:) From my search I have found that there is no app for the golf channel. You need a streaming service. Streaming services are not free. This may be all correct or wrong. I hope nobody bites my head off for trying to help. :duck: I think your post was helpful and a good solution to try. :popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

It's a great suggestion. But it brings me back to my original question: WHICH Roku do I need for the specific type of TV that I have?

A quick search on google said:


“So here are the top 10 free Roku video channels as of July 10th, 2019, according to the Roku Channel Store.

Top 10

1. YouTube: Roku
2. The Roku Channel: Roku
3. Pluto TV: Roku
4. Tubi: Roku
5. PBS Kids: Roku
6. CBS News: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/27536/cbs-news
7. Sony Crackle: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/2016/sony-crackle
8. Fox News: https://channelstore.roku.com/detail...x-news-channel
9. NBC News: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/9581/nbc-news
10. NewsON: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/71845/newson”

But I can’t tell if it would work on OP’s TV set for sure. Which Roku stick to get may be answered by giving Best Buy a call.

You don't need a Roku.. You need a TV Antenna! FREE

The only way to get the broadcast networks for "free" by themselves is to get an over-the-air antenna. I've read various posts that suggest you cannot get good signal from all locations in The Villages but this is your only option. You'll get HD quality TV with a good antenna mounted in your attic and properly positioned to receive the signal from the towers. You're going to need an amplified long-range antenna - probably costing you ~$100 not including installation.

Best Over-The-Air Antennas in 2019 | CordCutters

The Golf Channel is owned by NBC Sports. The only way you are going to get this channel is to purchase a device such as the Roku stick and subscribe to NBC Golf or some other service that includes this service. As another post suggested, if you find a way to get this channel "for free" you've probably found a backdoor somehow.

If you get the Roku stick there are a number of apps that aggregate free channels in one place with a nice interface. The best of these I've found on Roku is Pluto TV (Pluto TV). You don't need a fancy Roku stick. I'd probably go with the Roku Premiere or Streaming Stick. Both are under $50 when not on sale. Depending on how your HDMI port is situated on your TV you may need a short HDMI extension as the Roku plugs directly into the HDMI port and for some TV's mounted to the wall this could interfere with the mount or the wall. Check your HDMI port and if you don't have 3-4" of access from the port to any obstruction you'll want to get a short extension cable.

One more point on the Roku, Fire Stick and other such devices. In all cases these products are simply portals that allow apps to run that actually link the TV to the internet. There is no device that I'm aware of on the market that behaves like you've asked for, other than a cable set-top box. You're going to have to scroll through the apps, select the app (such as Pluto TV or the Golf Channel app) that provides the channels you want and then you'll use the interface that they've designed to select the show/channel that you want to watch.

FWIW: It really doesn't matter but your 100mbs internet is not 100mbs at each wireless connection/device regardless of how "strong" the signal is. The actual speed for each device connected to your router/access point is going to depend on a lot of factors, many of which are outside your control and likely beyond the technical capability of most consumers.

The type of TV you have is not an issue. The Roku device will come with a stick that you plug in to an HDMI port on your TV, and a USB cable that you plug in to either the TV or to a wall outlet that will power the device. Then, the stick will connect to your wifi network and you can control the Roku content with the Roku remote. The content will include preloaded APPs, some of which are free and others, that you have to pay a monthly subscription fee to watch. You can also access the Internet and install additional APPs, that were not preloaded on the Roku device. As previously mentioned, I recommend getting a Roku device that has TV volume buttons on the side of the remote so you only need to use one remote. This is especially useful when a commercial comes on that you want to mute. One popular streaming APP service is YouTube TV that does include the Golf Channel. I think it costs about 50 dollars per month.

If you want Local plus Golf channel, then YoutubeTV at $50/month.

Any of the Roku streamers will work for you.

With a Roku device, you are not limited to the streaming apps that come preloaded on the Roku stick. Roku allows you to search the Internet for any app you want and download it to the stick. The type of TV is not relevant, as long as the TV has an unused HDMI input. Most TVs also have a USB port to power the Roku stick. But, if not, you can power the stick with a USB power device that you plug in to a wall outlet.

Yeah I'm only getting around 50mb - which was what I was paying for and they say they bumped it up to 100. I would probably have to restart my router or something to make it effective but it's working fine.

I'm checking this PlutoTV on my desktop computer right now, it looks like it is the kind of thing I'm looking for. It has CBS news and NBC news, and a bunch of movie channels and old TV stuff (Addam's family, yay!).

So - this is something I'm understanding better now. If I had this Pluto..and a Roku streaming (it'll fit just fine, it's a table-top TV on a pedestal), and I wanted to add MSNBC, and ABC, and CBS All Access, and (just for example since this will likely happen later on in the year) Neflix...

Is this something I can do on the Roku without paying $50 to subscribe to a "bundle service" plus having to pay even MORE extra on top of that? Are these a la cart selections possible? Or do I have to have a bundle (like sling TV or apple TV or Fire TV etc)?

Get an HD antenna that will pick-up the local stations for FREE. You can’t get the Golf Channel for “FREE”. All of the legal options to get the Golf Channel and other pay channels we’re listed in previous posts. There are “questionable” ways to stream, using an Amazon Firestick, what you want for $5 to $10 per month such as the Eternal TV app downloaded on the Firestick, but you should investigate your comfort level regarding these thoroughly before using.

The PlutoTV app is free and can be downloaded to a Roku stick in less than a minute. No need to buy anything else.

Not getting an antenna. Also not going to do anything illegal. I'm a computer person, not a TV person. I don't even know how to use a remote very well and would keep looking for the mouse to move menus on the screen. This is all information I need to learn to set this stuff up for hubby, who doesn't enjoy having to learn a whole new way of doing something he had no problem doing the old way - but we just can't afford to do it the old way anymore.

I need to make this as streamlines and effortless and affordable as possible for him, even if it gives me a migraine trying to figure it all out.

I have to smile at your comment, I’m sort of in the same boat. I end up doing practically everything, not because hubby couldn’t do it 10 times better but because after working 16 hour days sometimes he comes home very tired.

If it were up to me I'd just subscribe to Netflix and CBS All Access and watch it on my 27" computer monitor. I can already watch the news free, live, on Youtube without a premium subscription. I don't need any fancy devices, just my computer and an internet connection.

But NoooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOOO we have to have teh golf channelz!

The villages cord cutters club. They'll meet Dec 10th at Colony. You can get all your questions answered there... face to face.

You don't want a lot of services. Your tv is just fine and you are correct to only buy a Roku. You can certainly save some money over cable. .

Home | The Villages Cord Cutters Club

Cord Cutters News - All the news cord cutters need about cord cutting! Covering, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Netflix, Hulu, & More!

Best