Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Roku(1)2014 TV

Sep 17, 2016 7:31AM PDT

I have a Roku (1) 2014 TV, works great. Every time I watch a free movie, the movie is interrupted every 15 minutes with a series of brief commercials. It's so annoying. If I upgrade to Roku 3, with this interference stop or do I need to subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Prime to avoid the commercial interruption? Please advise. Thank you.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Have to write no.
Sep 17, 2016 7:39AM PDT

The only way for free to work on their system and say Crackle is the commercials. To avoid commercials I rent a title from Redbox from time to time. Also, I have Amazon Prime which for 99.99% of the free content (if we call the yearly fee free?) is commercial free.

- Collapse -
Roku(1) 2014 TV
Sep 17, 2016 7:47AM PDT

Thank you. What is the benefit to upgrading to Roku3 with my TV? And, is Amazon Prime better than Netflix ? So, as I understand, if I do upgrade to Roku3, I will still receive the commercial interruption with all the free documentaries, movies that I watch...it's every 15 minutes throughout the movie!!! Very annoying.

- Collapse -
I'm not getting commercials on my Netflix.
Sep 17, 2016 8:08AM PDT

And I have it on a Roku. My niece has the 2 and no commercials so I can't guess what you are asking now.

The FREE videos as in Crackle and such are ad supported. Won't matter which Roku model.

- Collapse -
It's not the device that give you the commercial but...
Sep 17, 2016 9:00AM PDT

the programs. Lets be realistic, "free programs" has to get the money from somewhere. I have Netflix, and it's commercial free but you have to pay a monthly fee (about $10). Also the programs are not new (no first run), except Netflix's own program productions.

- Collapse -
Roku(1) 2014 TV
Sep 17, 2016 9:25AM PDT

So, what is the benefit to upgrading to ROKU(3)? Just more options?
BTW, thank you everyone for the advice...I am a novice, with limited funds.....

- Collapse -
For me, my model has the headphone jack.
Sep 17, 2016 9:31AM PDT

That's why I changed.

- Collapse -
Yeah, more features/option to...
Sep 17, 2016 10:10AM PDT

confuse us with..like voice command for one. Personally I just have Netflix and watch over-the-air TV if I want to see the news.

- Collapse -
Roku(1) 2014 TV
Sep 17, 2016 11:54AM PDT

I think that now I understand....ROKU offers a lot of free programming, fantastic PBS stations from around the country and podcasts, etc...but if I want to watch movies, commercial free, I need to go back to getting the DVDs from the Library, or Redbox or get NETFLIX ....no reason really for me to upgrade to a ROKU(3) . Thank you!