Discussions

[Herpderp]

Roku TVs no longer have Audio Leveling and Night mode. Why was this removed?
This is not speech mode, so Roku employees do not mention speech mode under "volume modes".

VOLUME MODES =/= Audio Leveling

[Rob9]

I have the same issue since 9.2.   Previous thread closed with NO response from Roku.

Can this be fixed?

[Herpderp]

Current fix is to buy a Sony Bravia TV. They support audio leveling and have android TV built in.

[Visitor45763]

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@Rob9 wrote:

I have the same issue since 9.2.   Previous thread closed with NO response from Roku.

Can this be fixed?

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Another thread said the fix is to buy a Sony/Android. 

Roku reminds me of a cross between Fry's Electronics & Harbor Freight (bad management & a customer base eager to buy stuff that breaks before long).

A lot of decisions don't make any sense. Customers massively ask for things like numeric keys on a remote. "What? Did someone say something? Oh, here, let me add 1000 channels to your up/down traversal. Yeah, yeah, dats da ticket. Yeah. And, let me make the up/down button move only one channel at a time! Yeah! Someone give me a bonus!" 

If I weren't seeing it myself, I'd never believe it (like Fry's & Harbor Freight).

[Holocron]

Agreed. I have the same issue and would like to see this functionality restored/implemented.

Perhaps @RokuDanny-R can weigh in on this, since they were active as of yesterday and closed a similar, but older, discussion thread on this same topic.

TCL TV: 50S525 (Model C113X) + TCL Alto 7+ (TS7010) via HDMI-ARC

Software Version: 9.4.0.4200

[Visitor45763]

FYI: if you factory reset your Roku TV, and tell the initial setup you don't have internet (I think the specific wording is "I'll do this later" -- but, don't ever do it), you'll have a version of software which seems to be older[1]. It has "leveling" in the "volume mode" for my HDMI-connected Firestick Lite (and for my antenna tv).

This doesn't seem like an intuitive solution. The only reason I tried it was because Roku's untested software updates are increasingly breaking tvs. In my case, "captions on mute" stopped working a few months ago. Then antenna tv became unusable a month ago. It seemed to me that the "no internet" install would install something the tv came loaded with (unadulterated by Roku's updates). 

I've been very (VERY) pleased with that. I have favorites again. Continuous channel changing works again. Channels load/display faster again. (Captions on mute works again.). Plus, by not being connected to the internet means I'm protected from my tv investment being broken (green screen, black screen, looping reboots/recovery). 

So, the more I think about it, the more intuitive this does look. I don't think I'll ever use a "smart tv" again. Keep my options open. It's much easier to buy the latest/greatest streaming device when it's merely a connected device. ($22 for a Firestick Lite isn't much to lose a year from now, when I decide I want something else). The real investment is in the tv screen. If I find a tv I like, I want to keep that as long as possible. Roku's untested/uninspired updates puts that at severe risk.

Anyway, I think that solution is all upside for people who value free antenna tv. But, last night I noticed "leveling" is back too! So, it could be all upside for people who value that feature.

[1] I'm not sure what it is. The antenna tv UI is vastly different than the 9.4 trainwreck. Forum user sksR says it's still 9.4.  The only reason this is something to consider: if it this non-updated (no-network) software is being updated with each update, then it's at risk of being broken by Roku too. That could be a reason to do it ASAP (get out while this workable fall-back exists). And, if anyone does it, they should remember that their tv could be boinked if they ever connect it to the internet. It might not be a static thing they can get back to if the tv is spontaneously updated. 

Roku could help us out by explaining what that network-less software version is, if it's safe from adulteration. But, Roku never helps us *at all*. Look at all the TCL restart-loop problems. Roku must know what's going on (even if it's a TCL problem). But, every time someone new reports the problem, Roku acts like it's the first time heard of it. "Thanks for your post. I've passed it on." There's absolutely no help at all, even in terms of explaining what Roku knows about anything. We're just dumb viewers who watch a smart tv that Roku monetizes our activities into. Not thinking people with real lives, and limited budgets to replace our tvs that are broken by Roku's untested updates.

I think all of that points to: I wouldn't bank on this factory-reset solution being around very long. I will never connect my two Roku tvs to the internet again, unless I have assurances from Roku that I can at least get back to this (or 9.2 or 3, whatever was working the disaster known as 9.4). 

I'm seeing this stuff like people saw "cutting the cord" with predatory/lazy/ungrateful cable providers. These streaming services are just as bad. I definitely don't want my investment in a tv (hardware device) held hostage to these people who are as caring and engaging as Comcast. You gotta admit: it's the same thing. Just look at this forum. I see "cut the cord" 2.0 written all over this.