Solving playback issues

[JLawrence]

I bought a Roku stick months ago. I tested it out on downloaded videos. It worked great. Now I tried it again and it doesn't work. Using the Roku app on my Android tablet, the video shows on the TV, not a smart TV, but doesn't play using the app. It just sits there with a circle in the middle with no movement of the circle.

[atc98092]

Roku devices only play a limited number of video and audio codecs. They also only support a handful of containers (the three letters/numbers at the end of the file). Usually Roku can play MP4 files without an issue. They also support the MKV, MOV and TS container, but the codecs within those containers might not be playable. You would need to provide more detail about your video to figure out why it won't play. There are free programs like MediaInfo that can provide that information.

[JLawrence]

I checked. They are mp4

[atc98092]

OK, MP4 files usually have supported codecs within them, but without verifying the codecs there's no way to know for certain. 

[JLawrence]

Will Mediainfo tell me that?

As I posted, the video loads but doesn't play, all the mp4 videos do the same. A circle in the middle of the screen but nothing, nothing moving in the cir le as if it was loading. And these videos played when I first installed the Roku. I thinking of deleting the app and resetting the roku, then installing. 

[atc98092]

Yes, MediaInfo would provide that info. If you decide to remote RMP and reinstall, remember you must reboot the Roku after the removal and before installing it back. 

I forgot to ask, how are you providing the media to play on the Stick? You aren't using a USB stick connected to the Roku, so what is making the media available? If you're using the Windows Media Server, that might be the issue as well, as it's a miserable DLNA server. 

[JLawrence]

On my Samsung tablet, I go to Files, click on the file, a pop up, I choose VLC, but have tried othersxwith no success. The strange, the same videos worked fine the day I bought the Roku.

[atc98092]

VLC can usually pay anything. So if you're not able to play it with VLC, there's something wrong with the video file. 

[JLawrence]

Except I've tried 5 different video files that all have previously played, and downloaded a new one just in case, same result. 

[atc98092]

If it's a free download, could you provide a link to the file?