Remotes

[DBDukes · Accepted solution]

@BB999 

Yes, Best Buy did offer a Streaming Stick Headphone Edition, model 3811. They didn't keep it in the lineup long, which would explain why others aren't remembering it. Link to discontinued item.

If memory serves, the stick was the same stick sold simply as Streaming Stick+. The difference was the remote. Model 3811 was simply model 3810 on the inside. I had several 3810 devices, but as I didn't care for the headphone feature, I never spent the extra money on the 3811. But I remember the device being a Roku item and Best Buy exclusive.

I think that remote is essentially the Voice Remote with headphones. Roku used to sell those standalone -- I had one or two -- but discontinued those in favor of the Voice Remote Pro ($30), which, by the way, has rechargeable batteries.

A cynic would say that means Roku recognized that the battery life of the headphone-enabled remotes was bad and they made that remote rechargeable. I'm not a cynic, but I'm not saying a cynic would be wrong.

However, I'll add that I have never had issues with batteries dying quickly in any Roku remote, and I've had Roku remotes with headphone capability ever since they introduced them. As I mentioned, I never used the feature, so that may explain why the batteries lasted longer for me than for you.

[BB999]

OMG! Thank you. It gets supremely tiring to have a group of people state that my actual reality is wrong and I know them to be even wronger. lol

Lol re: cynic remark.

And I still own my first Roku unit and it works perfectly and I haven’t changed batteries in that remote for ages. It’s maybe second or third generation Roku box unit. The remote only remotes, no extras.  

Do you have any idea if there is a plain old, stupid but compatible remote that I could trade out and avoid the battery death? I’ll research it, but thought I’d throw it out, just in case. You appear to be smart and nicer than I, so I am probably taking advantage. 

[Michelle3]

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@DBDukes wrote:

@BB999 

Yes, Best Buy did offer a Streaming Stick Headphone Edition, model 3811. They didn't keep it in the lineup long, which would explain why others aren't remembering it. Link to discontinued item.

If memory serves, the stick was the same stick sold simply as Streaming Stick+. The difference was the remote. Model 3811 was simply model 3810 on the inside. I had several 3810 devices, but as I didn't care for the headphone feature, I never spent the extra money on the 3811. But I remember the device being a Roku item and Best Buy exclusive.

I think that remote is essentially the Voice Remote with headphones. Roku used to sell those standalone -- I had one or two -- but discontinued those in favor of the Voice Remote Pro ($30), which, by the way, has rechargeable batteries.

A cynic would say that means Roku recognized that the battery life of the headphone-enabled remotes was bad and they made that remote rechargeable. I'm not a cynic, but I'm not saying a cynic would be wrong.

However, I'll add that I have never had issues with batteries dying quickly in any Roku remote, and I've had Roku remotes with headphone capability ever since they introduced them. As I mentioned, I never used the feature, so that may explain why the batteries lasted longer for me than for you.

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Well I guess that 3811 really was a Best Buy exclusive model.  I thought if the model number ended with just the regular R code then it’s not an exclusive. I’m kind of confused at this point.

~ Jordan

[makaiguy · Accepted solution]

@BB999-

There is some evidence that one cause of battery drain for those with point-anywhere remotes that connect to the Roku via WiFi-direct can be use of a router channel that is crowded by nearby routers using the same channel. It's been suggested that the remote has to work too hard constantly sorting through the information packets from other devices using the same channel such that it accelerates the battery drain. This is more likely to be a problem in the more heavily used 2.4 GHz wifi band than in the 5 GHz band.

If you have access to your router's setup, try configuring it to use a different WiFi channel to see if this helps the situation. If you are connecting in the crowded 2.4 GHz band, channels 1-11 are supported. Channels 1, 6, and 11 do not overlap each other and so give you the best chance at reducing congestion, so try each in succession, although depending on what channels your neighbors are using, other channels in the 1-11 range may work best. Also, reducing router bandwidth from 40 to 20 kHz may also reduce interference.

Note that optimum channel choice can be a moving target as neighbors bring new routers online in your vicinity, or reconfigure their routers to use different channels. I periodically use a wifi analyzer app on my smart phone that can show me which available wifi channels have the least congestion and I change the channel my router uses accordingly. I don't know if that explains my battery longevity (usually 3 months or more with fairly heavy use) but it's probably worth a try to see if it helps.

[DBDukes]

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@BB999 wrote:
... Do you have any idea if there is a plain old, stupid but compatible remote that I could trade out and avoid the battery death? I’ll research it, but thought I’d throw it out, just in case. You appear to be smart and nicer than I, so I am probably taking advantage. 

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For the Sticks, you have to use a Voice Remote. The $20 version (Voice Remote) does not have headphone jack, and is the one I normally get, whenever I buy an extra. Walmart, Best Buy, Target, other retailers have them locally. Might want to check stock online before you make the trip, or even order for pickup. Or delivery. Amazon sells them too, and they deliver in a couple of days if you Prime.

[Michelle3]

It’s inconceivable to me that the 20 odd rechargeable batteries I own all from different manufactures (mainly Duracell and Panasonic) including a recent four pack I purchased in case the other batteries were too old. 

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Honestly, Duracell has been the oddest brand, and a very awful brand for that matter, since the 2000s from what I’ve learned from some YouTube videos.  Many batteries they made thereafter have actually leaked from weird looking powder inside many electronics, especially vintage ones.  I’d recommend using Rayovac or Energizer batteries if you care about your electronics.  ~ Jordan

[scoobyclub]

Having also tried different brands of batteries I think this idea that the batteries to blame is nonsense. If I was getting a month out of one set and 2 months out of another then maybe that's the difference. But all batteries being run down within a day? That's a Roku issue.

I have used Duracell for lots of things and never had an issue. Even my little Apple TV remote used a Duracell CR2032 penny sized battery and it lasts a good year with regular use.

The possibility that the remote is constantly on and searching Wifi is a possibility but that would be a design flaw. It may also explain why some people have issues and some don't.

The device is clearly working hard at doing something and not going into some kind of standby/low power mode when not being used. 

[BB999]

Thank you. It may be searching for something, its mothership perhaps, but I agree that it’s a design flaw. And it doesn’t explain why my tv remotes run on identical batteries for months at a time. As I said when I first posted, I had the same problem with a past Roku remote and when I posted at this site (or a previous version of this site) along with at least a dozen others who had identical issues, I was instructed by a Roku operative to contact them via a different address to deal with the issue. I didn’t bother as the streaming stick died shortly thereafter. I also get sick of companies trying to hide their faulty products by “solving” the problem out of public view. I don’t play. Not one Roku flunky ever responded to the group to explain or apologize. The ONLY reason I purchased another Roku unit is because I still have, and am happy with my first ever Roku, which is working nicely. And having tried Chromecast, well, 🤮.  But I am now stuck with a remote that eats batteries and no one from Roku has bothered to try and make it right. Not a good look, especially when there is competition. 

[scoobyclub]

Perhaps do what I am going to do and go the universal control route if your device supports it. See my post here, it is helpful in providing an alternative. Using wifi in the remote is overkill and asking for trouble.

I am going to go for this one I think. I just need to confirm with them that streambar is supported cause I can't see it in the official list but I can't see why it wouldn't be.

https://www.oneforall.com/universal-remotes/urc7935-streamer-remote

[BB999]

Thanks. This is very helpful. I don’t have lots of equipment but hadn’t researched whether there were any universal remotes that would manage Roku. Again, thank you.