Solving playback issues

[JTR19]

In the past two and a half years I've gone through two Roku Express units, and now my Roku Ultra has failed. The Express units lasted a few months each, then just simply stopped functioning. So in mid July 2023 I purchased a Roku Ultra, hoping that the greater expense would provide a more reliable unit. Here it is only ten months later and the Ultra has given up. It will not provide a video signal. Yes I already went through rebooting it, disconnecting the power supply, disconnecting the HDMI cable at both ends, and still no video output. Audio works, but no video.

Yes I am angry, but it is pretty well justified. Roku, why can't you build your units with better electronics? Audio and video reproduction is a very well understood medium and your company should be making products that are not such garbage. At a price tag of over $100, the Roku Ultra should be able to function trouble free for years. It should function until the technology is obsolete.

And don't get me started on the HDCP 2.2 error. This is proof positive that your units use substandard electronics. Everything in the chain of my TV and audio playback is certified for HDCP 2.2 but yet Roku seems to display "HDCP 2.2 error" regularly. But if I try to watch the exact same content on my streaming Blu Ray player, that unit will play everything just fine without ever presenting me with any type of playback error.

[stevecon]

Roku is a frustrating company to deal with.  They seem to be sympathetic when you call in - but in reality - are clueless.  Early failure of products hasn't been my issue however... I suggest checking the outlet or using a power conditioner ahead of your home entertainment devices to see if it solve the problem.  Be sure to use the USB power supply provided with the Roku device.  The power at the USB port of your TV may be enough to power up the stick - but still not be enough to run it at 100% all of the time. 

HDCP errors and audio sync issues are maddening however. I did the cable swaps / disconnects 2 and 3 times a night for my Ultra (which they also replaced under warranty once) and decided the streaming stick would take the finicky HDMI cable requirements out of the equation. It worked!!  Now, correct the audio sync issues and it'll 100% for me.  I have 1GB FiOS internet service, a WiFi mesh switch in the same room so "weak" WiFi isn't my problem.

Roku just keeps selling new Roku devices by year - but don't actually fix anything! What a racquet!

[RokuERey]

Hi @stevecon @JTR19,

Greetings from the Roku Community!

We really do apologize for the inconvenience you've experienced. This is not what we aim for. We understand that you're seeing an HDCP error on your Roku streaming player, and we appreciate the effort you've put into troubleshooting it. We'd like to take a closer look into this, and we'll also need your help.

Please share with us the details below.

• Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About) 
• Make/model of the TV
• Tracker ID when this issue occurs (when you see this issue occur, press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times, and provide us with this ID).
• What channels are affected by this error?

In the meantime, we recommend taking time to gather additional information on this issue. What to do if you see an “HDCP Error Detected” message or a purple screen?

Thanks,
Rey

[JTR19]

There is no way I can share that info with you. As I stated in my original post the unit has died and will not provide any video signal. I already tried all the basic steps of unplugging the unit, disconnecting the HDMI cable from both ends and reconnecting. On my TV I will see the Roku letters doing their dance, but then when I should see my home screen the Roku unit stops providing video signal.

The HDMI from the Roku is fed to a Marantz NR1711 AVR, which then feeds to a Sony XR-55X90J. Everything in the chain is HDCP 2.2 capable, including the HDMI cables.

As this Roku Ultra has failed after 10 months of use, and this follows two failed Roku 4K Express units that both failed in less than 1 year, I am done with Roku altogether. As I stated in my original post, it is obvious to me that Roku is using garbage electronics in all your units, so I am going to move on to an NVDIA Sheild unit. You have lost me as a customer.

[RokuERey · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the update, @JTR19!

We appreciate the additional details regarding this issue. We see that the Roku Ultra is connected to an AVR. We want to determine if the issue is with the Roku player itself. We recommend connecting it directly to the TV to see if you still encounter the HDCP error. Additionally, we may need the serial number of the device, which is usually located at the back of the player.

Please keep us posted!

Regards,
Rey

[EghDragon]

This error starts occurring on Netflix using the Roku Ultra 4K on my 3rd Purchase after months of use with no problems. This does not happen with 4K SDR using Apple Or Prime app, only the Netflix app with 4K HDR. Restarting the device clears the error for a while, but comes back after a few starts of the Netflix app. This leads me to believe this is a problem with the Roku Ultra processor using 4K HDR that is failing after a time. The device is in a cool environment, but it still gets warm after continuous use which may be causing the failure

[EghDragon]

I have now proved that the HDCP 2.2 error is due to a faulty Roku Device. I purchased a Fire Stick 4K Max for 1/3 the price of the Roku Ultra and plugged it in to the SAME HDMI connection as I was using with the Roku and set the Fire Stick to 4K HDR and played multiple different 4K content from Netflix, Prime, and Apple with NO issues. Doing the same on the Roku Ultra ultimately produced the HDCP 2.2 error. I would recommend you stay away from Roku 4K add on devices if you want to avoid the HDCP 2.2 error.