Forum Discussion

wickerwoman's avatar
wickerwoman
Channel Surfer
10 months ago

Why doesn't Roku sell bluetooth earbuds or headphones for their remotes?

I looked all around the product pages and features trying to find a place I could order either Bluetooth ear buds or headphones for my remote but couldn't find them anywhere.

So then I contacted support and asked them where they were on the site but he said Roku doesn't sell Bluetooth ear buds?  Why not when it's a feature with one of the remotes?

Now I have to go to Amazon, Walmart, Target or somewhere else to complete my upgrade purchase! That's just NUTS and Roku is losing out on my business and probably tons of other customer's upgrades, too. 

AND if they offered them for sale here, I would be more likely to buy from them since the earbuds they promote would be compatible with the remote I just upgraded to. 

Do you have any suggestions for a good pair of earbuds or a headset that can be plugged into the remote?

remotes
  • RokuCarly's avatar
    RokuCarly
    Community Moderator
    10 months ago

    Thank you for posting here in the Roku Community, wickerwoman!

    We appreciate you reaching out for support. We'd be happy to provide further information about the Headphones Mode (private listening) feature.

    Some Roku streaming devices allow you to pair and connect Bluetooth earbuds or headphones directly to your device for Headphone Mode. When Bluetooth headphones are connected, you can listen to any content streaming on your Roku device. If you have a Roku Streambar® SE, Roku Streambar, or Roku Streambar Pro, you can also listen to audio from your TV if connected via an HDMI ARC or optical connection.

    However, if you are referring to the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which has a headphone jack, you need to use wired earbuds as the Bluetooth feature is not available directly on the physical Roku remote. 

    Furthermore, you may also use the Roku mobile app as an alternative to your physical remote. The mobile app's Remote feature allows you to use your phone or tablet as a Roku remote and is fully equipped with the Headphones Mode (private listening) feature. 

    For further details about this, here are some of our support articles dedicated to this:

    I hope you find this information helpful.

    Best regards,
    Carly

  • atc98092's avatar
    atc98092
    Community Streaming Expert
    10 months ago

    Roku doesn't sell any such earbuds or headphones because their remotes don't support connecting anything wirelessly. The remotes will only connect to the Roku device wirelessly, and have no support for wireless earbuds of any kind. Frankly, it would not be practical, as the increased power draw on the remote batteries would make them drain far too quickly for users to accept. 

  • lizly's avatar
    lizly
    Channel Surfer
    6 months ago

    I agree with you. They used to have earbuds.  I bought them twice.  They show up on my purchase history.  Now I have to search for a pair that is compatible and comfortable.

    • atc98092's avatar
      atc98092
      Community Streaming Expert
      6 months ago

      Ear buds are a highly personal item, with everyone's ear having a different shape. It really is better for a user to buy ear buds that fit them well, rather than having a generic set of buds come with a product that may or may not fit them well.

      One other point: no Roku remote supports Bluetooth, so there's no way to connect a wireless set of earphones/buds to the remote. The voice remotes have WiFi, but that is used solely for the remote controlling the Roku, not for any other device to connect to it. The latest Roku players do support connecting Bluetooth headphones, but that's not connecting to the remote. 

      Roku has also removed the wired headphone jack from their latest voice remotes. I can't say for certain, but it was probably because of how quickly the batteries would drain when using the remote earphone jack. In some cases we're only talking them lasting for a few days if someone forgets to unplug the earphones when not being used.

      • lizly's avatar
        lizly
        Channel Surfer
        6 months ago

        Try being 90 years old and talking in a remote that doesn't understand what you're saying. The ones Roku sold were the ones that worked because I bought them twice they're in my purchase history. Be glad you're not 90 years old or at an age where you can't figure it all of this out. And you find something and it works and they keep upgrading it to things that you cannot work.

  • TechProduct's avatar
    TechProduct
    Newbie
    3 months ago

    It’s surprising Roku doesn’t sell Bluetooth earbuds, especially with Bluetooth-enabled remotes. For a reliable option, check out SoundCore earbuds like the Life P3 or Liberty Air 2—affordable, great sound, and Bluetooth-compatible. Roku should consider adding these to their store!

    • Tivoburkee's avatar
      Tivoburkee
      Community Streaming Expert
      3 months ago

      TechProduct 

      There are no bluetooth enabled Roku  remotes, there once were but that was 13 years ago. Roku remotes are now wifi-direct.