Thanks to its ease of use and wide access to streaming services, I’ve long recommended a Roku as the best streaming device. Whether you have had the same Roku for years or recently purchased a new one, there’s plenty to know beyond the basics. Here are a few of my favorites:

LOCAL NEWS

Paid live TV services like YouTube TV typically limit local channel access to your designated market area. But you can access their local news if an out-of-market station has a Roku channel. A few area stations include WLFI (Lafayette), WTHR and WRTV (Indianapolis), and WFFT (Fort Wayne). Even better, the news content is on demand and completely free.

ROKU SEARCH

Are you looking for a specific show or movie? Roku will search thousands of channels for availability and cost (if applicable). It’s also a way to compare streaming prices for shows and movies you enjoy.

WATCHLISTS

Roku’s save list makes it easy to keep track of what you want to watch. Use Roku to search for the show/movie and select Add to save list on the details page. The list is available on the Roku home screen by selecting What to watch.

CUSTOMIZE THE HOME SCREEN

By default, Roku displays channels in the order you add them. But you can customize it if you want specific channels to display first. Highlight a channel, press the star button on your remote and choose Move channel. Then, use the remote arrows to place the channel where you want it on the home screen.

TAKE IT WITH YOU

Are you going on vacation? If you have a TV with an HDMI input and reliable WiFi, you can watch as you would at home. Bring your Roku, connect it to the TV and WiFi, and enjoy the same setup as you do at home. Or, if you own a vacation home, buy a second Roku, sign into your Roku account, and it will pull down all the same settings (and you don’t have to take the device with you).

SMARTPHONE REMOTE

The Roku remote, by design, is fairly simplistic. The Roku smartphone app has a built-in remote that controls any Roku and offers advanced features, including keyboard search and private listening. To enable private listening, connect your favorite headphones to your phone and tap the headphone icon on the Roku app remote to send the audio to your headphones.

Want to learn more streaming tips and tricks? Sign up for Tipmont’s free Streaming 101 seminar at tipmont.com/101.