Forum Discussion

purple1's avatar
purple1
Reel Rookie
2 years ago

When you start a channel on a Roku streaming stick, it freezes and becomes quite hot

I've had the roku stick for over a year and now my beloved Samsung LCD tv is showing issues.  Scared me to see the screen with a frozen picture behind it but mostly white noise and volume at its highest when I turned it on. Then tv would go black and picture would resume but it was shaky for a bit. Stick was very hot.  I tried removing stick, rebooting roku as well as turning off tv and unplugging for a few days. I've now left stick off for a few days and initially tv would do scary freeze and regenerate but now, with stick not connected over five days, it feels like tv will come on antenna ok but picture is not as colourful until it warms up.  I love my roku (I have 4 of them) but I'm afraid to reinsert the stick again and damage the tv!!  Also, after reading other entries, am concerned for my other tv's - one being a plasma that I'll never be able to replace again. I do use the usb as power adapter for all of them but wonder if the stick is something to go away from and perhaps go to the table top model - not that I wish to replace what I have.  But it seems cheaper than replacing the tv's. Help, pls. My friend has the firestick and has not had these issue.... 

app playback
  • RokuJohnB's avatar
    RokuJohnB
    Community Moderator
    2 years ago

    Hi purple1,

    A warm welcome here in the Roku Community!

    We will be more than happy to investigate this issue that you're having with the Roku streaming stick. Can you please provide the following information below?

    • Are you getting any error messages or codes?
    • Is your Roku device placed inside a cabinet or other closed space?
    • Is your Roku device exposed to sunlight?

    We look forward to hearing from you soon.

    Thanks,                                                                                                                                              John

    • purple1's avatar
      purple1
      Reel Rookie
      2 years ago

      Hi John. 

      tx for your reply. To answer your questions-   No codes at all come up.  This tv (and my other 3 also with the stick) are freestanding on top of cabinets. So nothing surrounding or blocking air movement.  This particular one causing this scary issue is in my north facing bedroom, small window with no direct sunlight.  Also older home and room is always colder than elsewhere is house, especially in winter where temps tend to be 64 degrees in there. 

      I just ordered the hdmi extender today, as suggested, but am weary to give it a try when it comes in.   Tlyk I have been a huge promoter of Roku since my first purchase and is why I have them for all my tv's now.   I have the 4k versions but none of my tv's are 4k but I wouldn't think that should have mattered. 

      • purple1's avatar
        purple1
        Reel Rookie
        2 years ago

        John - to add to my previous reply -

        It's not just that the stick is getting "hot".  I am genuinely afraid that it is the Roku stick that is going to destroy my tv as it has done to some others in this forum. The corruption of the picture when I first turn it on, when Roku was connected, felt like a precursor to my tv frying. This is a quality Samsung tv which has never given me any issues.  

        I have read that others have had their tv cease similarly and, in some cases, smoke,