patrick.net

I never had a Roku box, so I'm not entirely clear on what it does. Seems like video streaming over the internet to your TV.

If that's what it is, how can it block you from viewing, say, walmart.com?

One of the reasons I use Kodi. Just watch out for 3rd party add-ons.

Roku was logging exactly what?

I'd assume everything on the box from account data, payment, apps installed, what was watched, to IP address, and anything else they could get their hands on. And I had a voice remote, so everything that's said, all the time. Although I had opened the remote and stuffed foam over the mic, so not much was getting recorded, and even less transmitted.

So if no voice remote, and unplugged when not using, then OK?

NuttBoxer says

I'd assume everything on the box from account data, payment, apps installed, what was watched, to IP address, and anything else they could get their hands on. And I had a voice remote, so everything that's said, all the time. Although I had opened the remote and stuffed foam over the mic, so not much was getting recorded, and even less transmitted.

I'm a drummer. You're not stopping a microphone on anything by putting foam over anything. If anything it's helping to clear the signal even though it might be muffled. Somehow the radio and podcast industry has put muffs over their mics for decades and you can still hear it.

I know you're a privacy guy, but the fact you even used Roku is substantially worse than Apple or any similar service.

Until everyone understands that data manipulation on your end is the key, they'll keep prying. Careful if you have kids. When they're out of the house I talk about fucking midgets (don't want to). You need to fuck up their algorithms. Think of the dumbest and funniest shit you could search. One you're creating an alibi and two you're fucking with the algorithms.

If you use the internet these systems are unavoidable. Make them obsolete with bull shit searches and if you have Alexa, Apple, Roku, etc. do stupid shit to confuse it. It's funny. I have my kids ask Alexa (I know BAAAADDDDD, whatever) what the loudest fart is. Ask Alexa what a quiff is. A shart. Then ask how to make apple pie. I hate apple pie. Confuse the fuck out of the algorithm. You're being recorded whether you know or like it. Be a fucking weirdo. It's kind of fun.

Booger says

So if no voice remote, and unplugged when not using, then OK?

The amount of requests on the network alone make me glad I've disconnected it. My traffic has been reduced by a factor of 10, and I went from 95% of requests blocked to 45%.

As long as you signed up using an email not associated to you, you don't give them your real IP, and you pay for things using a method that doesn't tie back to you, then I think it's fine. But keep in mind the amount of traffic that comes with them(not related to your streaming).

WookieMan says

I'm a drummer. You're not stopping a microphone on anything by putting foam over anything. If anything it's helping to clear the signal even though it might be muffled. Somehow the radio and podcast industry has put muffs over their mics for decades and you can still hear it.

I tested it with some voice commands. Now Roku could just have a really shitty voice recognition implementation, but it never understood what I said.

WookieMan says

I know you're a privacy guy, but the fact you even used Roku is substantially worse than Apple or any similar service.

Until I hooked up pihole, I had no idea how bad it was. Although Apple trying to force all requests over their DNS servers is pretty bad. Not to mention the new OS updates that scan your media for their algo's version of child porn.

I'm definitely with the salting your data. And even better if it's all fake to start with. I've actually started modifying my existing fake persona with data from a second fake persona. Both very generic names. My goal is to eventually have so many layers of fake data, that anyone attempting to siphon real information from me will tear their hair out and change careers.

The only thing I can run on my Roku are various "channels".
Pluto TV, Peacock, Roku Channel, Tubi, Frndly, Vudu, Classic Reel,YouTube, Disney + are on mine now.

In Mexico a lot of my stuff doesn't work however. I miss Vudu because I like renting movies a la carte.

It was great while it worked, except for throwing my pihole stats so far off. I was able to block commercials on all channels. Youtube was the only exception, and I was only using that for entertainment. The Odysee port someone did was pretty decent.

So found out yesterday my RetroPi has a Ports section where a Kodi script is already installed. Ran it, and now my Pi that was only slightly used for games, will also serve as our media center.

If there wasn't a world shortage on Pi's I never would have looked into this.

Cached responses now make up almost half of my response traffic, vs less than 10% before. And my blocked traffic has dropped to just under 30%.