Remotes

Learn how to reset a Roku remote, how a Roku remote works, or pair a new remote.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Chris07666
Reel Rookie

Re: Roku needs to recall their TV Remotes due to draining of batteries.

Jump to solution

So won't even try to troubleshoot it?  I'm not buying a replacement from your **bleep** company.  I'll find a competitors product.

peped
Newbie

Re: Why is my Roku remote draining batteries and how to fix?

Jump to solution

Roku is useless. Won't stand by their products

Re: Why is my Roku remote draining batteries and how to fix?

Jump to solution

Hi all,

I've seen in other forums that people have done experiments and found *a* cause for this problem.  They've done extensive testing and here is what was concluded by various testers around the country:

When a roku device is powered off, the remote continuously tries to find and pair with the roku device.  It never actually finds the roku device (because its powered off), so the remote continuously tries to find and pair with it, which drains the batteries very quickly.

A roku device may be automatically powered off if the TV USB port it's plugged into is powered off (many TVs stop providing power through their USB ports when they are turned off).  This is why the roku remote battery draining issue usually happens with roku sticks (because they are often plugged into a TV USB port).  This is also likely why many of the roku employees on this forum are posting responses asking users to plug their roku devices into a wall outlet.

As someone who has worked in software engineering for decades, I can tell you the good news is that this is an easy fix.  Roku software engineers would simply need to write a snippet of code that tells the remote to stop searching for a roku device to pair with after just a few iterations of trying/failing to pair, and only start searching for a device to pair with again after a button on the remote is pressed.  This would prevent the battery from continuously draining.

As someone who has worked in software engineering for decades, I can also tell you the bad news is that big companies like this are often slow to act on even the simplest fixes unless enough people complain.

Good luck to everyone and lets hope someone at roku will implement this simple solution sometime in the future.

JimShaw
Roku Guru

Re: Why is my Roku remote draining batteries and how to fix?

Jump to solution

 

Useracct833

I have installed many Rokus for neighbors and I always plug the streamer into an outlet but the batteries still drain amazingly fast. If the Roku is plugged into an outlet, the Roku doesn't shut off.  Does the remote still drain trying to keep connected?

I like your idea regarding the remote shuts down and then back on when a button is hit. I think that should be an easy fix.

0 Kudos
edrockster
Newbie

Re: Roku remote draining batteries

Jump to solution

Whether a product is under warranty--or not--it's just ridiculous that your product east batteries like pop corn. Can you tell if MY product is under warranty? I've read hundreds of posts about your remotes eating batteries. 

Among those posts, I've read that your company FINALLY admitted there was a hardware problem and started to replace the defective remotes. You'd think Roku would want to be an empathetic company concerned about the damage the batteries their products use have to our environment. 

Please advise a solution. 

0 Kudos
RokuKariza-D
Roku Guru

Re: Roku remote draining batteries

Jump to solution

Hi @edrockster

We do apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused you.

Please reply here with the serial number of your Roku device associated with the affected remote. It can be found at the back or underneath the player itself. I'll be able to further assist you from there.


All the best,
Kariza

Kariza D.
Roku Forum Moderator
0 Kudos
Aniket
Channel Surfer

Re: Roku remote draining batteries

Jump to solution

I am using the replaced Roku remote issued by you in January 2022 (Support request: #5201687). The batteries for this replaced remote too are draining fast. Just within 2 months my batteries drained and had to be replaced. 

 
What's wrong with these Roku Streaming Stick+ Remotes? Please help. 
 
Model:  3810X - Roku Streaming Stick+ 
Serial Number:  YH0082389907
 
Thanks & Regards,
Aniket 
yawitz
Streaming Star

Re: Roku remote draining batteries

Jump to solution

I'm sorry to report that I have also started seeing my remote draining more quickly than normal. I have a Streaming Stick+.

For a while (about the last 6 months), after the remote received a firmware update, the problem seemed to have disappeared, with the remote losing about 1% of charge a week or so. This allowed the remote to last more than 6 months without a change of batteries (using it about an hour a day). The stick was powered by the USB port on the TV only (i.e. not connected to the separate USB power supply), and it powered off when the TV was off.

A couple of weeks ago, an onscreen alert indicated that the batteries were dead (% in the single digits). I replaced the batteries, did a reset and all other incantations to re-pair it with the stick. Using it for about a week, I found it losing about 1% of charge a day (in line with the previous poster reporting that a set of batteries lasted about 2 months). I went ahead and re-connected the stick to the separate power supply as a test, and it continues to lose about 1% a day. (I will monitor it for a few more days to be sure.)

It sure looks like there was another firmware update to the remote that may have broken whatever was fixed. C'mon, guys, this shouldn't be this hard to pin down...

 

0 Kudos
Boz
Roku Guru

Re: Why is my Roku remote draining batteries and how to fix?

Jump to solution

An unpowered Roku is NOT the 100% cause of a Roku remote draining batteries.  I use 5 Roku devices on 5 different TVs, all powered by the included Roku USB wall wart power supply.  Only ONE drains the remote batteries when not in use.

However, IF a solution like you describe could be programmed into the remotes with an update, where the remote would completely power down after a certain amount of time, but wake up and reconnect to the Roku device when a remote button is pushed, THAT would be a GREAT solution!

0 Kudos
Boz
Roku Guru

Re: Roku remote draining batteries

Jump to solution

@RokuKariza-D,

Serial # 5S56A911110

Thank you.

 

0 Kudos