Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #22

Hi, everyone !!



If you read my previous post, "Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #21", then you may recall that my response to the launch of the new 'NFB' channel on Roku player was, "WAY TO GO CANADA !!!!!!", such was my enthusiasm for this latest addition to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store. This week, after months of having hints dropped by me (for one), Roku FINALLY decided to update the banner headline for the "Official" Roku UK Website which, ideally, would have been met with a similar Roku-related response. Unfortunately, however, this was the image that greeted me...

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

Granted, the figure used is far more accurate than the previous "300 channels and counting" which has been out of date (seemingly) forever. However, to update the banner headline after so long and yet STILL FALL (so far) SHORT OF THE MARK is, quite frankly, beyond comprehension. To put things into perspective, the "updated" headline figure of "450 channels and counting" was actually first reached back in May 2013, around twelve weeks ago, and (by the time it was published) their headline ought to have claimed "550 channels and counting" for it to be entirely accurate. In fact... if ever Roku or any readers of this blog would like to get a MORE ACCURATE FIGURE as to the number of channels available in the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store (at any given time) they need only take a look at my "Official Roku UK Channel Store - Overview" to do so. Those who do will always get a CHANNEL COUNT that is NO MORE THAN ONE WEEK OUT-OF-DATE in terms of the number of "Public" channels available on Roku in the UK. Meanwhile, even the quoted price bracket, "Starting from just £49.99", is too high compared with the ACTUAL PRICE of just £34.50 for a Roku LT, now being offered by 4 out of 7 RECOMMENDED RETAILERS for Roku in the UK who (currently) stock the product. A further two have the price set either side of the forty pound mark (£40 GBP) and ONLY ONE still sells it for MSRP of £49.99 suggested by Roku. Such inaccuracies have left me flabberghasted that a company, whose product(s) I have championed since owning one, can leave me thinking "WAY TO UNDERSELL YOURSELF, ROKU !!!!!!" when it comes to their operations outside of their native USA. I mean, sure, they'll take our money when they need it... but, when it comes to standing by the people who have supported them, it's a different story altogether (or so it would seem). To my mind, there's far too many companies these days whose customer service gets worse as the business grows. What should happen is the exact reverse, and we should expect customer service to improve as businesses grow - so take note Roku, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE !!


Anyway , fortunately they were able to redeem themselves (just a little) when, later in the week, Roku made THIS ANNOUNCEMENT on their "Official" Blog. If you haven't yet heard the news, you'll see from the Roku blog post that they've NOW ADDED the ability to stream video from iOS devices to Roku players, by expanding the functionality of the "Play On Roku" feature. Before you get too excited, however, I should point out that this merely enables the playback of video(s) from the 'Camera Roll' which were taken on the device (itself) and NOT FULL AIRPLAY of movies & videos from iTunes. Even so, it is a step in the right direction... as was the addition of support for the audiophile-requested FLAC and WAV file formats which can now be played via the 'USB Media Player' channel on the Roku 2 XS, provided you are using the latest firmware update to Version 5.1 on the player. Those of you with a compatible iOS device (e.g. iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) can get the FREE UPDATE for the Roku Remote App VIA THIS LINK but, apparently, Android users are going to have to wait a little longer for the update to be applied on their devices. One more thing... the latest firmware update (to Version 5.1) from Roku means GOOD NEWS for those of us with a MicroSD Card installed in our Roku 2 XS player(s) because the 'Player Info' found under the 'About' section of the 'Settings' menu NOW INCLUDES both "PERCENTAGE" and "ACTUAL" Memory USAGE INFO so you now have a visual indication as to how many more channels and/or how much additional game data can be stored on your streaming media player. Looking at my own figure(s) I am pleased to say that my 8GB MicroSD Card is in NO DANGER of filling up anytime soon - even with the ridiculous amount of channels I have installed on it since starting this blog !!

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 SIX 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 Games, News, Weather, Sport, Special Interest plus Screensavers & Apps 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 for each one:-

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

THE OCCULT NETWORK CHANNEL.............COST: £1.49 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

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

TODAY'S DAILY APP...............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

HERMAN THE HERMIT...................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

THE SNOW NETWORK......COST: FREE (2-DAY TRIAL) + $9.99 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

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So, whether it's watching your favourite webcam feeds, playing video games, dabbling in the esoteric sciences, getting your fix of ski and snowboard movies, or catching up on all the latest mobile apps & hottest games for your iPhone or Android device, 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 six 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, spare a thought for all those poor folk who handed over their hard-earned cash for one of the NEW NowTV Boxes [Powered by Sky] and, yes, that does include me. "Why is that?", I hear you ask... well, take a look at the photo below and you might just get a clue !!

PHOTO CREDIT: HANNAH GENTILES of Observation Full & Felt Photography (Facebook)

N.B. If you'd like to purchase the ORIGINAL FULL (UNCROPPED) VERSION of the above photo, it's available from Hannah's Etsy Store VIA THIS LINK where you will also find many other fine examples of her work. Those wishing to connect with the photographer can do so either via her Twitter Feed: @observationfelt or, if preferable, through her Facebook Page (see link in photo credit).

Anyway the point I was trying to make (by using this particular photo) was that, despite the promise of "more great content" with "more apps being continually added", there hasn't been a single extra new channel anywhere in sight since the player was launched just over two weeks ago. All of which means that NowTV [Powered by Sky] have managed to produce a (NOT SO) GRAND TOTAL of absolutely ZERO NEW CHANNELS which can be added to the (already SEVERELY REDUCED) version of the Roku Channel Store that features on their NowTV Box. Meanwhile, the "Official" Roku Channel Store that features on all UK Roku players has added ELEVEN EXTRA CHANNELS during that same period of time. If the NowTV Box is to succeed, they need to show that they really are "Powered by Sky" and live up to the moniker of their device by adding those "must-see shows" from Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living "NOW" rather than "later this year" as per the website.

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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 !!

Roku Tips, Tricks & Tweaks - #1 Adding A MicroSD Card

Hello again, everybody !!


I'd like to start by extending a warm welcome to recent visitors from both Malaysia and Austria who, according to my audience figures, have graced the pages of this blog during the past week. It's good to know that interest in the Roku streaming media player stretches far beyond the shores of this fair island and is not just limited to the USA, Canada & Ireland which, if you recall, are the main regions that the Roku player has been marketed thus far.


Anyway, one of the other bits of information you can glean from the stats on blogger are the most common search terms used by people who come to your blog and, this week, a new search appeared in my list for the first time. Now, if you read my last post...


It's Time To... Choose Your Roku !!


... and you read as far as MY TWO CENTS WORTH, towards the bottom of the post, then you will know that I championed the benefits of adding a MicroSD Card to the Roku XS player. Coincidentally the new search keywords, which I referred to above, were "How To Reformat Micro SD Card Roku" and so I decided to make that the subject for this post.


First and foremost, if you are about to add a MicroSD Card to your Roku player, I suggest you read this  very useful help article, entitled "How Do I Install A MicroSD Card For My Roku 2 Player?", taken from the support centre on the official Roku website.


If you follow those steps, as I did when installing my own MicroSD Card, then you should be able to complete the task without any problems. The one thing which I would emphasize when it comes to 'Step 3', where you insert the MicroSD Card into the slot on the back of your Roku 2, be sure to push the MicroSD Card firmly and push it all the way in (as far as you can) until it clicks into place. The first time I tried, I thought it was fully inserted but, having failed to see the dialog "MicroSD card detected" on my TV screen, I realised something was wrong. Closer examination revealed that the card was still protruding slightly too much so, after another firm push, it stayed securely in place within the card slot and the dialog then appeared on my TV screen as I had expected.


Another piece of advice which I would give to those of you who have yet to invest in a MicroSD Card for your Roku XS is to not go overboard with the size of the card (i.e. the available capacity) because it can be problematic if you opt for too big a memory. Roku, themselves, suggest a 2GB capacity and most people find that 4GB will suffice for their personal needs. I, myself, went for an 8GB MicroSD Card because I knew that, with the number of channels I'd be installing in relation to my posts on this blog, I wanted to have as much expanded memory as was reasonable yet still reliable.


I have read tales of woe from several people who have attempted to install 32GB, 64GB and higher MicroSD Cards which have then failed to format correctly, often stalling at 99% complete, simply because they were not fit for purpose. So, PLEASE HEED THIS ADVICE and choose a lower capacity MicroSD Card (e.g. 2GB, 4GB or 8GB) which have been widely proven to work.


As regards the specific 'Class' of MicroSD Card to go for, I would suggest either 'Class 4' or ''Class 6' for trouble-free operation. Roku, themselves, advocate a minimum of 'Class 2' or upwards. However, I have heard more tales of woe from users attempting to install 'Class 10' MicroSD Cards which, as with the larger capacity cards, proved to be problematic when it came to installing them into a Roku 2 streaming media player. Again, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED and would be strongly advised to stay within the realms of what is already known and proven to work well in these devices.


Now, when it comes to how you actually format the MicroSD Card, you should find that the Roku player takes care of all the necessary formatting for you as soon as the MicroSD Card has been correctly inserted into the MicroSD Card Slot, on the back of the Roku streaming media player. However, should you encounter any problems during the formatting stage, I would first double-check that you are using both a suitable 'Class' of MicroSD Card and 'Size' (i.e. capacity) of MicroSD Card - as outlined in the previous paragraphs of this post. Assuming that you are using a suitable product, then I would try repeating the procedure, as set down in the afore-mentioned Help Article on the official Roku website, entitled: "How Do I Install A MicroSD Card For My Roku 2 Player?" and see if that works. If not, then there may be a problem with the particular MicroSD Card you are using. In which case, I suggest trying another one. Failing that, I recommend checking the Roku Forums or the Roku (UK) Help & Support pages for further assistance.


Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the specific function & use of the MicroSD Card in relation to the operation of the Roku streaming media player. PLEASE REMEMBER:-


1. The MicroSD card slot IS NOT designed for the playback or recording of media (e.g. video, audio or photos) either to or from a MicroSD card that is inserted into it;

2. The expanded memory capacity afforded by the insertion of a MicroSD card into the MicroSD slot is for the storage of Channel Information and Game Data ONLY and, as such, merely serves to improve the speed and functionality of the User Interface (UI) on the Roku player, and;

3. The addition of a MicroSD card is best suited to those Roku owners who either have, or intend to have, installed a large number of channels and/or games onto their Roku player. Anyone who does not use their Roku player for gaming, or who has only a small number of channels actually installed from the large choice of channels available to watch WILL SEE LITTLE OR NO BENEFIT from having a Micro SD card installed.


So, there you have it... pretty much all the info you will need if you intend to install and format a MicroSD card using the corresponding slot on the back of your Roku XS. If anyone has any further questions, in relation to this matter, then please feel free to leave a comment and I will try my best to answer your question(s) or, failing that, to point you in the direction of a support centre or Roku forum where other users may have experienced similar situations as you.


If you happened to be one of the people who came to my blog via a search for "How To Reformat Micro SD Card Roku", then I hope that this post has answered some if not all of your questions on the subject.


Anyway, that's about all I have to say on the matter.


So, until next time...


That's all folks !!