FormerRokFan wrote:A loyal customer who has been made this disgruntled, this fast, from a bad business decision - with no explanation - should be concerning to Roku, Inc. stockholders.
As a shareholder, (of Roku and many other companies – via mutual funds) I have to say that every customer support forum I have ever been to has disgruntled customers. I have never been to a forum with 100% fully-gruntled customers.
The problem is that customers can get unhappy about anything. You ask what happened to SD cards. Well, where were you when people were complaining here about SD cards and asking why Roku just didn’t put enough memory in in the first place? People were still complaining about that years after Roku stopped making models with SD cards. You consider the lack of service A (Apple) to be a feature, yet the lack of service D (Disney) to be a flaw, but someone else could say the opposite. In fact, someone posted a Boycott Disney thread a few months ago. Optical? That has always been rare with Roku. It looks like the last such player came out in 2016. Generally, the answer to questions like that is: They keep making them as long as people keep paying for them. However, it turns out that people with old equipment don’t tend to add to it.
25 years ago I worked at major PC company that had an idea for joint projects with Consumer Electronic companies. We would push the idea that you could upgrade your stereo via windows update – cool right? The reply again and again was: That’s not our business model. Our model is to make the most attractive model, put it on the market, then ignore it and design the next one.
Sometimes if thousands of users complain, something does get changed. Hundreds? Probably not so much.
I guess my bottom line as a shareholder is: Make as many customers as happy as you reasonably can, but don’t let the tail wag the dog.
So I guess this would be a bad time to remind every one debating this moot point about streaming device support that the deadline for HDMI Ver2.1 mandate for all Disney channels effective July 1st. This means all TV and cables must support HDMI 2.1 or greater before Disney controlled content can be viewed. So not only do you have to replace a streaming device, you will be forced to replace your TV as well.
Then there is the Mar 1, 2024 deadline Disney has set for HDMI 2.2, which has yet to be ratified or adopted yet, that basically dictates that there can be no other device between video source and the TV. So if your TV only has two HDMI ports and you use a switch to connect other devices such as game consoles you will be forced to physically disconnect everything other than the video source such as a Roku device in order to play Disney content. Also in this version if a TV has multiple HDMI ports (i.e. 6 ports) all connected devices must support version 2.1 or higher, or be disconnected to play content. Currently there is debate about version 2.2 regarding two requirements Disney is demanding to be included. 1) Content providers must be allowed to search & catalog all devices connected to a TV at the time of viewing. 2) Both the video source device AND the display screen must be internet connected without exception.
So how about ignoring the debate over a dated device and focus on the bigger far more serious threat - Disney. Face it, the executives at Disney are just pure evil.
Moving forward, I tried the Express. Well that's getting returned. Will only work using the TV USB. Tried an outlet with a previously bought Roku power block and it just cycles dancing Roku letters indefinitely.
Plus the remote has to see the block.
Roku 4 was perfect since it would turn my TV on by hitting any button. Old remote power button stopped working years ago. No interest in Apple+. But guess the 4 finally quit since it stopped pairing with the remote.
So I ordered another stick. Unfortunately it's back to $40. Even $10 off for having the 4 taken away would be decent goodwill since we have what, 5 rokus. Would be 7 but 2 now are obsolete. Oh well.
The basic Express is a VERY bad choice. Get the Express 4K+ if you want a standalone that is not a stick. It comes with the RF voice remote, so you don't have to aim. Even that basic Express should have come with it's own power supply, so I'm not sure why you tried to use another one. The USB on a TV does not supply enough power to run a Roku, which is why it kept rebooting. You can use any USB power brick that supplies 5V with at least 1A or more.
I tried the Express bc it was cheap when I wasn't expecting to buy another device anytime soon.
You misunderstood. I used a Roku power block I already had for outlet power and it would not work.
It's working now using TV USB, the only way it will work for me until the stick arrives.
Setup, worked immediately using USB. Realized it won't power the TV when it has no power itself. Tried outlet, infinite dancing letters. Reset it. Same problem. Won't boot. Back to USB and works fine. Just really miss voice searching and it powering the TV on when needed.
I didn't want to pay extra for 4k since this is just a 1080p TV. But for the cost difference, I will enjoy the upgraded remote and ability to plug in the 4k stick.
