Best Private Channels for the Roku Digital Video Player

Private channels can greatly expand the functionality of your Roku digital video player. Roku private channels are developed by third parties using the Roku software development kit. In some cases, they are beta channels that in testing to become public channels. These Roku private channels are free, but some request that you make a donation when you install them. All of the content in these private channels is free. You must obtain the codes for these channels to install them on your Roku digital video player.

Internet Archive Channel

The Internet Archive private channel for the Roku digital video player features categories such as movies, television shows, animations, short films, music and audio book recordings from the Internet Archive website. The categories are organized by newest uploads, highest rated, most downloaded and by specific categories and show titles. The channel also has a search function for each major category. The classic movies include "The Little Princess," "Oliver Twist," "Angel and the Badman," "A Farewell to Arms" and "Adventures of Don Quixote." The animated TV shows include Betty Boop and Popeye. Classic television shows include "Bonanza," "Ozzie and Harriet," "Dragnet," "The Lucy Show," "The Red Skelton Show" and "The Gene Autry Show."

TV.com Channel

The TV.com Roku private channel includes TV shows from TV.com, CBS Entertainment, The CW, Showtime, CNET, CBS Sports, CBS News, Gamesport, Classic TV, StupidVideos, MovieTrailers, ET, The Insider, Web Shows and CHOW. This private channel is based on the TV.com app for the iPhone, and provides full episodes and clips for both new and classic older TV shows. Featured TV shows include "Star Trek TOS," "Dynasty," "Beverly Hills 90210," "The Twilight Zone," "The Defenders," "NCIS," "Hawaii Five-O" and "Perry Mason." The TV shows you can watch with this Roku private channel include comedies, talk shows, dramas, soap operas, reality TV, sci-fi, horror, news and sports. TV shows on this channel are ad-supported and may be divided into segments.

YouTube Channel

The Roku YouTube private channel allows you to watch any YouTube video. Categories are organized by top rated today, most viewed today, recently featured and recently added. You can also set the YouTube private Roku channel with your YouTube username to view your follow list, subscriptions, playlists and favorites. There's also a search function in the YouTube private channel. The easiest way to watch your favorite videos using the YouTube private channel is search for them or to add them to your subscriptions, playlists or favorites on your computer for later viewing.

Pod TV Channel

The Pod TV private Roku channel features free TV and movie content from ABC, The Internet Archive, NASA, BBC, CBS, CNET, CNN, Current TV, FOX News, HBO, C-SPAN, HGTV, NBC, MLB, NHL, NPR, PBS and more. Pod TV also includes Internet radio channels, sports, religious and kids and family channels and content from local television stations. TV shows on Pod TV include news, sports, comedy, astronomy, financial and informational programming, including some content in HD.

The codes for these and more private channels are available on Roku-Channels.com.

For more information on this topic, read How to Stream Netflix Movies and TV on an HDTV and Best Ways to Watch Internet TV and Movies on an HDTV.

"HOWTO connect to "private" channels." Roku.com
"[Private Channel] TV.com (TVCOM)." Roku.com