Community discussions

[annettekelley65]

I have had buffering issues with other channel/apps on my Roku as well.  There are two apps on my phone that I should be able to cast, which can't.  I'm going to pick up a new modem/router from Spectrum today to see if that fixes the problem, hopefully it will.  I can actually call Spectrum and speak to a live person and he said that my modem/router is running slower than it should. 

I think I have one of the original Roku models, I checked my account and all it says is Roku.  Whatever model I have doesn't even show up in the list of available products anymore.

Thanks for your assistance!

[pscarbor]

I have my own modem and router; no monthly charge. I suggest you do the same.

You can get your model number by selecting System->About. You will see the model and serial number and some other fascinating information such as the firmware version and the last time it was updated.

I finally gave up and bought a Roku Ultra, currently on sale at Amazon for $70. So far I haven't seen the issues I was having with my older model; it's connecting and not buffering excessively, just like my older one was doing two months ago before the 10.0.0 update. I also gained 4K capability which I can't use anyway on my network, and a cool remote, which I won't use since my universal remote still works.

Apparently Roku is using the Apple model: Sell something then make sure it is no longer supported in a couple of years and becomes unusable so you are forced to buy a new one. Too bad but if you want to continue to use Roku I suggest you do what I did: bite the bullet, shell out $70 and get a Roku that works. Its not that much and Roku is still the best streaming box on the market. For now anyway.

[GoHawks]

They don't have support because they don't care about you or your problems unfortunately.

If they did they'd have a real person tech chat support 24hrs a day and a 1-800 phone line where you can get assistance 24hrs a day and they wouldn't put out faulty junk products all the while passing the buck to other companies and saying "Hey it isn't our fault !, it is HBOs (or Showtime or a tv company) fault !"

[atc98092]

Roku has never had a toll free phone number, but they are not alone in that by far. That certainly isn't an indicator of customer service. And they have re-instated a customer service phone number. I don't have it written down, but there's a number of posts in this thread that includes it. 

As far as channel functionality goes, it is under control of the channel provider, not Roku. HBO has terrible app developers, and it's not just on Roku devices. It's terrible on Android devices as well. 

[GoHawks]

"That certainly isn't an indicator of customer service."

It most certainly is. It tells me they simply don't care and are more interested in their stock price than in customer support and retention.

So, because it is on Roku's device, which they make and control, then they get off blameless ?

Can you imagine Ford saying or suggesting such a thing ? "Well gee, we didn't make the brakes ! That was Delco or Motocraft or whatever brand ! It wasn't us, gee, just because we allowed them on the car "

[StreamerUser]

While having a toll free number vs a toll number might have made a difference 20-30 years ago, in the era of flat rate local/long distance calling within the US from virtually every provider its a meaningless distinction.

They have a CS support number:  (816) 272-8106   - it handles limited CS issues (accounts/billing & first time setup/activation).

They also have email/chat ("agent assisted") support for qualifying models:   https://support.roku.com/article/208757038

Roku doesnt code other companies' apps - the other companies do. 

Roku doesnt guarantee app availability or app functionality - they make it clear on the product packaging:

"What you should know: ....  Channels can change and vary by country ..."

"Visit roku.com/channelchecker to see a full list"

"Third party voice assistant support may change"

and so on.

If Roku release a bad firmware update (which is often), you take it up with Roku - not the supplier of the hardware SoC, or the software development tools used to code the firmware, or the contracted manufacturing assembly company in China, or some developer of an app that is available on RokuOS.

I can imagine Microsoft telling a consumer that calls them up because Chrome or FireFox isnt working on their Windows device that they dont guarantee or support non-MS software (at least, not without substantial additional fees/contracts), and I'm willing to bet you can too.

[Strega]

Roku doesn't make the chips, PCB, connectors, etc. in a Roku device, but if one of those fails, they will still replace it under warranty.  On the other hand, if you complain to Ford about what you're hearing on one of the radio stations on the radio in their car, I'm pretty sure they will try to patiently explain to you that they don't actually own/operate/control the radio stations.  They just provide a device for you to access them, or not, as you choose.  If you don't like one, try another. 

[GoHawks]

Ok now I understand the apologists viewpoint : Be lucky if anything works at all or is in any way a piece of quality electronics. Nothing is their fault at all.It is just a piece of black molded plastic and they owe us nothing in any way shape or form. Got it.

[StreamerUser]

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@GoHawks wrote:

Ok now I understand the apologists viewpoint : Be lucky if anything works at all or is in any way a piece of quality electronics. Nothing is their fault at all.It is just a piece of black molded plastic and they owe us nothing in any way shape or form. Got it.

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Again, not all products/services are perfect/perfectly suited for all consumers - thats what return, refund, exchange, warranty, RMA, credit, etc, and CS is for - use them.

[GoHawks]

Well the hundreds upon hundreds of threads in the support forums describing various multiple Roku problems certainly do suggest that not all products/services are perfect/perfectly suited for all consumers you're correct. That and the "Roku (rhymes with "ducks") threads on a Google search.