Movies! Times Ten!

Why do we stream TV? To watch TV, of course.

Of course, there are other ways to watch TV, including cable and satellite, but we stream. And streaming is just another source for TV.

TV means TV shows and movies. And we spend money on streaming services and streaming devices in order to watch TV shows and movies. Which means we really like TV shows and movies.

And that's my lead in to a post about something I read on Facebook.

There was a question about movies one had seen ten times. So, I thought about it and came up with several.

Now, there are two ways to consider this. Watching the movie in a theater, as the movie makers intended, narrows the list quite a bit. Watching movies on TV opens the list up.

So, let me start with movies I've seen in theaters ten time. I can think of one and only one: Star Wars.

I loved that film, and went back to the theater over and over to watch it. I think I saw it 13 times, if memory serves.

Opening the list up to watching movies on TV, it grows.

• The Wizard of Oz
• Stagecoach
• Casablanca
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• The Angry Red Planet
• A Hard Day’s Night
• Mary Poppins
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Patton
• Blazing Saddles
• Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Star Wars
• The Thing
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• The Princess Bride
• They Live

Maybe there are more. Probably. But these are the ones that come to mind. And I don't want to hear it regarding The Angry Red Planet. Yes, it's a stupid silly bad science fiction film with a stupid plot and some stupid characters and some bad acting. Okay, the bad acting is a little harsh. It's not that bad. Some is good. But, considering the type of movie it is, it can't have great acting.

The other movies on the list? Yeah, those seem about right. They are some of my favorites, of course. And they're all great films. I'm talking about the others, remember? Not that silly sci-fi movie with the bat-crab-spider thing in it.

The next movie I watch? Maybe one of those on the list. Maybe something else. I got lots of options. My Streaming Life is good.

Reporting Roku issues: Model number

I've been a streamer since 2010. Well, actually before that, but I got my first dedicated streaming device in late 2010. Two different ones, actually: Apple TV (2nd generation) and Roku (XDS model 2100). I had used Netflix on my TiVo prior to that, but the TiVo wasn't really what I considered a streaming device. The Apple TV and Roku XDS were definitely streaming devices.

I liked the Roku better, because you could do more with it. Today, I'm still a fan of Roku. I've used a lot of different streaming devices, including a lot of different model Roku devices. I'm very familiar with the devices, and might even be considered an expert on them. Roku considers me one, to some degree. Seriously.

That's from my Roku Community page. Roku assigned me that. I'm one of several who are listed as Community Streaming Expert on the forum. If one of the experts suggests something, it's a good suggestion. The other CSEs know their stuff. And, to be frank, I do too.

So, with that bit of background, I want to offer suggestions should you find yourself needing support from Roku with an issue.

It's difficult to speak to Roku directly, so the Community is probably one of the best options you have regarding getting support for issues. Who knows, you might even encounter me there. Which isn't a big deal, since you can get me here too.

Anyway, if you go to the Roku Community support forum to get help, there are a few things that you really should do to help those that are trying to help you.

Provide the Roku device model number. You can locate the model number on the device itself, or from the menu system by going to Settings > System > About

Now, why is this important? Well, different devices may have small details different in how you approach them. For example, if for one problem, the first step in fixing it is to change the HDMI cable, that would not be the solution for a Stick, that plugs directly into a TV. Knowing which device it is makes a difference.

Another is that sometimes, people aren't sure which device they have. That may sound silly, but it can be difficult to know which device you're using. I've seen people report they were using the Roku Express Ultra Stick. Well, the problem with that is that there is a Roku Express, a Roku Ultra, and a Roku Stick, but there is no combination of those. The model number would help support determine which Roku it is.

When you're needed help with Roku, always provide the model number of the device. It helps them help you. And, if that makes your Streaming Life easier, it's worth it.

Frndly.TV is friendly TV

I've been a fan of Frndly.TV ever since it launched. The primary reason? Hallmark.

It's been difficult to find family friendly streaming content with which family members were already familiar. Hallmark is the, well, hallmark of family friendly programming. Sure, the programming is sappy at times, but if it says Hallmark, it's going to be family friendly.

There used to be a streaming service called Feeln that I was delighted to discover. I started watching it and was a yearly subscriber from the time Feeln launched in 2014. Actually, Feeln was a rebranding of a service with which I was not familiar: Spirit Clips. That was where you could find Hallmark content on-demand. That became Feeln, and with the rebranding push, I came aware of it, tried it, liked it, and became a yearly subscriber.

I continued to subscribe to Feeln until 2017, when it changed its name to Hallmark Movies Now. And, I continued to subscribe until Frndly.TV was launched in 2019. I liked Frndly, particularly liked that it carried current content -- there was no, or at least very little, overlap between Hallmark Movies Now and Frndly.TV -- and family members liked the live stream. I decided to stick with just one of the services, and when the Hallmark Movies Now yearly subscription expired in 2019, I let it lapse. I kept Frndly.TV.

And that's the background on how I came to be a fan of Frndly.TV. It actually had more than just the three Hallmark channels -- Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries -- and had more family friendly content. Today, at least as of this writing, it has 19 channels of live and on-demand content, with a 20th scheduled to launch soon.

The service has apps for the major streaming platforms -- Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast/Google TV, Android TV -- as well as mobile platforms. And, with plans as low as $6/month, it's a heckuva deal.

Frndly.TV is an important part of My Streaming Life.

Onn UHD Streaming Device fails the test

Recently, I tested the Onn FHD Streaming Stick. It didn't go well.

Then, I got the Onn UHD Streaming Device to test it. I have to admit, it went a lot better. But it still didn't go well.

I'll give you the ending now: okay device, but I recommend the higher priced Chromecast/Google TV for a similar platform, or a Roku Express 4K+ for a similar priced streaming device.

Let me tell you what I liked about it first.

The price. The price of under $30 is a good. And it may be worth that price. Maybe.

It's not much more than the Onn FHD Streaming Stick, but it's a much better device. So, for the money, the Onn UHD Streaming Device is much superior to the FHD Stick.

It's noticeably faster, and much more stable. As with the Stick, setting up and downloading updates was actually pretty smooth. Like the Stick, the device is an Android TV powered unit. It included the option to use an Android phone to set it up, but I don't use an Android phone. Even so, manual setup was easy enough. The only problem came when running apps for the first time. I had to configure each, signing in with my account, but that's not a major issue at all for me. That's true for almost any device. Bottom line is setup was easy, and didn't have the sluggishness of the FHD Stick.

Also, unlike with the FHD Stick, the UHD Device responded well to the apps. At least, it didn't hang up nearly as much. I was so frustrated with the FHD Stick that I cut the testing short, after I had tried the features and used it for a few days. I didn't want to keep using the Stick. The UHD Device was a much better experience. However, it wasn't up to my standards.

In the week I tested the Onn UHD Streaming Device, I had to power cycle -- unplug and plug it back in -- the Device as many times as I normally have to do a Roku in a year. That's not an exaggeration. I rarely ever have to unplug a Roku device to restart it. In the last year, either three or four times. I think three. In the past two years, maybe six times. Perhaps seven. But no more that that in a 12 or 24 month period.

I had to unplug and restart the UHD Device five times this week alone. That's over 50 times more than a Roku on average over a period of time. And that's not acceptable.

Still, I have to say it's a huge improvement over the FHD Stick. But not enough. Once testing was done, I disconnected the Onn UHD Streaming Device and reconnected the Chromecast/Google TV, which is my secondary device, behind Roku.

Oh, there's one other thing I like about the Onn devices. The remote is pretty good. I actually like it better than the remote that comes with the Chromecast/Google TV device. If the Chromecast/Google TV came with the Onn remote, it would be a much better experience. Almost enough to threaten Roku as my go-to device. Yes, I like the Onn remote that much.

Why? The layout of the remote makes more sense to me. I don't have to look as much as often to see what button I'm hitting. The Chromecast/Google TV remote team could take lessons from the Onn design team.

Oh, there is one thing, and one thing only I don't like about the Onn remote. There is no pause button. You have to press the center button, which functions as an OK button, a pause/play button, and probably something else. I prefer the separate pause/play buttons.

So, as I said, I won't recommend the Onn UHD Streaming Device, but if I found myself using one, I would be okay with it. At least, a lot more okay than with that Onn Stick. If not for the almost daily hangups of the device, I would put it in the "yeah, its a good device, go ahead and get one" category. As it is, I won't try to scare people away from it, but I won't encourage it either. My Streaming Life doesn't need an unreliable device.