As a mom born in 60’s I grew up on a tv that had limited channels and at 10 pm we was asked if we knew where our children where. In the middle of the night the tv would turn off until the next day. I grew up and Suzzane came along and we still had the same channels but we was able to purchase Cable TV.

Which to me was stupid. I always thought why should I pay to watch tv. Then Suzzane was gone and along came David and he wanted to pay for Cable which I still didn’t agree with. Then a couple years ago David bought me a new tv. It was a Roku TV and this is where my journey from “Where Are Channels 4, 5, 8, 10, and 11?” to discovering a whole new world of Television came into play.

Thank the LORD for Charlie because without him I wouldn’t be watching tv because I knew nothing about Streaming and didn’t want to learn nothing new until I figured out without it I wouldn’t be able to watch the shows I liked. If your like me then for years, you were perfectly happy with a regular television.

I knew how to turn it on, grab the remote, which I figured out how to work and find my favorite channels. I knew where to find channels 4, 5, 8, 10, and 11. That was my comfort zone. Then one Christmas, David surprised me with something I had wanted for a long time—a television for my office. and I was in Heaven.

I need you to understand something. I had not had my own television since I was in high school when my dad bought all of us kids our own TV. So when David walked into the house carrying my gift, I was excited. He handed me the TV and said, “This is a Roku TV.” My response was probably not what he expected.

“Wait… what? What is a Roku TV? Can’t you just buy me a TV with regular channels?” David looked at me and explained that those kinds of televisions really were not what people were buying anymore. This was the new way people watched television. Then he handed me the remote. And I just stared at it. Because suddenly I realized I had a whole new world to learn.

Growing up, watching television was simple. You turned on the TV, picked a channel, and watched what was playing. But today, televisions have changed. Many of them are what we call Smart TVs, which means they connect to the internet and allow you to watch programs through apps instead of only traditional cable channels.

A Roku TV is one type of Smart TV. Instead of only having your local channels, you can also add streaming channels and apps where you can watch movies, television shows, live programming, and more. At first, I was completely overwhelmed. I had no idea what I was doing. Thank the LORD for Charlie because even though we had a tv in the living room it wasn’t a smart tv but he knew about Roku TV’s and took the time to teach David and I what we needed to know.

Even today, I will admit that sometimes I still struggle with the remote. There are times when I’m trying to find a show, download an app, or remember where something is located, and I have to call Charlie for help. Thank goodness for kids who grew up with technology! Charlie can look at something I find confusing and figure it out in seconds.

But you know what? I am getting better. The woman who once had no clue what a Roku TV was can now find streaming apps, watch shows, and manage my own television. I even learned something very important: Write down your passwords in multiple places because they do get lost and you may not be the only person who needs them.

I know, I know. It sounds simple. But for the longest time, I did not want to bother writing them down. Then I would need to remember which email I used, what password I created, and where I signed up. Now I keep notes because it makes life so much easier. Especially when there is multiple tv’s and each one has different channels on them.

I would like to share something I learned the hard way about streaming which can be wonderful, but you have to pay attention. Streaming can be much cheaper than traditional cable because you can choose the services you actually want. But if you are not careful, those monthly subscriptions can add up quickly. Before you know it, you are paying for several different services because each one has one or two shows you enjoy.

That is why I recommend keeping track of:

• What streaming services you have
• How much they cost each month or year
• When payments come out
• Who in your family uses them
• Whether you are really watching enough to keep them

Also, remember to check your accounts carefully. If you do not cancel a service or remove payment information when needed, those charges can continue. Right now, I am even looking into my own Roku accounts because I seem to be getting charged in more than one place. Since we have several Roku televisions in our home, I want to understand exactly how the accounts work and whether everything can be managed under one account. That is something everyone should check before adding multiple devices and services.

The amazing thing about Roku is the number of options available. There are paid streaming services, free channels, movies, television shows, and programs for almost every interest. My brother is staying with us, and he loves Westerns. He has discovered some free channels that offer the kind of shows he enjoys.

I tend to explore. I will scroll through movies and shows until something catches my attention. And that is exactly how I discovered my newest favorite channel to explore: BYUtv. This will not take place of the other channels I watch it just gives me a new channel to explore with my family and friends.

I hadn’t heard of BYUtv before, last night while searching through my Roku, I found movies and shows I had seen before but wanted to watch again and they were on here and it was free to watch. This morning when I got up I checked out the website and I found things I think David will enjoy. I found things I want to watch.

I found family-friendly entertainment, Christmas movies, inspirational programs, and so many possibilities. And I thought: “Maybe other people are just like me. Maybe they have a Roku TV sitting in their home and they have no idea what all they can do with it.” So I decided to take you along on my journey.

Over the next couple of weeks, were going to explore streaming, Roku, free channels, paid services, and especially my newest discovery—BYUtv. Because sometimes the best discoveries happen when we are simply curious enough to push a few buttons and see what we find. And who knows? Maybe I am finally becoming a Roku expert.

I know Charlie might say I still have a long way to go, but I think I have come pretty far from the woman who asked: “Can’t you just find me channels 4, 5, 8, 10, and 11?” Now, I have a question for you. Do you have a Smart TV? Do you use Cable or a Streaming Service and why? What is your favorite channel to watch and your favorite show and why?

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates