Solving playback issues

[Spiritriver]

I've seen a lot of frustration regarding this issue, and responses from Roku, offering the same responses that for many have proven to be ineffective.  So, I have a new LG TV, new AV receiver, new Roku, and new HDCP 2.2 compliant HDMI cables.  The Roku device reports everything's as it should be, detecting functional HDCP 2.2 connection, Dolby Atmos, 4k, etc.  All inputs are labeled HDCP 2.2 compliant.  

I've tried all the power down, cable connection / disconnection / reconnection recommendations, at least 15 times.  The error 020 message still pops up at random intervals.  Sometimes a program will play through without a problem.  Sometimes the message pops up every few minutes.  Sometimes the sound distorts.  Sometimes the sound goes out.  Once in a while, the screen goes black, and won't come back on without a hard reset (pulling the plug).  Once in a while, I'll hear a "pop" in the sound, then picture distortion, then the message.  

With all that said, when it does work, if for 15 minutes or 2 hours without the message interruption, the picture is perfect, better than previous models, including the 4k ones.  I don't believe the cables could perform that well and still be defective or substandard.  I think the Roku has pre-installed senility.  I plan on exchanging it, but I see a lot of very frustrated people coming to Roku for support, and don't seem to have fared too well.  It's as though Roku will subject it's customers to all manner of grief, just to avoid admitting that the devices themselves may have problems.  

I have another question:  Why on earth would a streaming stick that plugs into the monitor without cables also report an HDMI cable error?  

[RangerDoc]

I literally came back here today just to vent my frustration and post this very complaint AGAIN.

I have done every bit of troubleshooting that I have found, everything this site recommends.

At least once a day, many times more frequently, I'm getting this HDCP error. Most of the time it just pops up for a few seconds and goes away. But always in the middle of viewing something we want to watch and pay attention to. It doesn't matter what channel or app I'm on. Its completely random, but frequent enough to make me want to toss this Roku. 

I have three other Roku devices, but none of them are 4k, and they all work flawlessly. Only the 4k device gives me any issues. Mostly this HDCP error, but it just recently started some garbled audio that I have found other people also posting about.

What the heck is going on with Roku? Your device seems to be getting worse, rather than better.

I first set up my Roku 4K with a Sony XBR-65X900F and an Onkyo TX-NR610. Almost as soon as I did I would get these HDCP errors.

I've replaced the HDMI cables with 8K certified cables. I've replaced the Onkyo receiver twice, now running the TX-NR7100.

Still, I get the HDCP errors. No amount of disconnecting cables and powering down and on has made any improvement.

To further my frustration, in this same living room setup I have an AppleTV 4K, a Sony 4k Blu-ray player, an Xbox One and an Xbox 360. No other 4k device gives any error whatsoever. Only the Roku.

This has been going on for several years with Roku exchanging my device once. Nothing has resolved this. And Roku continues (based on what I'm reading today) to pass the buck on this issue and blame everything else.

[Spiritriver]

It has become a common tactic - blame the consumer, in a patronizing and condescending manner, I think in hopes they'll give up and go away.  I suspect they know their devices have a problem, but don't know what to do about it, so they'd rather convince the consumer that they don't believe there is a problem.  

I was watching this morning after setting the device to 1080p.  There was a click, pop and black screen flash, then the HDCP error message.  THEN it RESET ITSELF to 4k Dolby again.  After that it played for the rest of the day without a problem.  I think the reality is that it's a software or quality control issue.  That could explain why a Roku streaming stick reported HDMI cable issues when it doesn't involve use of a cable.  That's why I'm going to exchange the device (s), and see what happens from there.  If the problem disappears and doesn't return, I'll post that here too, in which case, a failure to fail ought to be even more embarrassing to Roku.  

[RokuDanny-R]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the posts.

We would be more than happy to pass along your concerns to the appropriate Roku team to investigate further.

Can you please provide us the following information:
-Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About)
-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)
-steps to reproduce the issue you are seeing

Once we have this information, we will be able to look further into the issue.

Thanks,
Danny

[Spiritriver]

Well, if the problem was device specific, it might make sense to jump through those hoops.  However, the problem is at least two years old, involving a great many devices.  Just Google "error 020," and you'll see how this issue has become a long standing Roku tradition.  How can the "appropriate Roku team" not be aware of this?  

I haven't seen the steps you've suggested I take, offered to any of the many others who've complained about the same issue.  However, this device doesn't seem to have any memory.  It can't even maintain it's display settings.  It generates black flashes, crackling and popping sounds, and I doubt a tracker ID for such a malfunction exists.  I believe error 020 is just one of this device's problems.  Therefore I'm returning it for a refund tomorrow.  

I'm curious though.  Is your company distributing various different devices under the name of "Roku Ultra?"  If not, the serial number or device ID shouldn't make a difference. The OS version should be the same for anyone who's allowed the device to update.  The only other problem I can think of is if Roku is still selling older devices while consumers believe they're getting the latest model.  

[Hunt878787]

I cant get my error code 020 to go away

[Spiritriver]

I'm thinking about going on social media and asking if anyone with a new Roku doesn't have this issue.  I did replace the previous Roku, which prompted my previous posting. The new device worked for three or four days before the issue appeared. Now it's malfunction pattern is not too different than that of the old one. After a reboot, it will usually last several hours. If I don't reboot, the error will occur sometimes every few minutes, other times every 10 or 15 minutes. Sometimes the error message is accompanied by a "pop" sound in the audio and a screen flicker.

Absolutely every time I reboot, the device identifies itself as compatible with "Dolby vision." Every time the error message occurs, and I check the display settings, the device reports that it is HDCP 2.2 compatible. It cannot do that if the HDMI cables are not compatible.  Additionally, HDMI cables are unable to "schedule" a predictable delay in errors as the result of a reboot.  I suspect that some data processing within the device becomes corrupted as it operates.  That could explain why it predictably works for a while before malfunctioning, and gets progressively worse without a reboot.  In other words, it's behaving like Windows 3.0   

When I googled the problem, apparently it remains unresolved, and is widespread.  There are only 269,000 people talking about it on Google.  I'm hoping they'll send out a software patch to fix the problem, but so far, it seems they want people to give up on the device or put up with it the way it is.  

My sound system is less than 2 years old, and is labeled HDCP 2.2 compliant.  The TV is less than a year old LG OLED.  Connections are with new, top quality HDMI cables.  

[RangerDoc]

Like I said in earlier posts, the UI on Roku is ever so slightly better than that of Apple TV, but Apple TV performance is flawless. I now have four Apple TVs running in my house but still have two Rokus because there’s still a couple things that Apple TV doesn’t have. 

There is absolutely zero issues with the Apple TVs. They just work. They support Dolby Vision, HDR 10, Dolby Atmos, DTX, and more. 

And still, every time I turn on one of the Rokus I can only watch for a while before the error pops up. It is so frustrating that they continue to ignore their customers and the legitimate issues of their devices. You can get this error on their USB stick devices which don’t even use HDMI cables!!!!

The only thing that matters to these companies is the bottom line. If more people drop Roku for the better alternatives out there then, and only then, will they see the error of their ways. 

[Mascman19]

I agree. Im having the same problems. Ive done everything Roku said too do and still dosnt work. I wanna know how they can sell a product that dosnt work without telling people until you buy it and then have the problem. 

[Spiritriver]

I also have to wonder about a Roku streaming stick plugged directly into the monitor, that also complains about a cable problem.  

Now I have Roku and an Amazon Fire Cube plugged in to my AV receiver.  I've rotated the HDMI cables between the two devices, and although Roku continues to produce the error message, the Fire Cube has no issues at all.  

So, now we have examples Apple TV and Fire Cube with the same features, Dolby Atmos, UHD, etc, working flawlessly, and Roku is still acting up.  I'm pretty sure it's a software issue, evidently one that other manufacturers have resolved.  

Maybe Roku should hire someone from Apple or Amazon, maybe even Nvidia Shield to fix their issue.  

I wonder if the thinking is, "I get a paycheck whether or not the issue is fixed."  A company can survive with that attitude for only so long.  

Seriously Roku, get someone to upload a patch.  Either that or send out new devices to those of us who are having problems.  You should hurry before we forget about you and use other devices.  Another thing to consider is that odds are pretty good that you've already made a HUGE gift of a market share to competing companies.