Roku (LiveTV) faster channel loading and channel surfing

[pcm2a 9]

I was content with the pain of switching channels on my Roku until I tried it on an Android TV box and realized that it could be much better. This post is to request several features to make the Roku LiveTV experience more like cable. Videos demonstrating all of these items will be below, sorry for the bad quality.

 

1. Channels could load much faster!? On TiviMate (Android) the channels load instantly.

2. Channel surfing, when on a channel pressing up/down could change channels.

3. Guide on screen. Already implemented for Emby Android. On Roku Beta press OK -> Down -> Right and select the monitor thing.

4. A way to jump to the last channel, think watching sports channel 400 and news channel 2. That's a lot of scrolling...and scrolling on Roku isn't fast.

 

Android - TiviMate: Instant channel loading and other channel surfing features (has bad commentary by me explaining which buttons I'm pressing):

 

Android - Emby: Guide on the screen and faster loading than on Roku:

 

Roku - Emby - Slowest channel loading and moving between channels:

Edited March 12, 2019 by pcm2a

[ebr 14925]

As for channel load times, we're always looking to improve everything we can but we are limited by the technology of the Roku itself here.

 

The on-screen guide is already in the current Roku beta.

 

A "Also On" channel picker (like in Android TV) will be coming in the future as well.

 

(FYI - on Android TV, you can hit the "play" button on your remote from the on-screen guide and immediately tune to the channel)

[pcm2a 9]

Thanks! I updated my original post to strike out the on screen guide. I hadn't noticed the extra icon below the scrubber. I wonder if the order should be changed to make the guide the first icon instead of recording? For example on the screen with on-now/upcoming  the guide is always the first thing in the list. Either way this is great.

 

I will test the Android TV loading and report back in the Android thread.

[pcm2a 9]

(FYI - on Android TV, you can hit the "play" button on your remote from the on-screen guide and immediately tune to the channel)

 

Pressing Play will tune right to the channel on Roku, very nice!

 

The on screen guide seems bugged in the beta but will post in the appropriate beta channel, that's why it's a beta.