I hate ROKU TV!

CedarCreekWoody

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2024
Messages
164
Location
Trinidad, Texas
ROKU seems to defy logic to me. When I'm watching an internet program and wish to switch to OTA programing I can't find those channels. If I turn off the wifi, leaving only OTA connected, it trys to make me login to wireless when I select "Live TV". I can't get it to go to live TV. Even powering it off and back on doesn't work. It comes on wanting me to login to wireless. Any suggestions?
 
Throw the Roku TV out. Get a simple smart TV. It's bad enough that Roku uses a badly designed remote, coupled with their TV it will drive you nuts trying to use it.

Not knowing much about the details (but having come across way too many Roku TVs and devices) - be sure you have selected OTA on the TV (however that is done). "Live TC" isn't over the air; it's Roku's TV stations made available via WiFi/Internet. Someplace in the settings you have to connect to antenna or cable and then scan for OTA channels.
 
We have a 43" TCL Smart Roku TV. We watch Dish(HDMI 1), PC (HDMI 2), Netflix (TCL input menu), Prime (TCL input menu), OTA Locals, Smart View (cell phone WIFI), and Roku channels (TCL input menu). Dont have any issues with any of the above either. IMO, our 43" was a fairly inexpensive upgrade over our OEM 36", and having all of its features is nice too. The only thing I dont like is the TV eye in then bottom center which will blink if the TV is not connected to wifi.

We also have a Logitech Harmony Remote 650 that we programed the TCL commands into it (along with dish Vip211k, Furrion DV3300 Reciever, GD Fireplace, Heat Storm IR Wall Heater). All work great.

Do agree, the TCL remotes have some light functuonality. And programming the Harmony remote with the TCL remote takes some finesse. But, we programmed our Harmony and it works great for all programmed devices..
 
I get all those channels as well but I find going back to OTA to be very confusing. No doubt I would enjoy it if I better understood how to operate it. The learning curve has been steep. Lol.
 
I think this was addressed in another thread recently. If you hit the "home" button, select "live TV", you'll naturally look for the stations menu to find what you want to watch. The trick is that the menu always starts with the streaming channels (don't ask me why). But if you scroll up instead of down, you'll find all the over the air channels listed. Scroll up till you see the title for that section, then you'll know you are at the beginning of the list. So, basically Roku assumes you want to stream channels rather than watch over the air so they put all the over the air channels at the end of the list; again, which you can quickly find by scrolling up rather than down to the end. Hope that helps.
 
Thanks Riverbug. I know it's all there, it's just very awkward to find things. Hence the reason I hate it.
I'm following Traveldawgs suggestion. I have a Fire TV on order. Anyone need a 40 inch ROKU? Cheap!
 
ROKU seems to defy logic to me. When I'm watching an internet program and wish to switch to OTA programing I can't find those channels. If I turn off the wifi, leaving only OTA connected, it trys to make me login to wireless when I select "Live TV". I can't get it to go to live TV. Even powering it off and back on doesn't work. It comes on wanting me to login to wireless. Any suggestions?
Agreed! I got rid of the TCL and put in a Vizio for my own sanity.
 
Have you tried the Roku app? I like it because I can use my Bluetooth headphones with it keeping the DW happy. But I discovered that when you hit the guide button there in the app, the OTA channels come right up.
 
Have you tried the Roku app? I like it because I can use my Bluetooth headphones with it keeping the DW happy. But I discovered that when you hit the guide button there in the app, the OTA channels come right up.
That’s good to know. Very clunky finding the OTA channels. Never considered it. I noticed the TCL tv doesn’t support BT headphones. Just bt speakers. Mine don’t anyway. Do the headphones connect to the phone and run the audio through that.

On that same note, it sure would be nice if the volume on the remote would control the optical volume to the RF speakers.
 
That’s good to know. Very clunky finding the OTA channels. Never considered it. I noticed the TCL tv doesn’t support BT headphones. Just bt speakers. Mine don’t anyway. Do the headphones connect to the phone and run the audio through that.

On that same note, it sure would be nice if the volume on the remote would control the optical volume to the RF speakers.
Yes, the Bluetooth headphones connect to the phone, there's a little headphone icon in the Roku app, and when selected all sound goes through the headphones. And yes, the app controls the sound output as well, I don't use optical but it works for the Arc connection.
 
We did the update that came across the Roku TV when we turned it on. After the update we lost the cable icon and a LiveTV icon appeared. After selecting the Live TV icon we get no OTA or cable channels when we scan as they did before. Tried again once back at our house were we can get multiple OTA channels before the update. The second TV is a small Insignia for the bedroom and it works perfectly finding OTA/Cable stations. Both did work with the fire stick but hate to only have this as an only option. Looks like we a TV shopping when the next trip comes up.

Dutchman2
 
We did the update that came across the Roku TV when we turned it on. After the update we lost the cable icon and a LiveTV icon appeared. After selecting the Live TV icon we get no OTA or cable channels when we scan as they did before. Tried again once back at our house were we can get multiple OTA channels before the update. The second TV is a small Insignia for the bedroom and it works perfectly finding OTA/Cable stations. Both did work with the fire stick but hate to only have this as an only option. Looks like we a TV shopping when the next trip comes up.

Dutchman2
Yeah, the update wasn't kind to the user experience. I'm betting Roku makes a lot more from the streaming channels than OTA. Try the app, it worked for me to get access to the OTA channels.
 
Yeah the TCL Roku remote and system is a challenge.. I fixed our Roku TV with our Directv box and remote. LOL I use the TV as a monitor for the Directv box. The remote controls the TV (on , off) the Bose sound bar and Directv box.. If we are in one location for a few days or longer I setup the dish.
 
I completed my upgrade from ROKU to a Fire TV today. I offered my son a free 40 inch tv. He was glad to accept until he realized it was a ROKU. He shares my dislike for the user interface. Lol
 
Whenever I start blaming technology I start with the person in the mirror. Just because I think it should work a certain way is a terrible place to start. Wipe your hard drive in your head clean. Relearn how the system works by reading the manual. Once that software is loaded in my head, most items start to work properly. It's not Roku, it you. Sorry, but someone has to say it.

I dislike how software engineers design things sometimes, but until they ask me, I have to accept that I have to adapt to their ideas.

Or buy a new TV.
 
Whenever I start blaming technology I start with the person in the mirror. Just because I think it should work a certain way is a terrible place to start. Wipe your hard drive in your head clean. Relearn how the system works by reading the manual. Once that software is loaded in my head, most items start to work properly. It's not Roku, it you. Sorry, but someone has to say it.

I dislike how software engineers design things sometimes, but until they ask me, I have to accept that I have to adapt to their ideas.

Or buy a new TV.
Re-read my post number 7. I said exactly that, that it works perfectly, I just hate it. So someone did say it; me.
And I did buy a new TV. Sorry, but someone has to say it - did you even read the thread? Just saying...
 
Yeah, the update wasn't kind to the user experience. I'm betting Roku makes a lot more from the streaming channels than OTA. Try the app, it worked for me to get access to the OTA channels.
I like the app - has more features than the TCL remote and I can listen via noise cancelling headphones and the app has voice activation. Have two TCLs at home, another in the RV along with an Insignia in the bedroom (which I have yet to get any picture on unless I plug in a Firestick). Not the best quality for watching live sports but I'm used to it having played around with it at home for years. Caveat, rarely watch live TV - mostly off my DLNA servers but I do like the old stuff on the Roku channels. Biggest frustration in the RV is IR receiver is at the bottom of the TV and have to hold the remote up higher than the counter to get it to work.
 
I like the app - has more features than the TCL remote and I can listen via noise cancelling headphones and the app has voice activation. Have two TCLs at home, another in the RV along with an Insignia in the bedroom (which I have yet to get any picture on unless I plug in a Firestick). Not the best quality for watching live sports but I'm used to it having played around with it at home for years. Caveat, rarely watch live TV - mostly off my DLNA servers but I do like the old stuff on the Roku channels. Biggest frustration in the RV is IR receiver is at the bottom of the TV and have to hold the remote up higher than the counter to get it to work.
I have no doubt it is a good interface when you are familiar with it. I have a fire tv at home so I am most familiar with that.
 

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