Solving playback issues

[Steve_K1]

ROKU 3 locking up.

Roku 3 feeds not-smart Visio 55" HDTV through HDMI cable. All we use the Roku 3 for is to watch YouTube. Worked well for years.

In recent months, though, we often saw "Loading, please wait." It never did finish loading.

Recently switched from 5GHz ("signal strength: good") to 2.4GHz ("signal strength: excellent"). Went entire day without lockup, but then did last night.

Lockup now results in empty black screen without "Loading, please wait" screen.

Simple solution is to power cycle the Roku. That always works but gets old the second or third time in a day.

Bought new router last month. (Replacing 10-year-old one.) No change.

Router uses channel 1, which WiFi Analyzer app shows to have least number of users and none approaching our signal strength.

Using ethernet is not possible due to distance from router and on different floors.

Have never seen error codes on screen.

Broadband speed is 117/12 Mbps.

Roku 3 is warm to the touch.

All I can think of is to buy a new Roku. (If so, which?)

Ideas, please?

[RokuMaresa · Accepted solution]

Hi @Steve_K1 

Thanks for posting in the Roku Community regarding what you are experiencing with your Roku device.
Please be aware that the Roku 3 is a much older device and it's possible that the device may simply be on its way out. However, we would be happy to see what we can do to help get you back up and running.
I have passed along your information to our Support team. They will follow up and assist you.

Warm regards,

Mares

[Steve_K1]

Mares, you wrote: "Roku 3 is a much older device and it's possible that the device may simply be on its way out."

This is like me bringing my 2011 Toyota Camry to a mechanic - or the dealer - because sometimes it doesn't run, and he tells me my car is "a much older device and it's possible that the device may simply be on its way out." 

That won't fly, because any of us would want to know WHAT is making the previously good-running car go bad.

By the way, since my post a week ago, the Roku has been working perfectly. Ha, as if it fears getting replaced and put into the trash.

[Strega]

Your Corolla may well be on the way out.  A big difference with cars vs small electronic gadgets though, is that there are usually local service centers where someone can look your car over.  However, it’s hard to hire someone for less than the price of a small electronic gadget.  The last time I took a VCR in for service (maybe 1989?) they wanted $125 to diagnose it.  And according to an inflation calculator, that’s $305.81 in today’s dollars.  So as long as it works – enjoy it!  When it stops, don’t worry too much.  You can get an Express 4K+ for $40 and that’s not even their cheapest model.

[Steve_K1]

Everyone told me my Roku 3 was too old (and the cause of it locking up all the time) so I went and bought the Express 4K+. Saw some but less locking up, and thought the volume controls on the remote were neat. I was a happy camper.

Oh, and I bought a new router to replace my admittedly ancient one, though I think I wasted my money.

Today the remote for the 4K+ stopped working. At first a few buttons worked, but never the up/down, right/left. Eventually, no buttons work. 

Changed the batteries, of course. Power cycled the Roku, of course. No help.

The 4K+ is working now ... but I'm using the remote for the old Roku 3. Which is working fine, and telling us the remote is the problem, not the 4K+.

Roku support: My 4K+ was delivered by Amazon on July 1, three weeks ago, so should be under warranty. Will you replace it, or is it repairable?

Thanks.

[Strega2]

At only 3 weeks, I’d swap the entire product at Amazon, because they are so much faster and easier.  If you want to go the roku route, you can start at: https://support.roku.com/contactus

[renojim]

@Steve_K1, if you just got it from Amazon, return it.  I believe the seller covers it for the first 30 days.  You can read all about warranty returns here:

Step by step instructions for returns and warranty replacements | Official Roku Support

[edroksense]

@Steve_K1

I am still using Roku 3 now since 9/2016 with no problem. Heat is the factor why device is malfunctioning. You need to turn off device when not in use to reset the device and if it locks up then you have to restart the system. Moderator says clear the cache LOL on how to do it.