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duffsparky's avatar
duffsparky
Reel Rookie
2 years ago

Casting, mirroring and app keyboard issues

I recently tried to cast and screen mirror to my Roku 3930SE from a Window 10 laptop. Initially I had success with casting photos, mirroring the Windows desktop and initiating YouTube videos (from the laptop) but then suddenly these functions stopped working. I've tried assorts of fixes found on the internet but none have worked. The Laptop connects to the Roku unit and starts to load the casted or mirrored content but then get stuck part way with the progress bar on the Roku screen freezing at random points between 25 to 95% of loading. Initiating YouTube videos randomly works. I wonder if HDCP could have something to do with this problem?

I installed the Roku app on an android phone because it is supposed to have, as of yesterday, a casting feature but this has apparently been disable by Roku with no sign of it coming back. One of the fixes I tried was to factory reset the Roku unit but that then requires all accounts to be setup again. I had hoped to use the Roku app keyboard for this, hoping it would be more favourable to my arthritic thumbs, but that also does not work. The keyboard comes up and I can type in the appropriate field on the phone but nothing happens on the Roku screen. I'm wondering if I need a specific keyboard app? 

I appreciate the casting and keyboard problems are probably two different issues and should be addressed separately but I 've mentioned them together in case they are linked to the same cause.

TV & Player Features

1 Reply

  • duffsparky's avatar
    duffsparky
    Reel Rookie
    2 years ago

    I've managed to get limited success with remote app keyboard; in that it now works for searching from the Home page and filling in Network details and Payment Method details from the settings menu.

    It does not work for filling in login details for streaming account apps; perhaps this is a limitation of the remote app and very annoying if it is coz' that's primarily what I want it for. 

    I'm not sure what I did to get the keyboard working but it happened after:

    1. Updating all apps on the phone (Android 9). The Roku app should already have been the latest version as I had reinstalled and updated it several times.
    2. Installed Microsoft Swiftkey.
    3. Changed default keyboard to Microsoft Swiftkey.

    After this the keyboard worked as described. I then reverted back to GBoard keyboard on the phone and the app keyboard continued to work. I then uninstalled Microsoft Swiftkey and things were still working.

    I noticed that the keyboard, before it is selected, will only function if its icon on the app GUI has small green dot in its top right-hand corner; no green dot no function even though the keyboard can be selected and the entry field, on the keyboard GUI, displays the letters & symbols as typed.

    I also found that in order to get the app keyboard to function on the TV screen you have to press the OK button on the Remote app to actually select the field you want to fill in even though the field already appears highlighted. I'm sure I had done this before but of course I can now not be certain.

    I hope this helps but it may be that none of the above was the reason for the app keyboard suddenly working, perhaps it was the digital gods waking up to my plight😀