Solving playback issues

[Sitcomics]

It seems roku now wants to share details (presumably for a fee) of what its customers are watching on the media player. 

[atc98092]

The Roku Media Player app has not been updated in several years, and it has numerous flaws when playing videos. My workaround for this is to use a DLNA server, but you might also consider Plex or Emby for video playback. While all of these solutions require software running on a separate device on your network (usually a computer but it could be a NAS as well), you get a far better playback experience with an external server.

Just a caution if you use a DLNA server. RMP will still not work quite correctly with media in the TS/M2TS container. The videos play fine, but you can't pause or do any sort of trick play (FF, rewind, resume). If you have media in those containers and those items are important to you, Plex or Emby is the smart way to go. 

Also, remember that if you use an external server (DLNA or one of the products mentioned above), you have access to that media on more than just the single display with the Roku player. Most "smart" TVs can connect to a DLNA server, and many also offer apps for Plex and/or Emby. Your phone or tablet can also access the media while connected to your home network. Many Blu Ray players also support DLNA playback. I have at least six different TVs in my home, and every one of them can access my DLNA server (Serviio) using a BD player, Roku, Nvidia Shield, and/or the TV's internal player. 

[nightwingken]

@Sitcomics    Did they release a statement or something about this?

They should have let us know this was going to happen. (Unless it is a thing that will be fixed by an update)

[nightwingken]

 contacted Roku chat assistance
After a bunch of things we tried ....here is where we are

"Let me escalate this issue to the backend team to get it fix and we will get back to you via email once its fixed."

[Gary52]

Was an update waiting on my player today Model Roku Ultra 4670X Ver. 12.5.0 build 4167-46

Updated to Ver. 12.5.0 build 4169-46

4167-46 to 4169-46

Played several videos for a few minutes with no crashing so far, mine were crashing within 10 secs before, but still getting that alert to allow access to usb drives not sure what that's about and seems like you have to do it every time you switch drives.

[nightwingken]

I really hope it works.
I do not want any company telling me what I can play or not . It is our roku.

[atc98092]

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@nightwingken wrote:

I really hope it works.
I do not want any company telling me what I can play or not . It is our Roku.

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No one is telling you what you can play. Roku devices have a limited number of containers and codecs that are supported, but that isn't telling you if you are allowed to play it. If you have something unsupported, you need to use a media server that will transcode your media into a supported format. There are some media players on the market that can play practically anything. But Roku devices are not included in that list. Fire TV and Apple TV devices are the same way, they won't play everything. But even a player like the Nvidia Shield has a few things it can't play. 

[nightwingken]

I hope you are right. But it seems like it is certain things that will not play that have played hundreds of times. I have a drrive with a disney film or two, I own the blu ray , it was a great thing to just have it on hand and in the roku.
It seems that the other apps are going to scan the content.
This is the prompt.
"Allow access to external media the external media
you have connected can be read by channels installed on your Roku device please choose to allow or not allow access by installed channels below to reset the settings please reconnect the external media allow do not allow"
If you allow it to be read, a movie will play for about 15 seconds then the screen goes black.
So I pulled the usb out, stuck it back in and got this message when you try to play a video.
These files and drive play on the older rokus in the house and in all computers, blu rays and tv slots . I tested them all.
Thank you for the discussion @Atc

[atc98092]

The biggest issue is that RMP hasn't been updated in years, and it has some issues with some types of media. I have personal experience with media that once played that won't play correctly. Without knowing the container of your media, and the codecs within the container, I can't say for certain if there's going to be playback issues. Just because media is in a supported container (MP4, MKV, MOV, TS/M2TS) doesn't mean the content of the container will play. The video and audio codecs are just as important. 

[Sitcomics]

It definitely seems like something the folks at cordcuttersnews or other streaming media news sites should be made aware of.  When you hit “do not accept” it keeps asking every time you open media player and the second time it asks and if you do not accept, the media is suddenly not recognizable and the usb cord has to be removed and put back in which is obviously a big pain. It’s also a real violation of privacy. Somebody alert the media. It might make roku remove the prompt and restore the old version of the media player.