They’re working hard to make sure piracy provides the best experience.
It’s approaching 1984 levels of BS control.
Sorry to inform you, but we are already in the Brave New World.
I seem to be lacking in Soma and orgies.
Ah crap. That means I’m an Epsilon.
Ugh I wanna be in Brand New Animal
This is already my experience but still use a Roku to access Plex. Looks like I’ll need to get something else or figure out if i can block them with Ad Guard Home
I use pi hole and the experience is not entirely smooth. I don’t know if anyone else has experienced this but my pi hole blocks ads but every few weeks Roku has an update and it locks up the entire operating system and I’m stuck in a loop of trying to get my update so I can return to normal. I for the hell of it disabled pi hole for 5 minutes and it wound up working but not until I dropped pi hole. So it’s as if it every so often decides to hold the operating system hostage if I don’t drop pi hole for updates. Makes me think they likely get all the telemetry they are trying to collect for selling data. I like not watching ads 90 percent of the time but it pisses me off that they are likely still spying on me by forcing me to communicate with their servers every now and then.
Interesting, I use PiHole as well and have no issues with any of my Roku devices. I wonder if you have more restrictive blocking or some particular rule that I don’t. What lists are you using in PiHole?
I can’t recall having that issue but I stopped using pi-hole because it was blocking certain functionalities on some websites. It required a more hands on approach than I wanted to dedicate at the time.
Not a surprise for Roku. The company has been getting progressively worse in the last few years and their enshittification is accelerating. Their recent forced download of an update that requires users to agree to arbitration to even use our TVs was intended to ultimately take control of those TVs completely away from the people who own them.
Right now it’s possible to block Roku’s static ads and presumably the autoplaying ones using a local DNS server like Adblock Home or Pihole, but it’s only a matter of time before Roku blocks everything unless we watch the ads they are trying force down our throats. I’m already in the process of obsoleting all 5 of our Roku devices.
It has taken Roku years to build up enough market share to allow this kind of behavior and it will take years for the market to abandon them. Their executives will claim ignorance as to why users are walking away when it finally hits their bottom line.
Roku is bad, I have one older Roku ““smart”” tv that I just block from accessing the internet entirely, and use a shield with a custom launcher instead.
Oh please do tell more
So, I use regex to block all Roku domains on my network via pihole:
(ads|logs|cloudservices|image|images|web|prod.mobile|wwwimg|captive|customer-feedbacks|amoeba|amoeba2|sr|giga.sb|cs).roku(.admeasurement)*.com$Then, possibly overkill due to the above, I used OpnSense firewall rules to block all traffic from my Roku tv. I think I just got fed up with seeing Roku spam in my pihole, as the above regex seems to completely “break” Roku.
After that, I set up FLauncher (following the method #2 instructions on the gitlab page) on my shield. This makes it so I only see the Roku launcher for a few seconds while the shield starts up, and then I’m dropped straight into flauncher. I chose flauncher because it’s very simple and barebones, so you might want to explore other options if you want more advanced features. I don’t really need those features since I’m usually using an app anyway.
Note that I did all of that after the tv was configured and set up, YMMV if it’s a brand new tv as it may need to call home to do the initial set up.
Shoutout to the PiHole team!
Why is your Roku TV even on the Wi-Fi if you just block its internet?
They have models that blink the large white LED light until it’s connected to WiFi. Annoying as hell.
Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that - mine does do this, and the LED is right in the bottom middle, and it’s super bright.
Sounds like a job for some black tape.
It probably doesn’t need to be - but it was required to set up. Before I had my shield, I allowed local connections for local streaming, but you are correct, it’s probably no longer necessary.
Had no idea FLauncher existed. Thank you so much
Depending on the model there’s also a dev menu that disables some phoning home/connectivity shit
Thanks! I have nothing brand new as I am le poor :)
Is there any point in getting anything above the bottom tier Shield? Just trying to use it to replace my chromecast/stream tv and youtube
Get an AppleTV.
Lemmy especially sleeps on the Apple TV more than most communities. It’s a solid box that has no ads and no privacy issues. Plex, Jellyfin, etc… all installable. With apples track record on previous versions of the Apple TV, software updates and support for about a decade
I assume being Apple that it’s not possible to sideload apps not supported on the app store? In particular I’d like to use some kind of a SmartTube or other youtube app that is ad free
You can use sideloadly but IIRC you need a Mac for it to work. My YouTube workflow is a YouTube-dl wrapper that pipes into jellyfin for the small handful of things I still watch from YT, so I’m less familiar with live YouTube interfaces to know which ones are out there.
Ahahahaha that’s awesome
That is correct.
But which do you want? Privacy or convenience? No one makes a streaming device that does both.
I have been using an onn 4k streaming box, which runs Google TV. They’re $20. It’s pretty easy to disable the default launcher and have it boot to Flauncher. Then you can side load smart tube for an ad free YouTube experience asking with Plex, stremio, or whatever else you want to stream.
I’ve got a couple of those that I bought shortly after the LTT video, but I’m still using my Roku because I still haven’t gotten around to jailbreaking and configuring them.
Do it. It’s very easy, and then you can ditch the Roku. There’s even an ADB app you can load to remove unwanted apps on-device.
Nvidia has destroyed the stock Shield TV experience with ads, but it’s easy to install custom launchers like Projectivy. The underlying system is still a privacy nightmare, but I don’t care that Nvidia knows what TV shows I watch.
I mean, I do care, just not enough to use something like Kodi as my primary TV interface. Maybe if I used any ad supported services I’d feel differently, but I don’t, so meh.
Im literally willing to ditch the device and cancel all streaming services because of this. When I turn on my TV I don’t want to be forced to consume ads when I haven’t been provided with anything in return.
I just block all ads at the router level. When looking through the most blocked domains I see a lot from Roku.
Im not very computer savvy and currently only have a tablet and a mac mini from 2008.
If you’re not tech savy, how do you row row row your bot???
Gently down the byte stream
How do you do that?
Install ad block if you have a GL.iNet router or pihole
Get an Nvidia Shield Pro and disconnect your TV from the internet.
When was the last time they even refreshed the hardware? Kinda hard to justify a $200 streaming box that runs Google services on 6 year old mobile hardware.
About 10 years old actually. It’s the TI-83 of streaming boxes at this point: an absolute fucking rip-off. Pretty on-brand for Nvidia though.
Yeah it’s got about the same specs as a $30 Amazon tablet and you’d now be relying on the largest ad company in the world (Google) instead of Roku, so it does seem like a total ripoff at $200
Blame the rest of the market for being shit - Shield pro is still the best box on the market for streaming HD video with HD audio.
My tv is dumb. The roku is the device that connects to the internet.
Or spend less money and get a brand new Apple TV 4K
Does your Apple TV stream Atmos? TrueHD? I don’t think so…
The Apple TV 4K does do atmos and has since 2018.
You are correct about TrueHD. In order to get it with Apple tv you have to be using a tv and audio equipment that supports eARC but even then it’s a raw PCM stream which is technically different.
As the average consumer waits 6-8 years to buy a new TV at least half of the people reading this probably still don’t have eARC as it was only common in the highest end of tvs back then. But that probably also means their tv or audio equipment wouldn’t be capable of TrueHD anyway.
For anyone reading this, don’t spend $200 on a set top box with capabilities your TV can’t handle. Save money on the box and upgrade your other equipment sooner.
Can i pleace find a decent TV without smart-capabilitys? I just want HDMI thats it
Don’t give your TV wifi access, use a separate device to watch stuff (Chromecast, FireTV, Android box, etc…)
Wish it had more apps, but Apple TV is pretty solid. With the Steam link app, it’s also good for couch gaming on your pc.
We use Moonlight instead of Steam Link. It requires a little more setting up at the PC end, but overall seems to be a more smooth result.
Witch brands have moonlight available natively? I think I remember Samsung. Anything else? LG doesn’t…
Anything that runs android, but still, just get an old laptop with a broken screen and duct tape it to the back of the screen
Can we install stuff outside of the play store? Like NewPipe?
I can only speak for Apple TV, I’m afraid.
I’ll take a look, but I haven’t noticed any performance issues with Steam link.
Moonlight blows steam out of the water. I can’t even tell I’m streaming when I use it.
Can you give me some examples for what’s really all that noticeable?
I just dock my steam deck
Yeah, that was my approach, but the forced ads are also on the roku stick :(
Is there anything that’s a better alternative?
Some people have mentioned apple TV, for now that at least isn’t riddled with ads. Others have mentioned getting android sticks, but I’m not sure how smooth that process is (or how well they work with remotes).
I’m looking into alternatives. So far Kodi is the front runner for my use. I have not decided on whether to replace roku units with raspberri pi running kodi or try the jailbreaking roku route.
Yeah about time for me to switch to something else :/
Technically you can get commercial TVs but many companies stopped selling them. They are literally the new screen tech with no “Smart” capabilities. They are also much cheaper than their smart counterparts.
Buy a commercial signage display. It’s just a TV without the smart garbage.
Or, get a projector :)
I’ve had luck with just not giving a smart TV my wifi password.
I’m looking to upgrade the living room TV soon, and this is what I plan to do.
I have heard though that some TVs insist on an Internet connection, so do your research and/or be sure there is a good return policy.
That’s what I do
Commercial displays
I must not be looking at the right thing. All I’m finding are expensive displays that have all this fancy scheduling, web surfing, etc. built into it.
Try this brand https://www.sceptre.com/
Are they actually any good though? I was looking at a 1440p Sceptre monitor for my PC, and a lot of reviews mentioned huge bezels, dead pixels, and other issues…
LG and samdung make commercial displays, as well as monitors (no speakers or tv tuners generally)
Cheap computer monitor works well for me.
Just a heads up that the Smart Cancer has already begun infecting PC monitors. Samsung makes Smart Monitors.
It won’t be long before there are no longer Dumb Monitors.
A Sharp Aquos TV from the late 2000s, pre-Hisense days. We have a 42" model from ~2007. It’s only 1080p (which is honestly just fine for its size and our usage), but there’s plenty of I/O for modern and legacy equipment, and lots of configuration options. It is an absolute monster at 75 lbs, but an incredibly high quality unit nonetheless, especially considering it’s age. I’ve owned it since 2019 and it’s needed zero repairs or anything.
For comparison, we also have a much newer 55" curved Samsung TV (in our basement, wall-mounted up high) which has already needed a backlight driver board replacement. Luckily that was only $50, but still, I expect better.
the largest problem with older TV’s isnt the resolution. even on my 75" its hard to tell the difference between 4k and 1080p… But HDR is amazing, it really blows me away each time a scene lights up!
That’s a fair point. HDR is quite nice, I use it a lot on my Pixel. The TV I mentioned does have dynamic brightness, but that’s over the whole TV, not really equivalent to HDR.
A buddy sent me this recently. I’m intrigues. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=46513
For years I was a big fan of Roku. It represented a better value alternative from the big corporations pushing their own agenda like Google, Apple, Samsung, and Amazon. They made products that were intuitive and user oriented and carved out a very nice and stable market share for themselves because of it. Now they’re just leveraging their hardware relationships to transform the software into something terrible.
I used to look for tvs with Roku built in. Now I’ve disabled Roku features from my smart TVS and use a separate streaming device.
How did you disable the Roku OS?
I think it depends on the model, but there should be something in the power settings to change the startup device. I did a factory reset first to clear any network settings or user data, skipped the setup, and set it to startup on the HDMI input.
I think the issue is they hit market saturation and haven’t been able to develop any real revenue streams beyond the sale of devices (which is one time cost while maintenance and development constantly drain them of any profit).
I suspect the increased enshitification is because they need other revenue streams. Just take a look at their stock price and it doesn’t paint a great picture for them.
Shit. I got a Roku TV. That’s one big fucking stick to toss.
Shall I introduce you to the folks over at [email protected]?
We’re pretty neat I like to think
Step 1. Factory reset.
Step 2. Do not allow it to connect to the Internet.
Step 3. Connect a Linux based computer to it and run everything through the computer.
Instructions unclear. TV now controlled by Nicole the fediverse chick.
You can trust her. She’s from Toronto!
You been getting that noise too?
Seems like everyone’s been getting that noise lately. I’m on my third.
This method will not work on all Roku tvs, some Roku TV brands require you to phone home to activate the TV before you can use it for the first time. Which requires you to not only connect to the internet but also log into a Roku account on it. It’s stupid.
That would instantly result in the TV being returned to the store I purchased it from.
I bought a Samsung TV that wouldn’t let me change the input until I connected it to the internet, I returned that crap within the hour.
Eh, I just started connecting cheap ($30 or so) used Apple TVs to mine. I saw the writing on the wall.
Don’t connect your Roku to the internet.
Or better yet, use a Pi-Hole or something similar to block the relevant adservers at the DNS level.
I wouldn’t say this is “better”
I do run a pihole, but I still will never connect my roku to the internet. It is much better to have a media PC or other streaming device I have control of fully connected.
True, but most people are buying off-the-shelf stuff and they don’t have their own localized piracy-enabled libraries with a Jellyfin server.
Further, I’m pretty sure you’ve got to connect your Roku at least once to install player apps like Jellyfin. But maybe you don’t, I’m not at all familiar with if you can sideload on a Roku.
There is actually a way to sideload apps without internet. I did it once and forgot the details
For any streaming, Netflix, YouTube, or anything I would always use a computer. Not some awful app on a slow device. No screen of mine needs to be anything besides a screen.
Amen. I run a PiHole, and also just use lil computers on all of my screens and download anything I watch and put it on a lil server they all can stream from! No ads, best quality!
Would you happen to know of any guides or have advice on identifying the adservers to block?
I’ve always just done it manually by viewing the Pi-Hole logs for the device I am on while the ad is loading. It takes getting into the weeds a bit.
Further, I don’t have a Roku so I’ve never looked into it myself.
That being said, a quick search brought up this hosts file:
https://gist.github.com/sidward35/cea28bedd0ec0b1bceec8c2b22c163c4
Adlist for Pi-hole with domains for Roku, LG, and Samsung
Not sure if it’s current or not. Lots of threads about Roku ads making it through after being previously blocked.
Appreciate the reply and link regardless! It’s always whack-an-ad with these intrusive jerks.
That’s not better, you didn’t allow any smart TV to connect to the internet.
Don’t connect your Roku to the internet.
I thought that Roku was some kind of streaming service to a device. Doesn’t that need to be Internet-connected to function?
kagis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku
Ah. Apparently that’s what they originally did, but they’ve also subsequently come out with smart TVs, which I assume can operate without an Internet connection.
Roku started as a streaming media box. You paid them money, they gave you a box that could play Netflix and Youtube. It was a simple transaction. Unfortunately, at some point they decided to start selling/giving their OS to TV manufacturers. This was actually nice at the start. You got a smart TV who’s “Smarts” were designed by competent people. A revolution at the time. But the drive to drop prices lower and lower meant that there was no margin on the TV, which means Roku had to investigate other ways of making their revenue, AKA Ads and selling data.
Of course, the stand alone box probably would have went that way anyways, but at least with selling a dedicated box, there is a clear financial benefit without the need to get invasive.
Almost downvoted instinctually as a reaction to the headline. Visceral reaction. I hate this beyond belief.
This is why I disconnected my parents Roku tv from the internet last year, when they started to get updates that wouldn’t download, and freeze the whole tv, i said enough is enough
Roku had the best smart tv ui. I was seriously bummed when the ads started rolling in a few years ago.
I want an open source streaming client, but from what I hear DRM gets in the way of that.
I’ve much preferred Google TV for some time now. The recommendations and live free tv options are essentially built into the UI. Although I do use the Roku app as one of my free streaming options lol.
Looking around Roku’s site, I found this email address: [email protected]
I’m planning on giving them a brief but firm “oh hell no” letter. I wonder how many others will do the same 🤔
I emailed them to let them know I cancelled Disney+ and cited this specific ad and advertisement campaign through Roku as to why I cancelled the service.
Let’s make the companies who advertise this way feel pain.
They just did this to me. How can I tell them they failed this test?
If it has a video input, hook up a used PC, and pirate everything. (:
this is the worst, next they’re gonna put ads on cars
Have I got horrible news for you
@surph_ninja urgh
Stellantis is already doing this on new cars in the US. (Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Maserati, FiAT, etc) Soon as you press the brakes and come to a stop ads play on your infotainment system. Have the car in park? Yep more ads.
Bro they already tried charging you monthly sub for unlocking seat heating functionality… if they are not already here, you can bet they are coming.
You know I only ever get more glad that I didn’t learn to drive and went with cycling instead. It started due to not being able to afford it, now I won’t own their shit and I will be happy.
Just wait, they will find a way to make biking just as shitty
How? There are no electronics in the first place.
I’m sure “smart bikes” will come soon
If this happens on my box I’ll be taking them to small claims court and let you all know how it goes…
Just a heads up that you probably “agreed” to binding arbitration…
