this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2026
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421
It's time to dump Roku (www.engadget.com)
submitted 5 days ago by sanitation@lemmy.today to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] ryan_@piefed.social 87 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (6 children)

Instead of a Roku Stick, you could use the Google TV Streamer or Apple TV 4K…..…..Amazon's Fire devices are also an option, but I figure anyone with moral qualms against Fox may have similar issues with anything tied to Jeff Bezos.

I got a kick out of the article recommending Google and Apple like they’re the ethical option against Amazon here. Any sane person with moral qualms against Bezos will have plenty about Google and Apple too, so let’s not pretend that any of them are anything less than evil.

[–] malios@lemmy.world 28 points 5 days ago (12 children)

What suggestions do you have for simple media players that techy people could recommend to their families? It seems like for the most part we're limited to Android-based devices or the Apple TV.

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 23 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (8 children)

It's not there yet. But I'm hoping KDE plasma big screen continues to receive love. If it gets into mainstream distributions. It will likely be big. It's a much more smart TV like shell for the KDE desktop. All the familiarity of your Google TV, Apple tv, fire stick, Roku etc. But none of the advertisements or lockdown. With waydroid it should even be able to run most of your Android applications as well as all the native Linux and KDE applications. But again this is something to watch for. Not quite ready for deployment yet.

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[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 14 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Build a media stick out of something like a pi seems like the only option? I wouldn't want to deal with that though and I'm not aware of anyone selling a plug-n-play ready options like that unfortunately.

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[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I have no idea what anyone in the following comments is talking about and I'm otherwise "techy". I couldn't imagine a non techy person dealing with any of these recommendations. They just want something to work out of the box without lots of obscure configurations and zero support. As soon as they have a problem they are stuck. They aren't going to search through tech websites and special interest groups. I think a lot of folks don't understand how alien any of this is for the vast majority of people.

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

without lots of obscure configurations and zero support. As soon as they have a problem they are stuck.

tbh that's the same with smart TVs. you are on your own even there. maybe your friends can help but they don't have solutions memorized either, if someone is willing to help they'll need to go through the menus just the same as with the brands bought in the shop.

[–] Ithral@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 days ago

Id possibly look at this guy here if you want mostly plug and play: https://osmc.tv/vero/ it might nit be perfect, but probably one of the least bad OOTB options.

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[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 17 points 5 days ago (11 children)

I mean, the Apple TV is doing significantly less sketchy shit, selling your data, and spying on you.

It also doesn’t have Home Screen ads and ads stuffed everywhere.

Of the options, regardless of how you feel about Apple, it’s the only viable commercial tv box.

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[–] KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 days ago

I bought a ROKU TV once. Got it unboxed. Plugged in. It wanted me to register to activate the TV even if I only want to use the HDMI input.

I unplugged it. Put it back in the box. Returned it.

One day they'll shut off the registration system and if you ever factory reset the TV, it will be bricked. Fuck no to that.

[–] Flatfire@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It saddens me, as I liked Roku for being the least ad-ridden option of the bunch. The apps don't advertise to me as I hover over them, and a DNS change renders the single poster-style advert on the screen inert.

I've got a couple Roku devices that realistically I'll continue to use unless I manage to find a hospitality TV or something to replace my TCL with. I'd just use my PS5 if it weren't for the fact Sony won't approve Jellyfin's app

[–] FG_3479@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You should replace the TCL with a Google TV model. They have a basic TV mode which doesn't require Wi-Fi and lets you just use HDMI and antenna inputs.

[–] Flatfire@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'd be trading one smart mess for another, and paying more money to do it. My TV is from 2018, and when it's hit 10 years old maybe I'll think about it. But right now, there's no reason for me to rush out and find something else when I know the Roku can't phone home and Jellyfin works like I want it to. Besides, whether an account is required or not, I wouldn't trust Google any more than Roku/Fox. I don't know what I'll buy next, but I'm not prepared to think about it right now.

[–] FG_3479@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

That was a suggestion for when you do decide to upgrade. Google knows that some people don't want their OS and has explicitly accomodated them unlike Roku.

[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 25 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

That time was long ago. The writing was on the wall as soon as they put a giant perpetual ad on the home screen.

Here's the worst part, there are no parental controls on the home screen, so if I'm trying to get my kid to Disney+, while it loads we're staring at some ad for a horror flick. Great job Roku...

Honestly, the parental controls on the Roku are non-existent and it's definitely on purpose, really pisses me off.

[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 27 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (8 children)

The Fox acquisition was the last straw for me too. I've watched Roku go from a user-friendly streaming device to a front end for an advertising company. A couple of years ago it became so irritating it finally pushed me to implement an Adguard Home DNS sinkhole after years of thinking it wasn't worth the trouble. Roku has also made it difficult to block ads, big gaps are shown in the UI when you do, and some apps can't be updated without disabling Adguard and downloading a bunch of Roku's ads too.

Yesterday I bought an Onn streaming box (Android TV) and it's like going from a abacus to a computer. After a couple of hours configuring, loading a new launcher, and using ADB to debloat I've got an ad-free, clean interface with much of Google's tracking disabled (at least as much as possible). Even better, some things (like the remote's volume control) work that never worked with Roku.

It was such a breath of fresh air I just ordered a couple more ($15 for the 2k model right now) and will have completely dumped Roku by the end of the week.

It's been a long time coming.

[–] GenitalHurricane@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Not seeing anywhere close to $15 for any of their models

[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 days ago

They've upped the price I see to $19.88 in the last hour. The nearby stores are now out too. What prices are you seeing?

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[–] natecox@programming.dev 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

A raspberry pi 4 running libreELEC (which runs Kodi) is a much better investment if you're looking to stay away from evil corpos.

There's a really nice subreddit (which also has a Lemmy community) to teach you how to get content for it.

[–] stringere@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

There's a really nice subreddit (which also has a Lemmy community) to teach you how to get content for it.

If someone wanted to build the streamomg box you mentioned: it would be helpful to provide the names of those communities.

[–] natecox@programming.dev 1 points 18 hours ago

Yaarrr just going to have to find it on your own. It's kinda a black spot for most communities to link there. My friend Davy Jones got in trouble for it once, the rules sailed right over his head. Now I need to go drink some High C.

[–] sol6_vi@lemmy.makearmy.io 16 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Plasma Bigscreen will be here soon keep an eye.

[–] domi@lemmy.secnd.me 5 points 4 days ago

So excited for Bigscreen. Might just finally replace my Kodi setup.

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

As a KDE stan, I am so hyped XD

[–] grue@lemmy.world 16 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Goddamnit. I got my Boomer parents to ditch cable and get a Roku, in part, to keep them away from Fox News.

[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 10 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (6 children)

Move them to a cheap Onn Android TV device. You can configure it with a completely clean interface with no ads at all, and no asshole company's changing the menus constantly once you install an alternate launcher. You can also debloat it like any other Android device and shut off most of the tracking (as much as is possible with Google involved anyway).

I bought my first one yesterday. After configuring it and seeing what a massive improvement it is over Roku I bought a couple more today. 2K ones are on sale for $15 right now.

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[–] SirEDCaLot@lemmy.today 10 points 4 days ago

I like Roku. Their products have so far had the best functionality.

If they go through with their current plans to turn half the home page into an ad, I'm probably gonna try and sell mine (better to drive down the overall market with more supply).

I pay for a number of streaming services, and I pay extra so I don't have my time wasted with ads. I don't want ads in my home. If the device I purchased to bring me ad-free TV is going to itself show me ads, then as far as my needs go it's no longer fit for purpose.

[–] LuxSpark@lemmy.cafe 13 points 5 days ago

Way ahead of you.

[–] Nytefyre@piefed.social 7 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Until the browsers I use axe ad-blocking, it's as simple as a HDMI cable and watching through PC tunneled to TV.

I've given stream sticks an honest try, but they're all abysmal. It feels like I'm caged in an advertisement ecosystem.

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[–] Kandy4me@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago (4 children)

What do we do with existing TVs that have the Roku OS? I imagine alternative FW isn't an easy option since so many different HW brands use Roku

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 13 points 5 days ago

You can reset the tv and set it up without internet. It still works as a “dumb” tv.

[–] kurmudgeon@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago (5 children)

As reddig33 mentioned, reset the TV and don't connect it to the internet. Buy a Google TV or Apple TV device of some kind, set the TV to that HDMI channel and use it instead of what's built-in.

Some recommended options for Google TV devices:

Hope this helps.

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