A week late again this year, but .... 

This thread is for posting feature suggestions for the 1st quarter of 2017. Each quarter, I will be starting a new thread in order to keep the information concise, and will archive older threads as needed.

Feel free to make your own feature requests!

(If I get some free time this weekend and/or next week, I'll update the Top Feature Requests listing)

C. Shawn Smith


Top Previous Feature Requests (from previous years - NOT updated yet)

• Support for USB Antenna (for OTA)
• Passcode individual channels/settings/channel store
• DTS-HD & TrueHD passthru
• 1080p/24p playback
• Categorize channel lineup (folders, etc)
• Remote with programmable favorite buttons
• Wireless audio transmission for Roku Remote App (like Roku 3 audio port)
• Ability to pair with BlueTooth headphones
• Screensaver that is simply a 100% Black Screen
• allow both private listening and the tv speakers to be active at the same time
• DD+>DD transcoding over optical and HDMI on Roku 4
• the ability to set up a WiFi remote capable device (such as a Roku 2/3 or a Stck) with a mobile device
• To be continued ...

My number one feature request would be for bitmap subtitle support such as VOBSUB in mkv files created from DVD sources.
These types of subtitle tracks come quite easily (compared to srt files) when using Handbrake to encode DVD sources and it would be nice to be able to use them on the Roku platform like I can with Samsung Smart TVs and VLC on numerous platforms.

Implement a way to override channels' private screensavers.

Currently, some channels, particularly music channels like Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, SHOUTcast, etc. use their own screensavers to display details for the currently-playing track (e.g. artwork). There is no way to override a channel's own private screensaver. A user cannot specify that they want the screensaver they've selected from the Roku Settings menu (one that they may even have paid for)  to be used if the channel implements its own screensaver. Nor can a channel developer give the user the option to use the user-selected screensaver versus the channel's own screensaver.

I propose one of two solutions:

The ideal solution would be to add a new list item to the Roku Settings, Screensaver item, which gives the user the option to override channel-specific screensavers (preferably giving the developer a way to check the value of this setting).

The other option would be to expose an SDK setting to developers that would, in response to a user input, allow the channel to deactivate the channel-specific screensaver and use the user-selected screensaver instead.

Hopefully you guys can release a USB OTA Antenna like new Sling AirTV!  Can't tell you how great that would be!  If you can't release one at least open the USB up so a 3rd party could.

i'v got an LG OLED and a Roku Ultra.  The native LG Netflix app is simply amazing.  But the Roku's picture is noticeably darker and less sharp.  

I have enabled all of the settings on each component to allow for the highest definition.  

I would like to see the Roku Ultra match the LG's native Netflix app in quality but it's nowhere close right now.  Is it possibly an hdr10 vs. Dolby Vision issue??

Even if it were only on the top-of-the-line models...DTS-HD and TrueHD passthrough would be absolutely huge in keeping me in the Roku ecosystem. I've sacrificed some audio fidelity for years now to enjoy Roku's user friendliness...but it's getting harder to justify doing so as more streamers with HD-audio passthrough (Shield, for example) are released.

Please make it happen. Please.

Roku TV- antenna program guide (see Amazon CES 2017 TVs)
Roku TV- thumbnails while ff/rw live TV
Roku TV- better CEC controls. Not one thing works besides audio control. Would love to use the re.ote for my Blu-ray player.
Roku TV - let us use number keys on universal remotes to jump to particular channel.

Gen Roku - more subtitle support in Roku media player.

1) Please consider a redesign of the Roku UI so that the user can categorize their channels. Self-named folders and/or selection from the navigation bar to put the channels into. When you are dealing with an excess of 100 channels, it becomes difficult to find the channel you want. (For instance, a folder that I can call Movies, in that folder I may want to have a sub-folder called Action movies etc) 
2) Please consider a redesign of the Channel Store. The channels in the channel store presented are random and like the UI, should be categorized. Too much real estate is used on the channel store page, More information should be seen from the channel store without having to click down further.
a) Detail such as if the channel is FREE, Subscription or May Require additional fees for specific content. Taxonomy (CMS) or meta tagging.
b) Add a button on the channel store to have the ability to give the developer feedback on their channel.
c) It would be nice to have a FLAG that shows that there is new content on a specific channel. This could be done on the UI of the Roku device, the channel store or both. Too many channels have static content. This would drive people to the channel to look at the new content or to remove the channel as the content is static and maybe the user has watched what they wanted to watch on the channel.
3) Please launch a site where we can not only rate the channel, but give feedback on the channel (IE: Yelp-type feedback)
4) Please fix the Roku commercial stream. Many times the channel will make a call to the Roku commercial stream and the screen will stay black for 2-3 minutes before the 1st commercial will play. The label of the commercial is often wrong. The label will say commercial 1 of 2 and then 5 commercials will play.

I know that these are not all feature requests, but enhancement requests to the Roku ecosystem.

A secret menu option to toggle from 4K @ 60p to 4K @24/30p so we can watch amazon,vudu,netflix 4K films a 24hz......similar to what you guys just did for the HDR color sampling option.

An updated Siriusxm app..The Sony Bravia Tv's have a nice looking app with nice cover art and set up.
 
Please add the following apps...TCM,TBS,TNT,Tvland...

How about an update for the PSVue? I bought a Roku premier+ because I'm cutting the cord, I tried out the Amazon fire stick and the PSVUE experience in that device is superior. The reason why I got the Roku is because the hardware is superior. Any way to know if you guys will update the app? Thank you

Plutos123 wrote:

How about an update for the PSVue? I bought a Roku premier+ because I'm cutting the cord, I tried out the Amazon fire stick and the PSVUE experience in that device is superior. The reason why I got the Roku is because the hardware is superior. Any way to know if you guys will update the app? Thank you

Roku doesn't update the apps, the provider does. So that's Playstation for this particular channel. You need to talk to them.

Please fix the Roku Ultra and the HDCP error many are receiving from it. This seems to mostly be happening when using 4k HDR mode.

Please streamline the Playstation Vue app. 

• Add a guide mode like the PS4 and Amazon Fire TV have. But if that's not possible...
• Make it easier to get to the list of all channels.
• Organize the All Live TV list by channel name (right now it seems completely random).

The bottom line is that it's way too many clicks to get to a simple list of what's on live, and it's certainly a hassle to find out what's coming up.

My request would be a public bug list where users can vote on issues that plague them.  This seems to work well with Android and other platforms and allows engineering to collect logs, data, etc from users in a central location.  Right now, I'm using my first Roku, the top of the line Ultra, which I bought to watch Amazon Video and it hasn't ever worked properly.  I've tried Roku email support (no reply), chat (told me they would let engineering know, but couldn't tell me if it's an actual issue).  I've got a 15 day return window, the only reason I bought the thing is broken and I have no way to know if Roku is working on a fix or not.