Like Jack said, Roku has free (with ads) channels / apps, and subscription apps.
Most of my local channels have created a free Roku app so that I can watch the news any time.
You can get ESPN as an app, ESPN+ for $6.99/ month, or as part of a bundle with Sling or Hulu Live. The Peacock app with give you Imsa, Indycar and Nascar, for $4.99 / month I think.
SRO races are usually live on Youtube, and Imsa races are usually on Youtube a week or two after they're live. This is the regular Youtube app, like the website, not Youtube TV which is a subscription.

I haven't had cable for several years now. Just what I can get over the air with an antenna, or what I can get through the Roku. We've had Sling for a while, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, sign up, what what you want for a month or two, then cancel and subscribe to something else.

Roku had had great Black Friday deals. Wrong time of the year to think about them, but for the last two years they've had Hulu with ads for $1.99/month for 12 months. Same for other apps.

I like Pluto TV because they run channels for show continuously. If you just want some background noise or something to zone out to, it's the ticket.

What is the point of having a Roku if you have a a cable subscription and a smart TV? I get it if you don't have a smart TV where you can't D/L apps, or no cable channels, but can't figure out why people who have both even need a Roku in the first place?

Not sure about Roku but I have a smart tv and a Firestick. The Firestick gives me access to shows that I dont get on cable at any random time I feel like watching.

Our main family room Samsung smart tv that is around 7 years old maybe and it was not able to download a couple new apps I have needed over the last few years. We added a Roku stick to it for those newer apps. Netflix, Youtube and YoutubeTV works on the Samsung but we then use the Roku stick plugged into it to watch Peacock and Paramount+ on that Samsung TV.

My shop tvs and my coach tvs are newer cheap Walmart tvs and they are Roku based so they work with all my streaming apps.

Got it. I just "assumed" that a smart TV would be able to download anything you want without having to use a stick of some sort. I guess it depends on how old the TV is.. I didn't understand why all of my GFs TVs had firesticks. I have three TVs that are within a year old and there is nothing they cant do where i would need to use a stick..

Here's what led to me buying a Firestick for my smart Vizio tv.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1130105-problems-my-65-vizio-smart-tv-fixed.html

Purchased a Hisense google/smart tv. Today $40 cheaper on line than yesterday. Setup was not bad. Instructions were terrible but it was not hard to figure out. Picture and sound are awesome out of the box. .Only problem is I dont know how to enter upper case on the remote.

I show this when searching....

"All you need to do is select the letter you want capitalized, arrow up on the letter (using the arrows on the remote) and it will select it in"

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1020US1020&sxsrf=AJOqlzUp9i 4RFjBz8NFcPIW3a5IxHhDGew:1678310551214&q=How+to+ge t+capital+letters+on+Hisense+TV+remote&spell=1&sa= X&ved=2ahUKEwj9h-mBos39AhUSkokEHVEmBx4QBSgAegQICBAB&biw=1366&bih=62 5&dpr=1

Had a Roku on my living room receiver back when I had a plasma and cable. Ditched the cable and replaced the plasma with a new Samsung QLED and now only stream and local OTA. All the apps I want are available. That Roku is probably still laying around here somewhere,,,,

Yes, I found that also. Did not work, They reconfigured the remote on the newer tvs. I found hitting the arrow on the keyboard and a letter worked.

Good that you got it working.
The directions...or lack of, are irritating on the Jap/Korean stuff. :)

For sure. Aggravating but doable. Did not take long to get things going but it could have been done in half the time with some instructions. I even downloaded the manual but it is pretty much useless.