Features, settings & updates

[AM13]

I recently purchased a Roku express for my elderly mom, who cannot navigate the complexity of the menu or the remote. The plan was to pair the device with a programmable remote for seniors, and leave Roku streaming on her favourite channel lists. She knows how to turn the TV, so when she turned the TV back on, she could cycle through the channel by essentially pushing one simple button.

Here is the problem: The Roku seems to go to sleep, necessitating going through the main menu to get the channels back. I have read the forum and I have already found and applied to changes to the settings: I have turned off the bandwidth saver option, and I have turned off the screen saver timer. I am lost on what else to do. Are Roku devices made to go to sleep, no matter what? Any suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Many thanks in advance,

AM

[Strega]

Try disabling the power saving feature at: Settings -> System -> Auto Power Savings

[AM13]

Thanks for the prompt reply and suggestion.

Under 'System', I don't seem to have that option, i.e. here the list shown:

About

Time

Control other devices

Language

Screen mirroring

Software update

System restart

Guest Mode

Advanced system setting

I am running OS 11.5.0 - build 4235-AE

Thanks again.

[Strega]

Hmm, only some newer Rokus have that feature, but it sounded like yours would.

Maybe I misinterpreted what you mean by going to sleep.  Does it actually turn off the video output until you wake it up?  If you only mean that it stops playing and/or returns to the home screen, then it is possible that whatever channel/app you are using is doing that itself.  Some of them do have their own timeouts to make sure that their servers aren’t sending data pointlessly for hours.

There are also some channels with bugs that occasionally cause a crash to the home screen, or a reset/reboot of the Roku. 

[AM13]

Sorry. Looking at your reply I should have been more clear.

I have Roku express. I want to 'continue' streaming on whatever it was when the TV was turned off. I have tried not only with the app I want to set up my mom with, but also with many of the apps that came preloaded with device, including Roku channel to see if it the app server cutting the streaming.

Another peculiar thing was when I turned off the screen saver timeout, it seemed to work. I left it overnight, it stopped and refused to work at all until I rebooted it.

I am starting to wonder if I have a lemon on my hand, or whether I should look for another type of streamer (Roku seems to be a very nice device, other than this particular issue).

Cheers and thanks again,

A.

[renojim]

I don't think you'll ever be able to get it to reliably stay within one channel/app.  There's been many complaints over the years from people trying to do something similar and I don't believe I've ever seen a response from anyone at Roku.  I feel like some of my devices used to remain in a channel/app and would still be there when I turned on the TV the next day, but more often than not now (if not every time) I'll be back at the Home Screen.  Of course I got into the habit of returning to the Home Screen when I'm done watching, so I can't say that I've tested it lately.

Trying to emulate a TV that you can just leave on a channel forever so that when you turn on the TV the same channel is on isn't realistic in the world of streaming.  No provider wants to waste resources streaming to no one.

Having it stay within a channel/app so that when you turn on the TV it's still in the same channel/app seems to be something Roku isn't interested in.  They may intentionally have it return to the Home Screen after a period of idle time (or when the TV is detected to be off) so that it can check for updates (or download more ads 😀 ).

I don't understand the screen saver problem - you should be able to disable it without any problems.