Forum Discussion

Kwhalen's avatar
Kwhalen
Binge Watcher
4 years ago
Solved

Roku remote won't change channels on the over the air screen

My Roku remote recently stopped being able to change TV channels on my TCL, Model 55S401, software version 11.0.0, build 4139-30.  All other functions of the remote such as scrolling through the main...
remotes
  • Kwhalen's avatar
    Kwhalen
    4 years ago

    I think I solved the issue with the over-the-air channel changing!

    I unplugged the USB drive from the back of the TV that is used to store the recorded pause and rewind info,  and the TV started working as normal. Except I can't pause or record anything. I am not sure why, but I have gone through at least 3 USB drives that become unreadable after a while.  Something in the TV, or OS, corrupts them beyond repair and they can no longer be formatted. I have not tried to plug a different USB back in, since the pause, and rewind feature is very limited anyway.

tvid's avatar
tvid
Binge Watcher
4 years ago

Kilonen wrote:
"One work around I found is if I go to ROKU Live TV (not the tile but in the list on left of Home) then tune to a ROKU channel like 115 [...]"

Yes, this is also how I began the process that correlated with OTA channels returning to the channel guide, with internet connected.

"Once on an antenna channel TV doesn’t respond to back or return buttons - just home."

Have experienced this - have to get out of the antenna/Live TV selection, go back Home and then launch antenna/Live TV again; the TV usually becomes responsive to tuning OTA channels with remote, then.

When in a real mess, re-start TV - and if that doesn't work, unplug and 'reboot.' If that doesn't work... throw up your hands and say "&#$%."

It seems that many are experiencing variations of the problem, and it also seems that there is not a single solution that works for all. But, somehow, accessing the "Live TV" listing in left column does play a role, for some.

As mentioned, what also worked for me is to disconnect internet; of course, Roku TV isn't good for anything other than OTA, in that case... so that is not a "solution."

Best of luck.

BKM888's avatar
BKM888
Newbie
4 years ago

My TCL Roku TV does the same thing. I thought maybe something happened to the TV tuner inside the electronics, so I went out and bought another TCL Roku TV and brought it home and set it up.

Everything on the new one worked (including the changing of antenna channels) at least *until* I let the TV do the software update. Please understand that this was a fairly controlled test with a brand new TV right out of the box. I set it up without an internet connection and went straight to the OTA channels. I ran it this way for about an hour.

Then I rebooted the TV with the factory reset, and let it go through a normal new user configuration (including entering my Roku account, etc.) and it also during this process downloaded and updated the firmware and all other software updates.

Once this was done, the OTA channels on the antenna will only work when you first turn on the TV and you can get to your first channel. After this, you can no longer change channels. The 5-way button for going to the chanel guide and moving up or down channels no longer functions (unless you hit the Home button, then it will work to navigate all other apps.

The only way I found to change channels on the antenna is to unplug the Roku TV from the AC outlet for 15 seconds and then plug it back in. This apparently resets the software and when you select the Antenna Icon you will be able to navigate to any channel you wish. Once you select that channel to view it, the software prevents you from changing channels again. Just like the video posted in one of the above posts, the night light flashes like it receives the signal from the remote, but nothing happens.

To take this one step further, I bought 2 additional remotes that I keep in the cabinet because family members have a habit of losing them around the house so I keep spares until the lost one shows up again. For this test I took out all 3 remotes and the all perform the same, so it is not the remote.

Definitely related to the most recent software update. When the stock Icons changed, so did the ability to use the antenna.

BKM

  • Kilonen's avatar
    Kilonen
    Binge Watcher
    4 years ago

    Thanks for your work and post on this issue.  One of the other posters shared their work around to change OTA channels: use asterisk button to get to manage channels,/favorites. Direction arrows will work while on asterisk screen.     There you can access your ota channel list with no guide info.  

    A small encouragement here is that Roku TV sales are creating more people with this problem every day.  At some point they will be forced to fix this.  

  • tvid's avatar
    tvid
    Binge Watcher
    4 years ago

    @BKM88 wrote:

    "...I bought 2 additional remotes that I keep in the cabinet because family members have a habit of losing them around the house so I keep spares until the lost one shows up again. For this test I took out all 3 remotes and the all perform the same, so it is not the remote."

    Can confirm that it is "not the remote." Also have an extra remote and behavior is exactly the same, whichever device is used.

    - - -

    This was quite a useful test, thanks - to purchase a Roku television and test it from the ground up. The most definitive data point yet that particular software update(s) correlate directly with OTA tuning problems.

    Yes, I would imagine that Roku TVs are still popular - and that our reporting problems might conceivably influence the company to address the problem.

    I do notice quite a few Roku TCL TVs are still available on Amazon (where sales thumbnails still feature "Antenna" icon as an input on the Home screen!).  But notably, there are also quite a few Android/Google TCL TVs, which didn't exist when we purchased ours.

    So who knows about the future of dedicated Roku TVs (?), but for now, we need the full functionality of OTA tuning restored, on the TVs we currently own.

    Collectively, we have more or less proven that the problem with OTA tuning is with particular Roku OS updates.  The ball is in Roku's court.

    • nitsujd2018's avatar
      nitsujd2018
      Reel Rookie
      4 years ago

      I have had the same experience with my 55" tcl. I gave up and use the off air HD tuner on my Magnavox DVR. The menu system on my DVR only tells you what you're watching, but oh well it works.

      • Kwhalen's avatar
        Kwhalen
        Binge Watcher
        4 years ago

        I think I solved the issue with the over-the-air channel changing!

        I unplugged the USB drive from the back of the TV that is used to store the recorded pause and rewind info,  and the TV started working as normal. Except I can't pause or record anything. I am not sure why, but I have gone through at least 3 USB drives that become unreadable after a while.  Something in the TV, or OS, corrupts them beyond repair and they can no longer be formatted. I have not tried to plug a different USB back in, since the pause, and rewind feature is very limited anyway.