Features, settings & updates

[maui5150]

Just got a Roku Ultra 2024 and if you are like me, and have Terabytes of Media on multiple External Drives AVOID THE Ultra 2024.

I have been connecting 3 or more drive to my Roku devices for many years, I think going back to the Roku 3 or 4.

For Early devices, Roku provided enough power via USB to power the drives with no problem.

Starting with Ultra, Roku cut the power over USB to do more I believe with the WiFi so I went to a powered USB hub - solved the issue. 

Just picked up the New 2024 Ultra and no bueno - if I connect the USB Hub, it reads NO DEVICES.  If I unplug the Hub and plug in an individual drive, Allow it, it works fine.  I restarted the Hub, individually plugged in and authorized each drive (I have 4) then restarted everything... Nothing  NO DRIVES recognized and getting the stupid DLNA message and no devices / media found.

Plugged back in the 2022 - No problem.  All works fine

I am sure that many like me chose the Ultra to specifically play our extensive libraries - in my case I have a drive for TV Shows, one for Horror, on for documentaries/concerts - and One for Series (Superheros, Bond, etc., just to try and keep my external drives to 5TB each. 

Definite deal killer for me.  Really hoped the Media player would be improved with better handling of formats, better searching, bookmarks, frame advance fast or slow-mo frame by frame, but instead, looks like is on capable of a single device.  On the 2022, it reads the hub and presents each drive as a folder and you navigate as expected.

Very disappointed

[maui5150]

Just rotated through the Rokus I have on hand - realized my 4802 I have in my kitchen does the same behavior and the Roku 4670x and 4640x both function fine with USB Powered hubs.

Best I can tell, for the 48xxX generations, the ones with the USB ports on the back of the device, they will only read a single drive the drives with the USB to the right side of the device facing it do work. 

Shame.  Was looking forward to improved WiFi and hoping for an updated media player, but looks like I need to start look for another platform in the near future as looks like like the main feature for me is obsolete going forward.

[AvsGunnar]

@maui5150 

Are you able to use the USB hub with your router ? (if router has USB port).  Then use Roku Media Player (RMP) DLNA.

Nice way to make it available to all devices without having to swap between Roku devices.

[maui5150]

That possibly could work, but far from ideal.  I could also go to a multi-drive NAS which would only have a single USB connection, but part of my setup is being able to take my library with me when I travel.  Since I am connecting 4 portable USB drives, like the WD Element, these are easy to carry around.  As an example, I was up in Maine last weekend, there had been a big storm, the power and cable (internet) were out for about 12 hours, but the cabin has a Generac natural gas generator.  We were able to watch a few movies and have almost 2000 to choose from.  I am able to fit the ultra, power, remote, cables, and the 4 drives in a small box - so the router solution does not work for that. 

It is probably just more frustration as I have been running this setup has been working for almost 5 years and realizing that since the 48xxX generations, it no longer does.

While I understand the Roku is primarily a streaming player - the ability to have a single central device that easily allows streams and plays local stored media is a major point.

I greatly appreciate the creative approach.  It could work to some degree 

[atc98092]

I would never depend on a USB port to power multiple hard drives. The USB standard does not require that level of power available on a port. USB 2.0 only specifies 500 mA, which isn't enough to power a hard drive with a spinning platter. It might work if you used a powered USB hub, which doesn't depend on the Roku for powering the drives. 

I completely understand the desire to have the media available on a mobile device. You might consider having a single solid state drive to take with you when you travel, instead of your entire collection. It wouldn't provide access to every title you have, but would simplify using it when traveling. When I travel, I do have a Roku player in my suitcase. But instead of taking any media with me I use Plex to stream from my home server. Naturally, this requires Internet access, but that's not an issue for the travel I do. At home I use a DLNA server (Serviio) to stream all my media to every smart player on my home network. This includes TVs, Roku players, Shield players, and few other devices. Since I have so many players available, it makes sense to use a media server so we can access the content from anything.

Since Serviio can only be accessed from a remote location using a web browser, that is the sole reason I also have Plex running on my media PC. It's simpler to use Plex on a Roku than connecting my laptop to the hotel TV to access my Serviio source.

[maui5150]

None of that is acceptable

The powered USB Hub was working fine for years and many generations of the Ultra, and even before that - I can't remember which was the first one I did, might have been the 4, or possibly a 3.  I prefer to have it directly attached to my device and not plugged into my router, not having to run a media server.  External attached hardware such as multiple drives connected to a Powered USB hub is not that difficult, was not that difficult, as it functioned for 8+ years.  I refuse to use plex.  I don't need another company to log and track what I do, watch and own, regardless what they say... Just like Google Chrome said that they did not track Incognito mode.