25 Feb 2025 Update on Roku Casting
Yesterday, 24 Feb 2025, I spent over an hour with Roku customer support. I was installing a new (RCA) Roku TV and could not cast. I was transferred from the intake call center agent after 20 minute...
Forum Discussion
The manufacturer of the Roku TV is usually responsible for providing support. From this thread here https://community.roku.com/t5/Manufacturer-support-warranty-resources/How-to-Contact-support-for-the-Manufacturer-of-Your-Roku-TV/m-p/1013052#M281, you will find that the RCA Roku TV support can be found at https://www.rca.com/us_en/after-sales-service-288-us-en#television-support.
While I was initially suspect of hearing someone telling a customer to basically take a hammer and physically destroy their TV and wait for a check to be sent in lieu of store replacement or taking to an authorized repair center, it does appear this is indeed the policy of RCA and other manufacturers to prevent customer from repairing and re-selling TV when approved for replacement.
As for their Castify claim, still have a raised eyebrow on that one.
-----
There are a few different channels/apps you can use to Cast to your Roku TV. While I have used Castify in the past, I now use Web Video Caster. (offer both a free and one-time $5 purchase option). Very similar procedure to using Castify.
Install the Web Video Caster (WVC) app to your Android phone. (found in the Play Store). Install the companion receiver WVC to your Roku device from the Roku Channel Store. Establish a connection between the app and receiver and Cast your content to the Roku TV.
https://channelstore.roku.com/details/dd37e6d096d3197a9578787890118e33/web-video-caster-receiver
----
Depending on your Android phone, you may also be able to simply Screen Mirror to your Roku TV as well. (which is similar, but different than casting).
https://support.roku.com/article/208754928
----
If you need more help trying to get Castify or Web Video Caster to work with your RokuTV, I would suggest you reach back out here instead of dealing with RCA. Sometimes when there is an update to either the Roku OS or these casting apps, there may be a bug that needs to be addressed by the developer to get them working properly again. Usually accomplished with some keystrokes on a keyboard, not a hammer and scissors.
Thank you for your help, AvsGunnar! I have been waiting for replies from vendors to get back to you, but will update you with what I have now.
1. Yes, as you have said, it is RCA sending the cheque. Just got a message this afternoon that they put it in the mail today.
2. I called Roku Wed 26 Feb 2025 and product specialist (2nd level) got back to me at 11:11pm to say that they are not supporting casting. I was told to remove Castify (which downloaded automatically) and not use any 3rd part casting software as Roku does not support it and does not work with any developers on this feature. Told to use screen mirroring. (Screen mirroring is poor at best, pixilation, lag, poor video quailty).
3. I downloaded and tried to use Web Video Caster (WVC) as per your suggestion and it will not work for me. Even tried the TED.com url they use in the set-up video. I keep getting an error message that says it may be because my TV does not support the video formats of the videos on the websites I am using. The main videos I want to cast are my Church webcasts so I can see them on the TV larger screen. WRL is: ucg.org. Any of the webcasts listed on the site, in many video formats, none will work for me. Mirroring does work with limitations as stated. WVC automatically creates messages to send to their support team and I sent them. I got a reply yesterday from WVC support asking if I wanted help, and I replied yes! I sent a request for help earlier today but still waiting for a reply. I was hoping I could have more news from them to tell you but I have to stop work at sundown. I was going to take the Roku back and get a Google TV OS TV, but I called Google support and they said that, unless Google Cast is imbedded in the website I want to cast, it will not work. So I am keeping the replacement Roku for now as it appears I need a third party app to cast regardless. A question I have: Would it help if I saved up and got a higher end unit? Because this is an OS functionality problem (well, lack-of-feature, problem), I don't think that would help. Thanks for your time, have a good weekend.
The team over at WVC are very good to deal with, so no issues there with sending them any requested info.
As for your Roku TV, go to Settings/System/Advanced System Settings/Control by Mobile Apps and verify that you are set to [Enabled] or [Permissive].
This will allow casting apps like WVC to automatically launch when casting. Otherwise, you may have to first physically launch the casting app on the Roku to avoid errors. I have mine set to Permissive. When I run into issues, I change it to Enabled.
Sometimes this forum may inadvertently flag a user's links as spam, so if you want to sent me some links via PM (just click my name/avatar, view profile, send user private message), I can test them using both WVC and Castify for you to see if I see any errors/issues.
I went to both TED and also the ucg.org website and played some sermons (a few under the Featured) and it cast just fine to my Roku device using WVC.
Feel free to post questions/responses here in this thread publicly, but send links via PM just to make sure I get them if you want.
Thanks for this! My TV is set to Enabled. WVC launches automatically and then stops. Sometimes a loading wheel gets to 33% and no further. I will keep the Casify channel on the TV, then, if you feel it might work. Have a great weekend, I will let you know what WVC customer support says.
