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FU-Tofu
Reel Rookie

Borg-like Roku Remote Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

I have a Top Line Sony XBR TV. I sometimes watch Local TV by way of an Antenna that captures digital channels. Or, sometimes I listen to music through a flash drive I have connected to the back of my TV. Suffice it to say, Roku i not my total universe when it comes to entertainment options on my TV or otherwise. My Sony TV came with a nice remote that I reach for when I want to use the TV without Roku. However, when I go to turn on the TV, Roku launches and stays on. I then have to go into settings and change the input away from Roku, however, Roku remains powered on. What right has Roku to power on when I power on my TV from my Sony remote? What right does Roku perceive it have to power on and stay on despite the fact that I did not intend it to be turned off and want it off?

Roku should only power on when I expressly power it on; not interpret my turning on my TV as to mean it must be Roku I am wanting to go to for all my entertainment. It is not. TV from an antenna shows local news without reporting what I am watching. An antenna is not capable to 2-way communication.

Is this why Roku wants to always be powered up? No you say? Prove it.

This is a waste of electricity and Roku is powering up with out my permission and against my express wishes. Therefore, it is either broken or a surveillance device, steeling power at my expense to watch me.

Does Fire Stick behave this way. If it stays in its cage until summoned that would be reason enough to switch, but I can already apprehend that they are just as bad or worse.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we might take back control of our tech in the particular instance of Roku co-opting other remotes to turn itself on at every opportunity?

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6 REPLIES 6
renojim
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Borg-like Roku Remote Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

Roku devices are always powered on.  At best they go into a "power saving" mode after 20 minutes of no use if you have that setting available and enabled.  If you have a power button on your Roku remote it's solely for the TV.

Try disabling "1-touch play" under Settings->System->Control other devices.

Roku Community Streaming Expert

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FU-Tofu
Reel Rookie

Re: Borg-like Roku Ultra Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

Nice try but that didn't stop the behavior. I think a more accurate thread title would be "Borg-Like Roku Ultra has Co-opted my TV Remote, so I have edited that.

I changed the setting and turned both Roku and TV off and then picked up my TV remote pressed "Power" and my Roku came on with my TV with Roku home screen showing as usual.

What I would like is to be able to power up the TV without powering up the Roku. I would like the Roku to power up only when I press the power up (red circle) on the Roku remote.

I'd welcome any other suggestions should you (or anyone) have or may come up with.

Thanks for responding.

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Tivoburkee
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Borg-like Roku Ultra Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

What model of Roku is it? Sounds like you have Roku Soundbar or Streambar, press any button on the Roku remote even the tv power key and it will send you to the Roku Soundbar home screen. Want it to stop, put away the Roku remote. 

Edmund
Roku Community Streaming Expert

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Strega
Roku Guru

Re: Borg-like Roku Ultra Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

If you are viewing the Roku home screen, and you press power on the Roku remote, then the TV will turn off. (Not fully off of course, most things don’t turn fully off.)  Then, if you pick up your TV remote and press power, on most TVs you will be looking at the Roku home screen.  This is because the Roku remote doesn’t turn the Roku off – just the TV, and TVs like Rokus don’t really turn all the way off so when you turn it back on, it knows which input it is set to and just resumes displaying that.

Rokus consume about 2W when in idle.  They have recently added a lower power mode that presumably uses even less, however, that happens after 20 minutes of inactivity – not a button press.  (And it’s an option that you can enable or disable.)

However, if it’s a streambar as @Tivoburkee suggests then I have no experience with those. 

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FU-Tofu
Reel Rookie

Re: Borg-like Roku Ultra Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

I tried the setting change and noticed no change except I stated getting an error message that my High Speed HDMI cable wasn't sufficient or something. I then got a message that I should disconnect HDMI cable from both TV input and Roku Ultra box; disconnect and reconnect power chords to TV and Roku; reconnect everything and power back up.

The Roku Ultra doesn't work now. Power like came on blinking; then went out. Now I can see it fluttering (dimly) when I press the Home or back buttons on the Roku remote but can get no Roku home screen or any streaming service.

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FU-Tofu
Reel Rookie

Re: Borg-like Roku Ultra Has Co-Opted My TV Remote Requiring Roku to Always be On

Correction it was a cable issue that I resolved. Its working now.

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