extra programming and choice to viewers of the service.





For those who may not be aware, 'Jukin Media' is owner/operator of multimedia entertainment brands 'FailArmy', 'The Pet Collective', and 'People Are Awesome' all of whom have existing Roku channels in their own right, as well as providing content for other aggregators / curators with third party apps on the platform, but this further expands their presence while also providing comedic & inspirational videos to those who enjoy streaming content from 'STV Player' on their 'Roku' / 'NOW TV' devices. When approached for comment, Cameron Saless (Chief Growth Officer of Jukin Media) said:

“We’re committed to making our brands available everywhere there’s an active, enthusiastic audience consuming video, and STV Player absolutely fits that description”

By way of contrast, Flame Distribution is an international distributor of factual, unscripted and documentary content representing more than 140 independent producers from around the world. Of their varied programming, users of the 'STV Player' app(s) can look forward to streaming shows such as "Recipes That Rock" and "Grand Tours of Scotland" over the coming months, with further content deals likely to follow over time. Let's not forget this latest 'STV' announcement follows hot on the heels of another launch, that was covered in my previous 'Weekly RoundUp' post from last week, for 'STV Player+', an ad-free subscription video on demand service catering to Scots at home & abroad.


Having begun a new strategic growth plan last year, that was designed to drive growth through their 'STV Player' service following the creation of a dedicated digital division, these new partnerships are a means to deliver even more choice and follow other recent extensions to the range of content from the likes of Eleven Sports, Hopster, and Little Dot Studio. Speaking about these recent content deals, Richard Williams (Managing Director, Digital) from 'STV' commented, on behalf of the company:

“Flame and Jukin Media offer hugely popular programming and we are delighted that, through these partnerships, we're able to further enhance our offering to STV viewers.”

Following such positive news from two of the major providers of free content on the Roku platform in the United Kingdom, I'm sad to say that the next item of Roku-related news concerns the loss of an excellent service which (until this week) had brought free sports streaming to UK Roku devices. The details of this loss only came to light via this help article on the 'TVPlayer' website and, aside from that, very little has been mentioned about the removal of 'FreeSports' from the 'TVPlayer' service.





ONCE AGAIN: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!


As can be seen from the above screenshot of the relevant webpage from the 'TVPlayer' Help Centre, the removal appears to have been both unexpected and sudden, with little by way of an explanation. Given that 'FreeSports' was first added to the 'TVPlayer' channel line-up in March 2018, this means it has only been available to UK Roku customers for one year before being removed from 'TVPlayer' on all platforms. So far, the only comment I have found on the subject from 'TVPlayer' states that:

"Unfortunately, Freesports have recently decided that they no longer wish to stream the channel on TVPlayer. As a consequence, they will no longer be part of our channel line up from 6th March. We hope that they will join us again in the future."

The consequence of all this is that, barely one month after 'FreeSports' acquired the broadcast rights from 'Eleven Sports' to show 'Serie A' and 'Eredivisie' matches, we can no longer watch live coverage of those games via 'TVPlayer' on Roku (or any other platform) which, in my opinion, is a huge step in the wrong direction by 'FreeSports' who (as yet) do not offer any means of their own - be that via their website, a mobile app, or streaming media player - for streamers to view their content. With the likes of Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, suggesting “broadcast TV will probably only last until 2030” and the continued trend for streaming video, in preference to watching things Over-The-Air (OTA), it would make more sense for them to expand upon their streaming presence as opposed to kill the only option available. Okay, sure, some of us can switch to 'Freeview' and watch via a TV aerial... though many would prefer to just watch on Roku, as they do with everything else. Moreover, what about those in poor (or no) signal areas who are unable to watch on 'Freeview' but had relied on streaming via Roku (and other platforms) from 'TVPlayer': what are they supposed to do now? We can but hope that this apparently foolish move was done as part of a wider plan to make their channel available to UK streamers and is something they've yet to inform us about - so, fingers crossed, they'll be back!


While we're on the subject of how we consume our media these days - i.e. digitally, via streaming, as opposed to more "traditional" broadcast methods - even Tony Hall, the Director General of the 'BBC', has been quoted as saying: "It might be five years away, it might be 10, but soon our digital services will be the only ones some of our audiences use" and clearly recognises the corporation must plan for a future where a large proportion of its audience will never view its traditional TV channels. This was something he put to an audience at the 'Media and Telecoms' conference in London recently while he also observed that "Not long ago, traditional broadcasters and media organisations could each do our thing and expect audiences to make time to come to us. Now we must fit around their lives. Deliver value directly to them. Or we all risk irrelevance." - wise words indeed from the BBC DG and, if you would like to read more of what was said at the conference, there is a full transcription available from the BBC Media Centre - via their 'Speeches' archive - which can be viewed online via web browser.






One of the other issues touched upon by Tony Hall (pictured above) was to observe that, while their 'BBC iPlayer' was a pioneering service when it debuted a decade ago, what he terms as "excessive regulation" and competition from U.S. streaming services such as 'Netflix' and 'Prime Video' have meant 'BBC iPlayer' has since lost any advantage it may have had. Hopefully the soon-to-be launch of the 'BritBox' service in the UK - as reported last week on this blog - will go some way towards countering the perceived "threat" of 'Netflix' and others but he was also keen to reassure the audience that "iPlayer lies at the heart of the BBC’s strategy to create the TV of tomorrow" so, based on that, I would fully expect both 'BBC iPlayer' and 'BritBox' to co-exist and evolve going forward, as opposed to a situation where the latter may replace the former: as feared by some who voiced an opinion.



Something else which came to light this week, via a news article published on the 'Deadline' website, that is also linked to the 'BBC'... was the suggestion that, further to my own comments on the subject in my last 'Weekly RoundUp' post, 'Channel 4' are indeed keen to join the team behind the 'BritBox' digital streaming service. According to the report, CEO Alex Mahon used her recent speech at the Deloitte & Enders 'Media and Telecoms' Conference 2019 to register their interest in the project.






Having recently unveiled plans to move a large portion of 'Channel 4' staff outside of London, and to increase spending across other nations and regions, Alex Mahon (pictured above) made it clear that they are interested in 'BritBox', while also eyeing other possible new partnerships with broadcasters from across Europe. While not part of the original 'BritBox' announcement, concerning the upcoming launch in the UK, Alex Mahon revealed that discussions with 'BBC' and 'ITV' are already underway:-


“Of course, we are having positive and constructive discussions with ITV and the BBC about how Channel 4 could partner with them to build the scale of BritBox."

 She went on to reveal some of the potential new partnerships with European broadcasters, adding:

"Internationally we are pooling our reach with ProSieben, TF1 and Mediaset in the European Broadcasting Exchange to sell across borders”


Personally, I really do hope that 'Channel 4' get onboard with 'BBC' and 'ITV' to improve 'BritBox' as much as possible before it launches in the United Kingdom later this year. I've seen lots of negativity online about the forthcoming project but, in so far as I can tell, this has mostly stemmed from "haters" and/or general ignorance about how the new service will (or will not) operate. Provided the price is right, and I've seen various speculative comments ranging from £3.99 to £6.99 being touted around - although, I must stress, the exact details of any pricing for the UK 'BritBox' have yet to be revealed - there is no reason why this ought not to be part of everyone's streaming budget from month-to-month. Much will depend on the catalogue of content, when it is finally revealed, but I feel pretty confident that (when it does launch) there will be a free trial offer available so we can try it before subscribing!







Going back to 'The Beeb' for a moment, the BBC Research & Development team has launched a new initiative exploring how to improve content discovery, as part of their ongoing 'Tellybox' project, and recently extended an invite - via the 'Tellybox' webpage - for viewers to try out the future of content discovery with four new experiments. These "tasters" are part of a wider plan to explore alternative futures for television... though the 'BBC R&D' department are keen to stress that none of the ideas are intended to be implemented as part of 'BBC iPlayer' just yet, being "very much a research project" at this stage. That said, if you would like to take part, here are a few details about what's being trialled:-


Tellybox: BBC Three Clock – Set how much time you have and the 'Tellybox' clock will give you the perfect amount of 'BBC Three' content to fill that hole in your life. [***THREE MONTHS LEFT***]


Tellybox: Random BBC Three TV – Whether you're after something new, or simply at a loss for what to watch, this random 'BBC Three' content may land you a winner [***THREE MONTHS LEFT***]


Tellybox: Something, Something – Three new, easy ways to discover BBC programmes in a way that suits you. Need something to match your mood? Find “something beautiful” or “something funny” on 'BBC iPlayer' just by using your voice. [***ABOUT ONE MONTH LEFT***]


TellyBox: 5-2-1 – Spend more time arguing over what to watch with your sofa buddy than enjoying the show? Take it in turns to filter the list from 5 to 2 to 1 [***ABOUT ONE MONTH LEFT***]


***BONUS: FIFTH EXPERIMENT - STILL IN PROGRESS - FURTHER DETAILS BELOW***

Tellybox: Random TV – Enjoy something totally random from hundreds of 'BBC' programmes! You could pick a winner with a simple flick of your finger !! [***ABOUT ONE MONTH LEFT***]



My final item of Roku-related news this week concerns the 2019 Cheltenham Festival which starts on Tuesday 12th March or, more specifically, how and where you can watch live coverage for all of the horse racing as it happens by streaming the broadcasts of those races on your Roku players in the UK. Fortunately for us, all four days of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival will be shown by 'ITV' this year! :-)






This event marks the start of the broadcaster's annual racing calendar, which is also set to include live coverage of the 'Grand National' at Aintree, as well as 'The Derby' at Epsom, plus 'Royal Ascot', and the 'Qatar Goodwood Festival', along with the 'Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival' - all on 'ITV' !!






From Tuesday 12th March, through to Friday 15th March 2019, each day’s racing will be presented, between 1pm and 4:30pm on 'ITV', by Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani. Meanwhile 'ITV4' will air 'The Opening Show' from 9.30am to 10.30am with Oli Bell, Sally Ann Grassick and Kevin Blake, plus a variety of guests and Richard Hoiles’ Festival Quiz Time. There are several ways to watch the two channels on UK Roku players but, for the benefit of app-starved NOW TV Box owners, the one I'm going to recommend is 'ITV Hub' which carries high quality live streams of both 'ITV' and 'ITV4' so that you can enjoy everything that the 2019 Cheltenham Festival has to offer regardless of which device you happen to own. So, with the free live streaming of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival sorted, all you need to worry about now is which of the races you plan to watch. For those who may still be undecided, here are some of the highlights from each day to help you choose:- 


Tuesday 12th March – Champion Day
Feature Race: Unibet Champion Hurdle

Wednesday 13th March – Ladies’ Day
Feature Race: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

Thursday 14th March – St Patrick’s Thursday
Feature Races: Ryanair Chase and Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle

Friday 15th March – Gold Cup Day
Feature Race: Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup


As mentioned previously, ITV’s coverage will be available via LIVE STREAMING to all owners of 'Roku' and/or 'NOW TV' devices in the UK, courtesy of the 'ITV Hub' channel (app) which means it will be FREE-TO-STREAM in it's entirety !! :-D If you don't yet have 'ITV Hub' installed on your device, those with Roku products can either add 'ITV Hub' online via the Roku Web Channel Store or use the built-in 'Search' feature on UK Roku models to look for "ITV Hub" and install it from there. Unfortunately, there is no way for those with NowTV-branded devices to add the 'ITV Hub' channel online... so you will need to look for it under "Most Popular" or "Film & TV" in the 'App Store' that can be found from the main menu of 'NOW TV' devices. Since the channel icon, otherwise known as the 'HD Poster' image, for 'ITV Hub' has been updated fairly recently... here is what to look-out for:- 






The above 'HD Poster' image is the same one used for both the 'App Store' on 'NOW TV' devices and the 'Channel Store' - found under 'Streaming Channels' via the main 'Home Screen' menu - on 'Roku' streaming media players in the UK. For the benefit of readers from other Roku countries or regions, I'd recommend checking which broadcaster (if any) is providing live coverage where you live and then searching for the appropriate Roku channel to stream the 2019 Cheltenham Festival where you are. Failing that, leave a message on this post and I'll do my best to find you an alternative! ;-) :-D


Meanwhile, before I get into the current list of channels, I would just like to point-out that the issue of 'undefined' apps (i.e. those with no permanent category shown in the web channel store description) still doesn't seem to have been resolved. Unfortunately, the situation has worsened again over the last seven days with neither Roku and/or the developers appearing to have sorted-out whatever problem has been causing so many new channels to be added without a permanent category. My 'Weekly RoundUp' posts have seen a total of 985 new channels added in the last ten weeks... however, the corresponding channel totals from individual genres (i.e. categories) within the Roku (UK) Channel Store over that time-frame would suggest that only 434 new channels were added. This means almost sixty percent of the recent additions over the last two months are un-accounted for within the channel store. Likewise, the number of 'Roku Guide' reviews being published has continued to fall short of the mark during that period. Looking at all the articles they have published since the start of the year, there has been a total of only 306 new reviews added to their website. Much like the current (UK) channel store totals this is now more than two-thirds shy of where they should be and, if it continues, there could be hundreds (if not thousands) of Roku channels without a corresponding independent review for me to provide a link from the relevant 'Weekly RoundUp' posts on my blog. Hopefully, the shortfall will be addressed soon because, as mentioned six weeks ago, the current situation isn't good for anyone with a connection to the Roku platform: be they end-users, developers, bloggers like myself, reviewers such as 'Roku Guide', or even Roku - who seem blissfully unaware !!


Still, back to the list... which, as always, will help you to identify the very latest apps that have been added to Roku devices in the UK. Other websites offering Roku channel listings will base their contents on the Roku USA Channel Store, which means they also include apps that are unavailable to UK Roku users. So, like I've said before... if you really want to know what's available channel-wise, for owners of Roku devices in the UK, you need to be reading this blog each and every week! ;-) :-)


With twice the number of active links to check out, not just for this week... but each and every post that has been previously published as part of my 'Weekly RoundUp' series over the last six years, there's a *lot* to catch-up on. So, without further ado, here's my 'Weekly RoundUp' of all the new Roku channels released between 3rd March 2019 and 9th March 2019:-








TEDx GREENVILLE SC..........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






DAILY TECH NEWS SHOW (DTNS).......................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






QUICKCAST RECEIVER........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






SHIRLEY FILMS......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






DOLPHIN SCREENSAVER...............COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PETTICOAT JUNCTION VOL.2................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PETTICOAT JUNCTION VOL.3................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PETTICOAT JUNCTION VOL.4................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PETTICOAT JUNCTION VOL.5................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






TEGO TV...................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






YOU ARE A CEO LIFE COACHING......................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ITALIAN SCREENSAVER................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






SPEAKY TECH.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BALL SEPARATION FREE...................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "GAMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***






FLICKING TV.....................COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BUFFALO BILLS WESTERN ROUNDUP...COST: FREE (extra fees possible) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






TRAVELMAX...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






KOPI365............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "APPS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***






FLAMES OF ZION TV.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BETTERHALF...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






CRYPTO WORLD.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BABY SONGS...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PICKLEBALL GURU...............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






HARVEST CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ULTIMATE SPORTS CHANNEL...............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






AMFM247RADIO.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






FLEAKBOTS.............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






CHANNEL9 MSDN................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCI & TECH" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***






OPEN DOOR BAPTIST CHURCH............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ALCANCE TELEVISIÓN.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






VBS2 (VIETNAMESE BROADCASTING SERVICES)...........COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ALEXTFG.................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






POTENTIAL HISTORY.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






OLYMPIC CHANNEL..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






MEGAMACE FITNESS.....COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






DRONE PHOTOS..............................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






OLD MOVIE NETWORK..................................COST: £6.99 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






POCKET PRESCHOOL............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






NEWS OF ISRAEL (ILTV CHANNEL).....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






GOLFPASS MEMBERSHIP.................COST: FREE + $9.99 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






TRAP MUSIC............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






REEL SUBMISSIONS..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






LES P'TITS Z'AMIS..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






MASTERS OF FILM.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






HONEY HOLE ALL OUTDOORS...COST: FREE (n.b. may require extra fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






KINGDOM WAYS TV...............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






DA FRONT PORCH RADIO......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






2050 TV......................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






CUENCA VISION.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






VBS TELEVISION - VIETNAMESE TV...................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






LET'S PLAY APEX LEGENDS..................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






JAFFNA TRAVELLER.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ICARUS TV...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






THE FOLHOW CHANNEL......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






HOMEWORK............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






VICTORY AT SEA FREE TV.....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ROBLOX GAME......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






FORTNITE GAME....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






SOAP STREAMS......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






CUP CAKES..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES..................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






SWORD OF THE SPIRIT REVIVAL.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






MOTIVATIONAL TV................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BACKWOODS LIFE.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






CHECK THE HEADLINES.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ALPHABET ANIMALS....................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






BEST SUSHI DIY......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






VERNE TROYER VLOG.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






ALIZA IN DA KITCHEN.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






PAILIN'S THAI RECIPES.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






THE HOUR OF THE ANOINTING.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***






BEACH TIME...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






THE BENEFITS OF GUSBANDRY.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






UNDER THE SEA.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






WORLD DANCE CLIPS..........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






WORLD DANCE FULL SETS...................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






TRANSPORTATION THROUGH HISTORY.............................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***






OH YES.....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***




*********************************************



Anyhow, like it or not, that is your lot this week and, while I don't yet have an exact figure for the new apps which were added to the "Official" Roku USA Channel Store in the same time-frame, at least you have 79 NEW CHANNELS to keep you occupied while I check the numbers! ;-) :-) Meanwhile, for those still clinging-on to their NowTV device(s) for whatever reason, I'm afraid to say that, much like most weeks, there were zero new Roku channels (apps) added to the 'App Store' on NOW TV products... meaning the total number of available apps remains at just forty-five! :-(


Moreover, with no 'TVPlayer' or 'Prime Video' apps (to name but two) among the selection of channels found in the NOW TV 'App Store' - despite having dedicated channels for both of them on UK Roku devices - the range of NowTV-branded products continues to fall short of the mark in terms of current streaming needs for many in the UK. So, the best way to increase your choice of streaming services, is to swap any NowTV-branded products you own for genuine Roku-branded media players which can provide access to 6,200+ apps of content from a vast assortment of providers! :-D ;-)


In any event, hopefully everyone in the UK with a Roku player managed to find something they like within the seventy-nine "public" channels outlined above... or else the "private" channels "gifted" to you via the companion Twitter Feed: @ukrokuchannels to this blog, at various points over the past six years. However, if you didn't find anything to add to your own Roku channel selection from the assortment of apps on offer this week, you can always pay us a visit another time when, with any luck, there will be something more to your liking. After all there's no point installing every app because, when it comes to adding new channels to your Roku devices, IT'S YOUR CHOICE and, as with all things Roku... THE CHOICE IS ALWAYS YOURS!



*********************************************


As touched upon previously, you can expect my usual summary of all the goings-on (or not) in the (severely restricted) Roku Channel Store (aka "App Store") that features on NowTV devices to carry on in future posts. Meanwhile, whether you happen to own a Roku player, NowTV Box, OR BOTH, as I do... be sure to check my earlier posts (as mentioned before) for all the new additions to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store in each of the two hundred and thirty-nine preceding weeks, then come back again in seven days' time for my next 'Weekly RoundUp'. Hopefully, by the time I make my next post, I may even have sorted out another (new) companion Twitter Feed to replace the now suspended: @ukrokuchannels account so there'll still be a presence on the social media platform via which up-to-the-minute info on Roku-related matters (here in the UK) is posted on a daily basis!



Until the next time, then...



That's all folks !!





No comments:

Post a Comment