Forum Discussion

Joe2019's avatar
Joe2019
Binge Watcher
27 days ago

Roku no longer updating

This is getting frustrating. Been using Roku since 2011-2012 and I've noticed a trend when devices that are only a few years old no longer get updates. My Roku Express + streaming box/device is at version 14.6 and can no longer update to version 15 of the software. Now Apple TV+ app no longer works. I can open it and see the content but nothing streams.

I have had this happen multiple times throughout the years and it is getting annoying. This is a perfectly working device and is now trash. Just what we need, more perfectly working items just thrown into the trash.

Sorry Roku, I like the user interface and all but it is time to move on.

OS Update
roku player

7 Replies

  • StreamerUser's avatar
    StreamerUser
    Roku Guru
    27 days ago

    Joe2019​ 

    RokuOS 14.6.4 Build 9914 is the latest version/build for most devices.

    RokuOS 15 hasnt been officially announced/released, and is currently still in limited beta rollout testing phase, and your device hasnt been 'selected' for testing.

    The Express+ (3710/3910/3931) is/are currently supported and will receive OS 15 once released etc.

    The AppleTV app (AppleTV+ is/was the streaming service, until yesterday, when Apple renamed the 'AppleTV+' streaming service to just 'AppleTV') is not supported on the 3710, so you likely have the 3910 or the 3931 - if you have a model 3710 then the Apple TV app has never been supported (Apple's decision/limitation - not Roku's) on that model since the Apple TV app/service was released (back in later 2019), and you either need to accept that or upgrade to a newer model if you want to use the Apple TV app.

    The AppleTV app recently updated to version 16.0.51 and may be the source of your issue, though it streams without issue on my Express+ (3910).

    If you haven't already 1) uninstalled the ATV app, 2) restarted your Roku, and 3) reinstalled the ATV app (in that order, without skipping steps) then you should do so.

    Otherwise you can try manually configuring Settings/Display type = 1080p/720p TV (assuming HDMI connection) or manually configuring Settings/Audio/Digital output format = Stereo and checking to see if you are able to stream.

  • Joe2019's avatar
    Joe2019
    Binge Watcher
    27 days ago

    I have 4 Roku devices...

    1. Roku Express 4k 3940RW (OS 15.0.4)
    2. Roku Express 4k 3940RW (OS 14.6.4)
    3. Roku Express + 3910RW (OS 14.6.4)
    4. Roku Express 3900X (OS 14.6.4) 

     

    None will play Apple TV except the one with OS 15 installed. Two of the devices are the same (4k model) but only one with OS 15 and the other will not update to 15.

    Just shows that Apple TV will not play on OS 14.6, at least here. And yes, I did all the steps to try to get it to work, even uninstalling the app and reinstalling. 

    • StreamerUser's avatar
      StreamerUser
      Roku Guru
      27 days ago

      Joe2019​ 

      Correct and full reinstall of an app on RokuOS requires all the steps in order (you must RESTART each device AFTER unstalling the Apple TV app but BEFORE reinstalling the AppleTV app otherwise the app's data/cache is left behind - you must do this for all devices):

      1. Remove Apple TV app
      2. Restart device
      3. Reinstall + reuathenticate Apple TV app

       

      You really should state your model #s, not names:  Roku (re)uses the same exact model name for different model #s over time:  Settings/System/About

      The device with OS15 was 'randomly selected' to receive/test an initial beta pre-Release build of OS15 - the other devices were not (this is how Roku does it for every major OS version upgrade).

      You'll be able to upgrade all of your devices once OS 15 is released (sometimes with the same latest 'pre-Release' Beta build already on some devices if Roku decides its stable/bug-free enough).

      Again:  OS 15 hasn't even been announced, yet alone released, though pre-release builds are being tested on some devices.  If you want to wait for OS 15 with the assumption that it will address/fix AppleTV playback for all of your devices, you can of course do that.

      Otherwise...

      Apple TV content plays without issue on a 3910 (Express+), 3960 (Express), and 3940 (Express 4K), all with OS 14.6.4 Build 9914 (and Apple TV app version 16.0.51), so OS 14.6 itself is not preclusive.

      Its likely something in your setup (network config, HTS config, or RokuOS config) is preventing playback with the OS 14.6 devices:   Is there an error message?  Does it go to a 'black screen' instead of streaming? Is there audio but no video? etc.

      Its common that folks with ad-blocking enabled modems/routers/gateways have all sorts of weird streaming issues breaking some/one app/content playback, but not others, etc, so its best to @ least temporarily disable such ad-blocking functionality, along with (on your Roku devices) setting Auto-adjust display refresh rate (framerate matching) = Off, manually configuring Display Type as 4K DV/4K HDR/4K/1080p/720p TV and Digital output format as Stereo, and directly connecting the Roku to the TV/display instead of an AVR, to test the source of the issue.

    • RaleighNole's avatar
      RaleighNole
      Reel Rookie
      26 days ago

      I thought it wasn’t being rolled out until the end of October

      • StreamerUser's avatar
        StreamerUser
        Roku Guru
        25 days ago

        RaleighNole​ 

        Again, RokuOS hasnt been officially announced or officially released to end users, though early Beta builds of OS 15 have been available for weeks/months to Developers and Beta testers & other selected devices.

        Roku always rolls out major RokuOS version upgrades over weeks/months, starting with a very limited rollout of early Beta builds to select users/devices (Developer/Beta Tester/other), then gradually expanding limited availability of newer Beta builds (usually) once a week (almost always Tuesday and/or Thursday afternoon/evening) to more and more devices, until such time as Roku determines that a given Beta build(s) (Roku often has model/model-type specific builds) is stable/bug-fixed enough on most models to become a Release version/build.

        Roku maintains both Beta (provides Beta versions/builds) and Release (provides only Release versions/builds) update servers, though by default all devices are configured for the Beta update servers and are automatically part of a massive (involuntary to the user) 'beta test' and may/can be/will be selected to receive Beta builds at any given point in time.  A device can be re-configured to use the Release update servers (and therefore only receive Release firmware versions/builds), but in order to switch it back to the Beta servers it must be Factory Reset.

        In Joe2019​ 's case one of his devices has been selected to receive OS 15 Beta builds, and the rest not (yet) - they may become available to receive OS 15 Beta builds as part of an expanded Beta build test, or will become available to receive OS 15 once a build is determined stable/good enough for Release.

  • Joe2019's avatar
    Joe2019
    Binge Watcher
    27 days ago

    Yep, already did the unistall / reinstall method. No error codes, just a black screen with the buffering circle / ring animation. Added the model numbers to the above post.