A pair weeks in the past, a reader requested me about the very best streaming TV setup for a 90-year-old neighbor who isn’t tech-savvy.
My thoughts instantly jumped to Roku, whose good TVs and streaming gamers have at all times emphasised simplicity. But I additionally know that Roku’s streaming platform has change into extra sophisticated in recent times, and its once-basic menu system isn’t what it was.
While I’d nonetheless advocate Roku to somebody who’s on the decrease finish of the tech studying curve, our neighbor on this state of affairs would profit from some out-of-the-box settings tweaks. Whether you’re organising a Roku for your self of another person, right here’s how one can make the streamer as straightforward to make use of as doable:
Remove any cost strategies on file with Roku
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Roku is now requiring new customers to place a cost technique on file throughout setup. Many streaming providers will use this cost technique to hurry up the subscription course of, and the checkout stream is so frictionless that one might simply find yourself with sudden fees.
My recommendation: Once you’re completed with setup, instantly head to my.roku.com/payment/account in an internet browser, hit the “…” button subsequent to the cost technique, then hit “Remove.” The gadget will nonetheless work simply tremendous, however with out the opportunity of undesirable subscriptions by Roku.
If you do need to maintain a cost technique on file, think about setting up a limited-use virtual card with spending limits to keep away from any billing surprises.
Jared Newman / Foundry
While finishing the setup in your cellphone or laptop, Roku additionally tries to load up your gadget with additional apps and free trials (which is able to auto-bill the aforementioned cost technique on the finish). If you’re setting this Roku up for another person, simply skip all these gives and add the precise apps you need outdoors of the setup course of. There are often better ways to get free trials and discounts anyway.
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Get off Roku’s mailing listing
After creating an account, Roku will instantly begin pelting you with promotional emails. There’s no solution to choose out as a part of the setup course of, so take the chance to unsubscribe whereas it’s recent in your thoughts. Locate the welcome e-mail Roku sends at sign-up, scroll to the underside, and click on the unsubscribe button.
While you’re at it, head to my.roku.com/account/email in an internet browser and uncheck the “Emails with product tips, the latest releases, hot new channels, and customer exclusive discounts” field as properly.
Remove pointless apps
Jared Newman / Foundry
Even if you choose nothing through the setup course of, your Roku will nonetheless embody some pre-installed apps, similar to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and Apple TV. Roku additionally promotes its personal providers on the house web page, together with the Roku Channel, a Kids and Family hub, the reside TV information, and the recently acquired Frndly TV.
We’re holding issues easy right here, so eliminate any dwelling display tiles that the person isn’t more likely to want. To delete an app on Roku, hit the distant’s * button, then hit “Remove app.”
(Personally, I’d counsel holding the free Roku Channel and reside TV information, that are strong sources of free content material.)
Be cautious with Prime Video
Amazon’s Prime Video app comes pre-installed on Roku, and it’s a worthwhile supply of content material for Prime subscribers. The app has its personal subscription and rental market in-built, nonetheless, that are tied to the person’s Prime cost technique. Like Roku’s personal billing system, it’s an sadly frictionless solution to wind up with a bunch of undesirable subscription fees.
That doesn’t imply it is advisable delete the Prime Video app, however speak it over with the individual for whom you’re setting the gadget up, and ensure they perceive about the way it can invoice them with out their needing to enter any new cost particulars.
Jared Newman / Foundry
Roku’s once-simple navigation menu now has 9 submenus as of this writing, a few of which might be redundant. You don’t want a “Live TV” facet menu, as an illustration, when there’s additionally a “Live TV Guide” button on the primary dwelling display.
Head to Settings > Home Screen > Menu Items, and also you’ll have the choice to cover the Live TV, What to Watch, Featured Free, Daily Trivia, and Sports menus. I counsel hiding most of them, besides Featured Free and possibly Daily Trivia, if the individual you’re setting it up for is into quiz video games.
Hide the house web page suggestions
Jared Newman / Foundry
Roku additionally now provides a row of content material tiles to what was simply an app grid. These are promotional in nature and never all that useful, so disguise them by heading to Settings > Home Screen > Recommendation rows.
Note that this setting will even disguise the genre-based menus that Roku lately added to its dwelling display. These are a bit extra useful than Roku’s “Top Picks for You” tiles, however you possibly can’t eliminate one with out the opposite, they usually do result in a extra cluttered menu total.
Keep the app icons giant
Roku now helps smaller app icons on the house display, letting you match 4 of them in every row as a substitute of three. This might be useful in case you’re utilizing a variety of apps, however sticking with bigger icons makes extra sense for our simplified setup.
A newly put in Roku ought to use giant icons by default, but when that ever adjustments, otherwise you’re repurposing an previous Roku that’s been arrange with small tiles already, you possibly can head to Settings > Home Screen > Tile Size and set them to “Larger.”
Set up voice management apps
Jared Newman / Foundry
Roku units might be nice for taking part in music and podcasts, particularly on fashions with voice management constructed into the distant. Instead of needing to navigate by the app, you possibly can simply say issues like “play classical guitar.”
To make this work as easily as doable, head to my.roku.com/account/voice and select the music, radio, and podcast apps to play by default. (You may select a information app to make use of with a “play the news” voice command.) Note that for these apps to work, they’ll should be put in and arrange on the Roku first.
Turn off autoplay
Jared Newman / Foundry
Roku’s default settings permit it to auto-play movies on components of the house display. This might be jarring, so flip it off by heading to Settings > Accessibility > Auto-play video and choosing “Off.”
In my expertise up to now, this additionally seems to disable video adverts on the Roku dwelling display, reverting to static banner adverts as a substitute. I’m undecided if this transformation will stick, but it surely’s price attempting at any age.
This story is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the best media-streaming devices.
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