Forum Discussion

Kwhalen's avatar
Kwhalen
Binge Watcher
3 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
    3 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.

nitsujd2018's avatar
nitsujd2018
Reel Rookie
3 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
3 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.

  • Kilonen's avatar
    Kilonen
    Binge Watcher
    3 years ago

    Kwhalen:

    Your tip fixed mine too!  Removed USB drive.  Started TV.  Did a system restart for good measure.  Antenna TV works properly: TV responds to remote buttons and the full guide is back! 

    i never use the pause and rewind feature  on Antenna TV anyway so I don’t care about no USB drive.

    Thanks for figuring it out and thanks for posting your fix! 

  • nitsujd2018's avatar
    nitsujd2018
    Reel Rookie
    3 years ago

    KWHALEN ! 

    Unplugging the usb thumb drive worked! The off air menu and channel up and down buttons work again!

    Than You!

    nitsujd2018

     

  • Scoutman57's avatar
    Scoutman57
    Newbie
    3 years ago

    Unplugging the USB fixed the issue. I have not tried reforming the usb but it might be out of space and not deleting as it should.

    • tmurphe1's avatar
      tmurphe1
      Newbie
      3 years ago

      Unplugging the USB also fixed the issue for me. It also fixed the wacky signal strength meter issue. Hopefully Roku has seen the problem and apparent workaround posted here which should be very helpful in tracking an obvious software issue.

      • Kilonen's avatar
        Kilonen
        Binge Watcher
        3 years ago

        Interesting.  My signal strength meter stills seems a bit wacky after removing the USB - but it does seem better now that you mention it.

  • Captain_Karnage's avatar
    Captain_Karnage
    Newbie
    3 years ago

    Just to add another data point. I'm getting the same, or at least a closely related issue. I have never used a usb stick for DVR functionality with OTA channels, but I have many times struggled to change OTA channels on my HiSense ROKU TV.

     

    My symptoms do appear a little different, though, too  By the comments, it appears most here experience a completely unresponsive remote. For me, it responds and changes the channel breifely, but then changes back. Sometimes, even after changing the channel 10 tomes or more, it still goes back to the first channel I was on Sometimes, it might end up one or two channels up from the first, but then it gets stuck on that new channel. If I hit down instead of up, then it goes to the last streaming channel and as long as I stay on streaming it works fine. It's only an issue when on the OTA channels. But that means I have to start on the highest number channel and work down from there... which is A LOT of channels.

    It's very frustrating. Today, after finding this forum I went back to my TV and tried and... well, it actually worked today (which is unusual). One thing I did do was set up favorites, which I hadn't done before. I doubt that's why, but maybe. So I will post again when I have the problem again and see if any of these suggestions work when I'm actively experiencing the issue.

    • Kilonen's avatar
      Kilonen
      Binge Watcher
      3 years ago

      Capt K:  good luck.  Update from my end: Hisense Roku TV & remote been working fine since removing the USB stick.  Your issue symptoms are a bit different.

  • MetalMessiah78's avatar
    MetalMessiah78
    Newbie
    3 years ago

    Unplugging the USB also worked for me. Definitely a software bug that needs fixing.