I've been dealing with this EXACT same issue for around a year. And until now I was unable to find anyone online running into this bug. Interestingly, it seems that all of you have been experiencing this for as long as I have.
It happens in any app that shrinks the video into a smaller window while other content fills the screen. (I've seen it happen on Max, Crunchyroll, and DirecTV Stream).
A few months ago, DirecTV Stream updated their app with a home page that features a small windowed video playing the currently selected channel. When the bug happens, the only ways to get the video work is to either select a new channel using the guide, or use the left or right arrow to change the channel. Using the home menu gives you a black screen with sound. The top of the home menu shows a selection of recent channels, and scrolling through these brings the video back on the small screen, but making the video full screen through the home menu will still give you a black screen with sound.
As others have said, the only way to fix it temporarily is to reboot the TV using the settings menu. But the bug will happen again within a couple days. This has to be either a Roku or TCL issue, as it happens in several apps, and is not a problem when I stream content through my PS5.
Oriolesfan33 wrote:This has to be either a Roku or TCL issue, as it happens in several apps, and is not a problem when I stream content through my PS5.
First, it doesn't matter if it doesn't happen with your PS5. The apps are completely different and programmed in a different language. Because it's happening in multiple apps is why it's not Roku doing it. The Roku OS does not override the functionality of individual apps. The apps may use something the OS offers, but it's the app developers that have to make that happen. When within a specific app the OS only does what the app is programmed to do. So it's the app developers that are making the credit screen minimize. And I have see apps on different platforms do the exact same thing, so another reason why it's not Roku themselves doing it. Now if/when it happens within the Roku Channel, then yes you can blame Roku. But not for 3rd party apps, which almost all other apps are.
I've found that it also happens on the Roku homepage. There is a box for "Live TV" that is connected to Roku TV that begins playing the last channel viewed in a small, windowed video when you leave the cursor on the icon for a couple seconds. When the bug happens, it will be a black screen with the sound playing.
Because it's happening in multiple apps is why it's not Roku doing it.
This is exactly why IT IS Roku/TCL doing it. When every single app that minimizes the screen has the exact same problem you look to what is common between all of them. In this case its the Roku TCL TV. If this is an issue with an individual app developer, wouldn't you think that this would only be a problem with ONE of them and not ALL of them?? And the fact that the issue is temporarily fixed with ALL of them when you reboot the TV? The same behavior happens no matter the app. Again the only thing that is common is Roku and TCL. I have noticed that the Roku support staff have stopped replying to this thread which makes me think they are now ignoring the problem and it may never get fixed.
But every single app DOES NOT do it. That's why it's not the Roku OS. It's done by the app programmer. For The Roku Channel, that is Roku themselves. But for other apps, their programmers have done it. I've personally never seen it happen in recent use, but then I don't use Netflix, rarely use Prime Video, and occasionally use Disney+ and MAX. The only one of those that I can remember seeing it happen was Netflix, and that was quite a while ago.
