International Roku Channels: Filipino Roku Channel Roundup

First, an introduction:
A lot of people use their Roku players for international content, and there are about 100 channels for most regions / countries.
Check here to see what's available: catastrophegirl's roku channel list: international

This week I'd like to take a look at Filipino Roku TV channels: one public channel that's new this week, and an older private channel. Then I'll suggest a place where you can search for international content on a private channel.

My wife is from the Philippines, and therefore many of our friends ask me how to watch watch Filipino TV, News, weather, and sports on TV in America. Previously, we had a few limited choices: We could use Pay TV. We've gone that route, and it's not cheap. DirecTV and Comcast both offer Filipino TV packages, but you need to pay FIRST for another package, and for Comcast, you also need to pay for a digital package (more money). Only then can you pay even more for TV from the Philippines. Total? $75 - $100 per month. I was happy to discover that everything Pay TV offered us in Filipino TV could be had online for as little as $10 a month if paid annually at TFCnow: The Filipino Channel Online - All your favorite ABS-CBN TV shows and movies on demand!. Unfortunately, that's only available on computer, so if you want it, get busy and figure out a way to hook a computer to your TV. If you want it on Roku, sorry, you're out of luck.

If TFCnow can't get their content on Roku, they are going to be big losers. LOTS of Filipinos would gladly pay $10 a month to watch on Roku.

Until they wise up and get onboard with a Roku channel, lets look at what options are available.


filipino-channel-tv.pngfilipino channel TV

free, Public Channel
available in channel store
Rating: ★


Owner's Description

In celebration of Filipino culture, lifestyles, and heritage, Filipinochannel.tv brings wholesome family entertainment to your home television.

If you're thinking - from the developers description - that this channel would be the place to watch some Filipino TV or movies, you'd be wrong. None of that here. It's more of a few travel and cultural information videos thrown together. If you're not from the Philippines, if you have never been there and would like to see some footage of some very nice tourist spots, take a look. But if you're looking for something more, skip this channel.


code filipinochannel
https://owner.roku.com/Add/filipinochannel

Website: filipinochannel.tv - Main


nuodtayo.jpgNuod Tayo

Free - Private channel
(Donations encouraged - see website)
Rating: ★★★


This private channel really is the place to find real Filipino TV content for your Roku. There's a lot of shows and the layout is really nice.
And, it works great - when it works. Okay, that's the good part. And now the bad part.

There are some things you should be aware of. First is that each show is composed of multiple six-minute clips. No big deal: just click the first clip, and the next ones follow smoothly. Also, the channel is developed and seems to be run by just one person. So a lot of content is not updated and shows / episodes are missing from time to time. And of course, this is in no way an "official" channel for any of the content. It's merely things already on the internet and gathered together into a channel for your Roku. But, what do you want for nothing? Yea, we just discovered this channel. We're going to throw a donation at it soon and hope it continues to work for us.

Let me warn you, if you get addicted to a series, there's a good chance it may disappear from time to time. If you're truly addicted to some shows, then spend the money on computer, figure out how to connect it to your TV, and subscribe to TFCnow. Until ABS / CBN gets with the program and builds a Roku Channel, it's not going to get any better.

Tara, Nuod na Tayo! ( Let's go watch!)

code K49NL
https://owner.roku.com/Add/K49NL

Website:NuodTayo: roku



logo_justintv.pngJustin.TV

catastrophegirl's roku channel list: JUSTINTV

Free - Private Channel
Rating: ★★★


I'll just leave this link to Catastrophegirl's blog here. Install the channel and use the search function to find "pinoy" or "Filipino" content, and lots more. This is not "on demand" content, it's all live streams, "luck of the draw".

Edit, 3/17/12:
logo_shoutcast.jpg
Shoutcast Radio

Free - Public Channel
Rating: ★★★★

If you're looking for international radio stations, I suggest the Shoutcast Channel, available for free in the channel store or from TheEndless's channels for the Roku DVP! . A sortable list of all available stations is available at Free Internet Radio - SHOUTcast Radio - Listen to Free Online Radio Stations . Bitrates of streams range from extremly low 8 - suitable for voice on a dial-up connection - and up to 320 on some stations.

Available Filipino channels can be found here: Filipino Radio Stations - Free Internet Radio

Nuod Tayo just got an update, and become available internationally. It was formerly available only in the US.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

NuodTayo Goes International


Just added a few more shows. And more as I post this.

Also, for our international viewers, I just released NuodTayo to all regions. Please let me know if this works out.

Thank you all for the support and Tara! Nuod na Tayo!

Posted by nuodtayotv at 10:26 AM

NuodTayo Blog

If you want to force the update, enter and leave the channel store. If you have a problem with the channel (I did!) delete the channel and add it back again fronm the link at the Nuod Tayo blog.

My wife is also from the Philippines and did like watching Nuod Tayo on the Roku but it looks like they have taken a big hit lately in what is available for them to put on their channel. I'm guessing this may be related to the Dish TV/ Roku deal effecting the international channels. I suppose if Dish eventually makes a good Filipino package available for Roku we will probably go that way but for now it just seems to be making a mess of things. 20 dollars a month to Dish may not be too terrible if I don't have to pay for a top 100 satelite package on top of that.

Originally Posted by psdoell

My wife is also from the Philippines and did like watching Nuod Tayo on the Roku but it looks like they have taken a big hit lately in what is available for them to put on their channel. I'm guessing this may be related to the Dish TV/ Roku deal effecting the international channels. I suppose if Dish eventually makes a good Filipino package available for Roku we will probably go that way but for now it just seems to be making a mess of things. 20 dollars a month to Dish may not be too terrible if I don't have to pay for a top 100 satelite package on top of that.

Nuod Tayo has really been slipping but - it's all we've got right now. Your only other option is a PC. Note that it doesn't have to be a really fast computer, just an old laptop with an output to a TV. It's all SD anyway.

NOTICE:
TFCnow is becoming TFC.TV Entertainment - TFC.tv and there's a lot of free stuff, too. An annual subscription comes to about $10 a month, and I believe it includes some live content. But, it's still only available on a computer (PC/Mac/Linux). They've given up Silverlight and are using flash now. In fact, I was thinking the changover may be the cause of the problems with Nuod Tayo.

Thank for your reply. It does look like the Roku is a total bust at this point for Filipino programming but at least my kids still enjoy watching amine on the Crunchyroll channel and its pretty much the easiest way to watch Netflix. Thanks for the advice about the TFC on the computer. I was orignally planning to hook a computer up to one of my TVs before a friend told me about Roku so I may go back with that plan.

A Roku is never a total bust, especially if you have kids and Netflix - there's tons of good stuff on Roku and a lot of it is free. Maybe someday Dish will have Filipino programming - but Dish doesn't have a great Filipino package.

I would definitely go with TFC.tv on a computer for about $10 a month with annual subscription. They are giving a 14 day free trial if you link to a social account, 7 days without linking. (you may want to make a throw away social account!)