ApK wrote:

I hadn't realized the stick was still 'upcoming.

I believe the release date for the new stick is mid-April. Not sure if they've given a firm date or not.

ApK wrote:

You say "The new Netflix channel wasn't available on the Roku 2 when you bought it" as if the average consumer should know that there even ARE different versions, or that they have different features, or that different models of Roku might have different ones.

That's a fair point. It was noted in both the Roku and Netflix announcements when the new Netflix channel was released, and has been discussed extensively here, but if it's not mentioned on the website, I can see how it could be overlooked. Of course, the website doesn't provide any specifics about the Netflix channel, so I'm not sure how you'd know what features were available on the Roku 3 version, either, unless you'd done a bit of research first, which should have turned up the fact that it was Roku 3 only, at this point.

Either way, I believe the captioning functionality will be addressed in the not too distant future, whether it's via an update to the old Netflix channel or by way of introduction of the new Netflix channel on the lower powered devices.

trekkeriii wrote:

ApK wrote:

It's common practice on the sales/marketing pages to highlight the positives of a product. It's bad marketing to put negatives. Why do you think the whole "read the fine print" exists? If you only read the sales/marketing page of a product and bought based on that, then honestly, that is the fault of you the consumer for not researching further, because you as a consumer should know that a marketing/sales page will not show the negatives of a product. Also, buy a product based on current features, not with wishlist of future features and expectations. Roku can only move as fast as their development and engineering departments can.

This reads like an elitist/apologist being intentionally obtuse, but I'll make a good faith attempt to respond in case you're sincere:

Marketing can spin the difference as benefits of the better product rather than highlighting the negatives of the lesser one. Billing the Roku 3 as having "newer, more advanced channel versions with improved features", or "getting the best updates first," would be both good marketing AND useful and necessary information to the purchasing decision.

Read the fine print, do more research. Yes. But that's not the way it has to be. Companies can be more honest and informative and it's perfectly correct for consumers to voice that opinion.
By the way, here in this thread I'm being told by people who I trust that the feature we're discussing will not work on a Roku 2 until this new Netflix channel version rolls out to it. Roku support and Netflix support just both told me it should be working on my Roku 2. Roku blames Netflix for the channel not working properly, Netflix is 'still researching it' for me.
So how much research should a consumer be expected to do exactly before buying a $60 entertainment device?

Buy a product only based on current features. Yes, I said that. But again that does not mean that's the way it should be. There is nothing wrong with customers letting a company know they'd prefer products with long lasting support, rather than encouraging a disposable society. There is also nothing wrong, if a company touts up-gradable firmware and long life, to point out when they fall short.

ApK

TheEndless wrote:

That's a fair point. It was noted in both the Roku and Netflix announcements when the new Netflix channel was released, and has been discussed extensively here, but if it's not mentioned on the website, I can see how it could be overlooked. Of course, the website doesn't provide any specifics about the Netflix channel, so I'm not sure how you'd know what features were available on the Roku 3 version, either, unless you'd done a bit of research first, which should have turned up the fact that it was Roku 3 only, at this point.

Indeed, these threads were easy to find when I searched for the problem. But I didn't know there was a problem at first.
I don't keep up with all threads on this forum as a matter of routine. I have other hobbies!
And I my case, I did a great deal of research first to figure out if I'd be able to continue using some of my now-dead private channels on my new device. I was not interested in additional analysis-paralysis before getting a Netflix box that wouldn't rebuffer every five minutes. My old one was getting unwatchable. Must I be criticized for then expressing displeasure over a flaw when I find it?

ApK wrote:

Must I be criticized for then expressing displeasure over a flaw when I find it?

Nope.. it's a legitimate complaint (the captions in the "older" Roku channel are miserable)... I just thought it was a curious way to express it, suggesting that Roku were screwing you over, so I asked...

TheEndless wrote:

ApK wrote:

Must I be criticized for then expressing displeasure over a flaw when I find it?

Nope.. it's a legitimate complaint (the captions in the "older" Roku channel are miserable)... I just thought it was a curious way to express it, suggesting that Roku were screwing you over, so I asked...

Well, I had a history.... I did put rant tags to warn folks....

Someone who is beta-testing a firmware version unwittingly let on that on his box, the older Netflix channel's caption rendition was controlled by the system Captions setting. So, unless that has been de-committed, it would seem that it will be coming up in a future firmware release. It's a little discouraging; would they bother to change that if the new Netflix player UI, whose caption rendition are controllable per-profile at Netflix's website, were soon coming to non-Roku-3 boxes.

^ Netflix isn't the only channel on the box with subtitles.