Solving playback issues

[MetaByte]

@atc98092 : Thanks for the suggestion to use a DLNA server. That, or the suggestion by @atxchip sound like the way to go. 😊

[csky]

@atxchip: What is the brand name of the standalone media player that you use? I spent way too much time researching/looking at so many of those Android boxes on Amazon, but they all had so many negative reviews; I was relieved to discover that the Roku Ultra had a USB port. I had been using a Roku streaming stick for years, already familiar with their interface and remote. The Ultra's remote is even better with the mute button and headphone jack! How does the UI and the remote rate with your inexpensive media player? I really can't justify the expense for the Nvidia Shield.

[csky]

@atc98092: Unfortunately, personal photos and videos actually COULD provide certain very bad actors with material to sell, if those photos and/or videos are of females or even children. Sadly, it is a concern that parents have to consider these days, and why many don't allow their children on social media, sharing photos of themselves. It's a different world than it once was. Sorry, I couldn't leave this unspoken.

[atc98092]

@csky I certainly agree with you about the potential for such pictures to be abused. It just doesn't seem like a Roku device is a worthwhile target for someone to attempt that with a app that attempts to find such media. Remember that the vast majority of Roku devices no longer have a USB port to connect such a storage device. The Ultra player and the TVs are the only ones remaining, with the ability to add a USB adapter to the Express 4K+ and the Streambars. And most users don't bother with that, as it's not super easy to do. So the potential number of target devices for such a bad actor is really small. 

Again, not to minimize the potential for something like that to happen. I just think the people that do that sort of activity are not very likely to make the effort to penetrate the Roku market. Remember that they would have to create an app that has enough appeal to get people to install it in the first place. I just don't think they would jump through the hoops necessary to get an app written and then get approval from Roku to add it to the channel store. 

[MetaByte]

@csky : My thoughts, exactly. If anyone has followed Tim Ballard’s story, and the movie based on his missions, “Sounds of Freedom”, which is about human-trafficking, you’ll understand that there IS a lot of money to be made off of family photos/videos/posts, and it’s one of societies biggest issues at the moment. No thanks to sharing my family’s photos with strangers.

[atxchip]

@csky  Well, I broke for the 'expensive' one $40 : NEUMI Atom 4K Lite Ultra-HD. I grabbed some Velcro tape and attached the player to a convenient spot the underside of a shelf, where the remote could see it. I did have an issue at first: It told me two of my folders were empty! After wrestling with verifying everything was OK, I suddenly realized that I had titled those folders: "xxxx.hol" and "xxxx.vac". Just for the heck of it, I renamed them in a more conventional way: "xxxx_hol" and "xxxx_vac". That solved the problem. Otherwise, no hiccups with the player. Of course, that's one more remote to keep track of. Also, I route it's output through a 4 to 1 HDMI remote switch, for convenience. My HDD media is formatted as NTFS.

[WolfBadger]

I have the exact same problem, which is frustrating. I don't understand why the Roku team hasn't addressed this issue, or released a new update to fix it. I am starting to look at other options for streaming devices because the media player was one of the big reasons I have multiple Roku devices in my house.

If anyone has info or found a fix I'd love to know it!

[WolfBadger]

I chatted with support about this issue and they told me to unplug my Roku for an hour. So frustrating! Didn't acknowledge the issue existed, and offered no explanation or useful information. I love Roku, but the media player was a big reason I've stuck with them.....looking for alternative streamers that support USB media. Perhaps the Amazon streamer?? My TV is a Roku TV, so I can't even just plug into the usb port on the TV...gives me the same message. Ugh!

[sicjedi]

Yah, the USB access was the largest deal for me in buying my Roku TV. And this crashing business during the playback of a video from the Roku TV USB drive just keeps on happening, now for many months. I have found a workaround, that will not be available to all, but…

I have a few old Roku devices, almost all with USB drives. So, after I temporarily disconnected my usual WiFi network, I booted an old Roku up and had it attach to a WiFi network that I almost never use. I allowed the connection for just about one second before I literally pulled the plug on this Roku. Since this WiFi network will no longer be available ever, this Roku will never be able to update, including to the broken version of Roku’s USB Media player. I attached this old Roku to my Roku TV via HDMI. Now, when I want to play a video from a USB, I simply use the USB drive of the old Roku, and watch it through the HDMI on my Roku TV.

This way, I get no dumb and disturbing USB permission message nor a constant stream of crashing when playing a video from a USB. I hope this helps.

[csky]

@WolfBadger: Here's how I solved this problem, step by step (which I just edited for more clarity):
https://community.roku.com/t5/Solving-playback-issues/Problem-reading-USB-through-Media-Player/m-p/9...

Once you can access your media on your drive again, you may want to try a different Media Player app, available through the streaming store for $2.99. It's a better app, worth the 3 bucks. See info here:
https://community.roku.com/t5/Solving-playback-issues/Problem-reading-USB-through-Media-Player/m-p/9...