Roku Unveils Redesigned Home Screen

[trip1ex]

They have Beta forced it on all our Rokus over the last few months, and we have turned it OFF with a 1 star feedback because it is so obnoxious.

I regret owning Roku devices, after preferring them for years. roku:

-constantly add garbage to the home screen that you have to opt out of
-take over your theme with their sponsored themes
-throw 1/3 screen splash advertisements for R-rated content on the home screen

This means that on our kids tvs with parental controls turned on, you see advertisements for serial killer shows because Roku doesn’t give an F.

Seemed fine to me. No complaints. But I really only use it when on the treadmill. My other TVs have ATVs.

 

[Mattlcook]

I've had an Apple TV for years but am considering switching to a Roku or Google box.

The TV app is no longer content agnostic like it used to be when they first rolled it out. It used to be a hub for all of your services and curate recommendations from all of them.

Now the TV app is just an ATV+ circle jerk. I don't subscribe to Apple TV+ and am not interested, but the top 80% of the screen is nothing but banner ads for Apple TV shows.

I'm pretty sick of it to be honest and I would like to use a device that offers a more neutral "content hub".

OMG this! Apple TV+ content is pretty good really, but hijacking the TV app has gotten way out of hand. You have to scroll down like 10 rows to see any recommendations that are not just Apple TV+ promotions. I like the “continue watching” integration (without Netflix obviously) but everything else on screen I get no value from. It’s such a shame considering the original promise of the streaming box. The performance is great and the UI is clean. And no external ads is great, but it’s fair to say the thing is 90% Apple ads.

 

[HBX]

A Pi-hole is a good way to get rid of all the ads on Rokus. That’s what I’ve been using for years.

Same, I use AdGuard Home tho, literally no ads and gets rid of that large gap on the right hand side...

 

[QuarterSwede]

I've had an Apple TV for years but am considering switching to a Roku or Google box.

The TV app is no longer content agnostic like it used to be when they first rolled it out. It used to be a hub for all of your services and curate recommendations from all of them.

Now the TV app is just an ATV+ circle jerk. I don't subscribe to Apple TV+ and am not interested, but the top 80% of the screen is nothing but banner ads for Apple TV shows.

I'm pretty sick of it to be honest and I would like to use a device that offers a more neutral "content hub".

I just use the Top Shelf functionality 99% of the time to continue watching and almost never go into the ATV app itself. Apple TV is still worlds better than Roku or Google TV, those are just ad fests all over the UI.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

I just use the Top Shelf functionality 99% of the time to continue watching and almost never go into the ATV app itself. Apple TV is still worlds better than Roku or Google TV, those are just ad fests all over the UI.

Apple TV is defo miles ahead of Roku. I rarely use Apple TV app. I use whatever app I am streaming from like Disney plus, BBC iPlayer, Crunchyroll etc.

Only time I ever go to Apple TV if I rarely get their subscription like from buying new device or something, or watch Apple event like WWDC.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

Oops, all ads!

 

[Joooeforlong]

OMG this! Apple TV+ content is pretty good really, but hijacking the TV app has gotten way out of hand. You have to scroll down like 10 rows to see any recommendations that are not just Apple TV+ promotions. I like the “continue watching” integration (without Netflix obviously) but everything else on screen I get no value from. It’s such a shame considering the original promise of the streaming box. The performance is great and the UI is clean. And no external ads is great, but it’s fair to say the thing is 90% Apple ads.

Dude, THANK YOU! I swear to god I feel like I'm taking crazy pills with all the "Apple TV doesn't have ads" Stans lol.

I guess I'm in the minority where I don't always know what I want to watch or what service I want to use, and would actually really enjoy a curated "For You" hub that isn't JUST Apple TV+ and Peacock.

Not to mention if you aren't a subscriber they really go for the jugular with "RENEW NOW" banners.