By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines. Author of TV Dot Com.
TV Answer Man, I used to have multi-room receivers when I had DIRECTV. If I get Roku to stream, can you get one that will work in multiple rooms at the same time? — Jennifer, Malibu, California.
Jennifer, that’s a great question. As you note, DIRECTV’s receivers can stream your programming package to multiple rooms in a house without having to add additional receivers. Some other pay TV providers offer ‘whole home’ service as well, keeping set-top rental fees down. But what about Roku, you ask?
Can Roku Work On More Than One TV?
Well, unfortunately, the Roku streaming device can only work on one TV. The company does not offer multi-room set-tops. You could get a Roku Streaming Stick and carry it from one room to another as a makeshift mobile solution. But that’s not exactly the same thing, is it?
Why doesn’t Roku offer a multi-room device? Simple. The company’s revenue primarily comes from the sale of set-tops. If it suddenly allowed everyone to connect the entire house with one device, sales would decline.
There is one way to manage your Roku device from every room in the house. If you download the Roku app, you can use it to turn on any TV, or change the channel on that TV. That’s not quite as useful as being able to watch that TV’s display in whatever room you happen to be in. But it’s something, right?
Jennifer, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
