Does Roku use data when tv is off?
Does Roku continue to use data from my satellite internet provider even after I turn off my tv?
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If you simply turn your TV off while the Roku is streaming something, yes it continues streaming until the 4 hour alert is activated to ask if you're still watching. If you first press the Home button on your remote and see the Roku home screen before you turn off the TV, then in general the Roku is no longer using data. However, as long as the Roku is powered on and connected, it does occasionally check the Roku server for updates. Other than that, there's very little network activity from a Roku device.
You cannot disable the auto-update function, so if you want it to use absolutely no data when not in use, you need to power it off.
You didn't mention what model Roku player you are using. If you are using a player that has a USB cable for power, and you use a USB port on the TV to supply the power, then it's likely your Roku is being turned off every time the TV is powered off. If you see the bouncing Roku logo when you power the TV on, then it's turning off with the TV.
atc98092 wrote:If you simply turn your TV off while the Roku is streaming something, yes it continues streaming until the 4 hour alert is activated to ask if you're still watching.
This function is controlled via Settings > Network > Bandwidth saver
If you turn this setting off, it won't stop streaming after 4 hours and will continue indefinitely.Dan,
Thank you for your comment. I am testing this now. I had contaced Roku support a few times on this question but got conflicting answers. (My Roku Ultra is not powered by USB, just the 12V wall adapter).
Scott
This is not correct. I use the Roku website, no Roku device just my PC, and it played 16 episodes of Sanctuary last night, totaling easily 12 hours of viewing time without my consent. No turn off on its own timer. I literally stopped the episodes last night after ending episode 4. I exited the play page and went to the main screen where all the movies and shows are and put my computer to sleep. I woke up just now, and it had played 16 episodes overnight and was still playing when I woke up, even though my computer was asleep and it was not on the play window or even with a show selected at that point. So no, the auto shut off is not a thing.
I have 3 Roku Streaming Stick +, and all 3 are plugged into the USB port on the TV for power. 2 of the 3 when I turn off the TV, the Stick also turns off, but on one of them plugged into a Vizio TV, the Stick stays on most of the time. I did discover that you need to exit the streaming app such as Netflix when done viewing or else it continues streaming, and the next time you turn on the streaming app, it is now 4 hours in the future. This is bad. If the TV is powered off, the streaming should stop as well. I do not have unlimited bandwidth as Comcast changed it recently this year. What can be done to stop this, other than getting out of bed at night, and disconnecting the USB port.
The fix is to always hit the home button on the remote before you turn the tv off. If the Roku is always powered up, that’s the only certain way to ensure it doesn’t remain streaming with the tv off.
I agree it should turn off. Maybe if I turn the TV off directly it is "ok" to stay on. But if I turn the TV off via my Roku remote's power it clearly knows I am turning it off and should shut down, or as it says, go back to the home screen for me. How hard is it for Roku to do those 2 things with the power button on their device?
I was told that to stop your ISP from streaming data, you must unplug the Roku Ultra. No other functionality on the remote will do this. So when I watch a 30 minute HULU live program and turn off my Roku remote, my ISP continues to stream for another 4 hours at 4GB/hr.
It seems that if the Roku is able to initiate the APP streaming, it should be able to STOP it, right?
Any techno wizards out there?
CG901 wrote:I was told that to stop your ISP from streaming data, you must unplug the Roku Ultra.
You were told wrong. If you turn the TV off while the Roku is streaming, yes it will continue streaming data. But if you press the Home button on the Roku remote before doing anything else, you will exit whatever channel you are in and streaming will stop. Your Roku will still on occasion check with the Roku update servers to see if there's something waiting for your device, but that's a minimal amount of data used.
And you would have the same thing happen with a Fire TV, Shield, or some other streaming player. This isn't something specific to a Roku. They operate independently of the TV itself, and it will continue streaming in whatever mode you left it in when the TV is turned off.
