Forum Discussion

RowCuckoo's avatar
RowCuckoo
Binge Watcher
3 years ago
Solved

Roku Voice Remote TV Controls Stop Working - Potential Fix

I had the same problem others had mentioned. The Roku Voice remote worked fine and then about 3 weeks ago the power, volume, and mute controls would jam and be unresponsive... hitting the volume and mute buttons at the same time seemed to temporarily unjam them.

You could see the buttons were not always sending a signal to the TV by looking at the front of the remote with a smartphone camera (it will show the infra red signal flashes when the TV-assigned buttons are pressed).

remotes
  • RokuTakashi's avatar
    RokuTakashi
    2 years ago

    Hi janety,

    Thanks for posting here in the Roku Community!

    We understand the remote issues you have. We would be more than glad to assist you with this. As a start, performing a system restart resolves remote functionality. To do this, go to Settings > System > System Restart. Another troubleshooting step we recommend is doing a power cycle. This is to unplug your Roku device and TV from the power source, then plug it in again for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

    Please keep us posted on how it works.

    All the best,
    Kash

43 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion
  • pj9902's avatar
    pj9902
    Channel Surfer
    3 years ago

    Is there some trick to pressing this sequence? I've tried about ten times and keep getting Weird Al Yankovich--no secret menu.

  • Barry8's avatar
    Barry8
    Binge Watcher
    3 years ago

    Where is the "secret" platform Menu? If I hit the Home button without finding that platform, it just takes me to the Roku Home Page.  Thanks. Sorry I need to find the "secret"  I assume this is on the TV and not on my Roku on my phone or computer.

    • RowCuckoo's avatar
      RowCuckoo
      Binge Watcher
      3 years ago

      Barry8 

      So, the “secret” menus are programmed into the Roku device… in my case, it is the Roku Ultra. You use the Roku remote and hit the button sequence to access the secret menu you want. And, you would use the Roku remote with the TV control issues to access the menu. Ignore what you are seeing while doing the button sequence…. it is like entering in a video game code.

  • palmers603's avatar
    palmers603
    Channel Surfer
    3 years ago

    I used to be able to connect my remote to control volume on my Sony receiver.  Since this issue you mentioned I can only connect it to my tv (even though my really old remote still controls my Sony receiver).  Any ideas how to switch it back?

    • Barry8's avatar
      Barry8
      Binge Watcher
      3 years ago

      Don't know why people think I know anything, I just signed up to solve a remote problem.

       

    • RowCuckoo's avatar
      RowCuckoo
      Binge Watcher
      3 years ago

      palmers603 

      Before the update, were you able to use the Roku remote to control the power for your TV and the volume for your Sony receiver?… I’m trying to understand if the remote was controlling 2 devices besides the Roku or if you are just unable to pair the remote with the receiver.

      Did you try to go through the Roku menus…
      Settings, Remotes & devices, Remotes, Voice Remote Pro (or whatever Roku remote you are using), Set up remote for TV control, and select Sony receiver (don’t select the TV if that is the device highlighted)

      • palmers603's avatar
        palmers603
        Channel Surfer
        3 years ago

        Strangely, I couldn’t get the remote to connect to the tv at all before the update.  I just assumed our tv was too old.  So no, the remote did not control power for anything - just volume for the receiver.  I will add, though, that hitting the home button has always powered the receiver on (and still does for either remote).

        When I run the setup for tv control, what automatically comes up is “SONY TV”.  (Our receiver is Sony, the tv is Philips.)  I’ve tried running this and also just running it by searching “SONY”.  Either way, I still hear the music playing and it tells me it can’t set up the remote.  If I run it for Philips it connects to the tv.  

  • Barry8's avatar
    Barry8
    Binge Watcher
    3 years ago

    This seems to have solved the problem. Don’t know why Roku support didn’t suggest a solution that worked. Thank you very much 

  • pj9902's avatar
    pj9902
    Channel Surfer
    3 years ago

    I've tried the secret menu sequence about 20 times, just keeps going to Weird Al. Pressing the Home button 5 times just shows the Home menu. Then immediately press >> pause << pause >>  goes to Weird Al--no secret menu opens. 

    • RowCuckoo's avatar
      RowCuckoo
      Binge Watcher
      3 years ago

      pj9902 

      That is frustrating. Which Roku device are you using?… I am using a Roku Ultra, so this menu might not be programmed into every Roku device.

      • RowCuckoo's avatar
        RowCuckoo
        Binge Watcher
        3 years ago

        pj9902 

        It is great that you were at least able to access that other menu and run the update, but the problem sounds a little bit different than what I had.

        So, the remote can control the volume via IR or CEC.  Possibly, the remote is doing both at the same time, which it should not do.

        One easy thing to check is to see if when you press the volume button one time that the IR signal on the remote only goes off one time.  You can use a smartphone or tablet camera and look at the front of the remote... for each button press for the TV controls on the Roku remote, you should only see one light flash when looking through the camera app for your smartphone or tablet.  If you do this, please let us know the results... one light flash per button press or multiple light flashes per button press.

  • janety's avatar
    janety
    Binge Watcher
    3 years ago

    Sorry, but this just takes me to the Search menu... help!

  • Len99's avatar
    Len99
    Reel Rookie
    3 years ago

    My original issue was that I would press either mute or volume up/down and nothing would happen. Then a little later (30 seconds, sometimes a minute, sometimes longer) I would press the mute/volume keys again and the mute and volume on the remote worked to increase/decrease/mute the TV volume (Samsung TV). As I had ordered two Roku Ultras with voice remote (rechargeable batteries), I switched the remote to work with the other Roku (also connected to a 2nd Samsung TV). The remote still gave me the same intermediate volume/mute issues, which told me that both TVs and both Roku units were fine; it was the remote that was the problem. 

    Since I have performed the steps that RowCuckoo outlined the "defective" remote has not experienced the issue since then. I has been about a week. Will update if the remote acts up again. But for now, this seems to have solved the issue. THANKS RowCuckoo!

    • Len99's avatar
      Len99
      Reel Rookie
      3 years ago

      One of my two Roku Ultra units has gone back to the volume/mute not working intermittently, and then 30 seconds/1 minute later the volume/mute works again (remote fully charged). The 2nd Roku comes up with the screen saver screen after I turn on the TV with the Roku remote (the remote is fully charged). When I push the Home button on the remote nothing happens. That is, it does NOT take me to the Roku menu screen. That is the screen that shows the various applications (i.e., Sling, Netflix, YouTube, etc.). After pushing a couple of buttons randomly which has no effect, the Roku unit reboots itself. It has done this every time I have started the TV since early March. We use this TV once per evening. Both units were purchased Nov 2022, so fairly new and still under warranty. Both remotes have an internal battery. I will try the secret menu fix and see what happens. Both remotes updated successfully to Update: RemoteFwElk4190.bin. NOTE: When you access the secret menu you have to be initially at the Roku Home screen before starting the key presses that RowCuckoo describes. This is the screen that lists your app choices (i.e., sling, YouTube, Netfliex, or whatever apps you have). Once you start the various button choices RowCuckoo describes keep going until you have done all of the button presses regardless of what the TV screen is showing.

      • mike234's avatar
        mike234
        Binge Watcher
        3 years ago

        Len99,  did you get your remotes working again and if so how?

  • lohphat's avatar
    lohphat
    Streaming Star
    3 years ago

    This FINALLY WORKED after MONTHS of posting here and Roku playing kick the can instead of solving the problem.

    It's clear there's a bug in the updating of remote firmware which leaves it in an unstable state -- instead of acknowledging the issue and causing customers to run around in circles trying things which didn't work, this FINALLY solved the problems for me and my clients who were just about to abandon their entire Roku deployment.

     

    BTW, if you use your smartphone camera, you can use it to "see" if the Infrared LED is firing or not on the remote.  You SHOULD see a bright purple LED when you press the volume/mute/power buttons as those are usually sent via IR instead of CEC -- the power button HAS to use IR to turn on since CEC only works after the TV has power.

    When the buttons stop working the LED doesn't light up.

     

  • AERealm's avatar
    AERealm
    Reel Rookie
    3 years ago

    Thanks, worked for me too! Like someone else said, Roku support should know this information. It would save them a lot of time and money as I'm sure I'm not the only one who, after numerous emails, has convinced them to send me a new remote free of charge.

    • kitsuncle's avatar
      kitsuncle
      Reel Rookie
      3 years ago

      This thread has wandered into the remote sw update area.  Kudos for your solution!  My experience went this way:

      >  random intermittent low battery warnings,

      >  Finally, remote acted dead (no tv control, no stream slick control)

      >  Took everything to another tv, but used a tv-sourced USB power out.

      >  Everything was back to operational again.

      >  Threw the (Roku supplied) USB power adapter in the trash and went back to the original tv.

      >  Dug up another USB adapter, and its all good.

      >  PS...Don't do the suggested Stick reset right away or everything gets

      more difficult for you.