Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #24

Hi, everyone !!

As with last week, there have been a lot of distractions going on around me which have made the task of compiling this current 'Weekly RoundUp' just that little bit more difficult than it otherwise ought to have been. By some strange coincidence, the Roku channel developers must have suffered a few distractions of their own, during that same time-frame, because they appear to have collectively (or, as some cynics might say, 'conveniently') forgotten to edit the channel store options for almost half of the NEW CHANNELS which made it into the "Official" Roku (USA) Channel Store throughout the past week. Consequently, the selection of LATEST ADDITIONS to the "Official" Roku (UK) Channel Store varies somewhat in comparison to it's North American counterpart. Hopefully, those 'other' new channels, which were inexplicably "missing in action" this week, will emerge here at a later date. Meanwhile perhaps our friends from across the pond can make sure there are less distractions for those Roku developers, over the coming seven days, so that we are not "forgotten" when it comes to the next batch of channels to be released for the Roku player - no matter which channels they may be, nor the country from which the developer originates !!

Moving on, in addition to new channels, we've also had some more new readers coming to the pages of this blog. Once again, there were many repeat visits from various countries that I've mentioned in previous posts but on this occasion, as with this time last month, there was just one country that had not featured previously. So, before we go any further with the current 'Weekly RoundUp', I'd first like to extend a warm welcome to those new readers from Uzbekistan, who each took the time to pay a maiden visit to these pages at some point during the past seven days, or so.

To those new readers, and to everyone else who continues to read my Roku-related ramblings here on this blog, I'd just like to say... "Thanks for stopping by" & long may you continue to do so.

Still, let's get on with the details for the current 'Weekly RoundUp' of NEW ADDITIONS to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store. This time, there are TEN NEW CHANNELS which have been added during the past seven days. These latest additions to the Roku UK Channel Store provided FRESH CONTENT to the Film & TV, Games, News, Weather, Sport, Music, Internet TV plus Religion & Spirituality genres (i.e. categories).

In keeping with previous installments from the 'Weekly RoundUp' series, details of these new channels have all been listed below, together with links to obtain further information {by clicking on the channel name(s) beneath the respective channel icon(s) as pictured} and to read a 'Roku Guide' review (where available) for each one:-

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

PLEASE NOTE: The Roku UK Channel Store description states, "CONTENT NOT RATED", for this channel. However the details also indicate that the content offers "Solid teaching" on issues which include sex. A closer look at the main index for this channel reveals that the discussion topics for the videos include abortion and other matters intended for MATURE AUDIENCES so, therefore, PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED for this channel, especially when considering the ADULT-THEMED SUBJECT MATTER for the majority of the content included.

N.B. This channel should really have featured in the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store listings for last week, having (apparently) been released on 16th August 2013. However, despite the link above being for the channel description from the Roku (USA) Channel Store, it has yet to feature in the category for "New" channels in either the UK or the USA. I actually came across it whilst checking the channel numbers for the latest update to my "Official Roku UK Channel Store - Overview" when there was a discrepancy as to the total for the "Religion & Spirituality" genre (i.e. category). Since there has been no previous mention of the "PAX" channel for Roku player, it may interest you to know that it was developed by Lightcast.com whose website can be viewed HERE. The developer has also provided an expanded description for the "PAX" channel, which can be viewed using THIS LINK. If you're not already familiar with this prolific Roku channel developer, you can find out about the company & it's innovative Web Marketing, Media Hosting & Video Delivery Solutions on their website. Once there, you will find readily available links to contact them via email or, if you prefer, by telephone (including an EU Hotline) all of which are listed at the bottom of the main webpage. For anyone interested, there is also a HUGE LIST that includes most, if not all, of the featured Roku channels (as developed by Lightcast.com) for your perusal. If need be, you can always connect with the developer via their Twitter Feed: @lightcast_inc or, if you prefer, you can get social with them via their Facebook Page: Lightcast Inc (Facebook) too.

Meanwhile, regardless of the fact that the "PAX" channel has already been added to the "Official" Roku USA Channel Store, there is (currently) still no Roku Guide Review available. If & when this situation changes, I will (of course) add a link to this post.

POGIE JOE TV.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

GEEK GAMER TV..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

PFM FAMILY TV.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

WORD SEARCH....................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

OP72......................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

N.B. Since this channel does not currently feature in the Roku (USA) Channel Store, the link above is for the Official Website of Op72. It may further interest you to know that the 'Op72' channel was previously featured as part of the SIX LIVE STREAMS among FOUR SUB-CHANNELS on the 'Kingdom TV Network' channel (SEE: "Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #20"). 

Some of you may even recall that another of those six live streams, the 'WZC - White Zoom Channel', also featured as a standalone Roku channel in my "Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #14". In which case, it probably comes as no surprise to you that the 'Op72' channel was produced by the very same developer as both 'Kingdom TV Network' and the 'WZC - White Zoom Channel'. The company name for this particular Roku channel developer is 'Iglesia y Tecnologia' and you can easily navigate to their official website using THIS LINK. If you would like to communicate with the developer, then you should do so using the CONTACT INFO from their official website. You can also connect with them via their Twitter Feed: @igletec or, if you just want to get social with them, you may do so directly via their Facebook Page: Iglesia y Tecnologia (Facebook).

Lastly, and no doubt due (again) to the fact that the 'Op72' channel has not yet been added to the "Official" Roku USA Channel Store, there is no Roku Guide Review available. If & when this situation changes, I will add a link to this post.

PLATINUM GROOVES RADIO................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

SHOUTCAST INTERNET RADIO.............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

ALWAYS SUMMER TV...........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

THE DOVE NEWSROOM........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

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So, whether it's Internet Radio, Games or Game Reviews, Religious Programming, News from the Pacific Northwest region of the USA (incl. National & International Stories), Made-For-TV Family Comedy, or even the Skits & Vlogs of YouTube's own "Pogie Joe", we've pretty much got all those bases covered with these latest NEW ADDITIONS to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store.

Anyway, like it or not, that is your lot for this week and, whilst it doesn't quite the match-up to the twelve channels which made it into the "Official" Roku USA Channel Store during the same time-frame, I always think it's better to have SOME NEW CHOICES than none at all, don't you ?!!

Still, hopefully everyone in the UK with a Roku player managed to find something they like within the ten channels outlined above. If not, then you'll have to pay us a visit another time when, with any luck, there will be something more to your liking. Afterall, there's no point installing every channel because, as I've said before, when it comes to adding new channels to your Roku player, IT'S YOUR CHOICE and, as with all things Roku... THE CHOICE IS ALWAYS YOURS !!

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Meanwhile, for my last two 'Weekly RoundUp' posts, I have been suggesting that we all spare a thought for those poor folk who handed over their hard-earned cash for one of the NEW NowTV Boxes [Powered by Sky] which, as you may recall, also included me. Anyway very little has changed since then and, despite the promise of "more great content" with "more apps being continually added",  there (once again) hasn't been a single extra new channel. As before (it seems) while time continues to move on so, in turn (sic), does the tumbleweed...

HINT: Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

PHOTO SOURCE: msaxon.files.wordpress.com

Likewise, despite the constant movement of time (and tumbleweed), there has (once more) been absolutely NO ACTION in terms of NEW ADDITIONS to the channel selection on the NowTV Box. This means that NowTV [Powered by Sky] have managed to (yet again) produce a (NOT SO) GRAND TOTAL of absolutely ZERO NEW CHANNELS to add to their (already SEVERELY REDUCED) version of the Roku Channel Store that features on the NowTV Box. Meanwhile, the "Official" Roku Channel Store that features on all UK Roku players has added TEN EXTRA CHANNELS during that same period of time. To keep things in perspective, in the four weeks since the launch of the NowTV Box, there has been a total of THIRTY EXTRA CHANNELS added to the "Official" Roku Channel Store on UK Roku players, compared with NO EXTRA CHANNELS being added to the Roku Channel Store on the streaming player from NowTV. As I said previously, if the NowTV Box is going to succeed, they need to show that it really is "Powered by Sky" and ensure that their device lives up to it's moniker by adding those promised "must-see shows" from Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living "NOW" and not "later this year". Otherwise, this seemingly continued lack of support for their streaming media player, will risk it being branded as the "NO TV BOX" as people become more & more frustrated at the lack of channel choice available on it.

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Still, whether you happen to own a Roku player, a NowTV Box, OR BOTH, as I do... be sure to come back in seven days' time for my next 'Weekly RoundUp' and, if you can't wait that long, remember you can always keep up with all the UK Roku action (as it happens) throughout the coming week, by following the companion Twitter Feed: @ukrokuchannels where up-to-the-minute info on all things Roku-related (here in the UK) is posted on a daily basis (well, almost).

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!