Funimation Channel on Roku needs a serious overhaul
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As pleased as I am that I am now finally able to watch shows, even in HD, without insanely stupid buffering issues, the ability to skip the various points instantaneously, and nary a problem crops up; the Roku channel/"app" or however it is setup is seriously lacking from a user interface point of view.
Point One: The Queue is USELESS
The queue doesn't work. You might as well remove the option at this point if you don't plan on fixing it. Every time I scroll (allll the way down!) down to the Queue option, it always tells me my queue is "not available". Ludicrous. I can add shows into the queue on the web site and they don't show up. I can add a video to the queue through the Roku and it doesn't show up - and even when you do that, if you hit the right-navigation button the D-pas to switch to the next episode details, the Queue option doesn't even reset itself so you are greeted with "remove this video from the queue" or however it is worded - you have to back out back to the main show menu and select the episode again to get it to properly show the "add to queue" option. But then that is pointless since the queue doesn't work anyway…Point Two: Navigation Sucks
Navigation is far too cumbersome. It could probably be a lot worse than it is, but it could also be a lot better. Having the option to browse by letter isn't so bad, but that can get old after a while. All those different category views should also be optional, and enabled/disabled via an options menu; which should also present a lot more options for different Genre, Studio (Animation Studio), Target Audience (age based filters perhaps).There also needs to be options available which you can both set as part of your default view, and change as selectable filters from the navigation view. Mainly the ability to set what you want to see, like we can on the main site. such as Subbed only, Dubbed only, or both. HD shows only, or SD shows only. There also needs to be an option we can set, for default stream quality; such as HD if available, SD only, or "prompt me" which would work like the current menu does. However that menu should be gotten rid of entirely as it is yet one more barrier to starting an episode, or at the vary least it should auto-select your assigned preference of HD vs SD so you can just click through it without having to stop and make sure you select the stream quality every single time you start an episode.. At the very least it should remember your quality preference when watching additional episodes back to back. So if I select HD on the first video I Watch in X series, and then I go on to watch another episode from that same series, HD should be auto-selected for me.
There needs to be some kind of general options menu as well, giving you similar navigation options to do various things, similar to what the web site allows. Viewing / Editing account info, browsing the forums if you want, checking the release schedules, selecting the "Shows" category menu that only shows the list of Shows available, and not all the genre sub filters, etc.
TL;DR
In short, there is A LOT you could do to streamline the UI of the Roku channel. It is slow and cumbersome as it is now. There needs to be options for specifying a default view, default selections for filtering Dub/Sub only, filtering for HD/SD and playback options for HD by default.
AND WE NEED A WORKING QUEUE
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"Overhaul" is a bit harsh, but I understand where you're coming from. I actually think our Roku channel is quite nice. Sure, it can use some streamlining, but I don't find it a horrible experience at all, personally.
Point One:
Working on it. It requires integrating Queue with devices.Point Two:
Optional category views, filters, sorts:
We can look into that.Default filters, sorts, views:
We can look into that.Remove the HD/SD Option menu from videos:
Not possible at this time, but we can look into making it a saved option and remembering preferences.General Options menu:
Viewing/Editing Account Info - Not possible
Browsing Forum - Not possible
Checking the Release Schedule - Maaaaaybe, not sure if possible. Do you want it to be the full release schedule with product or just streaming?
Shows menu - We can look into that, but why would it to be in General Options?
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Ya the app kinda Sucks haha but nothing I can do it would he way easier if we can search the titles like typing in the name
It's kinda hard the way it is currently
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I think the Roku App is pretty good.
I would like to be able to see a preview small window when moving forward and backward like Netflix, Hulu, or Crunchyroll and most other Roku apps. Then I wouldn't have to remember the number of forward presses to get past the intro is.
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Ya the app kinda Sucks haha but nothing I can do it would he way easier if we can search the titles like typing in the name
It's kinda hard the way it is currently
We will be adding a search feature. ^_^
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I don't think it needs a complete overhaul. It's fast and simple enough on my roku 3. I do think some features need to be added. Not a lot just a few.
The queue of course (and they say they're working on it) but I'd like to see it as the first row at the top and in the same fashion as the other categories. Not a box that you must click.
A recently watched row as well right beneath it. That would be incredibly helpful for when I stop in the middle of a series.
A filter for sub/dub titles.
And like the previous person said, when waiting for a release of the next episode in a series to have a blank box after the last episode saying coming soon with how many days until it's released (as the crunchyroll app has). Then there would be no need to have the entire release schedule posted on the app.
Just those additions and I'd be more than happy.
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Just got a Roku Streaming Stick and it is slow, but it's also 1/2 the price of the 3, and since it's on a 20" 720p, it's all I need at the moment. I think the Roku app is OK, as is most of the Roku apps, but saved preferences of settings (ie HD vs SD and Dub vs Sub) and a search function would be awesome. I was just happy to find the Roku had a Funimation app.
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I think the roku app is great and like people have been saying it does need a few things. for example fixing the queue which you guys are working on.
a search feature which i just read you guys are also working on.
other than i that i would like to see a recently watched feature added, and maybe a favourites which would probably be end up being the queue.
overall i think the app is pretty good.
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i agree with some people here the roku app is great and it doesnt really need much imporvments. the only thing i would say is to add a recently watched row. this would help alot so that we dont have to keep going and finding the anime. the other things i had suggestions on are alrady being worked on like the queue and adding a search bar. it would be great if you guys could try and incorporate a recently viewed row.
