Roku Tips, Tricks & Tweaks - #3 Netflix Profiles: Roku 3

Hi, everyone !!



It's been a while since I posted any tips, tricks & tweaks for the Roku player but, just recently, I've been noticing a lot of people enquiring about "Netflix Profiles" on Roku. It that doesn't ring any bells with you, it's a feature of Netflix which allows customers to create a separate "profile" for each family member, who can then all see a personalised set of recommendations for what to watch on Netflix. So, if you've gone to watch Netflix on your Roku and found "My List" suddenly populated with kids tv shows and you're getting recommendations for "My Little Pony", when you know full well that you only use Netflix to watch horror movies, the ability to give other members of the family their very own "Netflix Profile" is reason enough to have that option included with the Netflix channel on Roku.



Of course, most of you will by now be aware that there is a "New Netflix Experience" for the Roku 3, which basically means a new UI (User Interface) for the movie streaming service, but may not know that this new Netflix UI was bundled in with a software update to 'version 5.2 - build 3267' on the flagship Roku player. The new Netflix user interface heralded THIS ANNOUNCEMENT via the Official Roku Blog which was posted on 12th November 2013 and then the update began rolling out in the UK exactly one week later. As stated in the post, the NEW NETFLIX UI was initially applied to ROKU 3 ONLY with Roku going on to say they are "exploring the possibility of making it available on additional player models" although they have yet to specify which models that might be. Assuming your Roku 3 has been updated to the above software version & build number, watch THIS VIDEO showing what you will get from the "New Netflix Experience" on the flagship Roku player.



PLEASE REMEMBER:- This is (currently) available for ROKU 3 ONLY and, although your Roku player may have been updated to 'Version 5.2' (just with a different build number to the one above), you will still have the original Netflix UI with larger tiles (i.e. poster images) and a grey background as opposed to the newer one which uses program images for the background as per the above video.



Anyway, despite the announcement from Roku that the updated Netflix channel "...also supports 'Profiles', which makes it easier for everyone", they certainly haven't made it "easy" to access this feature in the new Netflix UI for the Roku 3. In fact, a recent "Live Chat" with Netflix UK revealed that "Netflix Profiles" is apparently "not yet available on Roku" and that there was no confirmed date for when it might be expected. The only advice offered by Netflix UK was to "look for announcements on the Netflix Facebook Page stating when 'Netflix Profiles' has been added to Roku" which, as you will soon discover, is not exactly 100% accurate. The simple fact of the matter is that you actually can get "Netflix Profiles" on the Roku 3 right now, by using this little workaround that I've found which will enable "Netflix Profiles" to appear as an extra option in the Netflix menu on your Roku 3.



Much like when you first set up your Roku player via an online Roku account, all that this little "trick" requires is for you to set up "Netflix Profiles" by logging into your Netflix account online and creating up to 5 profiles using your main Netflix Account. Here is another video, from Netflix themselves, that includes a brief description of the process for setting up "Netflix Profiles" using the Netflix website:-

Essentially, you must first LOGIN TO YOUR NETFLIX ACCOUNT by visiting the Netflix website online in the usual way. Once you have entered your details you should then see your Account Name in the top right hand corner of the screen. If you click on this, a dropdown menu will appear including an option to "Manage Profiles" as well as access "Your Account", get "Help", or "Sign out of Netflix". Here is a partial screenshot of what you might expect to see:-

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

If you CLICK ON the link in the dropdown menu to "MANAGE PROFILES" you will be redirected to the Netflix "Profiles" screen which includes a "+" button to "ADD PROFILE", that can be found on the far upper right hand side of the screen, as shown in the partial screenshot below:-

AS ABOVE:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

The next step is to CLICK ON the "+" button, where it says "ADD PROFILE", and a special window will appear (over the main Netflix screen, which is blacked-out) allowing you to ENTER A NAME for your "Netflix Profile" before clicking on the red button marked "CONTINUE" to return to the main Netflix "Profiles" screen. The special window for entering your profile name will look like this:-

LIKE BEFORE:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

You must click in the data entry box, where it says "Name", and then type in whatever name you would like to be associated with your new "Netflix Profile" and if required (i.e. when the profile is being set up for a child in your family) you should also click in the check box beside where it says, "This is a profile for kids under 12". After that, simply click on the red button marked "CONTINUE" to return to the main Netflix "Profiles" screen, where you will then see your new profile listed below your original profile. To illustrate this I have created a new profile called "My New Profile" which will then be featured in all of the screenshots which follow this one, by way of example. So, here is another image of the "ADD PROFILE" screen with the name, "My New Profile", already typed in:- 

AS PREVIOUSLY:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

After you CLICK ON the red button marked "CONTINUE", and have again been redirected to the main "Profiles" page of the Netflix website, you should see your newly created "Netflix Profile" listed below your original profile (i.e. the one allocated when you first set up your Netflix Account) with an "EDIT" button to the right of the profile name plus a "CHARACTER" ICON (or 'Avatar', if you like) to the left of the profile name. Using the example of "My New Profile", here is a partial screenshot of what you can expect to see when redirected to the main "Profiles" page of the Netflix website:- 

GUESS WHAT?!!... Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

If you CLICK ON the grey button marked "EDIT", you will then have the option to CHANGE the profile "NAME", as well as choose a different "CHARACTER" ICON (i.e. avatar) to be associated with the profile, or to re-assign the profile to a child by clicking in the check box beside where it says, "This is a profile for kids under 12" or, if need be, there is a button to "DELETE PROFILE" included among the "EDIT" options there, as well. Sticking to the above example of "My New Profile", here is a partial screenshot of what you can expect to see if & when you click on the grey "EDIT" button:- 

IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

Since, whenever you first create a new "Netflix Profile", there is a "CHARACTER" ICON (i.e. avatar) automatically allocated to that new profile, the most likely reason for you to "EDIT" your new profile is to choose a different "CHARACTER" ICON (i.e. avatar) to be associated with it. So, if you CLICK ON the "down arrow" situated over the bottom right-hand corner of your "CHARACTER" ICON, as per the above image, you will then be presented with a range of options to choose from as follows:- 

AS ALWAYS:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

Some of the "EDIT" functions, such as the option to CHANGE the profile "NAME", or to re-assign the profile to a child by clicking in the check box beside where it says, "This is a profile for kids under 12", don't really require much additional information. For that reason, I'm not going to bother with additional examples / screenshots for performing those tasks. If you get stuck, you can always leave a comment below and I'll try to help out where I can. However, since the "DELETE PROFILE" option does feature another of those special windows over the main Netflix screen, which is (once again) blacked-out, I've decided to include a screenshot of the special window associated with the "EDIT" function to "DELETE PROFILE" so that you know what to expect:- 

GENTLE REMINDER:- Click on the above image to ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING:- That, IF YOU CLICK ON the red "DELETE PROFILE" button from the above special window, THE PROFILE HISTORY (including lists, ratings and activity) that were associated with that profile WILL BE GONE FOREVER and you will not be able to access it ever again. So, please be sure to TAKE A MOMENT and to THINK CAREFULLY before you go ahead and delete it. THERE IS always THE OPTION TO "KEEP PROFILE" if you change your mind at this stage, or arrived at this special screen unintentionally. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!

Anyway, once you've set up your new profile(s) by accessing your Netflix Account online, you can then "Sign out of Netflix" on your computer (or laptop / tablet, etc) by clicking on your Account Name in the top right hand corner of the screen. As with the option to "Manage Profiles" (outlined above), a dropdown menu will appear including a link to "Sign out of Netflix" (also shown in the partial screenshot for "Manage Profiles" - above). Once that's been taken care of, you can go back to your Roku 3 player and, when you re-load the 'Netflix' channel, the first screen you see should now ask, "Who's watching Netflix?", and (below that) you should see all of the profiles associated with your main Netflix Account. From there, you just choose the desired profile for whomever is about to watch Netflix on your Roku, using the "RIGHT" and/or "LEFT" directional buttons on your Roku remote, then press the "OK" button, and you will be taken to the main Netflix screen, which will include the relevant "My List" for the selected profile. 

If you then wish to change profiles, simply press the directional button on your Roku remote for "UP" until you get to the "Menu" options (located above "My List"). Once there, you should see that a menu option to "Switch profiles" has now been added, in between the menu option for "Go to the Kids area" and another option to "View account information or sign out". From there, you can effortlessly switch between any of the (up to 5) profiles associated with your Netflix account, as often as you like. Best of all, the GOOD NEWS IS.... that YOU NEED ONLY DO THIS ONCE because, after setting up the profiles online and confirming that you can access them on your Roku 3, they will always be there for you whenever you load the Netflix channel on your Roku 3 !!!

So, in case you had been wondering how to get "Netflix Profiles" on your Roku 3, or perhaps even if you could get them on Roku 3... the answer is "Yes you can get Netflix Profiles on Roku 3" and, despite what Netflix & others might tell you, "Netflix Profiles are on Roku 3 RIGHT NOW", so follow the instructions above and help everyone in your household "get the most out of Netflix" TODAY !!

Don't forget to let me know how you get on and if this particular tip was useful to you... not forgetting that, if you'd rather not leave a comment here, you can always do so via the companion Twitter Feed to this blog: @ukrokuchannels but, either way, it'd be good to hear of your experiences with this as well as any other tips, tricks & tweaks for Roku player you might like to see featured on this blog.

Still that's about all for now folks, so...

Adios amigos !!

NowTV Remote App For iOS & Android Mobile Devices

Hi, everyone !!


Those of you who have been following the 'Weekly RoundUp' posts on this blog for the past month or so will doubtless have spotted my comments concerning the lack of new channels for the NowTV Box [Powered by Sky] in the four weeks since it was launched. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do about that except to "wait & see" (as Asquith said) whether this situation improves, or not.


Another bugbear which is common among owners of the NowTV Box [Powered by Sky] is that (currently) there is no "Official" NowTV App for mobile devices to facilitate on-screen text entry. Sadly, the superb (and constantly improving) Roku Remote App has not yet been modified to function with the NowTV Box [Powered by Sky]. Whilst the Roku Remote App can detect a NowTV Box on your network, there is no way of setting it up so that it can be controlled using the app. This is because the Roku Remote App requires that you link it to a Roku Account and, by virtue of it's design, the NowTV Box [Powered by Sky] requires a NowTV Account (which may or may not be associated with a Sky ID) to be used in order for it to function. There is (currently) no way to register a NowTV Box [Powered by Sky] with a Roku Account, which means the Roku Remote App WILL NOT WORK with one. We can only hope that some kind of agreement can be reached, between the powers that be at NowTV and Roku, to rectify this. Meanwhile, until that time arrives, you would be forgiven for thinking that this was another "Asquith" moment for the NowTV Box, BUT... as it turns out, THERE IS A SOLUTION at hand courtesy of an existing web app for controlling Roku player !!


Before I explain what it is and how to get it setup & working with your NowTV Box [Powered by Sky] you will need to MAKE A NOTE OF the IP Address for your NowTV Box, which can be FOUND UNDER the "NOW TV Box Settings" accessed via the main menu of the player and easily IDENTIFIED BY THIS ICON:-

If you scroll through the main menu of your NowTV Box you will soon come to the above icon and, when you do, you should then enter the "NOW TV Box Settings" by clicking the "OK" button on the original NowTV Box remote (i.e. the white one that came with it) which will take you to a SETTINGS SUB-MENU which looks LIKE THIS:-

By default, at the top of the list, the word "About" should already be highlighted (as shown) and you should see the "Player Info" icon to the right hand side of your screen. Simply click the "OK" button on your remote once more to reveal a list of "NowTV Box Info" unique to your particular player. The list includes details such as your NowTV Account Name, as well as the Model Number, Serial Number & Software Version for your NowTV Box but, below all that, you will also see the IP Address of your NowTV Box. The IP Address should look similar to the one below:-

192 . 168 . 1 . 3

Please be sure to MAKE A NOTE OF YOUR IP ADDRESS for later reference !!!!

The reason you will need to know this information is so that you can MANUALLY ADD the IP Address of your NowTV Box to the settings of the remote app on your iOS or Android mobile device.

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The ORIGINAL WEB APPLICATION which we will be using to create the NowTV Box remote app on your iOS or Android mobile device can be found using THIS LINK to the Remoku website. You should navigate to the Remoku website, and make a note of the web address (URL), so that you can then enter it when the time comes on the mobile web browser for your iOS or Android device.

FOR APPLE iOS USERS:-

If you are using an Apple device, such as an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, you should open up the "Mobile Safari" internet browser and navigate to the REMOKU WEB APPLICATION on it. Once the webpage has loaded, THE SCREEN on your mobile device SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:-

The next step is to create a MOBILE WEB APP to add to your HOME SCREEN which is done by clicking (i.e. tapping) on the "ACTION" BUTTON found in the centre of the Mobile Safari Toolbar which (if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch) is located at the bottom of the screen on your device. If you are in any doubt, the ICON for the "ACTION" BUTTON which you will need to make use of at this stage LOOKS LIKE THIS:-

Tapping the "ACTION" BUTTON will produce a list of options from which to choose your desired "Action"; in this case, we need to select "ADD TO HOME SCREEN" from the on-screen menu (again, by tapping on it). Doing so, will result in a "Remoku" App Icon being added to your Home Screen from which you can LAUNCH the Remoku App IN FULL SCREEN MODE enabling you to use it just like any other regular app on your mobile device. 

FOR ANDROID USERS:-

If you are using an Android mobile device, you should open up your internet browser and navigate to the REMOKU WEB APPLICATION on it. Once the webpage has loaded, you will then need to ADD A BOOKMARK for the website to later add a "Remoku" App Icon to your Home Screen, as with the iOS devices (above). Once you have it bookmarked, you must then OPEN the browser BOOKMARKS SCREEN and LONG-PRESS the BOOKMARK for the "Remoku" Web App and SELECT the option to "ADD TO HOME SCREEN" from the on-screen menu. The end result, much like the iOS version, is that you will have a "Remoku" App Icon added to your Home Screen from which you can LAUNCH the Remoku App IN FULL SCREEN MODE enabling you to use it like a regular app on your Android device. 

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Now that the Remoku App is installed on your mobile device, you need to set it up for use with your NowTV Box. This is where the IP Address, that you (hopefully) noted down earlier, will be needed. To proceed, LAUNCH the Remoku App IN FULL SCREEN MODE on your mobile device and tap on the "SETTINGS" BUTTON at the top of your screen. This will take you to another screen which is specially tailored for you to MANUALLY ADD the IP Address of your NOW TV Box. You should now be looking at SOMETHING LIKE THIS:-

PLEASE IGNORE the fact it says "Find My Roku", as well as passing over each of the "My Network", "How Many Roku's?" plus "Scan" and "Search Help" functions because the ONLY thing we need to concern ourselves with (at this stage) is the DATA-ENTRY BOX beside the words "Manual Add" where you now need to TYPE IN the IP Address of your NOW TV Box. For the purposes of this demonstration, I have stuck to using the SAME IP ADDRESS in the above image, as used for my example IP Address (below the NowTV Screenshots) but YOU MUST ENTER YOUR OWN IP ADDRESS as found in the  "NowTV Box Info" from the "About" section of the "NOW TV Box Settings" on your NowTV Box. Once you've typed in the information, TAP ON the "+" (i.e. 'PLUS' sign) BUTTON adjacent to the DATA-ENTRY BOX where you just typed the IP Address. This should ADD the IP Address of your NowTV Box to the "Settings" of the Remoku App and result in an UPDATED "SETTINGS" SCREEN which looks something LIKE THIS:-

At this stage, it's probably a good idea to use the "NAME THIS ROKU" option, found under the section headed "Control This Roku" near the top of your screen. To do so, just tap in the DATA-ENTRY BOX which (by default) says "Remoku" and ENTER TEXT of your choice. This is especially useful if you have more than one NowTV Box / Roku Player (or a combination thereof) because it enables you to switch between them on the same Remoku App and easily identify which one you are controlling, by simply looking at the name. FYI: "NowTV Box" and "Roku 2 XS" seemed like appropriate names to use in my case so feel free to use those, too, or whatever else you like !!

Anyway, if you now tap on the "REMOTE" BUTTON at the top of your screen, you should be looking at an on-screen remote control layout something LIKE THIS:-

PLEASE NOTE: If you used the "NAME THIS ROKU" option then, where it says "Remoku" in the above image, you will instead see the name you entered for your device. ALSO: If you SET UP your Remoku App to control MORE THAN ONE DEVICE then you can tap on your device name (e.g. Remoku in the above image) to bring up a menu from which you can easily switch between devices.

N.B. If you chose NOT to "NAME THIS ROKU" and, instead, left the DATA-ENTRY BOX (intended for entering a device name) BLANK then you will see the IP ADDRESS of your selected device IN PLACE OF a device name (i.e. "192.168.1.3" instead of "Remoku", in this example).

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By now, if set up correctly, you should easily be able to control your NowTV Box using the Remoku App on your iOS or Android mobile device. Even though the Remoku web application was originally intended for use with a Roku player, the symbols used for the buttons should be familiar to those of you with only a NowTV Box too. In fact there's only a minor change to the layout, as well, with the "Options" button being MOVED ABOVE the "FWD Scan", "Play/Pause" & "REV Scan" buttons PLUS the addition of an "Instant Replay" button (not found on the original NowTV Box Remote).

However, if you do run into any difficulty with either the 'SetUp' or 'Use Of' this Remoku App, there is an EXTREMELY USEFUL HELP PAGE available VIA THIS LINK which should answer most, if not all, of your questions. Failing that, you are advised to EITHER post to the Remoku Thread on the Roku Forums, OR to fill out a Remoku Support Form via Google Docs. These links can be used for BOTH additional help and to report bugs with the Remoku App. 

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH... I did try using the DIRECT ACCESS "Channel Store" button, found by tapping on the "Goodies" button (at the top of the Remoku App screen), to "Launch Channel Store" on the NowTV Box BUT found that IT TAKES MUCH LONGER to load the Roku Channel Store in this way. I tried it out because I thought it might be a viable option to replace the "Apps" Button found on the original NowTV Box Remote but, from my experience, it's FAR QUICKER to scroll through the channel icons from the NowTV Box (or Remoku App) Home Button and get into the Roku Channel Store by finding it's icon and then tapping the "OK" button. I'm just saying, is all...

It's a shame that the NowTV Box wasn't packaged with a clone of the Roku Remote App but maybe that will come someday? You might also think that, since the NowTV Box is "Powered by Sky", the folks at Sky (who have made some pretty good apps of their own already) could have come up with a basic offering fairly quickly which was up to the task... but, it seems they weren't up to it !!

Anyway, the main aim of this post was to provide NowTV Box owners with a useable remote control app for their iOS and/or Android mobile devices. So, on that score, it looks like... JOB DONE !! Having said that, if you own a Roku player but haven't yet tried using the Remoku App with it, then I suggest you give it a go too. Afterall, it's what the original Remoku web app was designed for !! 

So, whether you own a NowTV Box OR a Roku Player, OR PERHAPS BOTH... you now have access to another means of controlling it remotely. Even if you happen to lose your original remote... or, worse yet, lose your mobile device AND your original remote, then YOU CAN STILL OPERATE both YOUR ROKU PLAYER and/or YOUR NOW TV BOX courtesy of the Remoku Web App on your PC or Apple Mac computer. For those reasons, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you make use of this app - JUST REMEMBER: To keep a note of the IP Address(es) for your streaming media player(s) so that, if need be, you can access Remoku online at anytime & take control of your streaming !!

Still, that's about it for this post. I hope you find the app useful, no matter whether you're using it with a NowTV Box, a Roku Player, or any combination thereof... either way, WE AIM TO PLEASE !!!!!!!!!

Roku Tips, Tricks & Tweaks - #2 Faster Menu Scrolling

Hi, everyone !!


In the two months since it was published, there has been a lot of interest in the original post from this series, "Roku Tips, Tricks & Tweaks - #1 Adding A MicroSD Card", so I figured it was about time to offer you another little tidbit of information to help make the use of your Roku player(s) even more enjoyable... dare I even say, pleasurable?!!


Anyhow if, like me, you have more channels installed than the average user... then you've probably noticed that it can take quite some time to get from one end of the main channel list menu to the other, or even to somewhere in the middle, if you've been hesitant with your channel "pruning", as I have on several occasions. So, if I told you there was a way you could scroll through your channels FIVE TIMES FASTER, meaning you would get to your desired channel in a fraction of the time it took before, I bet you'd love to know about it, right? Of course you would !!


For starters, to properly TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE of this particular Roku Tip/Trick, then you will need to "Know Your Roku Remote" as per the 'Quick Start Guide' for your Roku player(s). For those of you that may not have immediate access to those guides, here are some links to view the online PDF's of those guides for both the Roku LT and the  Roku XS which, as I've explained before, are (currently) the ONLY TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLE to Roku purchasers in the UK:-



Roku LT Quick Start Guide (UK)


AND


Roku XS Quick Start Guide (UK)



For ease of reference, viz the purpose(s) of this article, I am also going to include some image scans for the relevant pages from the 'Quick Start Guide' for each of the two models outlined above. This, I hope, will enable you to quickly identify which button(s) to press in order to scroll through your channel list FIVE CHANNELS AT A TIME, instead of repeatedly advancing by just one channel, in either direction. So, if you're not already acquainted, prepare to "Know Your Roku Remote"...



For those of you with a Roku LT player, here is a key to the layout of your remote control:-

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

If, on the other hand, you are the owner of a Roku XS... then your remote layout is like this:-

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

Now, if you've owned your Roku player for a short while then you'll already know that the Roku Remote feels right at home in your hand. You will, no doubt, also be aware that you can move left and/or right (one channel at a time) using the "[LEFT]" and "[RIGHT]" directional button(s) to navigate through your list of channels. If you are still unsure, take a look at the relevant remote control layout (above) for your particular model of Roku player (See Ref. 'D' for Roku LT players and Ref. 'C' for Roku XS players). What is not quite so obvious, perhaps, is exactly what is meant in the Quick Start Guides by, "scroll... one page at a time" or when, where, how and why this function may prove to be useful. Observe, if you will, the "[FWD SCAN]" button (See Ref. 'G' for Roku LT players and Ref. 'I' for Roku XS players, in the respective remote control layouts above). In addition to performing the "Fast Forward" function when playing back media on your Roku, it is this little button which holds part of the secret to the "Faster Menu Scrolling" referred to in the title of this post...


Just try it for a moment... go to your list of channels on your Roku player and, instead of pressing the "[LEFT]" or "[RIGHT]" directional button(s) to navigate through your list of channels one at a time, use the "[FWD SCAN]" button and look closely at your television screen (while you do) so that you notice what happens. At first, you may not believe it, but the simple action of using the "[FWD SCAN]" button in this way will allow you to advance to the right FIVE CHANNELS AT A TIME through your Roku channel list... INGENIOUS !!!


Anyway, you've probably already guessed it by now but, it's the "[REV SCAN]" button which holds the other part of the secret to the "Faster Menu Scrolling" referred to in the title of this post. Yes, indeed, using the "[REV SCAN]" button (normally reserved for the "Rewind" function during media playback) will permit "Faster Menu Scrolling" in the other direction (i.e. to the left). Again, if you are unsure, take a look at the relevant remote control layout (above) for your particular model of Roku player (See Ref. 'E' for Roku LT players and Ref. 'G' for Roku XS players). Similar to before, this will (again) advance you FIVE CHANNELS AT A TIME through your Roku channel list but moving the opposite way to the "[FWD SCAN]" button... EQUALLY INGENIOUS !!!


But, wait, that's not all... oh, no... far from it, because this 'secret' for "Faster Menu Scrolling" can be used within the sub-menus for (as far as I know) ALL OF THE CHANNELS that are installed on your Roku player at any time, too. This proved to be a revelation to me when I first discovered it (by accident, if I remember correctly) and I've been using it ever since. I mean, think about it... with only 20% of the button presses needed to reach any channel on your menu it's not only going to SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME, but it's also going to make the BATTERIES in your Roku remote LAST A LOT LONGER, and reduce the chances of Repetitive Strain Injuries (R.S.I.'s) from all the button presses associated with moving through the menu, one channel at a time, using the "[LEFT]" and "[RIGHT]" directional button(s). I can virtually guarantee that, ONCE YOU HAVE TRIED THIS particular Roku Tip/Trick, YOU WILL ALWAYS USE IT - unless, of course, you need to move less than five channels in either direction, that is !!


Still, that's about it for this post. Hopefully this little pearl of wisdom was news to some of you, at least, and I'll be sure to offer up more of my Roku knowledge & advice by bringing you additional Roku tips, tricks and tweaks as I continue this series of posts over the coming months. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this blog for more UK-related Roku news and information, as well as the 'Weekly RoundUp' of all the new additions to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store and details of more Roku Private Channels that can be added to your UK Roku streaming media player(s).



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 !!