Channels & viewing

[Howard33]

Just installed Roku Express+. TV hdmi does not power it so it is plugged into power. Channels will load ok when Roku first powered on, but after closing one channel, others will not open properly and one opened first will not reopen. This requires constant power restart in the settings menu. There are other streaming devices in the home, Roku and others. All work fine with these channels. Wifi excellent at this Roku. Workaround I have now is to use power strip to power off the Roku and TV and then power on when using, but this extends the boot up time. Seems to be a problem with how the Roku handles being powered on all the time. Is this a memory issue that powering off clears  out? All Roku software and channels fully updated. Would appreciate any suggestions.

[DBDukes]

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@Howard33 wrote:

Just installed Roku Express+. TV USB does not power it so it is plugged into power. Channels will load ok when Roku first powered on, but after closing one channel, others will not open properly and one opened first will not reopen. This requires constant power restart in the settings menu. There are other streaming devices in the home, Roku and others. All work fine with these channels. Wifi excellent at this Roku. Workaround I have now is to use power strip to power off the Roku and TV and then power on when using, but this extends the boot up time. Seems to be a problem with how the Roku handles being powered on all the time. Is this a memory issue that powering off clears  out? All Roku software and channels fully updated. Would appreciate any suggestions.

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You say you have another Roku device. That will allow us run some tests to try to rule out something environmentally causing the issue. Take the new Roku Express+ and put it in place of one of your other Roku devices. Does it work?

If so, take the existing Roku and put it where you were installing the Express+. Does it work?

If everything still works except the Express+, and it doesn't work wherever you put it, that rules out environment, and focuses back on the device.

My next question is: Are you sure it's an Express+? You said you just got it. Roku discontinued those a while back. They were Walmart exclusives. Did Walmart just sell you one as a new current item?

Or might it not be an Express+, but a Express 4K+? What's the model number: Settings > System > About.

[Howard33]

sorry, you are right that I misstated the model number. It is an Express 4K+, model number 3941X. Will that make a difference? I will try the swap test and see what happens.

[DBDukes]

@Howard33 

No, the swap test will work. But the devices are different. The network capabilities are different and could impact what to check. No use checking something that doesn't apply. That's why the model number is important.

Let us know what happens.

[Howard33]

Just completed the swap test. The older model Roku1 2710x works in both locations. The new model Express 4k+ does not work in either location without power reset each time. Problem continues to be loading a channel, leaving channel and going back in, channel will not reload. 

[DBDukes]

@Howard33 

If you just got the device, take it back, if you bought it from a local retailer (Walmart, Best Buy, etc). It's apparently a bad one. Roku devices normally work well. The fact your 2710 from 2013 is still working testifies to that. But bad ones to show up from time to time. That may be what happened.