# We will, we will Roku **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676 "2013-10-08T13:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/1 "2013-10-08T13:22:12Z")
Not sure whether this belongs more in CS or Games, but after a hilarious evening exploring the fringes of channels available on Roku, I thought I’d throw it out as a group event. If you haven’t played with a Roku (yours or someone else’s) lately, you may not believe the number of channels available… nearly all of which are created using online tools by people who should not be allowed a pocket calculator. It appears to be easier to start a Roku channel than a YouTube channel, and the sheer lunacy and ineptitude will have you in spasms before too many selections. The only drawback is that you have to “add” each of these channels to see more than a 20-word preview, which takes time. (And then you have to remove the channel, which you most assuredly will.) So I propose making it a group effort: Find a particularly juicy Roku channel and add your thumbnail review to this list. You can concentrate on the wingnuts, the stoners, the animal people, the UFOnuts or the utterly inexplicable ones that don’t fall into one of those categories. Be sure to critique the technical ability of the producer as well as giving points for lack of originality, dullness, graphic [del]disaster[/del] design and relevance to anything in the real world. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/2 "2013-10-08T13:26:41Z")
First up has to be DOGtv. Yes, it’s a channel for… your dog. A… **pay channel** for… your dog. Production values are actually high, but it’s for… your dog. Not to be missed is the deeply sincere tutorial on how to watch DOGtv with… your dog, and how to engage… your dog in the programming. (Don’t expect… your dog to watch continuously like we do.) For anyone not fully informed on how to watch DOGtv and get… your dog to enjoy it, there is an online manual. One of the few expensive pay channels on the box. $9.99/month. (Addendum to OP: Be sure to note whether the channel is free, ad-driven or pay.) ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/3 "2013-10-09T13:03:49Z")
I am pondering the purchase of PlayOn and/or a Roku box, so I will be following this thread with interest… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/4 "2013-10-09T13:32:51Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > I am pondering the purchase of PlayOn and/or a Roku box, so I will be following this thread with interest… The fact that Roku has opened their “channel list” to all comers doesn’t devalue the major options like Netflix, Vudu, NASA etc. Today’s review: **Chucky Talks To God**. I have NO idea what the point of this channel is. It’s a series of semi-animated comic strips in which “Chucky,” who looks like a pasty version of Calvin, has utterly banal exchanges with an off-panel voice of God. It’s not particularly religious, it’s not particularly interesting or insightful and it’s not in any way amusing. Like so many of the “look, ma, no hands!” channels, I have trouble trying to imagine what the [del]perpetrator[/del] producer is thinking. And even for a fictional construct, that’s not what I imagine God to sound like. Frankly, “Chucky” sounds more godlike than the bored-dad God voice. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/5 "2013-10-09T13:50:56Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > I am pondering the purchase of PlayOn and/or a Roku box, so I will be following this thread with interest… I love my Playon. My decision was based on this: I have a crapload of media that I’ve ripped from DVD/CDs, etc. that I wanted to stream. I didn’t care much about channels. For me, Roku just kicks ass on channels. You can get some on PlayOn, but not 1/50th of what you can get for Roku. BUT–if you want to stream your own media, PlayOn is far better. So–it just depends on your needs. PS–If you want to follow up on the Roku/PlayOn thing, we might want to move to a new thread so we don’t hijack this. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/6 "2013-10-09T14:11:14Z")
True. ---
**Author:** ![Rattlehead02](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rattlehead02/32/3944_2.png) [@Rattlehead02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rattlehead02)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/7 "2013-10-09T15:44:47Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I love my Playon. My decision was based on this: I have a crapload of media that I’ve ripped from DVD/CDs, etc. that I wanted to stream. I didn’t care much about channels. For me, Roku just kicks ass on channels. You can get some on PlayOn, but not 1/50th of what you can get for Roku. BUT–if you want to stream your own media, PlayOn is far better. > > So–it just depends on your needs. > > PS–If you want to follow up on the Roku/PlayOn thing, we might want to move to a new thread so we don’t hijack this. With Plex Media Server on your PC and the Plex channel on Roku you can easily stream content from PC to Roku. Plex is pretty easy to set up, and the server and Roku channel are free. I highly recommend it. Even over XMBC, which I like a lot, but it’s not quite a refined as Plex for my tastes. My biggest gripe with Plex is that fast forwarding a rewinding videos isn’t nearly as nice as Netflix or Amazon. Plus it only shows minutes, not seconds, making it hard to jump just 30 seconds or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/8 "2013-10-09T15:47:33Z")
> [@Rattlehead02](#): > > With Plex Media Server on your PC and the Plex channel on Roku you can easily stream content from PC to Roku. Plex is pretty easy to set up, and the server and Roku channel are free. I highly recommend it. Even over XMBC, which I like a lot, but it’s not quite a refined as Plex for my tastes. > > My biggest gripe with Plex is that fast forwarding a rewinding videos isn’t nearly as nice as Netflix or Amazon. Plus it only shows minutes, not seconds, making it hard to jump just 30 seconds or whatever. This sounds really cool…I’m going to try and set it up tonight…I have a bunch on concert footage I’d love to see on my TV, and if I can do it through my Roku, then I’m a happy man! ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/9 "2013-10-09T16:44:31Z")
Started my thread : > **[Media Streaming and Digital Channels](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=704360)** > > Based on discussions in another thread, I am opening this one. I have long been eyeballing the possibilities of something to 1.) stream content from my computer to my television and 2.) stream digitally-delivered, web-accessible content channels to... ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/10 "2013-10-10T21:44:19Z")
> [@](#): > > We will, we will Roku You don’t seriously pronounce Roku “rock you” do you? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/11 "2013-10-10T22:07:23Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > You don’t seriously pronounce Roku “rock you” do you? :dubious: Run! RUN! It’s the Anti-Humor Police! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/12 "2013-10-10T22:18:21Z")
I think it’s the best thread title I’ve seen in months. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/13 "2013-10-11T00:09:58Z")
[I use Playon’s free app/channel called Mymedia.](http://www.playon.tv/mymedia) It allows me to play everything, and I mean all video codecs, directly to my TV through the Roku. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/14 "2013-10-11T00:27:06Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Run! RUN! It’s the Anti-Humor Police! If policing anti-humor is a crime, well then lock me up… Wait… if I’m the police then you have to call internal affairs, right? Damn you just gave me a headache… :p:p:p:p:p:p:D:p:p:p:p:p ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-we-will-roku/670676/15 "2013-10-11T00:32:53Z")
I will confess that the household pronunciation is “rock-you,” but it’s a deliberate in-joke that would take forever to explain. Everyone knows the company name is “roh-koo.”