VMedia TV brings you local channels, right on your Roku

I’ve always known that Roku is a really popular media streaming player, but after I attended a private Roku event this past week, I was so excited to see that there’s even more reason to bring Roku home.

The day I attended the event Roku and VMedia announced they launched the VMedia TV streaming channel to the Roku platform. Roku has over 2500 channels in Canada right now, so why is it so exciting that they’ve added another channel?

With VMedia TV can now watch up to 20 live TV channels on your Roku. That includes Canadian and US networks like CBC, Global, NBC, ABC, Fox, and more, so all of your favourite news and nightly shows will be available right on your Roku. They’ll all be in HD too.

You can login to your Roku and give VMedia TV a try for free, and after a 7-day trial it will cost $17.95 per month with no commitment, no contract, and no credit check or extra hardware required. VMedia TV will work on all Roku devices, and there’s a Roku device for every home or every room in your home. If you don’t have a Roku right now, VMedia TV is just one reason to grab one. Here are a few more I discovered after attending the Roku event.

• Roku has over 100,000 movies and TV shows across over 2000 channels
• You get access to channel for news, kids programming, international channels, sports, and more
• When you want to search for a movie, you don’t have to go into an app. Just search through the Roku main screen and the search results will list all of the channels where that movie is located and show you where it’s the cheapest or free to watch

When you add VMedia TV to all of those options, it’s really hard to come up with a reason not to cut your cable. Roku is so easy to use too. Even my mom, who has a hard time with every media device we’ve ever set up for her, would have an easy time navigating Roku. Take a look at all of the different Roku devices Best Buy carries and see for yourself.

Roku Streaming stick

It’s small enough to fit in your pocket but this little streaming stick is an entertainment powerhouse. It’s tiny but fast with a quad-core processor and dual band wireless, and all you have to do is plug it into the HMDI port of your TV and you’re ready to watch all of the channels Roku has to offer in Full 1080p HD.

You can use the included remote control for easy channel selection, but there’s also a Roku app you can download to your phone. This is the easiest way to control your Roku, and you’ll never have to worry about losing the remote control because you’ll always have your phone with you. The Roku app also lets you use both voice and text to search for your favourite movies, and you can also send your photos, videos, and music to the big screen to share with family and friends.

My favourite feature of the Roku streaming stick and a few of the other Roku players? Because I live in a small house, I’ve always wanted to be able to listen to TV solo early in the morning. To do that on my TV I’d need to hook up a set of headphones and have a long, long cord. With a Roku hooked up to my TV, all I’d need to do is plug in headphones to my phone or the Roku remote and I can listen without bothering anyone else.

Roku 1 – Connects any older TV

The Roku 1 is a media player that gives you access to all of the same channels as the streaming stick, but it was created to connect older TVs to all of the wonders of media streaming. That means it lets you plug in via HDMI or A/V cable, and once plugged in your older TV will receive an immediate smart TV upgrade. You’ll even be able to control your older TV and enjoy your personal content on it with the Roku app.

Roku 2 – USB & microSD too

Full HD 1080p: that’s what Roku 2 delivers, and with dual-band wireless you can connect to the fastest stream possible. This Roku also has USB and microSD ports so you can pop in your photos or connect to your camera.

Roku 3 – Ultra fast HD

The Roku 3 plugs into your HDMI port and has a Fast HD processor to serve up your favourite Full 1080p movies, TV shows, and more. Netflix and YouTube load almost instantly on the Roku 3.

The Roku streaming stick, Roku 2, and Roku 3 also have something cool called Hotel & Dorm Connect. It lets you bring along your Roku and use it whenever you travel in spots that require a login. The Roku 3 also has a remote with a headphone jack so you can listen privately, and you can always plug your headphones into your phone and use the Roku app.

Roku Smart TV

I’ve been thinking about upgrading to a 4K TV, and after attending the Roku private event, I’m really excited about choosing a Roku 4K Smart TV.

With a Roku Smart TV like the 43″ Insignia 4K LCD Smart TV, you get the best of all worlds. With 4K Ultra HD resolution and upscaling for everything you watch, your movies and TV shows will be as real to life as possible.

The best part? This Smart TV has Roku as its operating system, giving you over 2,000 channels to choose from right from one screen. I’ve seen the Smart TV in action and I was shocked at how simple it was to navigate. Everything you needed was right within the Roku Universe on your TV, and if you wanted to search for an actor, movie title, or TV show, you search and you’ll know exactly which apps are showing it and how much the rental fee is.

Roku has Insignia and Sharp brand Smart TVs, and I’ve seen them both in store and online. Go in and take a look at these cool Roku powered TVs.

With Roku there’s a lot to watch right now and a lot to look forward to. They’re always adding new channels, and with the new VMedia TV, you don’t have to have an extra cable subscription to catch all of your local favourites.

Take a look at everything Roku, available at Best Buy and on Bestbuy.ca right now.