Roku legacy products

[Jrb56cornell]

I took an old TV off a friend’s hands and it came with a 3500x attached to the HDMI port.  It boots up and goes to the home page, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to get it onto my Wi-Fi network without a remote.  I have a new Roku 4k streaming stick on another TV and it has a simple remote with a pairing button.  But when I try to pair it to the 3500x, the light blinks and the icon of the remote shows up on the TV with a spinning circle, but then it stops and makes a “disconnect” sound.  I’m wondering if there’s any way to get it working without a compatible remote or the old Wi-Fi info.  They hadn’t used it in years so we have no idea what the Wi-Fi network was.  The easy answer is just buy a new Roku, but I’m big on using stuff we already have rather than getting something new.  Any ideas?

[AvsGunnar]

@Jrb56cornell 

Appreciate your efforts in giving old equipment a new life, but kind of a few strikes going against you here.  The 3500 seems to have used a specific remote and Roku has no current compatible remote available for purchase so have to head to Ebay and the internet in order to locate an original or compatible remote.

The 3500 was also recently dropped as a supported device so users beginning to be notified that future Roku OS updates will be unavailable for the device. (may or may not affect you depending on what you watch.)

Looking on Ebay, seeing some 3500 devices with remotes (approx $40), so in this case, it seems that a newer device is probably the better option.

However, there are a number of postings in the Community about the 3500x and some compatible remote models like the rc41.  (https://community.roku.com/t5/Remotes-Accessories/Pairing-Roku-remote-RC-ALIR/m-p/600061).  If you search the Community threads, pay particular attention to any model numbers and info provided by @Tivoburkee. (the remote guru here).

[Jrb56cornell]

Appreciate the help!  Too bad the remote tech is different.  I agree, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to buy a compatible remote for an old unsupported device, and it looks like a new device is a better option.  Unless my friend can find the old remote, I think that’s what I’ll have to do.  Too bad I don’t know anyone who works for Roku and might be able to help - I live less than 10 miles from their HQ and drive by it on a weekly basis.

[Eve_W]

Did you try downloading the Roku remote on your phone and see if Wi-Fi could pick up the 3500x? This would be worth a try I think if you’re trying to link  it to the Wi-Fi definitely the only option I would know of and I am a 30 year user of Roku devices but haven’t used that particular model but hope that helps!

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[Jrb56cornell]

Actually my friend found the remote and it still works!

[DBDukes]

@Eve_W 

Be aware that Roku devices can only be controlled with the app AFTER they are connected to WiFi. You can't use the app to connect to WiFi.

[Boz]

Quoting Eve_W

"Did you try downloading the Roku remote on your phone and see if Wi-Fi could pick up the 3500x? This would be worth a try I think if you’re trying to link  it to the Wi-Fi definitely the only option I would know of and I am a 30 year user of Roku devices but haven’t used that particular model but hope that helps!"

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First, what Eve_W is suggesting with the Roku app is NOT POSSIBLE unless the Roku device is ALREADY connected to the same WiFi the phone is connected to.

Second, don't trust anything Eve_W is saying, since they are CLAIMING to be "a 30 year user of Roku devices", which is a lie, since Roku devices were first available in 2008, which was only 14 years ago!!!