Roku may lose YouTubeTV access

[jwestpfahl]

This morning Roku sent out an email to all customers indicating that YTTV may be removed as a channel on Roku. Here is the content of the email sent to customers.

Dear Roku Customer, We are sending this email to update you on the possibility that Google may take away your access to the YouTube TV channel on Roku. Recent negotiations with Google to carry YouTube TV have broken down because Roku cannot accept Google's unfair terms as we believe they could harm our users. Ensuring a great streaming experience at an exceptional value is the core of our business. We will always stand up for our users, which is why we cannot accept Google's unfair and anticompetitive requirements to manipulate your search results, impact the usage of your data and ultimately cost you more. While we are deeply disappointed in Google's decision to use their monopoly power to try and force terms that will directly harm streamers, we remain committed to reaching an agreement with Google that preserves your access to YouTube TV, protects your data and ensures a level playing field for companies to compete. We encourage you to contact Google and urge them to reach an agreement to continue offering YouTube TV on Roku and to follow standard industry practices pledging not to require access to sensitive search data or to manipulate your search results. Thank you, Roku

 

[comfortably_numb]

Good grief. Here we go again!

 

[mikew]

Wow! If this happens, I'll just switch to a different provider.
Raised Prices
Removed RSNs
Forcing me to move to a different piece of hardware

Enough is enough.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Wow! If this happens, I'll just switch to a different provider.
Raised Prices
Removed RSNs
Forcing me to move to a different piece of hardware

Enough is enough.

I already dropped my YTTV subscription. It was a great deal at $50 when it had RSN's. Now, not so much. And these silly games Google plays with Roku. Had enough of that when I had Dish.

 

[Yespage]

Darn Cheep Charlie... oh wait... wrong forum.

Seems like Roku has a new, 'a cut off the top' making money plan. Under selling their electronic devices, making it easier for people to get and then using that as pressure for providers to connect to their device. Roku just has so many homes represented.

 

[Bruce]

I have a Shield which I would rather use because of the superior picture, my wife would hate it since it will involve switching inputs on the TV and the Denon, also that is two more remotes to use, she much prefers it now, turn on the TV (TCL 8 Series) click on the app, done and thanks to ARC, the receiver volume is also controlled by the Roku Remote

 

[camo]

With the RSN's gone I would tell Google not to let the door hit you in the a$$. I find less and less to watch on YTTV with my channel watch list down to 4 or 5. I have often wondered if TV will survive with 95% being trash channels. Maybe it's just me my 30-year-old son liked that cluster #%^% King Kong vs Godzilla on HBO Max and I couldn't even make it through. Society has really low expectations in entertainment now so maybe it will.

 

[TRG]

I have a Shield which I would rather use because of the superior picture, my wife would hate it since it will involve switching inputs on the TV and the Denon, also that is two more remotes to use, she much prefers it now, turn on the TV (TCL 8 Series) click on the app, done and thanks to ARC, the receiver volume is also controlled by the Roku Remote

There is something to be said for keeping things simple.

 

[comfortably_numb]

There is something to be said for keeping things simple.

Especially when it comes to wives, apparently

 

[CyberSpock]

We have recent Samsung TVs and the YTTV app is on there. No worries.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Bruce]

There is something to be said for keeping things simple.

Especially when it comes to wives, apparently

Damn right, I have been married 33 years and I am only 54, I know exactly where to keep her happy as far as Home Entertainment goes and not piss her off, keep it nice and easy for her to operate and she lets me do what I want with it.

For example, wanted to do separates inside, no go for her, so bought the best Denon I could (4700), now she is letting me upgrade the outdoor theater, the back deck is being enclosed today ( bugs here are evil) and the new projector and screen are waiting until that is done, she just wants to be able to operate it.

 

[mwdxer1]

Wow! If this happens, I'll just switch to a different provider.
Raised Prices
Removed RSNs
Forcing me to move to a different piece of hardware

Enough is enough.

One nice thing about streaming, changing or adding another streaming box is inexpensive and easy. It isn't like satellite or cable. I have Roku, Fire Cube, and a Chromecast.

 

[Bruce]

more to the drama-

Update 3:09 pm: A report from Protocol adds a new wrinkle to this story. Google is apparently pushing the AV1 codec during negotiations, which Roku framed as Google requiring "certain chipsets" in Roku products. AV1 is a new, more efficient, royalty-free video codec backed by Google, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft, Samsung, Intel, Facebook, Arm, Hulu, and a ton of other heavy hitters. AV1 seems poised to become the next big video standard, and Google is working on re-encoding the entire YouTube library over to AV1. Getting a wider rollout will require support from hardware vendors, though. Protocol says Google is requiring Android TV OEMs to support AV1 and that Google is also pushing competing smart TV and streaming devices to use AV1, and that includes Roku.

Almost everyone would benefit from the adoption of AV1. Content providers like Google and Netflix would have lower bandwidth costs, and consumers would have lower bandwidth requirements and less chance of hitting a data cap. The only problem is that AV1 support would require a brand-new chipset, which is probably slightly more expensive than the chips Roku is currently using in its cheapest devices.

Roku warns customers: “Google may remove your access to YouTube TV” [Updated]

Roku says Google wants changes to Roku search. Google calls the claims “baseless.”…

arstechnica.com

 

[CyberSpock]

Almost everyone would benefit from the adoption of AV1. Content providers like Google and Netflix would have lower bandwidth costs, and consumers would have lower bandwidth requirements and less chance of hitting a data cap. The only problem is that AV1 support would require a brand-new chipset, which is probably slightly more expensive than the chips Roku is currently using in its cheapest devices.

If it's a hardware problem that is revealing. It tells me that rather than keep up, Roku is trying to survive as a legacy system. It's bad enough they have a menu system no one has been happy with but haven't altered for years. It's going to be a box that accepts no new protocols possible from advances in hardware.


Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

 

[TheKrell]

Almost everyone would benefit from the adoption of AV1.

Except everyone with a streamer that becomes obsolete with a forced migration to a newer standard. I applaud new more efficient standards. I do not applaud transcoding old material and thereby making it inaccessible to 10's if not 100's of millions of viewers.

If it's a hardware problem that is revealing. It tells me that rather than keep up, Roku is trying to survive as a legacy system.

I'd bet they'd be overjoyed if everybody throws out their old Roku's and buys new ones. It's the customer who suffers from doing that.

It's bad enough they have a menu system no one has been happy with but haven't altered for years.

That in my estimation is an unusual reading of that interface. Everybody I know prefers it over any other. Why screw up something that is such a hit?

 

[Wescopc]

It's bad enough they have a menu system no one has been happy with but haven't altered for years.

I like their menu system - it beats Fire TV hands down. IHO
Bob

 

[comfortably_numb]

Everybody I know prefers it over any other

Agreed.

 

[CyberSpock]

Composite response...

Slower computation at the cost of bandwidth has never been something I've thought desirable. If that's the way people thought they'd prefer staying with 32 bit PCs but nobody stopped upgrading those.

The Roku interface still hasn't added grouping by application type (movie, TV, music) nor do they have the option to copy app order from one box go another within account. I asked for those years ago.

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[comfortably_numb]

nor do they have the option to copy app order from one box go another within account

The app order on all 3 Roku's on my account is the same. If I add an app on one, it updates the other 2 during overnight software updates

 

[Ronnie-]

There is something to be said for simplicity, and in that regard, Roku excels. They have cheap options to get people in, and higher end options with a dead simple interface.

However I moved on from them a couple of years ago for the most part. No Dolby vision support until recently, and only on the top of the line model now.

Then app content aggregation seems superior on a couple of other platforms.

It's still what I recommend to people that want it as simple as possible over all aspects, including visually, but IMO only , it's not the best platform anymore.

App disputes becoming more common won't help that.