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Is there a reasonable way to change channels?
I just got a Roku and had high hopes for the Spectrum app. However, finding and changing channels is so difficult it renders the app pretty much useless. Going from channel 1 to channel 600 takes a few minutes of scrolling through each channel in the guide, one by one. Is there any way to enter a channel number with the remote or use Roku's voice functionality to search for a channel by number or name? If not, why not, and what is the plan and timeline for implementing a reasonable way to change channels? I feel like I must surely be missing something here, since I can't imagine a live TV streaming app would be deemed ready for release without such a basic function.
(I'm aware of the semi-functional "favorite channels" feature, but even when that works, it is at best a silly and partial workaround.)
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This question was asked about a year ago and the consensus was No. You can set up your favorites and then use the filter to limit the number of channels you have to scan through, but there is no numeric input to the Spectrum app on Roku or any of the other platforms (Windows, iOS,etc.) the app runs on.
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We wound up using the standalone apps for just about all the channels we watched regularly. These could be loaded via voice command.
Not the ideal solution of course, but some actually offered some nice extras. Like a choice between an east coast or west coast feed, or how the Fox one had it's own guide for all the channels available from their properties--including the live feed from the local affiliate. Some were setup for easy access between the live feed and on demand too... hit the back button to go to the top menu then quickly tab to different categories. Some also supported start over within their apps as well.1 -
Some of the Roku models sold with a plain remote can accept a voice activated Roku remote that you buy separately. Or I believe you can also use the Roku app on a tablet or phone to get voice search and also to control volume on the TV. I bought one of the voice remotes and paired it with a couple of 3600x Roku sticks. The TVs are the same brand, so the remote can also control volume on all the TVs.
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