this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2025
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Don't connect your Roku to the internet.
Or better yet, use a Pi-Hole or something similar to block the relevant adservers at the DNS level.
That's not better, you didn't allow any smart TV to connect to the internet.
I wouldn't say this is "better"
I do run a pihole, but I still will never connect my roku to the internet. It is much better to have a media PC or other streaming device I have control of fully connected.
True, but most people are buying off-the-shelf stuff and they don't have their own localized piracy-enabled libraries with a Jellyfin server.
Further, I'm pretty sure you've got to connect your Roku at least once to install player apps like Jellyfin. But maybe you don't, I'm not at all familiar with if you can sideload on a Roku.
For any streaming, Netflix, YouTube, or anything I would always use a computer. Not some awful app on a slow device. No screen of mine needs to be anything besides a screen.
There is actually a way to sideload apps without internet. I did it once and forgot the details
Amen. I run a PiHole, and also just use lil computers on all of my screens and download anything I watch and put it on a lil server they all can stream from! No ads, best quality!
Would you happen to know of any guides or have advice on identifying the adservers to block?
I've always just done it manually by viewing the Pi-Hole logs for the device I am on while the ad is loading. It takes getting into the weeds a bit.
Further, I don't have a Roku so I've never looked into it myself.
That being said, a quick search brought up this hosts file:
https://gist.github.com/sidward35/cea28bedd0ec0b1bceec8c2b22c163c4
Not sure if it's current or not. Lots of threads about Roku ads making it through after being previously blocked.
Appreciate the reply and link regardless! It's always whack-an-ad with these intrusive jerks.
I thought that Roku was some kind of streaming service to a device. Doesn't that need to be Internet-connected to function?
kagis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku
Ah. Apparently that's what they originally did, but they've also subsequently come out with smart TVs, which I assume can operate without an Internet connection.