Roku setup

[Enigman]

New Roku ads have appeared on the home screen in the lower left corner. They are extremely obnoxious and annoying. There is probably a back-door key sequence to get into the back end of the box setup and shut them off but I don't know what. If anyone figures it out can you please share that.

According to tech support there isn't, but confidence in being told an accurate answer on removing ads is low.

I think after paying $99 bux for an Ultra there should be an option to stop unwanted advertising. Who agrees?

Thanks.

[AvsGunnar]

Try using a default wallpaper/theme and see if those ads disappear.  Should only be seeing one ad on right side of screen.  Some wallpapers and screensavers have some extra ads in them.  Which wallpaper/theme are you currently using?  

[Enigman]

I have tried a few themes with no luck. Right now using the default theme with a carbon wallpaper.

This started three days ago, and at that time it changed my wallpaper back to default. I changed the wallpaper back again and the ad stopped. The next day the ad was back again and changed the wallpaper to default. I changed it back again but this time the ad stayed. Nothing I have tried since has stopped the ad. Each day it is a new ad that runs all day. The ads are for the Roku channel and hawk some show. I tried watching the show (by fast forward) but that didn't satisfy or stop the ad.

Here's a screen shot of the ad from yesterday. REALLY obnoxious. Am I the only one getting these?

[AvsGunnar]

I have never seen an ad placed in that location before.  Not exhibiting that behavior on any of my devices.  

I am also noticing that between your Home and My Feed, it is displaying Roku Originals as an option/category/selection.  On mine usually, and currently, is Featured Free, not Roku Originals.

What device are you seeing this on, and are you perhaps out the US?   Interested to see if others have this displaying as well.  Post your Roku OS and build number as well.

[Enigman]

LOL, no I'm in the USA, unless we consider Arizona a foreign country.

My box is a brand new Ultra 4800 series. I've only had it a few days. Yes, the home screen seems a bit different than my old Roku 2. But then, jump up six generations and changes are likely.

Regarding your previous question about themes, I didn't actually try a "full" theme set change. I always just selected wallpapers and screensavers individually. Just now I downloaded a full screen saver pack, that space one (which is a bit of color and comic book overkill), then I changed the wallpaper back to the galaxy design, shut off sounds, changed the screen saver back to the aquarium and when I went back to the home screen the ad was gone. So my theory until midnight when the ads change is that the ads are a function of the default theme only.

If the ads come back I'll update.

This is where tech support can be irritating. The guy I talked to at first didn't know what I was talking about, said there were no ads in that location, and then later insisted that there was no way to turn those non existent ads off.

Seriously? (Slapping palm to forehead)

[AvsGunnar · Accepted solution]

@Enigman 

Yes, that is all it is.  I switched to default purple wallpaper and the ad appeared on my home screen. (It is just a little promotional ad for Roku's new Original Content ( revamped Quibi), that Roku added to the Roku Channel.  It seems limited to the Standard Roku Purple, Decaf, and Graphene Wallpapers.  The Roku Nebula and Daydream did not display the extra promo ad.  [These five are all the default Roku Wallpapers available for my Ultra 4660, may be others for other devices.]

I switched back to the Math Theme Wallpaper I'm using, Aquarium Screensaver, and I have Roku Default Sounds enabled for my theme.  

As long as you don't use the three above mentioned Roku Wallpapers (Default Purple, Decaf, and Graphene), you should not see this extra ad.   Honestly, it really is tiny.  Don't know if I would call it obnoxious.   A clear benefit of the Roku over other streaming platforms is the clean home screen interface that is not cluttered with ads.  Want obnoxious, look at a Firestick.

Hope this helps you and clears your issue up.  Of note, my "Featured Free" did not change, even after a System Restart when using the affected Wallpapers.  Wonder if that "Roku Originals" option mentioned in previous posting on your screenshot is on newer devices like your Ultra 4800.  See if it changes to Featured Free after using a different wallpaper and doing a System Restart. Just curious.  Wondering if it can be toggled on/off under Settings...Home Screen... then Show/Hide the different options to display.

[Enigman]

Thanks for all your help.

In this case my use of the word "Obnoxious" means:

• I don't want ads I can't "unsee" on a box I just paid the max for.

• The ad position clutters up what was a clean screen.

• The graphics used in the ad are annoying.

• Annnnnddd ... I just plain don't like it.

Yup I was using the Graphene and default purple wallpapers, although when I changed JUST the wallpaper to one other than those the ad did not go away. That might have been because I was using the default theme "pack". It wasn't until I loaded another theme pack and then went to the Nebula wallpaper that the ad went away.

Now if we could just teach Roku support what their system does, things would be easier.

I don't know about the Featured Free vs Roku Originals menu option. I have done some restarts in the process of trying to nuke the ads. It's always Roku Originals on mine. It might be a change in the 4800 series.

Anywho, thanks for sticking with this thread. Community involvement always seems to do the trick.

[jkief]

I got up this morning to find my Roku TV has been changed by Roku to all Loki **bleep**. Well I don't want my kids watching this transgender super hero until I'm ready for them to watch it. Roku is not my **bleep**in kids parents, I AM!!!! So I changed it back but still all day nonstop Loki **bleep**. Force feed your kids mother **bleep**ers but stay away from mine. If a guy wants to chop off his **bleep** and suck another **bleep** that's fine and dandy with me, but keep it away from my children you pathetic pieces of **bleep**.

[Enigman]

If you are talking about the ads in the lower left corner of the screen, then scroll up to the message marked as the solution and follow the directions. If you are talking about the ads off screen to the right, then you're screwed. No way to stop those.