Features, settings & updates

[Rowkuser]

I realized recently that several movies I bought in 4K from iTunes are streaming only in HD via the Apple TV app. To be clear, other 4K movies are streaming fine via the app.

After going back and forth with them for several weeks, Apple now tells me:

Our team was able to isolate the issue...The “LowPeakBitRateDevice” we were able to locate in the analytics from the device show that at some point, the device is being limited, which can result in reduced quality.

At this time, we are advising continuing to work with Roku...We were able to confirm that this particular issue would be out of our control after checking over the analytics.

What can I do? Will the issue be resolved if I buy a new Roku Streaming Stick 4K or Express 4K+?

[RokuJohnB]

Hi @Rowkuser,

Welcome, and thanks for raising this concern directly to us!

We understand you are having trouble with the movies on your Roku device playing 4K content since, upon playing the video, it was showing only HD. We're happy to help. There are several reasons why 4K movies on Roku might only play in HD, including: 

HDMI settings:

Incorrect HDMI settings on your TV or an incompatible HDMI port can prevent your streaming player from playing 4K. You can try using a different HDMI port that supports HDMI 2.0 mode or later, and make sure all HDMI cables are firmly attached. 

Display Setting:

You can change your Roku's display type by going to Settings > Display type. If your Roku doesn't detect support for 4K or HDR, even though you're using a compatible TV, you can try making sure all connections support HDCP 2.2.

TV compatibility:

You can use any TV with an HDMI connection with a 4K Roku streaming player, but you won't be able to experience 4K resolution unless you have a compatible 4K TV. 

Hope you'll find this info useful. Let us know if you still have any questions.

All the best,
John

[Rowkuser]

Thanks for the response, but none of those are related to the issue. It's not as if I can't stream any movies in 4K via the Apple TV app. I can. The issue is that some specific 4K movies (purchased at that resolution) only stream in HD. And it's consistent. The same 4K movies always stream in 4K or don't.

I'll give you an example. I bought the James Bond Collection in 4K. All 25 movies are available in 4K, but Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and No Time to Die (most oddly, since it was released in 4K to begin with) are streaming in HD via the Roku Apple TV app. The others stream in 4K.

[atc98092]

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@Rowkuser wrote:

Our team was able to isolate the issue...The “LowPeakBitRateDevice” we were able to locate in the analytics from the device show that at some point, the device is being limited, which can result in reduced quality.

At this time, we are advising continuing to work with Roku...We were able to confirm that this particular issue would be out of our control after checking over the analytics.

---

Apple is full of it. Unless you have a serious networking issue with your Roku, the device itself is not limiting your to HD. I have tested the Ultra, both the original 4640 and the 4800, using fixed bitrate files playing from a USB drive. Roku players can handle about 200 Mbps video streams before there are issues. Streaming providers such as Apple or Netflix use adaptive streaming, and I have observed Netflix providing UHD/4K content with a bitstream as low as 9 Mbps. Netflix maxes out at 16 Mbps, and doesn't stream any higher rates. I don't use Apple as a streaming source (although I do have access to my digital library with them as well as Prime Video, Vudu and Movies Anywhere), so I can't say what their lower and upper streaming bitrates are, but I can assure you it nowhere near the limits of a Roku player. 

Now, I mentioned networks. It's certainly possible your network connection is the limiting factor here. First, what model Roku player are you using (model number, not name)? Assuming it's not one of the Ultra models, you must be using WiFi for your connection. How far away is your Roku from your router/access point? What band is your Roku using? How do you know the band? Look at your network settings/about in the Roku. One of the items listed is Wireless Channel. If the channel number is 11 or below, you are using 2.4GHz, which is a very crowded WiFi band and interference could be reducing your connection speed. My Premiere 3920 is only single band, so it's stuck on 2.4GHz. Even though my Roku is only about 4 feet away from an access point in the same room, running Check Connection only shows a speed of 22 Mbps. My Ultra, which is downstairs but also connected to an access point within three feet reports a connection speed of 220 Mbps. The difference? The Ultra is using the 5 GHz WiFi band, which is less crowded and supports higher speeds. 

[Rowkuser]

Thanks for the thoughtful, detailed response. My Roku model is 3810R.

After troubleshooting, I've eliminated the network as a possibility. I have 300 Mbps. I recently upgraded my modem/router *and* placed it just feet away from the Roku. No difference. But I didn't expect there to be. If the network had been the issue, then either I wouldn't have been able to stream 4K at all or the 4K movies would have streamed in 4K sometimes and in HD at other times when the network was stressed. That's not the case. The *same* 4K movies always either stream in 4K or HD.

I also checked the wireless channel setting in the Roku, as you suggested, and it's 157.

[atc98092]

Yeah, the 3810 is still a reasonable performer, and that channel number indicates you're using 5GHz. If you test your network connection in the Roku Network menu, what speed is it reporting? 

Personally, I think this is another case of a provider "crippling" the performance of a competing device. We know for a fact that Apple will stream videos at a higher bitrate (possibly higher quality) to an Apple TV device over other devices. Similar to Google taking functions out of their app/channel for Roku devices that are available on Chromecast devices. And Amazon has some things that just work "better" on a Fire TV. 

[Rowkuser]

I suspect you're right. On one of my earlier calls to Apple (their customer support is a nightmare), the rep confirmed the problem was on Apple's end and that others had complained about the same issue. Once it was escalated to the technical team, though, they've acted like I'm the only person in the world with this problem. All they've given me are onerous troubleshooting tasks that solve nothing and denials that it has anything to do with them.

By the way, I checked the Roku internet download speed. 56 Mbps. My nearby laptop, however, is getting 348 Mbps.

Since it's on sale right now for $29, I've ordered the Roku Express 4K+. I'm hoping against hope that it will somehow resolve this issue.

[atc98092]

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@Rowkuser wrote:

By the way, I checked the Roku internet download speed. 56 Mbps. My nearby laptop, however, is getting 348 Mbps.

Since it's on sale right now for $29, I've ordered the Roku Express 4K+. I'm hoping against hope that it will somehow resolve this issue.

---

I will say that Roku devices older than my 4800 Ultra always seem to report slower than actual speeds. I think the change to the Realtek chip has improved reported speeds. My Premiere 3920 reports 25 Mbps when it's four feet from the access point, although that is 2.4GHz. But I can stream media from my home server that would exceed that bitrate (not by a lot, but still) without a problem.

One thing about the Express 4K+ (I have one of those) is that it can use a mini-USB Ethernet adapter. Some users have reported getting speeds higher than Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps). But Roku devices still have an overall performance limit of around 200 Mbps for processing video, so it isn't really important to go much beyond say 150 Mbps. 

[Rowkuser]

An update: 

I replaced my Roku stick with the Express 4K+. During the Roku installation, I was able to verify that every part of my system (LG UHD TV/Sony receiver/Roku) is now running 4K/HDR10/60Hz. I reran the Apple TV video troubleshooting feature and it said everything is fine.

That resolved some issues. Nearly all the other 4K movies that previously played in HD are now streaming as 4K. However, the specific James Bond films I mentioned above continue to stream in HD, not 4K, and that's clearly a problem on Apple's side that can only be fixed by Apple. I let them know three weeks ago, and of course they have yet to fix anything.

[trentv11182]

https://developer.roku.com/docs/specs/media/streaming-specifications.md

Roku has nothing to do with the content. Roku has their own guideline, recommendation on streaming quality etc. I'm sure Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Amazon Prime Video etc, have their own streaming quality etc.

You could be streaming at the speed of light and the content will still looks and sound like sh*t.