Channel Issues & Questions

[imcdona]

Lately I've noticed that my Roku has started returning to the home screen after a certain period of inactivity. When I open an app on the Roku I expect that app to be open regardless of how long my Roku has been idle.

This is very frustrating. Why was this change made? How can I return my Roku to a proper working state where it doesn't get to decide when to exit an app? It's my choice to exit an app, not yours so stop it already.

[Elijah_Baley]

It was done because Roku wants to force you to the main screen. It is a choice Roku made something like 6 months ago.

I "Think" that developers are now responsible to implement the auto exit and apps that override the auto exit are not approved.

[imcdona]

Thanks for the info. But WHY are they forcing the Roku to the home screen? There has to be a reason.

Is it technical?
Do they want to force users to see more ads?
Are they under the mistaken impression that users have been clamoring for the "Exit app and return to the home screen even though the user didn't press the home button" feature?

[bvermilion]

Sounds like a memory management technique. If an App is left in the foreground for a long time, less resources or available to do other system things, like download and apply software updates etc.

[Elijah_Baley]

"imcdona" wrote:
Thanks for the info. But WHY are they forcing the Roku to the home screen? There has to be a reason.

Is it technical?
Do they want to force users to see more ads?
Are they under the mistaken impression that users have been clamoring for the "Exit app and return to the home screen even though the user didn't press the home button" feature?

Actually Roku wants idle Rokus to be at the home scree to force the viewing of ads.
Also there has been some clamor for a forced return to the home screen but those wanting that mainly want it to stop streaming and that would mean the app was active and therefore would not exit. That is many people think they want the auto exit but what this implementation does is not really what they want.
There really is no valid technical reason for this because the Roku now does download app updates even if an app is active.
There are several reasons I am using my Shield instead of my Roku more and more and this is just one of them. Even my preference for the ESPN and Sling apps on the Roku is decreasing as the providers have made several improvements on the Shield and there has been little improvement on the Roku.
This stupid force on idle of a return to the main screen is just another way Roku has shown indifference to the needs/desires of the users in favor of what they want to do. In fact I would say the indifference is now very close to contempt.