The VLC Media Streamer App can Play Internet Streams from Many Online Sources
With the VLC Media streamer app or channel it opens the door for watching extra content on Roku you may not find in the channel store.
A very useful app, VLC is something you can use to watch streams from local or network online sources including IPTV streams.
It can also play ripped DVDs, and additional video files encoded with different formats, and the VLC app is available for many different devices. But you won't find an app for it on Roku
Before Using VLC on Roku, Here's What You Should Know
Roku has clamped down hard on allowing any channels that can be used for content outside of its tightly controlled public channel store. Once upon a time, Roku was one of the least restrictive media players. Either by sideloading content either through private channels, or watching content from public channels that contained pirated content. Now, this is no longer the case.
Roku is now a much more restricted media player available. Pirate apps can still be sideloaded quite easily on Android, and Fire TV media players, and even Apple TV now offers at least 5 stand-alone IPTV players in the Apple app store. But you will no longer find this ability or content available in the Roku public channel store.
But this does not mean you can no longer watch Adult Movies, IPTV, or other streamed online content on Roku, now it requires a different way to go about it.
How to Use VLC for Playing Internet Content on Roku
Since there is no direct VLC app or channel on Roku, we must rely on AirPlay Casting or Mirroring. Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide that will have you casting all types of online content to your Roku in no time.
You will need to get the VLC app to your phone, computer, or tablet which you can download from here. The app itself is free to use and there are no ads. But donations are encouraged if you find their app useful. This helps fund further app development and additional features.
To use the VLC media player app to play back network streams, open the file menu and choose Open Network and you can submit the URL address of a video found online that you want to watch. The URL can be to individual music or video files, or it can even be an m3u playlist that contains a long list of online live and on-demand channels.
Some playlists even look like something you would find on cable or satellite, with hundreds of sub-channels each featuring a ton of content. Once the video or channel is playing on your device, then you would use AirPlay or Screen Mirroring with your Roku to play this content directly on your television screen.
If you haven't yet, you may consider giving VLC a try when you find a video or m3u playlist that you would like to watch on Roku. Instead of watching it on a tiny phone or tablet screen.