Discussions

[OaktownJ]

Soon after I purchased my Roku Soundbar (SN: R6509A341615, version: 9.4.0, build: 4200-95) in November I started spending way too much time reading help topics and forum posts, and attempting to call during the short business hours for support. Twitter was my last shot to get some help. Beginning in January I started a conversation with @Rokusupport on Twitter.

Over the months of back-and-forth, I’ve been asked for all sorts of information. It seemed as if different people were looking at the problem and not collaborating or looking to add to the solution, just add to the tasks for me to try.

It started with me reporting that I was unable to access the entire season I purchased of a show, only the second episode. I had purchased the show through Apple TV on Roku.

Like I said, I was unable to get help from phone or through reading help topics and forum answers. I reached out on Twitter and on the same day reached out to Apple via support.apple.com. Someone called me back and Apple solved the problem within a half hour. I don’t recall that Roku responded.

Next I reported an even more difficult problem: a black flash intermittently on each platform I used for streaming. (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Bravo, Bloomberg, Disney+) There was info buried in the forum content, but not a fix, just the existence of said black flash.

Now, in mid-March, it has been two weeks since my last response to a request from Roku. They wanted me to give them the build number (really? Months later you ask for build number? Not at the same time, a month previous, when you asked for the serial number?) and try the problem on another TV. (really? I won’t be buying another TV to test YOUR product, Roku. That was your job.)

I told Roku when I first reported the black flash that I had a 2014 Samsung, and got no response to that statement.

I need some more help. What do I do now? I like the Soundbar, hate the black flash. I’m thinking Roku should replace it, but if it just doesn’t work, and they don’t know why, what good would replacing do?

When I first started to look into the black flash I searched the community. Looking for “black flash” I found lots of answers with “black” and “flash,” and a solution, which didn’t work, of setting the Automatic Display Adjustment.

Now, today, I see no search results with “black” and “flash,” which were time-wasters. Luckily I find that the term “black flash” shows responses from 2019! Roku advised, 2 years ago, but did not show in responses when I first searched, “Check with your TV manufacturer.”

I say, Roku, you’ve had 2 years to find out why this is happening. Why don’t you know know any more yet? Also, why didn’t I get that response when I searched late last year? Furthermore, what’s up with the Twitter support, which has proven to be lengthy, and polite, yet unhelpful?

Player is connected through WiFi
Signal strength is good
Connected through Optical output
Resolution 1080/60p
Samsung Model # UN40FH6030F
Did manual update of Roku
Rebooted Soundbar
Rebooted entire network

[RokuDanny-R · Accepted solution]

@OaktownJ

Thanks for the post.

If you are in touch with our Support team, we would recommend continuing to work with them as they would best be able to assist you moving forward.

Thanks,
Danny

[OaktownJ]

Danny-R, Roku employee: My last response to Roku support on Twitter was on March 7. It is March 25; I have not received any update. Problem still exists. I thought my putting the problem to the community, I would get some help. Yours was the only comment--twice the same comment!--referring me back to the same people that have offered no solution, just more questions for me, one at a time.

During my search for how to post a problem on the Community forum, I found that everything Support on Twitter asked me to do, in drips and drops, one polite tweet at a time, was listed on one of these support pages. They could have sent me a link and I could have gone through all the steps and reported back. As it is, they have dropped the ball, you have passed the ball, and I'm stuck.

I've spent many hours searching your pages, and lots of time reporting my problem clearly. The response hs been downright disappointing. Zero help. No suggestion for a fix.

[RokuDanny-R]

@OaktownJ

Thanks for the update. I'm sorry to hear about the experience—that's not what we aim for.

Please send me a PM (private message) with your Roku account email address, and include the serial number of the Roku device from Settings>System>About along with a summary of the issue you are experiencing. I'll be able to assist you further from there.

Thanks,
Danny