Q. I have a Roku player, the 4K Ultra one. I loved all the channels, but I hear that there are even more, something called private channels. What are private channels? Can anyone get them? — Luis, Las Vegas.
Luis, Roku, which offers its Net TV service in several devices, including a streaming stick and TVs, now offers thousands of channels, including such popular subscription services as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Sling TV, DIRECTV Now and Hulu.
The company also offers a number of free channels, which is nice considering that Roku does not require a monthly subscription (except for the subscription services such as Netflix.)
Click Amazon: Roku Streaming Stick: Just $30.
The list of free channels includes the CW, YouTube, Pandora, CBS News, PBS, PBS Kids, Crackle, Pluto, WeatherNation, Sky News, TechCrunch, CNET, Popular Science, NASA, Vevo, IHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Twitch.
Here’s a link to Roku’s channel page.
And then there are those mysterious Roku ‘private channels.’
Roku describes the channels as programming services that it does not approve or review, but are available over the Internet. The programmers will make the channel available to Roku’s subscribers, the company says, for a few reasons, including:
1. The channel is not ready for prime time, meaning the programmer doesn’t want a large number of people to watch it yet. Instead, it prefers that a small number of Internet users, including Roku subs, watch it and give the programmer feedback about how to make it better before publicizing it to a larger audience.
2. The channel may be adult-oriented, which Roku does not officially sanction.
3. The channel may be truly “private,” meaning it’s intended for a private event such as an employee meeting or corporate presentation. However, the company will make the channel available to Roku as a private channel to allow people to easily access it on their Roku devices.
To watch a private channel on Roku you must enter the channel’s code and add the channel to your list of available channels. You can do this by going to your Roku account page, click ‘Add Private Channel’ and then fill out the form. The channel will then be added to your personal list.
You would obtain the channel code from the programmer’s web site, the programmer directly, or from a web site that specializes in publishing lists of Roku private channels, such as this one.
What are some private channels?
According to this article, the current list includes The Internet Archive, which offers free movies and TV shows, an unofficial Twitch service, Amateur Logic ( a Do-It-Yourself channel), Roku Movies, the Wilderness Channel, and the Cannabis Channel.
As you can see, the list of Roku private channels can be quirky, but if you scout around long enough, you might find a hidden nugget in the pile.
Happy viewing!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@swanniontv
