Author Topic: Switched to Roku, missing the news  (Read 5245 times)

Zette

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Switched to Roku, missing the news
« on: August 16, 2016, 10:08:27 PM »
We recently got rid of U-verse TV and got a Roku box.  So far we're not too happy with the news options we've found so far, it seems to be a bunch of 2 minute news clips that sometimes are a few days old (and listed out of order).  We used to DVR the evening BBC news and the local 6pm news, and watch it later around 8 or 9pm.  What news channels on Roku have you found that you would recommend that we check out?

MoneyCat

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2016, 10:44:27 PM »
Do you have a TV antenna? I sometimes watch British news on PBS or the evening news on one of the other local stations. It doesn't cost anything (other than the initial cost of the rooftop TV antenna and the Channel Master DVR+ box.)

beastykato

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2016, 11:24:34 PM »
Ok, just a couple tips that might help. 

With Roku you can still sign up for cheap alternatives to cable that can provide you news in a more traditional manner.  A couple examples are Sling TV and Playstation VUE.  Those services range from $20 and up and offer premium channels like HBO and sports.

You have internet I assume to be using a Roku.  So, is it from a cable provider?  If so, and this is a total luck of the draw thing, put a spliter on the line inside your house and run one line to the modem and one line to the tv.  Often your TV will pick up hundreds of free channels if your cable provider doesn't have a filter on your pole.  I know mine does! =)

Zette

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2016, 11:29:43 PM »
We want something recorded or on-demand, don't want to be tied to the airtime schedule.

Currently signed up for SlingTV, still trying to figure out which channels are decent. So far we've tried euronews and skynews.

clarkfan1979

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2016, 01:36:22 AM »
TV attena

COEE

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2016, 06:15:19 AM »
Life is better without the news.  It just takes time to make the adjustment.

There was a shooting in San Bernardino a few months back... I hadn't even heard about it until I overheard some co-workers talking about it a week or two after it happened.

I do read the newspaper occasionally at work - that someone else brings in.  It has a lot of local news covering my immediate area, not the whole entire metro area or US, and it is generally more upbeat and interesting.

fattest_foot

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2016, 08:02:53 AM »
Makes me think of the MMM post about the Low Information Diet.

What are you really missing by not watching the news?

Mustache -March-ing

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2016, 09:02:57 AM »
Makes me think of the MMM post about the Low Information Diet.

What are you really missing by not watching the news?

I agree, every time my wife has the news on I feel myself get more and more depressed at how terrible the world is out there. Hardly ever will any news get reported that is either useful/helpful in some way to my specific situation/life. The only thing I pay attention to is the weather, which I get online now anyways.

sisto

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2016, 09:17:45 AM »
I also suggest a TV antenna. You can combine that with some type of DVR so you can record the live news and watch it when you want.

chloe1733

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2016, 01:24:00 PM »
Download the CBS News streaming channel on roku.  It's free. You're welcome.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2016, 02:29:33 PM »
One of the biggest reason I got rid of television 7 years ago was to not have to watch the news.

A low information diet has been one of the best things I could have done for my happiness, relationships, and overall quality of life.

HipGnosis

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2016, 02:44:45 PM »
Do you have a TV antenna? I sometimes watch British news on PBS or the evening news on one of the other local stations. It doesn't cost anything (other than the initial cost of the rooftop TV antenna and the Channel Master DVR+ box.)
You/They don't need a DVR to watch 'antenna TV'  (aka Over The Air or OTA).
TV antennas have changed since the switch to digital TV.  You only need a rooftop antenna if you are FAR away from TV stations.  There are websites that tell you (and show you) where the stations are around you.  When you buy a digital antenna (aka HD antenna), you need to know how far away you are from the stations you want to get.
Many TV networks and stations have their news shows available online - but not necessarily 'live'.

Full disclosure: I have a Channel Master DVR+ DVR.  There are very few prime time shows that interest me. 
I also have a Roku.  Not much of interest on it either - I seldom watch it. I'm going to drop my Amazon Prime and see if I miss Amazon Video.   But I learned you need to search for free Roku channels every year or so.

undercover

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2016, 02:45:50 PM »
 I never read nor pay attention to news at all anymore...I'll likely hear who's president a week later.

MoneyCat

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2016, 02:50:01 PM »
Do you have a TV antenna? I sometimes watch British news on PBS or the evening news on one of the other local stations. It doesn't cost anything (other than the initial cost of the rooftop TV antenna and the Channel Master DVR+ box.)
You/They don't need a DVR to watch 'antenna TV'  (aka Over The Air or OTA).
TV antennas have changed since the switch to digital TV.  You only need a rooftop antenna if you are FAR away from TV stations.  There are websites that tell you (and show you) where the stations are around you.  When you buy a digital antenna (aka HD antenna), you need to know how far away you are from the stations you want to get.
Many TV networks and stations have their news shows available online - but not necessarily 'live'.

Full disclosure: I have a Channel Master DVR+ DVR.  There are very few prime time shows that interest me. 
I also have a Roku.  Not much of interest on it either - I seldom watch it. I'm going to drop my Amazon Prime and see if I miss Amazon Video.   But I learned you need to search for free Roku channels every year or so.

You may have missed the part where they said they wanted DVR function.

Also, a rooftop antenna is necessary in many more places ever since the 2009 changeover to digital TV. The signal doesn't reach as far plus it now cuts out completely instead of going staticy when the signal is bad. For example, I live only 25 miles from New York City, yet I need a rooftop antenna or I can't get any channels (with the rooftop antenna I get 60+ channels.)

Trudie

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2016, 02:56:54 PM »
Subscribe to news apps on NPR and PBS.  You will get most major news stories -- minus all the crap.  Also, NPR has a BBC news hour (radio).  You might be able to stream that as well.

wienerdog

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2016, 06:35:14 PM »
You might look into a HDHomerun Extend or Connect.  The Connect requires AC wifi if you use wifi to watch the stream in HD.  The Extend is a little more expensive because it transcodes to H264 on the fly so it has a little more horsepower but it can stream HD over N wireless.  Of course using cable Ethernet will always result in the best results.  Anyway they have free DVR software that you can run on a computer and record your shows.  Both the devices listed will allow 2 streams at once since they have 2 tuners.  Just hook to your antenna and you will have the local  network channels.  I don't know if they have a viewer yet for the Roku.

Looks like it might not work with the Roku out of the box.

https://www.silicondust.com/support/faq/#can-i-use-hdhomerun-with-my-roku-box

I have Kodi on a FireTV box and use the HDHomerun viewer inside of Kodi.

DocMcStuffins

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2016, 08:04:56 PM »
One of my best investments in myself was................. eliminating the news. 

bilmar

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2016, 09:40:46 AM »
Check out the Sky news channel on the Roku.
It does have individual stories to choose from  but by default it just joins you to the live news stream so you can just let it run in the background like any other 24 hr news channel.
Almost as good as BBC

Bill

GrumpyPenguin

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2016, 11:53:46 AM »
I do not have cable, and also own a Roku 3.  I do what others have mentioned, I have an HD antenna and also use the CBS News Roku app.  Between having all those HD channels and that 24 hour news app, I can't possibly see how anyone would miss the news. 

It's all garbage anyway.

katsiki

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2016, 12:12:18 PM »
I recommend these (some already mentioned): CBSN (real, live news), Sky News, EuroNews, and OANN.

* OANN is great.  I had it before we cut Uverse TV.  It is $5/mo.

Honestly though, with the election, we have cut down news watching a lot.

guitar_stitch

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #20 on: August 18, 2016, 01:10:43 PM »
Hillary said some shit.
Trump said some shit.
Protestors said some shit.

People got shot.

TERROR!!!

Here's a thing you should buy because all your friends have one.

Here's a thing you should be afraid of because we're putting it on TV.

Here's a "Lifehack" that you'll think is great but probably won't ever use.

It's gonna rain.

On to commercials.


There, I summed up the news for you.

GrumpyPenguin

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #21 on: August 18, 2016, 04:39:04 PM »

It's gonna rain.


More like it's going to be another 90+ degree day with a heat index of 100 with high humidity. Uhg.

Good summary though.

Jtrey17

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #22 on: August 18, 2016, 06:17:09 PM »
I have Roku and added local news via an app. I think it's called local news -lol. I will check it to verify.

igetit

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2016, 06:43:08 PM »
As a couple other people mentioned, the CBS news app is a live streaming news channel that you can load to your Roku.  It's similar to the style of CNN.

MrsStubble

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #24 on: August 20, 2016, 02:51:52 PM »
you can:

1) get a digital antenna to pick up the local channels for free...
2) negotiate with your cable provider to get the basic channels back (I did this unintentionally when they offered to double my internet speed (fios) and give me the local channels for less then i was paying for internet alone)
3) watch it online via their apps (generally free)
4) go without.

I am sort of new junky for business news, but weened myself off it to just the PBS news hour & NBR and now i hardly watch any of it, just check the new apps 1-2x a day for the headlines.

MrsDinero

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Re: Switched to Roku, missing the news
« Reply #25 on: August 20, 2016, 06:12:05 PM »
We have Roku and miss all the news stations too.  On Roku we watch the apps CBSN and SkyNews.  Other than that we get most of our news online.  I use the Flipboard app on my phone daily to scroll through headlines.