Forum Discussion

Kenny44's avatar
Kenny44
Reel Rookie
24 days ago
Solved

Roku Media Player no longer plays videos

Roku Media Player no longer loads the videos from my home PC.  It can find my PC, it can find the media I have on my PC but stops loading at thirteen percent when I select a video to watch..  I have removed and reinstalled the media player app,  I have rebooted my PC, I have re-started my router box and my WiFi box.  Media Streaming is turned on.  I have read so many pages on the internet trying to solve this problem, I have looked at so many settings on my PC but nothing has worked.  I am now completely lost and confused.

app playback
  • RokuRiamie-D's avatar
    RokuRiamie-D
    24 days ago

    Hi Kenny44​

    We’ve reviewed the troubleshooting steps you've already taken regarding the Roku Media Player app not loading videos from your PC. Since the app detects your PC and media but stalls at 13%, we’d like to take a closer look.

    Please check for any available updates for the Roku Media Player app and restart your Roku device. Try to unplug and replug the Roku device from your PC.

    For more tips, visit here.

    Let us know how it goes!

    Roku Community Team

6 Replies

  • RokuRiamie-D's avatar
    RokuRiamie-D
    Community Moderator
    24 days ago

    Hi Kenny44​

    We’ve reviewed the troubleshooting steps you've already taken regarding the Roku Media Player app not loading videos from your PC. Since the app detects your PC and media but stalls at 13%, we’d like to take a closer look.

    Please check for any available updates for the Roku Media Player app and restart your Roku device. Try to unplug and replug the Roku device from your PC.

    For more tips, visit here.

    Let us know how it goes!

    Roku Community Team

  • atc98092's avatar
    atc98092
    Community Streaming Expert
    24 days ago

    First, the media server function built into Windows is terrible, as it can't play media that isn't supported by Roku (it has no issues with supported media). It has no useful metadata retrieval and poor library management. 

    AvsGunnar​ has suggested several good media server products, and all are free to use (might offer some additional functions for a cost). I personally use Serviio, but since that requires using the Roku Media Player (there is no Serviio app for Roku), and RMP has so many issues that haven't been addressed for close to 5 years, I would suggest any that were mentioned. 

    But the main problem is RMP. As I mentioned it hasn't been updated for close to 5 years, and even then the majority of the last updates were for music, not video, playback. Roku devices only support a handful of containers (MKV, MP4, MOV, TS) and even fewer video and audio codecs. If your media is unsupported, you need a media server that can transcode your media into a version that Roku can play. I have Plex, Emby and Jellyfin all running on a test server on my network and can recommend any of them for general use. My only caveat for any of them is that Jellyfin and Plex do not support playlist (PLS) files, and Emby has a few limitations with them. I personally use playlists extensively, which is why Serviio is still my primary media server.

    Disclaimer: I am the author of the Roku profiles (and several TV profiles as well) used in Serviio, and a moderator on their forum. But I am not a paid employee of Serviio. I am happy to assist anyone that has questions about how to use a media server on their home network, even if it's not Serviio.

  • Kenny44's avatar
    Kenny44
    Reel Rookie
    24 days ago

    The Roku Media Player app is up to date.  The Roku device has been restarted multiple times.  I have uninstalled and reinstalled the Roku Media Player app several times.  There is no Roku device on my PC.  The Roku device is a Roku television.  I have chatted with five Roku service advisors.  None of the five were able to solve the problem.  Nothing I have been advised to do has solved the problem.

     

     

    • AvsGunnar's avatar
      AvsGunnar
      Community Streaming Expert
      24 days ago

      Kenny44​ 

      I will be of little help with Windows PC and their media servers, but if you are open/willing to trying another media server on your Windows, you can definitely try Jellyfin, Plex, or Emby.

      When using these servers with Roku. you can use the Roku Media Player (RMP) and discovering as DLNA, or use their standalone apps that they have available for Roku in the Channel Store.  I personally use Jellyfin.  (free and open-source).  All the above servers are available for the different OS like Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.

      I would try removing the Roku connection from the PC (the network connection), restarting the computer, and then discovering the RokuTV again.  With RMP, I sometimes find that "backing out" from the menus (using the Back button) to the starting screen and restarting the router and server (computer, or the server software itself) is sometimes necessary to refresh the connections.

      That being said, sometimes I will have RMP stick at the "13%", or even "33%" when it comes across a video file it doesn't like.  If it is happening to all your video files, then this is likely not a codec issue but a communication issue.

      I haven't really ever seen a definitive reason why the RMP encounters an issue with the Windows media servers.  Not sure if an update issue with Windows, Roku, or both.  Generally, it usually just starts working again with enough restarts, resets, disconnects/discoveries, and time.

      atc98092​ is more versed with Windows and their servers so hopefully will stop by to add support/advice.

      • Kenny44's avatar
        Kenny44
        Reel Rookie
        23 days ago

        Thank you for the detailed and helpful information.  It is most appreciated.

  • Kenny44's avatar
    Kenny44
    Reel Rookie
    23 days ago

    Thank you for the kind reply and for the helpful information.