Roku setup

[RokuNimfa-C]

@Wregan

Thanks for the testing. 

For troubleshooting purposes, if you can, try connecting the Roku player to a different television to see if the problem is with your Roku player or the TV.
Let us know what you find out. 


Regards, 
Nimfa

[CarlWilliams]

That is not the issue as we keep saying, ITS THE UNITS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chris_]

@CarlWilliams

You are exactly correct and here is the following test and settings proving where the problem really is found compared to two other popular streaming devices:

This is a lead I discovered on what's causing the persistent "Overscan" problem many have been frustrated with regardless of the settings on their varying TVs for the last few years. It appears to me to be an automatic/inflexible/static/hardcoded signal coming FROM the Roku itself that overrides the TV's over-scan setting that keeps forcing the problem on some LCD TVs.

I can recreate and solve the problem on a Best Buy branded INSIGNIA television using two other competing streaming devices by changing ONE setting that is NOT available on either my updated Roku StreamingStick 4k OR Streambar Pro.

Example 1: On a "Chromecast with Google TV" there is a "Color Format" setting under "Dynamic range & Color format" that also causes the overscan when using YCbCr 12-bit or 8-bit. SETTING COLOR FORMAT TO RGB 8-BIT SENDS A SIGNAL THAT DOES NOT FORCE OVERSCAN. Roku devices don't have a setting to change "color format" so the problem continues.

Example 2: On an "Apple TV 4K" there is an "HDMI Output" setting that again causes the overscan problem when using YCbCr. SETTING HDMI OUTPUT TO EITHER RGB HIGH OR LOW SENDS A TV SIGNAL THAT DOES NOT FORCE OVERSCAN. Roku devices don't have a setting to change "hdmi output" so the problem continues.

In other words, Roku streamers do NOT have an equivalent USER setting to be able to SEND a RGB signal to any TV to solve the problem. Even if the TV has its own "overscan off" setting, it is still overridden by the hdmi signal coming FROM the Roku. So after all this troubleshooting the user question remains, why do the other two primary competing streaming devices have this convenient user setting that solves this problem but the Roku does not?

[CarlWilliams]

Wow, good find. But are you sure it's not your tv turned on its side or placed sideways or some other idiotic excuse they keep trying to serve rather than, as you said, fixing their hardware. Oh but wait that would be admitting its their fault. We can't have that now. It always HAS to be the user's equipment or be a Tuesday with a full moon.

[Chris_]

@CarlWilliams 

You do see my point.  The fact that Im able to change the TV overscan response by changing a single setting on the other two competing devices proves that the issue is "baked" into the roku and its signal output because of the lack of a comparable setting.

You might find it interesting that I've yet to see any moderator here acknowledge or reply to any posts documenting this proof test base find this week.

[Anonymous]

It's your TV. The overscan is normal on HDTV's receiving what is in a broadcast TV video format, YCbCr. The TV set is what converts that signal to RGB. It may allow underscan, or zero overscan, when presented with an RGB signal from a PC, or a device with that type of format.

You'll find no problem with this with even an entry level 4K set. You can find a workaround with a different device that outputs an RGB signal to your HDTV. Or you can put in a feature request to a manufacturer to add RGB output over HDMI not for compatibility, but to "enhance" the viewing area by 1 or 2 % on what are essentially obsolete displays, while providing no advantage to current and future 4K sets when HDMI bandwidth can be conserved by using YCbCr with 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 sampling over the uncompressed 4:4:4 or RGB formats, especially at 30 and 36 bit depths.

Good luck with that last one, though.

[Chris_]

@Anonymous, "You can find a workaround with a DIFFERENT device...you can put in a feature request...Good luck with that..."

Yes, then you too understand.  Why has the high end Apple TV "4K" with its Unix based origins from i0S,macOS and the mobile android OS based "Chromecast/GoogleTV" have BOTH decided there is VALUE in still offering this single "enhanced" RGB setting for "essentially obsolete displays" that you speak of here in 2023?

In other words, do you agree that all models of Roku from the budget "Express" to the higher end "Ultra" models are possibly either too cheap to include this "workaround" or its just too inconvenient to keep up with the competition when Roku would rather concentrate on coding advertisement banners on the Roku home screen instead?  Yes, your technological explanation may be logically sound but comes across as advocating on Roku's behalf for why it is OK to just be "cheap" when compared to a "different device". Might as well buy an inexpensive chromecast that can handle any overscan situation on ALL TVs, young or old, and call it a day while the roku is possibly left in the dust bin.

This is an example of what happens when engineers and business management get into a disagreement on the best consumer/user course of action.

CC:

@CarlWilliams 

[CarlWilliams]

Yes, I certainly see your point. And don't hold your breath for any moderator or other company rep. One needs honour and cahones to face up to a known issue. Here, they hide behind their little forum.

SURPRISE!!!!!

[CarlWilliams]

How can it be the tv when the problem is intermittent, on each separate Roku whilst no such issue with Apple TV or Firestick.

No, it's not the tv.

[CarlWilliams]

From my experience with two separate tvs, apple tvs and firesticks, the only device that exhibits this issue is, you guessed it: BOTH ROKU ULTRAS!!!