Discussions

[Visitor45763]

@Hannahdebrito, I haven't had this recovery loop. I saw a video showing it. What I saw in the video is that there is an option to say you don't have internet. If that breaks you out of the endless loop, then you could leave your tv in that non-connected ("dumb tv") state. Then you could spend $20-$40 for an external streaming device to watch streaming through HDMI. (You can also watch antenna tv in this state too. It works better in most ways than when updated and connected to the internet.).

That's an effective solution for other problems (green screen, etc.). I'm just not sure if choosing "no internet" will stop the loop. If it does, then never connecting the tv to the internet would let you continue to use it for as long as the tv lasts. 

[Hannahdebrito]

I tried this but it does not break the loop. I’ve watched every video I could find on this but nothing helps. 

[Visitor45763]

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@Hannahdebrito wrote: I tried this but it does not break the loop. 

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I think I've seen people say that taking the tv to a different location (to use a different wifi) might help.

One person said unplugging the tv, and holding the pinhole reset button on the back of the tv, while plugging in the tv (and continuing to hold the reset button for 15-20 seconds until the front light flashes, or dims) worked.

[Anna8]

Never ending recovery mode screen UPDATE

I found some information

https://smarthomestarter.com/will-a-smart-tv-work-without-internet-connection/

Because I still had a warranty and proof of purchase, I decided to use it. I called TCL customer service and I opened a warranty case. First step was on site repair-and it did not work. Tv broke next day. Now I'm waiting for unit replacement- upgrade from TCL 65s425 to TCL 65s535. I know that the problem  is a software issue and keeping the tv off the internet will not work forever. Firmware needs to be updated to make the tv work. 

[Hannahdebrito]

My tv isn’t even a year old yet, still has plastic wrap on it, honestly in perfect condition. Should I just get a new tv? None of these solutions are helping me. Blows my mind that my tv was working perfectly fine and then completely out of no where it got stuck on it own on this recovery screen

[Visitor45763]

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@Hannahdebrito wrote: Should I just get a new tv? 

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That's what it looks like. If you could get to the "no network" factory reset which would prevent your tv from being destabilized by Roku's updates, then you could spend $20-40 USD on an external streaming device to watch through HDMI connection. 

I think that's a good exit strategy in the face of so much problems with Roku's software.

But, if you can't do that, then you're probably out of luck. If you look back through months/years of this forum, you'll see that problems are never acknowledged by Roku. Never any hint of priority. Never any fixes (that I've seen). People are just left to hope and wonder whether Roku will eventually fix software -- as long as they're willing to hope and wonder. It's all the customer's responsibility to "believe."

Honestly, I don't think your prospects look good. Having said that, Roku might turn a leaf and release a fix. I obviously can't predict the future. But, going by the past: I wouldn't expect much.

Someone mentioned calling Roku and speaking to "Marge" who (it sounded like) reverted them to a previous version of the software. If you could just get that (assuming it was an update that broke your tv, as it has so many others), and then do the "no network" factory reset, and never connect to the internet again, you'd be in a good spot to stream through HDMI for as long as your tv lasts. 

It seems like you should be fixable if you could just get back to a prior version, and then reset it to never use the internet (protect it from updates). It's just a matter of getting someone at Roky to give a darn.

[561melissa]

I’m having the same problem. I got it in set up mode set the whole thing up Internet apps my email everything and right when everything is about to come on and goes right back in to recovery modeI’m actually crying right now because it’s been four hours that I’ve been trying to fix my TV that’s not even six months old he just randomly went into recovery mode yesterday. Paying customers should not have to deal with this especially the TV only be in six months old please help

[Visitor45763]

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@561melissa wrote: four hours that I’ve been trying to fix my TV that’s not even six months old he just randomly went into recovery mode yesterday. 

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If it's still under warranty, I would open a claim and let the tv manufacturer deal with it. 

If you're able to access home>settings>system>system-update, it will tell you when the tv was last updated. If that date matches when the problem started, that would eliminate any doubt about whether it's a random hardware error (or Roku's famously untested updates).

I don't have a lot of hope for this, but: there should be an option to say "no internet." In this case it will load a basic (older? It's unclear what's going on in this case) version of the software. If that would stop the looping, then you could use your tv as a "dumb tv" (never connect it to the internet), and spend $20-40 on an external streaming device to watch through HDMI. That might be better than buying a new tv (which, I'm afraid you'll have to because Roku hasn't even acknowledged there being a problem. The standard practice for Roku is to let people waste their time hoping for a fix without any basis for such hope. Based upon history, you're probably going to be better off buying a new tv. But, if yours is under warranty, obviously that's the route to take.).

One person said that unplugging the tv (maybe overnight), and pressing the pinhole reset button on the back (plug the tv in while continuing to hold that reset button for 15-20 seconds until the front light flashes). I think I've seen people say that rebooting their router fixed the problem. Or, taking the tv to another location to connect to a different network.

If it was a software update that caused the breakage (as it has for others), then all you need to do is get back to the prior version, then do the factory-reset with the "no internet" option. Then you'd be protected from future updates, and could use your tv to stream through HDMI. I thought I saw someone say they got that to happen by calling Roku support. "Marge" made it happen.

[Anna8]

If you only have a proof of purchase you can open warranty case. Call TCL customer service. A phone number is in your manual book. First, they will ask you if you did all the adviced troubleshootings. Say" yes I did everything"- it did not fix the issue.  You have to describe  your issue of course. They open warranty case and ask you to email a proof of purchase. Then you have to wait... and wait.. if to long -write another email and always give them your warranty case number. Finally technician will make appointment with you for on-site repair. My repair did not solve the issue. Next day I wrote another email and I called again. The customer service said that a next step is unit replacement. They said that someone will contact me soon. Nobody did, so I wrote another email and one more and I called again. Finally I spoke with the right person. The guy opened a replacement on -site case. I said I do not accept the same model. He offered me an upgrade to a newer model. Now I wait for the technician who will come to my place with a new tv and will take the old one.

If you only have a warranty and proof of purchase, just use them and be very patient and very hard-driven person. Good luck:)))

[Anna8]

Call customer service ( number from your manual book), and open a warranty claim. Be prepared for two steps . First step- they will send you technician to fix the issue. If it would not help , you have to call again and ask for unit replacement. Ask for upgrade- a newer model. You have to be patient. The whole process may take over a month.