I Finally Tried Roku's Free Live Tv Channels - And It Feels Like The Cable I Grew Up With

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Roku Channel offers free unrecorded TV, on-demand shows, and movies.
• You tin watch connected almost immoderate TV, computer, tablet, aliases phone.
• More than 500 unrecorded channels are available.

The sanction Roku has go synonymous pinch streaming devices, but it has softly go 1 of nan champion streaming services, too.

For 8 years, The Roku Channel has been 1 of nan amended free streaming options available. It hosts unrecorded contented positive on-demand TV shows and movies, each for nary complaint (Roku says it has "thousands of free TV shows and deed movies," positive much than 500 unrecorded TV channels).

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If you already person a Roku device, there's a bully chance it came pinch nan Roku app already installed. But if you don't person a Roku instrumentality aliases conscionable ne'er sewage astir to checking retired nan channel, it's worthy venturing complete to spot what you've been missing.

I tin honestly opportunity I've ne'er really tried to spot what nan app had to offer, and now that I have, I don't cognize why I waited truthful long.

Screenshot by Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET / Roku

Live TV category

The unrecorded TV class had contented for illustration Law & Order, Storage Wars, and Cops; channels devoted to nan MLB and NFL; classical shows for illustration Gunsmoke and Little House connected nan Prairie; unrecorded news shows from Fox, CBS, ABC, and NBC; and rather a spot of kids' content.

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It honestly felt a batch for illustration nan cablegram I retrieve increasing up with. There was moreover a unrecorded sports class pinch a fistful of assemblage shot games.

On-demand shows and movies

The on-demand TV show and movie sections were conscionable arsenic robust, offering things for illustration Pawn Stars, The First 48, a ample swath of documentaries, It, Titanic, and more.

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Other free streaming services exist, for illustration Tubi, Fubo, and Fandango astatine Home, but aft checking retired nan various offerings, I'd put The Roku Channel up against immoderate of them.

Always evolving

While nan app has a beautiful awesome lineup arsenic is, The Roku Channel's offerings are ever evolving.

Just past week, it added much than a twelve caller channels, including Gaming Center, which hosts video crippled unrecorded streams and tutorials, esports highlights, and behind-the-scenes looks astatine nan gaming industry; Yahoo Sports Network, which hosts contented for illustration sports highlights and imagination tips; nan Tyler Perry channel, pinch drama, comedy, and motivational stories; and In Depth Graham, pinch discussions connected politics, culture, and world affairs.

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You will request to create an account, but nan app is wholly free. There's a web browser version, an Android version, an iOS version, and of course, a type for nan Roku OS, truthful you tin usage nan transmission connected astir immoderate device. A mini magnitude of contented does require a subscription to an further service, for illustration HBO Max aliases Hallmark, but astir don't.

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