Remotes

[cfg83]

Hello -

As others have posted, the remote control can go bad over time.  I know from opening up Roku remote controls that the conductive buttons degrade into a gooey mess.  

What I want to know is, which Roku has the best remote control from a durability standpoint?  When I ask this question, I am not interesting in personal experience, which varies.  I am interested in what is actually *inside* the remote.  How durable is the interface? 

This may be a question for Roku engineers, not end users like you and I, 😞 .

Lacking a good remote from Roku, I want to know if there are any 3rd party manufacturers that make a superior remote control.

I do know about the Roku app on smartphones, but that is not easy for my elderly Dad to use.

Thank You,

cfg83

[Strega2]

I’m going to guess that model has little to do with it.  Probably more related to which contract manufacturer got their materials from which supplier.  What turned to goo?  Rubber? 

[atc98092]

I'm not certain any Roku remote is any better than any other. Before you consider a 3rd party remote, remember that the only way to use a non-Roku remote is via Infrared (IR), and no model of Roku Stick works with IR. Any other version of a Roku player works with IR remotes, so keep that in mind.

Logitech used to sell high quality remotes under the Harmony brand name. But they dropped out of that market a couple of years ago. Without getting into the home automation systems with touchscreen remotes, and not certain there's any one company that offers a remote more durable than a standard Roku remote. Also remember that any IR remote will not have the same full functionality of a Roku voice remote (voice control, earphone plug for remote listening). 

I will add that I still have an old Roku 2 XS that is 10+ years old now. While it's been in a drawer for a number of years, I just pulled the remote out and it still looks and seems to work fine. But it's a Bluetooth, not WiFi Direct, remote so can't be paired with any current Roku. It was the only model of remote that ever used Bluetooth, so not compatible with anything but a 2 XS. 

[cfg83]

Thank you, I am only partially sensitive to the "no model of Roku Stick works with IR" detail.  For my Dad, I think a not-stick Roku will be better, aka *with* an IR-based remote.  A new setup will give me time to work on solving the problem for when the new remote goes bad, 😱 .

cfg83

[cfg83]

I assume it's conductive rubber from the membrane that covers the connectors.  I don't have the right word for it.  It could also just be the adhesive between the conductive pads and the board that went bad.  HOWEVER, that's also a problem because the adhesive could be insulating the button from closing the circuit.

I have opened up non-Roku remote controls and seem the same goopiness.  Nowadays, I think this is true for most remote controls, but the *time* it takes to degrade is usually years versus months.  I was able to repair a non-Roku remote with the button repair kit from buttonworx.  However, with a spare failing Roku remote I could not fix it with the repair kit.

cfg83

[renojim]

I've opened up a number of Roku remotes over the years and even within the same remote not all buttons are the same.  You may have rubber buttons with a conductive coating for some and plastic "blisters" with a conductive coating for the others.  I think the blisters may be more durable than the rubber buttons since I've seen both the conductive coating on the rubber buttons wear off as well as the rubber cracking around the buttons.  For what it's worth, all of my numerous Roku remotes still work, but I did just get two from my mother that she killed by leaving batteries in them while they were unused for months.  I'm still hoping to revive them.  I still have and regularly use the remote that came with my N1000.  🙂

[jontalk]

@cfg83While I can only speak for myself, having owned first, second, third and fourth gen Roku players I've yet to have problems with remotes though I've never owned a 'stick', Roku TV or budget model. The remote with my previous Roku 3 performed equally to the Roku Ultra I own now. I sold the Roku 3/remote for more than I paid and the buyer was ecstatic after setting it up.

Regardless of the brand or tech, the number of complaints is a fraction of the sales volume, so keep that in mind 🙂

[cfg83]

My luck has been good as well.  I think my Dad mashes down pretty hard on the remote, so he may have contributed to the issue. 

However, it's still NO EXCUSE to go cheap on the buttons.  With streaming devices like Roku, it's reliable hardware that counts.  That's how they got their foot in the door of the streaming wars.

Since the Roku's PRIMARY interface is the remote, it needs to be more durable than it is.  If nothing else, Roku should offer a "hardened" remote for hostile environments like restaurants and such.  I would pay $100 for a remote that my Dad couldn't break because the hastle ruins EVERYTHING that makes Roku good.

[BrianBlair]

I am on my third remote in less than one year. I use it daily but it seems that over time the buttons to navigate the channel line up will degrade to the point that I have to press harder to get the remote to initiate the command I am sending. When I purchased this third remote, I had to pay for an extended warranty just to ensure I could replace it when it begins to malfunction. I would like to see Roku develop a durable remote that can endure normal use.

[Emissary35]

Roku also needs to design remotes that don't drain the batteries too quickly and don't spam the TV screen with malfunctioning low battery pop ups randomly.

There are many things wrong with these badly designed Roku remotes and Roku seems unwilling to address any of them. These remotes have been a problem going back at least 6 years now.