Andrew Heinzman
Watch out PlutoTV, Roku is expanding its free Roku Channel service with the addition of 100 live TV channels. These ad-supported channels are available through the new Roku Live TV Channel Guide, which is similar to the grid-style guide for cable TV.
The Roku Channel is one of the most extensive free streaming services available today. With over 100,000 movies and TV shows and an estimated 36 million viewers, the Roku Channel is bigger than Crackle, and will continue to grow with its new 100 live TV channels.
But like PlutoTV, the live selection on the Roku Channel is comprised of older shows (The Bob Ross Channel), digital content creators (Bon Appétit), and small news or sports channels. It isn’t a direct alternative to cable, but its free and should cover most people’s interests.
Roku’s Live TV Channel Guide is still a bit bare-bones. It includes search functionality and a “Recent Channels” feature, but that’s about it. You can’t use the guide to set reminders or record shows. Roku plans to roll out the Channel Guide to users over the coming weeks, but the Live TV channels are available for everyone today.
Source: Roku via Cord Cutter News
