All apps' audio is skipping and choppy with Private Listening

It's not the headphones 

Here's what I do to minimize the crazy you experience every single time. Before I start my run I restart the roku. I then connect it to my phone via the app and it takes usually 2-3 times with the app crashing until it works. Once it works I get full workout without skips. Reboot it every time though. Even if only a day after restart it. Those sticks are not great for the audio we need. 

"A couple" of users? How absolutely insulting. The issue has been clearly iterated by a number of people and it's obviously your device that's at fault. Fix it or lose customers. I don't have the time or inclination to do unpaid research for you. 

I am having this same issue on a TCL 6 series Roku TV (not a cheap TV) and have had this issue for some time.  Watching the TV but using headphones connected to the Roku app on my Pixel 8 Pro causes constant disconnects/reconnects/drops of the audio. The app and Roku O/S are all up to date.  Tried different BT headphones (no luck).  Each time the audio disconnects watching Netflix, causes Netflix to pause and reload (circle of death) and then video content resumes play which basically makes watching Netflix with headphones unbearable and pretty much impossible.  Like listening to a random skipping CD!!  Distance to TV is less than 10' and phone wifi is not the issue as the listening position is line of sight to the nearest access point.  TV itself is hardwired cat6 to the switch so the issue is not that either. I have gigabit fiber service! Frustrated...

Hi, Kheerema.

Thank you for joining us here in the Roku Community!

We understand that you're having an issue with the private listening. No worries, we're here to help.

To start, have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app? If so, try turning off the notifications when using the Roku app. This may be why it affects the performance of private listening.

Please keep us posted.

Regards,
Reynan

A couple user's?!?!?! I'm sitting here scrolling this thread right now as I'm trying to watch Apple TV, Netflix and Prime Video with the exact same issue everyone else has been explaining. Both my Roku's has been doing this **bleep** for year's now. On different TV brand's, at least 8 different Bluetooth devices and it's the same exact issue on all the different variables. Pretty annoying when the audio skips every 20 seconds or so. Really pissed that I have 2 extra brand Roku's sitting in the box's as backup's and I already know it won't matter 

Hi Doggpound007,

Thank you for keeping us posted here in the Roku Community!

We understand you are having problems with your Roku mobile app. We would be happy to look further into this issue, but we need more details. 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).
• Brand, model, and current OS that the mobile device is running
• The version of the Roku mobile app that your mobile device is using

Once we have this information, we will be able to investigate further.
Best regards,
Eunice

Two Roku sticks, 3810EU.

Pixel Buds Pro connected to Pixel 7 Pro. 

All apps and firmware fully up to date.

Phone is within two meteres of the Roku. No issues with the wifi. All devices restarted. 

No issues with sound through phone speakers or with bluetooth audio from any other app on the phone. 

This device is simply not fit for purpose. Bluetooth audio in private listening mode is suffering constant breakups every few minutes. It clears after a few seconds or if the video is paused. It's unusable. 

Hi schufflz,

Greetings from the Roku Community, and thanks for flagging this issue directly with us!

We will be glad to assist you further with this issue. How far is your Roku device from your network router? Is this happening on all contents and channels, or is it isolated? (Specify) Could you send us a photo or video clip of your running problem?

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards,                                                                                                                                          John

Phone is around two meters from WiFi access point. This is the Roku stick at fault. Accept it. I have zero other issues with any device, app, media or headset on my network. And photos/clip of what exactly? This just sounds like copy and paste support.

Yes it's definitely the devices fault. 

We have some of the sound bars in other parts of our house and these issues do not exist with those only with the sticks.

Hello @schufflz and @Doggpound007,

Thank you for keeping us in the loop, and we appreciate the precise details you have provided as well as the troubleshooting steps you have taken in an attempt to fix the issue.

Rest assured, we'll flag this concern to the appropriate Roku team for further investigation. To help the team better assess this issue, would you mind providing us with the following details?

• Roku device or TV model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About).
• Tracker ID when this issue occurs (when you see this issue occur, press the Home button five times, followed by the Back button five times, and provide us with this ID).
• Brand, model, and current OS that the mobile device is running.
• The version of the Roku mobile app that your mobile device is using.
• Specific channels are affected by the issue.

Once a few more pieces of information have been gathered, we will be able to pass them along to the appropriate support team to investigate further. We look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,
Janadee

I have the same problem.  Did you get a resolution on this?

Hi markjleo1073,

Greetings from the Roku Community!

We appreciate you for reaching out about this issue with private listening. We'd like to know when you started seeing this. If you haven't tried any troubleshooting you can install the Roku mobile app and then try again to see if that helps. It might be possible that you're running an old version of the app.

For more detailed information and troubleshooting you can visit our support page here: How to resolve an issue with private listening - Roku Support

Thanks,
Rey

We also have this issue.  Sound via private listening on phone works, but as soon as you connect it to a Bluetooth headset, the sound goes in and out,(as though someone mutes the TV for less than a minute, and I mutes) and about every 5 minutes or so, the private listening randomly turns off.

It happens on both Roku devices (one is an express, one is tv) phone is usually less than 4 feet from a Roku.

Apps on both devices are fully updated, plenty of storage space on phones.

This is a fairly recent change for us. Probably the last month or 2.  

I am currently dealing with this problem as well, the audio has skipped about 13 times through my hour long show watch. I updated the app and the error is still occurring. 

using a Westinghouse WR58UX4019 with Roku included

Roku app software version 10.2.1.13047499.6

iPhone 12 iOS 16.7.2

Sorry you are dealing with this.  It's a fully known and reproduceable issue that Roku has not done anything about.  I sucked it up and went with the soundbar a much more expensive unit which does fix the issue completely.  I did not get any refund or anything from Roku yet.

Known issue. Roku not bothered. Standard response is to blame your wi-fi even though it can stream 4k video without breaking a sweat. Wouldn't buy another Roku product after this experience. It's not fit for purpose. Constant skipping in private listening - and this is the feature I bought it for. 

Hi schufflz,

We're really sorry about the trouble with private listening. We understand that this is affecting a couple of users. Besides the info you've already shared, we'd like to know which specific channels you're trying to access where you run into this problem. Also, have you tried different Bluetooth headphones to see if they have the same issue?

Please keep us posted!

Regards,
Rey

The main one is YouTube. That's the one my husband uses most.  However it happens on Roku shows, prime, Disney and Netflix. (haven't tested on others) 

We have multiple headsets we have tried, but it also did it if it was just coming out of your phone, and not pushed to a Bluetooth, although it was not NEARLY as bad or as often.

We ended up buying a new Roku TV this month because of this specific issue. My husband is disabled and spends the bulk of the day watching TV, and was getting VERY frustrated not being able to hear his shows, while being kind and using a headset so I could watch something on my phone. 

(we have 3 different Roku devices we tried prior to buying the TV, all have the exact same issue.)

I uninstalled and reinstalled the mobile app.  I am still getting cut outs on the private listening, and the audio is toggling for a second between the TV audio and then back to private listening.  This is so annoying as you can't really use private listening at all!!!!!!!!!

I have turned phone notifications off and that has had zero affect on this issue.  This issue is completely unresolved.

Started happening to both my TCL roku tvs last month as well. Reproducible on multiple android phones(I've tried a pixel 8, 7 and Samsung s24), with multiple earbuds. Very annoying. I even swapped my wifi router out despite nothing else having issues and nope, no change.