Volume goes up or down by itself

I tried that and it didn't make any difference.  

Hi Mikeyy,

Thanks for the info.  I took a look at my TV (an older Samsung model) but I don't know if I have the same settings due to it's age.  I'll look again though.

I'm not sure that the audio output setting on the TV eliminates the Roku from being the problem, but it definitely helps in identifying a potential cause.  The only device I have that has an issue like this is the Roku.  My guess is that the issue might be due to a bug in an audio module, such as a bit-shift mistake that either halves or doubles the output level under some specific case.  Finding that doesn't sound fun though, but with a number of methods to reproduce the issue it might be possible.

Hello Danny

Here are the details from my setup:

• Model: 4660X - Roku Ultra
• Serial Number: YJ005T314936
• Device ID: CK3915314936
• Software Version: 12.0.0 * build 4184-46
• Channel: Hulu, Apple TV and Netflix
• Volume Mode for the channel is "Off"

Steps to reproduce:

• Watch a show on HULU (Hulu is the worst app for this) - i.e. example: Bob's Burgers, King of the Hill, Abbot Elementary (At random the audio will either raise or lower in level.  Ours will happen randomly and only a system restart fixes, but sometimes even that won't work for the night. ) 
• When watching a show on AppleTV, the volume doesn't go crazy until the second episode of a show, for some reason its the second or third episode. 
• On Netflix, this is completely random. We have not been able to identify a show type, or specific show that does it. It seems to be random. 

Mikeyy

Thanks for the update. 

Have you tried adjusting the volume modes during playback? If not, we suggest you give it a shot and see how it goes. Follow the steps below: 

1. Begin streaming content, or to adjust audio settings for a device connected to your Roku TV and wireless speakers, switch the active input to the external device.
2. Press Star on your Roku remote
3. Select Sound settings
   
   • Note: On some Roku devices, this step is not necessary. If you do not see this selection, skip to step 4.
4. Use the directional pad to switch the Volume mode to the desired setting. The directional pad is plus-shaped and is in the center of your Roku remote.
   • Note: In some streaming channels, Star is assigned a different function meaning it will not open the Options menu as described above. In these cases, you must launch a different channel, such as The Roku Channel, and follow the steps above. Once the volume mode is switched, the setting will remain when you return to the original channel.

Hope this works. Keep us posted. 


Regards, 
Nimfa

Thanks for the reply.  I think I can say at this point that the problem is only with the HULU channel.  So no global sound setting is going to help that I don't think.  Any other ideas?  I know I'm not the only one with this problem.  I am running the newest version of the Hulu app.

Hi Mikeyy

Thank you for the inquiry!

Have you tried removing the affected channel HULU and then re-install again? If not, we suggest starting there. In some cases, removing the affected channel and then re-installing it may help. Restart your device before re-adding the channel back in to ensure the process is successful. We recommend doing this through the Settings menu by navigating to Settings > System > Power (If there is no Power submenu, proceed to the next step.) > System restart.

For detailed instructions, refer to this Support link for more information: How to resolve a channel playback issue | Official Roku Support.

Let us know if there's any difference after.


Warm Regards,
Lianna

Any further advice?

Hello Mikeyy

Thanks for the information provided.

If this issue is only happening with Hulu channel, I'd recommend reaching out to the channel provider directly to report the issue and request additional support. Many channels on the Roku platform are developed and maintained by the channel provider directly, and they'll be able to best assist. If other channels are working correctly, and you only experience this issue on this channel (app), that is likely an indication that the issue lies within that particular channel. In these cases, the channel provider will need to investigate the issue in order to help resolve it.

You can reach them here: https://help.hulu.com/s/?language=en_US


Best regards,
Karla

I'll try contacting them.

I have been experiencing a similar issue with our Roku Ultra where the volume either goes down or up randomly.  I am typically using YoutubeTV when we notice it, but I believe it has happened once or twice with a different channel.

When my wife and I experience it, she is often watching something on WeTV.  If the output volume of what is airing is low (silence or near silence in a scene) when the problem occurs, it tends to cause the volume to go lower.  If it is loud (action, yelling) the volume tends to go higher.

Our method for fixing it is to switch to a different YoutubeTV station or go back and reload the station.  I wasn't sure if it was Roku or YoutubeTV (or a combination of both) that might be causing the problem.  I haven't observed a similar issue when using YoutubeTV on a different device (tablet, PC).

Our definitely is on Hulu.  It happens after where the commercial break would be if we didn't have commercial free. And the really strange thing is it happens constantly on Shark Tank and occasionally on other shows.

Hi cococr, 

Welcome to the Roku Community. 

We're here to help with the volume issue you're experiencing on your Roku device. To clarify, did you attempt the previous suggestion to determine if your Roku device is capable of Automatic Volume Leveling, which provides more consistent audio levels across different types of entertainment, making it less disruptive when a commercial appears or when changing channels?

To learn more, you may refer to this link: How to use volume modes on your Roku streaming device

Hope this helps. Keep us posted on how it goes.


Regards,
Nimfa

I couldn't find automatic volume leveling settings.  To be clear, I get the commercial free Hulu but there is still a short pause where the commercial would have been inserted.  After the pause the volume is lower every time during Shark Tank and sometimes on other shows.  I pause it and restart it and the volume level is back up.

Hi Nimfa,

The Automatic Volume Leveling setting (accessed through YoutubeTV channel) is "Off".  Should I try one of the other settings ("Leveling") and see if a similar issue occurs?

Thank you!

I did finally find the settings.  Leveling was on so I turned it off.  I'll let you know if it fixed the problem.

Hi cococr,

Thanks for following up about your Roku device with the volume issue.

We suggest pressing the * button on the remote, going to "Volume Mode" and setting it to "Off". Have you tried this troubleshooting step to fix the audio issue?

Does this clear up the issue you are experiencing? Please keep us posted.


Best regards,
Mary

Hi Mikeyy,

Thanks for the response.

Please keep us updated if following these steps resolves the audio issue you are experiencing.

We look forward to hearing from you and assisting you further if needed. Thank you!

Best regards,
Mary

I have volume leveling set to off and I still get the issue. Volume dropped twice. Yesterday, when I was out of the room, the volume went all the way up to the point it was distorting and I had to exit out of the channel on Xfinity Stream and reselect it to return the volume to normal. I recorded a video of that event but the video is large. I have it on iCloud and will paste a link here because I think you will be able to see it.

https://www.icloud.com/attachment/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcvws.icloud-content.com%2FB%2FAbg7SGveXiq0c3aQNPwJMoqgiUzuAeTHdilvSWeUOBU6vF4YRe6WjwZm%2F%24%7Bf%7D%3Fo%3DAlGFgd1ZxZNpPbwlPLKt9N6C_pcUpojwa_s_2x_NC8Hm%26v%3D1%26x%3D3%26a%3DCAoga5s6ynzrhn5oV4x_aA1aW1MTTL6wUk-60_WUMgt5zA4SdhDD4fzK6DAYw_H3nvIwIgEAKgkC6AMA_zWXjRlSBKCJTO5aBJaPBmZqJUWvRYabM2Y5suQEYbBQPjXXptIfyxdpeNcXSFhHWK9KpI5ju7ZyJWwxe-QAtcCy4QtgbHDngy53LvAe4NYvqYL2u_H-SL99gkfUYS8%26e%3D1679933962%26fl%3D%26r%3DCC05EB2B-A8ED-4F45-97BE-DD447A62AD84-1%26k%3D%24%7Buk%7D%26ckc%3Dcom.apple.largeattachment%26ckz%3D69793BDC-1C6E-43CD-BE34-61F2392A231D%26p%3D42%26s%3DwGZe0ii_IOBLrx7ZfTDQjpgiyB4&uk=W0l19eU8LyglknLrO5HJsA&f=IMG_1795.MOV&sz=48718183

Hi Community users,

Thanks for the posts regarding the issue you are experiencing with volume going up or down by itself.

We would be more than happy to look further into this issue, but we will need more details. If you have not already, can you please provide us with the following information:

• Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About)
• does this issue occur on a specific channel? if so, what channel and what version/build is the channel (this can be found be selecting the channel on the Home screen and pressing the * button)
• tracker ID when this issue occurs (when you see this issue occur, press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times and provide us with this ID)
• steps to reproduce the issue you are seeing 
• is the audio level heard changing when the issue occurs, or is it the actually volume level that is shown on screen changing

Once we have this information, we will be able to pass it along to the appropriate Roku team to investigate further.

Thanks,
Danny

I've already done all that.

Hi Danny,

Here are the details from my setup:

• Model: 4660X - Roku Ultra
• Serial Number: YJ00DL383360
• Device ID: CK485D383360
• Software Version: 11.5.0 build 4312-46
• Channel: YouTube TV - 2.22 build 110005571
• Tracker ID: 60-096-625
• Volume Mode for the channel is "Off"

Steps to reproduce:

• Watch a station on YouTube TV (we tend to notice it happens more on WeTV, but has happened on others)
• At random the audio will either raise or lower in level.  It seems to lower if the scene is relatively quiet and raise if there is more noise in a scene

The audio level is what we observe changing. The volume level of the TV has not been changed.  Changing to a different station and returning to the original resets the audio level to normal.

I have not been able to get a tracker ID. Pressing the home button 5 times and the back 5 times just dumps me out to the main menu.t

The volume on the right does not display. The volume is dropping or increasing on it's own with out the display changing. 

I posted a video of the issue when the volume went all the way up without me touching anything and exiting the channel and reselecting the channel returned the volume to normal with out touching the volume button. You can see in the video that the volume button display did not show.

Hi cococr McBobaks 

Thanks for the posts and providing us with the requested information.

Please be aware that I have passed along your concerns and details to the appropriate Roku team to investigate further.

Once more information is available, I'll be sure to update this Community thread. 

Your patience and understanding in the meantime is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Danny

I think I solved the problem (at least in my case).  I bought a new Roku just to be sure that it wasn't the problem.  I hooked it up and had the same problem.  By the way, the problem had now started happening on Survivor on Paramount +, but even more often.  I then unhooked the new Roku and moved it to a different tv that I knew positively had never had the problem with another Roku (not the same Roku model) I had hooked up to it.  The problem did not occur on this tv with either the new Roku or the original Roku I had hooked up to it.

So now I've eliminated the Roku from being the problem.  Now I start looking at the audio settings on the tv (all tv's are Samsung QLED) where there wasn't a problem and compared those settings to the tv where there was a problem.  THEY WERE NOT THE SAME.  On the tv where there wasn't a problem both the audio input and output were set to PCM and on the tv where there was a problem the input and output were set to Bitrate.  I changed this to PCM and the problem (so far) has gone away.  

I still don't understand why this problem only happened on certain shows on certain streaming channels.

I'm going by the fact that I used the new Roku that didn't work on the 77" Samsung and tried it on a 65" Samsung that had the same make and model Roku device hooked up to it and never had a problem.  The new one also worked fine on the same channels and programs that it didn't work on the 77" Samsung.    Plus the fact that changing the audio settings fixed the problem.

You are right though, it still could be that the Roku's don't correctly read the bitstream commands successfully, thus the Rokus would be at fault.

Anyway, the problem is fixed, or at least has gone away.  I don't know why I had the 77" set to bitstream in the first place.  I used to have an LG Soundbar hooked up to it and maybe that needed the bitstream signal.  

When I get around to it I'm going to hook up that LG Soundbar to my 65" LG Oled tv with a Roku on it now that works fine and see what happens.