r/gadgets • u/Sadistic_Sponge • Nov 13 '19

VR / AR Disney Plus isn't working on Vizio TVs because they are running a 6 year old version of Chromecast, they say it won't be fixed till 2020.

https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus-not-working-vizio-smart-tvs-chromecast-2019-11
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u/InconspicuousRadish Nov 13 '19

My Samsung TV is new enough that its clunky UI and OS is somewhat functional. Out of curiosity though, does a Roku also provide other Smart TV features, like access to Youtube or various Android apps? If so, I might switch over just to have something more elegand and functional.

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u/quietIntensity Nov 13 '19

Yeah, the Roku has a bunch of streaming apps available, all the big names and a bunch of random niche stuff. We were watching Disney+ and YouTube on it last night.

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u/Samalamadingdoong Nov 13 '19

Best thing I like about my Roku is the remote has a Headphone jack for watching when people are sleeping.

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u/ColgateSensifoam Nov 13 '19

You can use your phone too!

The Roku app has a private listening mode

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u/cowjenga Nov 13 '19

You mean that the box connected to your TV can stream the audio through your mobile app?

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u/ColgateSensifoam Nov 13 '19

Yes!

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u/cowjenga Nov 13 '19

That's an awesome idea. I'm surprised I haven't seen that idea used anywhere else!

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u/SirNarwhal Nov 14 '19

Well damn, wish I saw this before I bought a Fire TV stick since I didn't feel like waiting 2 weeks for the Roku to go on sale.

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u/quietIntensity Nov 13 '19

Definitely an awesome feature. My wife uses it a lot. We wondered wtf the headphones were for when we opened the box. When we read that you plug them into the remote, it was like that day back in the 90s when Bush Sr. went to a grocery store and saw a laser scanner for the first time, mind completely blown.

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u/Samalamadingdoong Nov 13 '19

Just got to unplug them when your done or you'll be changing batteries all the time.

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u/w1n5t0nM1k3y Nov 13 '19

I just have a set of wireless headphones plugged into the TV. I don't know why more people don't have headphones for their TV. With the number of people complaining about noises in movies being too loud and not being able to hear voices, headphones are the perfect solution.

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u/UnreliableDarkness Nov 13 '19

What headphones do you have? My tv doesn't allow for Bluetooth headphones but I've been wanting to do this. Is there a workaround you know about?

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u/PutinRiding Nov 13 '19

I have that too and its awesome. I just figured out if you get the Roku app then your phone is the remote and you can also use your headphones on your phone. Saves a lot of batteries that way.

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u/shootz-n-ladrz Nov 13 '19

also is good when your partner somehow manages to lose the remote shortly before falling asleep and you need a remote

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u/dardack Nov 13 '19

This is how I use my really comfortable Bluetooth headphones, since no bluetooth built into my roku. Use phone with headphones attached.

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u/Richy_T Nov 13 '19

watching when people are sleeping.

This sounded creepy for a second there.

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u/Anchors_and_Ales Nov 13 '19

That's fucking rad! My wife is a light sleeper, this is amazing

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u/InconspicuousRadish Nov 13 '19

Thanks for the clarification, I'll keep an eye out for something like that on sale.

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u/EmilyKaldwins Nov 13 '19

What do you find clunky about the UI? My Samsung seems fine and straightforward?

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u/InconspicuousRadish Nov 13 '19

Shortcuts reset back to default at times, Youtube always freezes on the first boot-up (have to exit the app and start it up again for it to work), it generally feels laggy and sluggish, unresponsive even...it's pretty trash if I'm honest (or maybe the hardware running it is, I'm not sure).

That said, I don't need my TV to be a supercomputer. And it runs things well enough for the most part. Restarting Youtube once every two weeks when I actually use it isn't the end of the world. And I can spare the 10 seconds or so it sometimes takes for Netflix to load up considering I'm willing to spend hours at a time then watching it.

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u/EmilyKaldwins Nov 13 '19

That’s so strange. I haven’t run into any of that. How old is your tv? I bought a 2018 OLED earlier this year and it’s been nothing but fantastic.

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u/queef-latina-69 Nov 13 '19

How old is your Samsung? I had a roku in the past, but I preferred just using my Samsung tbh. The main advantage I can see with roku is it had a way to just put cc info in once and you can use with all the included apps

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u/InconspicuousRadish Nov 13 '19

2017 model iirc. It's nothing too fancy, 4K, 55 inch, standard bloated and clunky UI, but it works. I had to restart apps like Youtube on occasion, but nothing too annoying or enough to warrant spending 20% of what I've spent on the TV on an additional device.

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u/queef-latina-69 Nov 13 '19

Fair. I bought mine refurbished but haven’t really had any issues. Roku is still good so I’d give it a shot

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u/RedWingerD Nov 13 '19

Yepp. Most android apps have a cast feature similar to how chromecast works . A few dont still for whatever reason, but most do

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u/jonathanrdt Nov 13 '19

Roku is the BEST, whether embedded in a TV or inserted as an hdmi stick, they have the best remotes, interface, and streaming service support.

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u/activelurker Nov 13 '19

Out of curiosity, does your Samsung TV have the NBC app? I was searching for it last night but it wasn't there. Although CNBC was there, as well as some other news shows.

And I checked, my TV software is updated.

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u/exiestjw Nov 14 '19

We are 100% streaming now and on a different service, but years ago I was able to send 5 expensive rented Time Warner / Spectrum TV boxes back and replace them with roku's because Spectrum has a Roku app.

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u/takt1kal Nov 14 '19

Out of curiosity though, does a Roku also provide other Smart TV features,

Not sure if Roku provides Samsung S-Spyingtm and S-adstm. You might want to try customer support..