I’ve tested over 100 headphones in the past year, and I keep coming back to this $22 pair

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Amazon

Last month I sang the praises of the Sony MDR-1A, a $300 pair of full-size headphones that’s stood out from the many pairs I’vetested for being smooth-sounding, good-looking, and so very, very comfortable. They’re not the best, but they’re the ones I’d be most likely to buy.

That said, they’re $300 full-size headphones. Anything along those lines isn’t going to be all that portable. Sometimes, it’s good to have a pair of “beaters” on hand — cheap, secondary headphones you can stuff in a bag, toss on quickly, and wear on the go, without having to worry about busting your Very Nice Thing.

I’ve followed this setup for the past few months, and of the many inexpensive, beater-level pairs I’ve had lying around, the Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro have emerged as a personal favorite. Like the MDR-1A, they have a few clear flaws, but they still feel and sound better than I’d expect from a $22 earphone.

The most immediately impressive thing about the Xiaomis is their build. Looks matter less when a headphone is jammed in your head, but the smooth, aluminum finish here is just of a higher quality than the plastic you’ll usually find at this price. Despite that metal, they’re fairly lightweight, and their angled eartips are nice and soft. All of that’s made them a breeze to wear for hours at a time. 

Beyond that, the Kevlar-infused cable has shown no signs of wear after several months of use, and it’s fitted with both a mic and three-button remote. The earpieces isolate plenty of noise, as you’d expect from an in-ear canal pair, and they don’t leak any of their own unless you’re playing at max volume in a quiet room.

Xiaomi

The sound here isn’t as easy to recommend to everyone, but it suits my tastes. It’s one of the cheapest earphones to use separate drivers for treble and mids/bass, which is theoretically supposed to make every part of the signature particularly potent. In reality, the bass and low-mids run the show. 

It’s not that the highs aren’t crisp or detailed — they are, and impressively so — it’s just that the lows are that massive. If a track emphasizes bass, it’s going to be big and bumping. If it doesn’t, the lower bits are still going to get a boost. What this means is that the Xiaomis are very fun with electronic, hip-hop, and poppier rock, and absolutely not for purists. When I’m not in headphone reviewer mode, that’s the stuff I go for, so it works. 

To give you a better idea, I compared the Xiaomis to Apple’s EarPods, which are the closest thing most people have to beater headphones today. As expected, the tighter-fitting Xiaomis sounded much more aggressive, with deeper bass response, a wider soundstage, and more space to capture fine detail. That bass was boomier with more subdued tracks, but again, if you fit the same niche as me, you’ll probably enjoy how hard-hitting the whole thing is. 

I’m not the first person to praise the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro — reviewers from CNET, The Verge, and VentureBeat have shared similar sentiments. Try the RHA S500 if you’d prefer a brighter sound, or the Panasonic ErgoFit RP-TCM125 if you just want to pay as little as possible, but for $22, this is a higher-grade everyday companion than the price suggests.

Xiaomi Mi Hybrid In-Ear Headphones, $21.49, available at Amazon.

This article was originally published on 4/21/2016. Prices have been updated. 

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Business Insider's Insider Picks team. We aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting, and if you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners, including Amazon. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Have something you think we should know about? Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

Read the original article on Insider Picks. Copyright 2016. Follow Insider Picks on Twitter.

DON'T MISS: Why you should take advantage of this widely ignored part of Amazon to save money

READ THIS: 20 must-have tech accessories under $20

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-cheap-in-ear-headphones-xiaomi-2016-4

9 Tools to Easily Rip Your DVDs & Blu-Rays to Your Computer

It’s becoming very common these days for people to “back up” their DVDs and Blu-Rays onto their computer. This despite the fact that the exact legality for making backups is murky at best. But my own personal opinion is that “if you own it, you can do what you want with it”. Watch it, burn it, eat it, use it as a frisbee in the park, whatever.

But how do you do it? Which programs are the best at ripping those disks? Which ones eat copy protection for breakfast? Here are nine free tools to consider.

MakeMKV

Intuitive cross-platform tool to rip DVDs and Blu-Rays.







I have previously written about MakeMKV, where I showed my love for this app. It is simply a case of entering the disk, and then point and click. Don’t touch the other settings unless you absolutely know what you are doing. Choose whether you want subtitles or not. Choose your language. Deselect everything you don’t need. Then let MakeMKV do its work. DVDs are very fast (normally no more than 10 minutes) and Blu-Rays range from 30 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the length of the movie, and the extras you want.

The one downside is that you are then going to end up with enormous files if you rip a Blu-Ray (up to around 6GB is common). But this is a crystal-clear copy of the disk. For archiving purposes, it is perfect. However, if space is tight, you can convert it to MP4 or AVI formats, which will shrink the file considerably (and in some cases, the picture and audio quality will suffer).

Handbrake

 

A versatile cross-platform and open source application that supports multiple output formats and can also convert files.


This leads me neatly to Handbrake. You can use Handbrake for converting those big MKV files into MP4 files, and you can also directly burn DVD and Blu-Ray disks to MP4 or MKV. Choose a profile, depending on what device you are ripping for (iPod, iPad, normal, etc), decide if you want the subtitles, then hit Start. The other settings should be left alone, unless you know exactly what you are doing.
The software is cross-platform, free, and open-source. Plus it is in continual development, so it has the potential to get better and better.

Freemake Video Converter

 

A great Windows tool to not only rip discs, but also convert and merge files.



Freemake (our Freemake review) is one of my favorites, because it has never once screwed up anything I have thrown at it. You just need to insert the disk, point Freemake towards the disk’s folder, decide what format you want it converted to, and Bob’s your uncle. You can even join up files to have one big merged file. Videos can also be converted to Flash or HTML5, as well as MP3.

One great feature is when you rip it to become a DVD, you can also add a menu with clickable chapter titles.

WinX DVD Ripper

 

Will convert your DVDs to various outputs, including mobile ready file formats.



I was lucky enough to get a hold of a free copy of the paid Platinum version, when they did a promotion a few months back. But for most people, the free version will more than suffice.
The free version will rip a DVD to MP4, WMV, AVI, FLV, MOV, MPEG, H.264, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, Android, Samsung, HTC, and PSP. It can also rip copy-protected DVDs as far back as Windows XP.
The Platinum version will do all that, as well as rip a DVD to an ISO file, rip the disk in 10 minutes, as well as allowing cropping, trimming, and subtitles. It is a worthy contender to Handbrake and Freemake.

Aurora

 

Rips Blu-Rays to ISO files on Windows and Mac.



Aurora is free cross-platform (Windows & Mac) software which focuses on Blu-Rays only. It will burn the Blu-Ray disk into an ISO file, and then burn the ISO file onto blank disks (if you want to do that part). It claims it can “easily decrypt any type of Blu-Ray”, and when I tested it on a Blu-Ray of mine, the conversion was indeed very fast.

Aurora too claims that it can work on Windows computers as old as XP (SP2). On a Mac, it will work on computers operating OS X 10.6.

CloneDVD

 

Windows tool to rip DVDs to ISO files.



As the name suggests, CloneDVD….well…clones your DVD disk. After inserting it into your hard-drive, choose which chapters you want copied, choose your language, whether you want subtitles, and off you go. Once the file, in DVD format, has been copied to your computer, you can then burn the ISO to a blank DVD disk, use software like Handbrake to turn it into a simple MP4 file, or mount the ISO file on your computer using a virtual drive.

They also have versions of the software for Blu-Ray disks, and for mobile devices.

DVD Shrink

 

Windows application to compress DVD rips into more compact files.



DVD Shrink is so called because one of its main “selling points” is that it will shrink the size of the burned file for you. A standard DVD-R disk is 4.7 GB, and sometimes you will find that your burned file exceeds this size. So DVD Shrink will compress the data from the original disk, to make the file as small as possible.
You can also make a compilation from one or more source disks, as well as discarding any parts you don’t need. It will burn and shrink to WMV, AVI, MP4, MOV, and MKV format. It is free of charge, for Windows only, and they invite donations to keep the project going.

VLC Player

 

Famous for playing any file, this open source and cross-platform program can also burn DVDs.



Who around here needs any introduction to VLC Player? No I didn’t think so. VLC Player has rightfully earned a reputation for being able to play virtually anything you can throw at it. I haven’t yet found a file it couldn’t handle, and that is just remarkable. But did you know VLC also burned DVD disks?

As you can see from the image above, choose what you want converted, select No disc menus (if you don’t want them), point VLC to the disk location on your hard drive, then click Convert/Save. Ripping can take quite some time, though. Some users have reported it taking up to two hours. Whereas something like MakeMKV or Freemake can do it in 15-20 minutes.

DVDFab

 

A Windows only open source DVD ripping tool that can rip a batch of titles at the same time, audio only, or specific segments.



DVDFab is also a ripping app which has received a lot of positive praise from friends. As well as ripping disks to the usual formats, it can also rip only the audio. So if you are after a piece of music for your iPhone/iPod, then DVD Fab can grab it for you. Batch conversion allows you to rip more than one title at a time, and the whole software is run on open-source code.


Specify exactly the start point and end point that you want converted in a disk (which is great for music concerts), and you can also automatically crop the screen to show what you want.
There are obviously many more ripping tools out there, but these are the 8 which I personally like or have had recommended to me by friends. In case your favorite is not on the list, please let us know about it in the comments below and tell us what is so good about it.Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/9-tools-easily-rip-dvds-blu-rays-computer/

Watch Live TV on Roku with these channels

Here's How to Watch Live TV On Roku

These are 12 of the best channels for watching Roku Live TV!

Cord cutters you can still watch live TV on Roku once you quit your expensive paid TV provider. 

If you have access to a cable or satellite account, one of the best ways to watch many of the same channels you had on Cable TV or Satellite is to see our complete Roku Cable TV Channels Guide.

Roku Has Some Great Free Channels For Watching Live TV!

Nowhere TV Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: NowhereTV has been around a long time and is still one of our most watched Roku channels. This channel is filled with a lot of great content. If you are a News show fan, you will love Nowhere TV. They feature some live content like Adult Swim, plus a few other IPTV sources.

This private Roku channel is Free, although the developer would be glad to accept donations. It's constantly updated and even though it is a private channel, it as good or better than many public channels you will find on Roku.

Be sure to take a look at the Nowhere TV channel, you won't be sorry.

ADD IT HERE: Channel Code: H9DWC


Add Nowhere TV

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XTV Live TV Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: XTV is probably one of the first channels you should add to your Roku. It has an unbelievable amount of live and on-demand content and right now is probably one of the most popular private Roku channels.

While this channel is Free, the XTV developer is also gladly accepting donations. Well worth it as this channel does an excellent job of keeping all the content updated. In fact, almost every day there is something new added.

With IPTV, it's normal to see some live TV channels to come and go. This is something you need to learn to expect when dealing with free private Roku channels versus paid live TV streaming services like some of the premium subscription channels that we will cover down the list.

ADD IT HERE: Channel Code: XTVIPTV


Add XTV

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FilmOn Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: FilmOn is another channel that also has lots of great live TV content. They carry much of the BBC programming and although some of it is Geo-Blocked in the U.S.A. there is quite a lot of other content to choose from.

Here is another FilmOn Private Roku channel which includes a nice channel guide. Learn more about it and be sure to also add this one... here

FilmOn is a must add channel for those looking to watch Live TV on their Roku.

ADD IT HERE: Channel Code: NMEVA


Add FilmOn

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Pluto TV Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: While there is really quite a lot of on-demand content on Pluto TV, this channel also contains a small live TV section. These are mostly News shows from Newsmax, Sky News, MSNBC and also a few others.


ADD IT HERE:


Add Pluto TV

---

channel PEAR IPTV 

Why it Rocks: Channel PEAR is a live IPTV channel that lets you choose from a large list of community provided Live TV Channels. Much like Kodi and Plex this channel gives Roku owners full control on how to customize the channel with preferred content.

The free version only lets you choose from 5 sources and can only be used on one device. A paid account gives you unlimited sources to add and costs $3 a month. It will also work with any number of devices.

You first need to create an account on their website, choose your sources and link your Roku to your account. Visit website: channelpear.com

New sources can also be added from m3u links found online or from Our Custom Search Engine.

TIP: If you are having trouble linking the channel to your Roku, make sure you did not install it on another device or the link code won't come up.


ADD IT HERE: Roku Channel Code: channelpear


Add channel PEAR

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News ON Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: If your Local News Station is a provider News On, is a great way to catch up on your local news without an Antenna.

Not all stations are affiliated. For a much more complete list of News stations... See our Local News Channels Guide!


ADD IT HERE:


Add News ON

---

Want Reliable Full Live TV Channels Without Interruptions?

If you want to watch live TV on Roku that is 100% reliable, a paid streaming TV channel is often the best way to go.

While most of the Free Roku channels mentioned above are great, content comes and goes and is not always as reliable as a paid live TV streaming service.

Sling TV and Playstation Vue offer cord cutters a lot of the same content and user experience as subscribing to cable TV or satellite package. They even cost less than a cable TV or satellite sub so they will still save you some money.

Sling TV Channel 

Why it Rocks: Full Live TV on Roku is now possible with Sling TV starts at only $20 a month for a Cable light package of channels. Additonal channel packages can also be added as well for $5 more.


See our Sling TV Full viewing guide for a list of channels and packages available.
Sling also offers a long list of many Streaming Only International Channels you can subscribe to without a Dish or expensive equipment to buy... See Sling International Channels!


ADD IT HERE:


Add Sling TV

---

PlayStation Vue 

Why it Rocks: At $29 a month Playstation Vue does cost more than Sling TV and does not offer as many channel packages. You can choose from three channel tiers and each one increases the price.

Playstation Vue does offer a better streaming user experience and also comes with a DVR which is very nice for pausing, fast forwarding through commercials and time-shifting live TV programs.


See our Playstation Vue channel guide for a list of channels and packages available.


ADD IT HERE: Compare PlayStation Vue to Sling TV


Add Playstation Vue

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USTVNow Live TV 

Why it Rocks: You can install a free trial to this channel on your Roku and watch Free Live TV channels for 45 days. It will give you a good idea of what live streaming TV from their channel is like before you sign up. It was designed to be used for service members overseas but it works great inside the U.S.A provided you follow our instructions when signing up.


See our USTV Now Channels Guide for a list of channels and packages available.
Remember - The USTVNow channel requires a few extra steps to install correctly... See How to Install USTVNow!


ADD IT HERE:


Add USTVNow

---

Roku Live TV Subscription Sports Channels

Sports can now be watched live and on-demand on Roku with these stand alone Roku channels. They all require a monthly fee but can replace some of the Sports content you may really be missing. Here is a long list of Free Sports Channels you can also add to your Roku.

NFL Now Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: NFL Fans now you can catchup and watch your favorite teams with the NFL Now Roku channel.

Get the latest scores, view game highlights or watch selcted games live. All viewers can watch their full live stream video feed.


ADD IT HERE:


Add NFL Now

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ESPN Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: Get access to many Live Sports with the ESPN Roku channel. Now for the bad news, you will need a cable provider or need to subscribe to Sling TV to access this channel on Roku. Also, be sure to try XTV or Channel Pear and you may be able to find some Live streams if you absolutly don't want to subscribe to Sling TV just to watch ESPN.


ADD IT HERE:


Add ESPN

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Fubo TV Roku Channel 

Why it Rocks: Soccer Fans Fubo TV is the Roku channel for you. Subscribe for $9.99 a month and watch your favorite teams and leagues play from all over the world.

Not all leagues are available click here for more details.

ADD IT HERE:


Add Fubo TV

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NBA, NBA & NHL

Why it Rocks: MLB, NBA and NHL are all channels that can be added to watch live sports on Roku. Blackout Rules Apply. Click here for an easy way to get around these rules to watch local games.


Premium Roku Sports streaming channels must all be subscribed to seperatly and this can really get quite expensive. Check out these money saving tips to stream NBA TNT Overtime.


ADD Them All Here:


Add MLB   Add NBA TV   Add NHL

---

Get our Free Roku Channels & TvStreamin Remote Control

This Adult Roku Channel Features Live Shows

Source: https://mkvxstream.blogspot.com/2016/09/watch-live-tv-on-roku-mkvxstream.html

10 Clever Tricks for Your Roku

We love the Roku here at MakeUseOf. The company’s series of digital media players are currently revolutionizing how we access, watch, and interact with video content on our televisions.

Whether you want to stream the latest news, keep abreast of the weather forecast, or watch music videos from your favorite bands, Roku devices will let you do it.
They’re incredibly easy to set up and use, but you may not know that there are lots of little tips and tricks that will vastly improve your experience. Here are 10 of the best.

1. Private Channels

We have covered private Roku channels extensively in the past. There are lots to choose from, providing you with everything from 24-hour rolling news to classic films.
Adding them is easy: just grab the necessary code from the channel’s homepage, Reddit, or an aggregator site, navigate to your Roku online portal, and click Add Channel. It will become available on your device within 24 hours, and often a lot sooner.

Ads by Google

It’s important to realize that these channels are maintained by hobbyists and enthusiasts – and, as such, they are liable to be buggy or stop functioning altogether. Nonetheless, they are a fantastic way of expanding the content available to you and helping you cut the cord in order to save money.

2. Secret Menus

The secret menus are probably the biggest “secret” on this entire list.
They are primarily used for accessing the system’s root settings and altering them to your liking. For example, you can force an update of your device’s software, cycle through the various channel stores, optimize your Wi-Fi settings, or enable the developer mode.

Interestingly, they also allow you to side-load one channel (yes, you can only have one installed at a time). This is great if a mainstream channel, such as Netflix, isn’t available in your region.
Here is a list of currently-working secret menus, though new ones are discovered often:
Home x 5 + FF x 3 + RW x 2: Secret screen one (factory reset, USB test, cycle channel store, update server/software, enable debug)
Home x 5 + U + R + D + L + U: Secret screen two (cycle screenshot, cycle ad-banner, remote auto-pair, log theme info)
Home x 5 + U + D + U + D + U: Wi-Fi secret screen
Home x 5 + FF + PP + RW + PP + FF: Platform secret screen
Home x 5 + FF + D + RW + D + FF: Antenna secret screen
Home x 5 + RW x 3 + FF x 2: Bitrate override
Home x 3 + U x 2 + R + L + R + L + R: Developer settings
Home x 3 + U x 2 + L + R + L + R + L: Channel info
Home x 5 + R + L + R + L + R: Network info
Home x 5 + U + RW x 2 + FF x 2: Reboot Device
Warning One: Messing with these settings could have adverse effects on your device – proceed with caution.

Warning Two: These could stop working with future software updates.

3. Use Your Phone as a Keyboard

The Roku remote is perfect for navigating between channels and playing/pausing videos – but it’s really annoying to use when you need to type anything.
That’s a problem when you need to add login details for Netflix or Spotify, enter your Wi-Fi password, or otherwise engage with your device. Thankfully, Roku makes a great smartphone app for Android and iOS, as well as an app for Windows.

These apps let you use your phone as a keyboard, use Roku Search to find content, and control video playback.

4. Use a USB Stick

The Roku 3 and Roku 4 come equipped with a USB port. This means that if your TV doesn’t have a USB port, or it does have one but it’s awkward to reach, you can still enjoy media that’s saved on portable devices (only MKV, MP4, and MOV video files are supported).

To use it, you’ll need to install the Roku Media Player channel from the Channel Store. Once that’s done, plug in your USB stick, fire up the channel, and use the remote to navigate to the content you want.

5. PIN Protect Your Account

Roku boxes don’t have typical parental controls, but there is still a way to protect your kids from adding unsavory content.

Login to your portal and click on Choose Your PIN Preferences at the top of the screen. You can choose to be presented with a PIN request either when you make purchases or any time a new channel is added (even free ones).

Unfortunately, it does not work when adding content directly from the Web portal, though as long as you have a strong password, that scenario is easy to defend against.

6. Rename Your Roku

Once you have a Roku in your home, it’s tempting to add another. And another. And another. This is especially true if you own several TVs and want the device’s functionality on all of them.
In this case, it’s really important to rename your devices to something logical (think “Kitchen,” “Lounge,” “Harry’s Bedroom,” etc.).

This makes things much easier to manage when adding new channels from a single portal, when using the app, or when you want to cast a video directly from your smartphone to a particular TV.
It’s also extremely easy to do. Just log in to your account, scroll down to the list of devices, and click Add a New Name.

7. Reorder Your Channels

It’s easy to get carried away with adding channels; you can quickly end up with a list that’s spiraling out of control.
Naturally, there will be some channels that you use more than others. It makes sense, therefore, to move these channels to the top of your list or to group together channels with a similar theme.

To move channels around, use the remote to highlight the one in question, press the star on the remote, and choose Move Channel.

8. Stream Your Computer Screen Over Miracast

Another seriously underused Roku feature is its ability to stream your desktop from your computer directly onto your TV. It removes the need for HDMI cables and functions flawlessly.


This feature works using Miracast technology. Sadly, that means Mac users cannot take advantage. However, if you’re on Windows 10, search for Project to a Second Screen, click on Connect to a Wireless Display, and select your desired Roku device.

9. Add Extra Memory

Roku devices have a limited memory. Which, if you’re a channel junkie, means you’re eventually going to hit your storage limit and be unable to add more content.
However, if you own a set top box (rather than a streaming stick), you can add a MicroSD card. Just push it into the slot and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: MicroSD cards can only be used for storing extra channels – they do not offer a way to store personal media.

10. Add a Screensaver

The final tip on this list involves setting up a screensaver; it’s much nicer than watching the Roku logo bounce around your TV screen whenever the device is idle.

There are hundreds to choose from; most are free, but some cost anything up to $2 apiece. You’ll definitely be able to find something to suit your tastes – whether you want to watch fish swimming around an aquarium, recreate the illusion of a roaring fireplace, or get live news updates from your favorite sites.

What Roku Tips Can You Share?

This article has hopefully given you some insight into the power of your Roku. It’s so much more than Netflix and YouTube, it really can become the hub of your home entertainment.
Of course, we’ve only listed 10 tips. Seasoned Roku users will undoubtedly have lots more tips and suggestions up their sleeves.
If you’ve got some tricks that we haven’t covered, we’d love to hear about them. You’ll be helping out both ourselves and your fellow readers. As always, you can leave your ideas, suggestions, and thoughts in the comments below.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-clever-tricks-roku/

20 Private Roku Channels You Should Install Right Now

Roku is a brand of digital media players that can stream a near-endless amount of TV and video on demand.

They come in a variety of different models and specifications, but at their core they all operate in the same way: you add channels and watch the content you want. For this reason they’re a vital weapon in a cord-cutters armory.

7 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Digital Media Player

I you're thinking about buying your first digital media player (also known as streaming device), these questions will help you to avoid making any grave mistakes. Read More

There are actually two sources of channels. One is the Streaming Channels library on the device itself. Sure, there is more than enough in there to keep you entertained, but the Roku really comes into its own when you start adding private channels.


In this article we explain how to add private channels to your Roku, and recommend 20 of the best that we think you should install immediately.

How Do You Add Private Channels?Before you can add a private channel to your Roku box you’ll need two things:

1. The channel’s code (we have included the codes in our list below).
2. A Roku account (they can be set up for free on the Roku website).

Once you have the code and have created an account, it’s easy to then start adding channels.

Head to your account portal and click Add a Channel. Insert the code, accept the on-screen confirmation, and you’re done. Yes, it really is that easy.
The channel should immediately appear at the bottom of the channel list on your Roku’s home-screen. If it doesn’t, you can force a refresh by going to Settings > System > System Update > Check Now on the device.
So, now you know how to add channels, you just need to know which channels to add…

 

1. Nowhere TV (H9DWC)

Nowhere TV is the quintessential private Roku channel. It has been running since 2010 and is the most-subscribed-to private channel by some distance. Cut the Cord Forever With These 15 TV Streaming Channels Cut the Cord Forever With These 15 TV Streaming Channels Cable TV is in decline, as the internet provides cheap, on-demand entertainment. Here are 15 of the best TV streaming services to help you cut the cord. Read More

 

It streams live TV and free-to-air channels from around the world. The channel line-up varies from time-to-time, but at the moment you can watch entertainment from most local Fox channels, government/politics channels like C-SPAN, and news from NBC and CBS, as well as lots more.

 

2. FilmOn (NMEVA)

FilmOn needs no introduction. It’s an Internet-based television service which licenses more than 600 global channels along with 90,000 video-on-demand titles. Watch Live TV Online, For Free, With FilmOn Watch Live TV Online, For Free, With FilmOn Watch TV, on your computer – without the need for an antenna, TV card or subscription. FilmOn is a free service offering a wide variety of TV channels in the US and UK. Read More

It’ll give you access to the complete range of over-the-air UK TV channels, as well as a selection of other offerings that range from the incredible (“FilmOn Classic Films”) to the ridiculous (“UFO News”!).

If you create an account, you can also record one hour of video to playback at your leisure.

 

3. iTunes Podcasts (ITPC)

This channel will let you browse, add, and listen to the entire iTunes Podcast Directory directly from your Roku. 5 Places to Discover New Podcasts That You'll Love 5 Places to Discover New Podcasts That You'll Love Love the idea of podcasts, but have no idea where to get started? Here are five sites that can help you find the best podcasts on the planet. Read More

It’s surprisingly full-featured; it supports multiple search filters, playback recall, and favorites.

 

4. Television Shopping (TVS)

Admit it – there is something strangely addictive about watching wannabe big-shot presenters on QVC and ShopNBC trying to sell you food processors and exercise equipment.
You can enjoy hours of their attempts with this channel.

 

 

5. Dr. Bill Bailey Netcasts (DrBillTV)

Dr. Bill Bailey describes himself as a “computer curmudgeon”. He takes a regular look at all things tech, including the Internet, computers, handheld devices, and cloud computing.





Best of all, he serves it all up with a healthy dose of humor!

 

6. Saveur Magazine (Saveur)

If gourmet food and drink is your thing, you’ll probably already know about Saveur Magazine. It’s packed with recipes, cooking tips, travel food, and articles about culinary traditions. Love Food & Healthy Recipes? Check Out These Windows 8 Apps 

Love Food & Healthy Recipes? Check Out These Windows 8 Apps Get great meal ideas for all types of diets. With a portable touchscreen device, you can even prepare your meals with your computer in the kitchen! Read More

Downloading this channel will deliver the magazine’s best video content straight to your device.

 

 

7. Cowboy Classics (cowboy)

Are you addicted to John Wayne, Butch Cassidy, and Tonto? The Cowboy Classics channel features hundreds of old westerns that’ll keep you going for months.'

 

8. My Channels (MyChannels)

My Channels is a bit different to the other channels we’ve looked at so far. Its primary purpose is to help you keep your channel list organized. It’s a great idea – channel lists can quickly get out of control when you add a lot of content.





Features include the ability to group channels and to add favorites, as well as allowing for more channels to be displayed on a screen at any one time.

 

9. Great Chefs (greatchefs)

Great Chefs is a cooking show that used to be on PBS. It has been discontinued, but you can find all the episodes in one place on this channel.
You’ll be better than Gordon Ramsey in no time!

 

10. Popular Science (Popular Science)

Popular Science is at the cutting edge of technological and scientific news. Whether it’s 3D printing or self-driving cars, you can tune in and stay abreast of all the latest goings-on. 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping: Future or Fad? 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping: Future or Fad? What went through your mind the first time you saw 3D printing in action? Did you think, "Hey that's moderately cool"? Or did you think, "Wow. I could build ANYTHING with that!" Read More

All the videos are in short and digestible chunks, so it’s perfect to dip in and out of.

 

11. Neon Party Games (H2CLHP)

Neon Party Games does exactly what you’d expect, offering a selection of fun games that can be played by an unlimited number of people via your Roku box.
Download the accompanying smartphone app to use as the in-game controller.
(Note: the channel is still in beta, so could be occasionally buggy).

 

 

12. Al Jazeera (aljazzeraenglish)

Streaming a 24/7 feed of the Qatari network’s English-language news channel, this is probably the best and most reliable of the all the news channels.
Unfortunately, it is geo-blocked for U.S.-based users, but if you’re located elsewhere you can watch this at your leisure.
(Note: the channel code is not a typo!)

 

 

13. Dream Catchers Multimedia (XRGPXN)

Dream Catchers Multimedia focuses on documentaries, short films, and foreign films. 20 Secret Netflix Codes Guaranteed to Help You Find New Content 20 Secret Netflix Codes Guaranteed to Help You Find New Content Here’s our list of the 20 secret Netflix codes guaranteed to help you find new content. Read More

This is a brand new channel. It only went live on February 18 – but it’s already got rave reviews. More and more new content is being added every day.

 

 

14. Capital TV (capitaltv)

Capital TV brands itself as being the UK’s premier hit music station. That’s certainly debatable, but either way this is a live stream of their TV channel, with 24/7 music videos that’ll keep your partying until the small hours. From MTV to YouTube: A Brief History of Music Videos From MTV to YouTube: A Brief History of Music Videos While music videos are mostly viewed on YouTube these days, this is only the latest stage in the evolution of a medium that can be as elaborate as film and as personal as photos. Read More

 

 

15. Space Time (CN6MRTG)

The NASA channel in the Streaming Channels library is one of the best stations available, but this private channel takes it to a whole new level.
It features some video content from NASA and from all of the other world’s space agencies, and it’s all neatly categorized into Featurettes, Deep Sky, Solar System, Space Travel, Historical, and Astrophysics.

 

 

16. Goats Live (GoatsLive)

No, this isn’t a joke – it really is a channel about live goats.
Sure, it sounds ridiculous, but bear in mind that it was recently listed in EarthCam’s “25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2015”. There is also an accompanying YouTube channel.
As one viewer said, you simply “can’t get enough of goats in a tree”.

 

 

17. Wilderness TV (fl821095)

Sticking with the theme of the outdoors, the Wilderness Channel features live videos from the National Parks Service and Parks Canada, as well as masses of TV content about the North American countryside.
It also includes occasional survival videos.

 

 

18. Update My Channels (UpdateMyChannels)

Update My Channels is another admin-based channel. If you install lots of private content, it can be annoying to either wait 24-hours or perform a power cycle just to get them to show up on your channel list.
This removes the hassle – open the channel and it will refresh your entire list. Simple!

 

 

19. Silent Movie Channel (ROLLEM)

We live in an age of crash-bang-wallop Hollywood blockbusters and big-budget cinema. Wouldn’t it be nice to return to the golden olden days?
Well, maybe not. But you can at least see what those days were like with this channel. It features hundreds of silent movies, featuring everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Greta Garbo.

 

 

20. Relax Time (VRQHQ)

Is day-to-day life all getting a bit too much? Do you wish you were relaxing on a tropical island somewhere? Sadly, Roku isn’t quite advanced enough to physically transport you there, but it CAN mentally transport you there.
This channel features loops of turquoise waters, palm trees, and gentle waves – as well as some other genial environments.

What Are Your Favorite Channels?

Those are our pick for the top 20 private Roku channels, but there are thousands more available.
The important thing to realise is that Roku private channels have something for everyone. If you’re not using them, you’re seriously limiting the enjoyment you can get out of your device and limiting its potential.
If you want to do some more of your own research and discover some different content, head to rokuchannels.tv or rokuguide.com and check out their regularly-updated lists.


Which private channels do you watch every day? How do you discover new ones? Let us know all your tips, recommendations, and thoughts in the comments below.Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/private-roku-channels-install-now/