Channels & viewing

[dkpeppard]

I stream PeacockTV, MotorTrend, NetFlix, Prime Video, and Discovery+. Streaming has always been perfect until I subscribed and installed Discovery Plus. With Discovery Plus, every few minutes I will get a video freeze for about 3 to 4 seconds, then playback resumes. This may happen once an evening, or more commonly, several times. This ONLY happens with Discovery Plus, not any of the other streaming apps. When I hit the replay button, the freeze happens again in the same exact spot, so it isn't a wifi/LAN/network interruption. I can recreate the freeze every time in the same spot when I use the replay button.

It originally started with my Roku Ultra that I purchased in 2016. I had it wired via LAN, not wifi. After I installed the Discovery Plus app I thought it was the player, so I ordered a new Roku Streaming Stick +. The problem continues on the new Roku Streaming Stick +, and ONLY with the Discovery Plus app.

I also have Fire TV devices, including a new Fire Stick 4K connected via wifi and Discovery Plus streams perfectly on these devices. Never has frozen or skipped once.

Based on all this info, it seems Roku has an issue specifically with the Discovery Plus app. Has anyone else noticed this, or have any other suggestions to try? I thought buying a new Roku device would solve it, but that was not the case. Honestly, I am glad, because there was nothing wrong with my Roky Ultra.

Thank you in advance for your time and suggestions.

[StreamerUser]

The basic facts of your own situation lead to the opposite conclusion than the one you describe:

The Discovery+ app for Roku is poorly coded, and that is clearly the case (especially considering all the other similar reports of the Discovery+ app for Roku)

As with all app-specific issues, the app vendor (Discovery, Inc) is responsible for the app (they code and manage it) -  not Roku.

You need to contact Discovery+ about the issue:

https://help.discoveryplus.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

[dkpeppard]

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@StreamerUser wrote:

The basic facts of your own situation lead to the opposite conclusion than the one you describe:

The Discovery+ app for Roku is poorly coded, and that is clearly the case (especially considering all the other similar reports of the Discovery+ app for Roku)

As with all app-specific issues, the app vendor (Discovery, Inc) is responsible for the app (they code and manage it) -  not Roku.

You need to contact Discovery+ about the issue:

https://help.discoveryplus.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

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Thanks for the reply. I did a search first for 'Discovery' to see if there were any other reports here, but I did not see any, but I would be curious to see what the posters reported, and the feedback they received.

I understand you pointing me to the developers of the Discovery Plus app, over it being an actual Roku issue. I merely pointed toward Roku and the Discovery Plus app because I noticed no issue with the Discovery Plus app on our Fire TV devices. I realize Roku and Fire TV are two different platforms, and the Discovery Plus app is likely coded differently for each platform. However, I was looking here to see if, perhaps, there was something else I could try on the Roku device to clear up the issue, hence my initial search for 'Discovery' related articles. When I didn't find anything, I posted my own article.

I still cannot find any other Discovery Plus freezing / stuttering / hiccup articles on these forums, so if you have links to those particular posts, I'd love to review them.

Thank you again for your time.

[StreamerUser]

I'm assuming since you mentioned the 2016 Ultra that you already tried uninstalling/restarting/reinstalling the Discovery+ app to no avail.

Other than that, you're left with reporting the app via options (to Roku) and directly to the the app vendor.

(This "app **bleep**" is the main reason I recommend a multi-platform streamer approach (at least 3 different platforms) - apps are fully/mostly functional on one platform, and partially/not on others, then there's a firmware/app update that makes it unusable or reverses the scenario, etc, ad nauseum)

[dkpeppard]

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@StreamerUser wrote:

I'm assuming since you mentioned the 2016 Ultra that you already tried uninstalling/restarting/reinstalling the Discovery+ app to no avail.

Other than that, you're left with reporting the app via options (to Roku) and directly to the the app vendor.

(This "app **bleep**" is the main reason I recommend a multi-platform streamer approach (at least 3 different platforms) - apps are fully/mostly functional on one platform, and partially/not on others, then there's a firmware/app update that makes it unusable or reverses the scenario, etc, ad nauseum)

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Thanks again for the reply. You said you recommend 3 different platforms. May I ask, besides Roku and Fire TV, what else you recommend? I would be interested in investigating your recommendations further.

[StreamerUser]

WebOS (e.g. LG TVs), FireTV OS (e.g. FireTV streamers), Android TV (e.g. TS4K, Shield, GCWGTV).

Its just a matter of choosing a device (4K/HDR/DV/Atmos capable devices can be had for as little as $30-50) and understanding its current and likely future limitations/issues relative to your use pattern and accepting that you may in fact be using different devices based upon which has the most capable/functional/stable version of an app (this is the heart of the multi-platform strategy) at any given point in time (and that may change).

So it becomes somewhat important to know/follow firmware/app updates
(especially in terms of HDR/DV/Atmos/5.1/etc functionality) on the different platforms/devices such that you can then use the "best" (or only) version of an app (and yes, even the same version of an app released for the same platform on different devices, can result in different behavior/functionality at the device level).

[dkpeppard]

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@StreamerUser wrote:

WebOS (e.g. LG TVs), FireTV OS (e.g. FireTV streamers), Android TV (e.g. TS4K, Shield, GCWGTV).

Its just a matter of choosing a device (4K/HDR/DV/Atmos capable devices can be had for as little as $30-50) and understanding its current and likely future limitations/issues relative to your use pattern and accepting that you may in fact be using different devices based upon which has the most capable/functional/stable version of an app (this is the heart of the multi-platform strategy) at any given point in time (and that may change).

So it becomes somewhat important to know/follow firmware/app updates
(especially in terms of HDR/DV/Atmos/5.1/etc functionality) on the different platforms/devices such that you can then use the "best" (or only) version of an app (and yes, even the same version of an app released for the same platform on different devices, can result in different behavior/functionality at the device level).

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Great. Thank you for the reply.

Also, to answer your question to me earlier, yes, I did try uninstalling the Discovery Plus app, reboot, then reinstall. I tested again last night and had the same 'freezing' while watching a show. I used the replay button and the show froze in the same exact spot each time, so something is definitely up.

Have a great day.

[Bobbitron]

Having the same issue with my 2020 TCL Roku TV, same exact symptoms. I don't have any solutions unfortunately, and it happens often enough to make it extremely frustrating. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone!

[dkpeppard]

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@Bobbitron wrote:

Having the same issue with my 2020 TCL Roku TV, same exact symptoms. I don't have any solutions unfortunately, and it happens often enough to make it extremely frustrating. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone!

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Thanks. I have tried something else to no avail.

Changed my router's DNS servers from AdGuard Default DNS servers to Google DNS servers and rebooted the Roku. Same issue with Discovery Plus app only after the reboot. Discovery Plus on Fire TV still operates correctly.

I adjusted my DNS because I was having an issue with the CBS All Access app on both Roku and Fire TV. I could stream CBS content with no issue, but I could not stream any content from the other networks included with CBS All Access, including Smithsonian Channel. I could see the menu, but when I selected a show, I would get a 'playback error' on the Roku, and just a spinning circle on Fire TV. However, I could stream all networks included with CBS All Access with no issues from my web browser.

After I adjusted my router's DNS from Adguard Default to Google, and rebooted the Roku and Fire TV, I was able to play the content on the other networks included with CBS All Access.

I have since fully rebooted my router and mesh wifi network (I use Google mesh access points). I will test Discovery Plus once more tonight on the Roku, but I am skeptical.

Hope this info helps others.

[Tiajean]

I also have a 2020 TCL Roku TV that is doing the same thing with Discovery plus and TLC go. Mine pauses for a few seconds and skips that portion of the show (making it extremely frustrating as you can miss out on so much). I do feel better that I am not alone in this.