Community discussions

[N5SBP]

Customer opens an email trouble ticket complaining his hard wired (ETH) Roku Ultra has not been able to upgrade to latest software since August. He gets the infamous 005 error code which Roku says is "network interferance" IE bad network connection that cannot handle the software download.. Download progress goes to 28-30 p:ercent before dying (also knocks the whole router down and all connections die including ETH and wireless). 3 AM attempt is no different that 12 noon attempt...always fails at about 30%. Sooo what does Roku recommend? They send him a link on how to factory reset the Roku (knowing full well the first step after that is to DO A SOFTWARE UPGRADE). Without software the Roku is what they call in the industry "A BRICK". The operation was a success but the patient died.

Yeah its a funny story but it just shows you how in touch Roku C/S is to the everyday guy in the everyday environment.

[Iona-D]

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@atc98092 wrote:

I don't think you're being totally fair. There are quite a number of experienced users here that make every effort to assist. 

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 Perhaps.  Due to most of the recent posts that have been placed here, topics and tone has shifted to a direction way off,  shall we say, anything from drifting off the topics(s)  discussed to name calling even personal attacks of other members, openly or veiled. 

My observation sadly still stands as there are increasingly more angrier new to newer perchasers/users paired with Roku products that don't work the way they supposed to.  I am sure you and the others try to assist them way beyond what's expected for forum users need or even should do.  I think one member already experienced bur out, and I do hope there will not be more following in his footsteps.  All because Roku is too cheap or cost cutting to bring back it's now shuttered  call center or offer Chat option at the very minimum.

Then leave it's forum to what it's supposed to be.  An informal discussions on anything Roku including cord cutting findings and shared experiences.

[atc98092]

It is unfortunate that Roku has shifted their support functions onto this forum, without providing the resources necessary to provide a satisfactory experience. I have nothing bad to say about Danny, but he's only one person and they aren't giving him the authority/resources needed to answer so many questions. 

[Iona-D]

Not only I agree 100%, but Roku Danny is not just way overworked.  He is working with next to nothing answering tools.  Email, copy & paste?  So 1990s.  Poor man needs far more than that.  Especially from a large corporation just raking megabucks in.  

He also should have a raise, bonus, and his own private staffed company jet.  He deserves it!

[boogernose]

@Iona-D  I think you should put your energy into being more useful in actual support.

My moniker is obviously meaningless but I do try and help those I deem polite and respectful.

You are free to respond to any and all with attitude and bad manners.

Frankly all the nonsensical rants and bad manners has burnt me out.

It has become difficult for me to take any of this seriously.

It is not hard for me to understand the Whys of the support line at all.

[Jerome1]

I REALLY dislike not having customer service in today’s society. As you have mentioned, if a company can not afford phones they obviously should not be allowed to sell a product. We just bought a Roku.and can not get a code. A simple phone call could probably have it resolved in minutes. This would lessen the stress on customer and keep them coming back. This is my first Roku purchase and I considering returning.

[Iona-D]

Tech support is not my interest, forte, or expertise and never has been.  My sister is the techie (Mechanical Engineer) of our family and deals with physical nuts and bolts as her kind always does.  Human interaction with their products always has been my professional interest in college and beyond probably long before many of you here were even born.  That is more crucial point than what knob to turn or button to push. And the point that is always seems to glossed over the most.   Last that I checked,  Roku is not addressing that part of the problem. That is where both the eyeballs and money comes from and always had since Roku has been formed.   Roku employees only should handle these sensitive problems as they happen, not the forum members at the risk of repeating myself yet again until it sinks in.

I am going to take this discussion one step further than in my last post.  The forum members that offer all this freebie support should be paid with Roku's personal thanks, and more importantly, transferring $$cash$$ directly to the credit/debit cards on the member's own account for their very hard work and expertise already rendered without being asked.  Fat chance that this will ever will occur.

You, Mr. B. N.  should be up front in line for this cash disbursement or even a small stipend as you have been really been burnt out already.  If you don't want the money for whatever reason, you can always donate it however you wish.  You earned it. In this new mixed up business model of using "volunteers," why do you need unions ever again?

I do help others mostly on my own PM associated with my account.  I will not copy & past these messages for privacy.reasons  I can state that most of these concerns voiced there (like some here openly) are more of getting the runaround, not speaking directly to an Roku employee in a timely manner (certainly not only with emails), and sometimes simply being ignored.    I realize that Roku is pretty much out of the physical device manufacturing and has been for years now as ads/subscriptions are the primary way of money making at Roku HQ.   The general public is now aware of this important fact.  I only do business with Roku recognized vendors with generous exchange/return policies.  Plus only buy televisions that offer a good Customer Service Center/Chat option on that particular TV"s brand.   I always encourage others to be more independent of Roku itself now.

All of you no matter what your expertise is, should give these points some serious thought before you choose to participate again.  Then make your own decisions.

[deucesh1975]

Roku sucks, plain and simple.  They deserve a good bashing.  I just had to purchase an "emergency" Roku for one of my rent houses as someone stole my Fire stick.   Guess what - the Roku won't activate!  No agent help or customer service.  I'm expected to read through 500 articles and hope I happen across some special secret button arrangement or trick to get it working.  Nope!  Amazon, Nvidia, and even Mi would be all over getting me help and making me a happy customer.  Roku just throws you to the dogs.  Screw them - they deserve every bit of negative press and bashing they get and I hope they are done in a year or two.  Maybe someone will buy them out and actually add customer service to make the product a mediocre one; at best. 

[TimmyP]

Ha this is great.

[erodam]

I was a fan of Roku devices until I recently purchased a 2020 Ultra. Apparently the device itself is hit  or miss if it is going to have HDCP problems and I bought one that has the problem. I tried all the recommended 'fixes', several times, but none worked and I'd get the HDCP error randomly and sporadically resulting in 'side eye' looks from she who must not be named while, trying, to watch a show/movie in Dolby Vision...the show was "Queen's Gambit".

My TV is a Sony 950G and AVR is a Marantz SR5014 which are both 2.2+ compliant. The Ultra was connected to the AVR's HDMI input which I changed twice with no better result. Same with HDMI cord...neither the Roku supplied cord of my cord affected the error message and loss of video.

Restarting the device worked but it could and did happen again...resulting in another side eye look...sigh.

I contacted Roku via email but no response. I returned the Ultra and bought an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k for far less. The 4k worked perfectly out of the box and has never thrown an error.

I contacted Roku again notifying them of my return and this did trigger an 'I'm sorry...' email but still no response on if the random HDCP error was being addressed or if there was a fix.

I also have a Roku Streaming Stick+ which works perfectly but doesn't have Dolby Vision and apparently won't. I wanted DV just because.

I've read many different forums complaints of this problem and also just as many comments by those that have never experienced any problems at all...odd

I prefer Roku's GUI over Amazons. It is more refined and smoother IMO. But I much prefer a device that works so I use the 4K and the Roku SS+ is just a backup.

Not a fan of any brand that doesn't address complaints and/or problems. I do **bleep** but I also take action and that meant returning a device that doesn't work for one that does.

Perhaps I'll buy the Ultra again if I read about the problem and the fix but for now Amazon leads the way.