Forum Discussion

tiltmonster's avatar
tiltmonster
Binge Watcher
3 days ago

Two Rokus in same room....untangling the remotes

You would think; I am the only one, who has two Roku's in the same room? No one else? Not a single person? I am often amazed; how some things, it seems like I am the only person on the planet trying to do something, or doesn't understand something, or something that just does not make sense. Wait, no one has needed information, on remote specs; to ascertain such function? Not some guy in a big house, watching 3 football games in the same room? Usually, when I can't find info, I have found; it is because someone along the way; doesn't want me to. However, seems Roku is simply a free APP server; once you buy the hardware...............or is it now because Roku has its own paid streaming; they prepared for, making it more difficult, to stream more than two Rokus, in same room. Something happened; someone knows, and not telling me.............or I am the only guy on the planet, running two rokus, in same room; who can't find specs, on how to isolate the remotes? 
   So here is the deal. I have three Rokus, but only two out in the living room; I keep the IR only remote, in a separate room. My Ultra box, runs the big TV, and I have two smaller 24 inch sets on either side. One is essentially, antenna; or can be combined with the second roku feed; for same channel on both small sets, to each side. The other small set, has the roku Premier I guess it is(only one with stereo audio out). The Ultra box came with a pairing remote, that oddly they don't make anymore; a gaming remote of sorts, with the AB buttons down South. I am not sure the gaming application for it, and I don't game with it; but it seems pairing is done with this remote; that is different than the non gaming remote, that came with the Premier or Express. In any case; both are pairing remotes, that assign mac address on the screen; perhaps to my private network. Oddly, I can't find a peep on-line; how to delineate the function of these remotes pairing capabilities; so I can find another remote like the one that came with my ultra(ab buttons on bottom); and separate the cheaper remote, from turning on the Ultra box, and controlling both boxes. It seems the Remote, that is not a gaming remote; puts out the IR and RF; even though the RF is assinged, the IR still goes out; and affects the Ultra box. Why is this so elusive? Nothing in troubleshooting about it here, nothing on-line; even AI had few answers. Seems very odd, I am the only one. So, maybe the newer voice remotes, can separate the signal; maybe they can't; WHO KNOWS? Anyone? With all the sports addicts; watching 47 games, and betting on fantasy football, no one has 2-3 rokus in same room? Will the voice remote of today, isolate just the RF to the remote address; and not put out IR, at the same time? That seems like what the cheaper remote is doing; because when I assign it, or pair it; I can hold my hand over it well, and point away from the other box; and separate them, so seems like IR is the culprit; affecting the other Ultra box. The game remote isolates, and the other one does not(leaves the IR transmitting in the background, with the RF that is paired TO its own mac. The two mac addresses are different; so has to be the IR, from the cheaper remote; even though it is paired via RF, TO ITS OWN BOX?     

remotes
tv & player discussion

1 Reply

  • AvsGunnar's avatar
    AvsGunnar
    Community Streaming Expert
    3 days ago

    tiltmonster​ 

    Other than the Streaming Stick models, most of the available set-top Roku players will respond to IR commands.

    To eliminate the set-top devices (like your Ultra and Premiere) from receiving the IR signal from the remote, try blocking the IR receiver on the device. (piece of tape or cardboard or other obstacle) on the unit window itself, or try placing it behind the TV or turning it around.

    Just a note on the gaming remote,  (I have ones that came with my Ultra 4660 models with the A/B buttons), and the Voice/pairing remotes in general.  The Voice Remotes are interchangeable between devices.  (ie. if you wanted the gaming remote to control another Roku device other than the Ultra, you would just pair it to the other Roku device using the pairing button located under the battery cover.  It would then cease controlling your Ultra through RF/wifi and begin controlling the other Roku device).  I have found though that some of my different Voice remotes are still capable of controlling nearby devices through IR while others do not.  (comes in handy sometimes if I misplace a remote and don't want to pair another just to change a channel or something, but not so much when it performs an unintended action on a nearby device).

    While the gaming remote is no longer sold by Roku, you can still find them on Ebay. (just search for roku gaming remote rc03).  I have actually replaced mine with the new rechargeable Voice Remotes Pro (versions 1 and 2) since the gaming remotes did not come with a Mute button.  https://www.roku.com/products/accessories .   Version 1 still has physical headphone jack while Version 2 is more for Bluetooth/using through Mobile App for headphone usage.

    In order to find out your Roku device model numbers, just go to Settings/System/About.  To see which remote model you have paired to your device, you can go to Settings/Remotes&Devices/Remotes/About.

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    The Roku documention on their remotes used to be better but they revamped it a couple of years ago so lacks some of the detail it had previously.  This is where to start, though. (look at the side articles on the right side of screen for addition info). https://support.roku.com/article/360011621473