Solving playback issues

[rjones]

I have an LG TV connected to a Roku Ultra.  This setup has worked just fine, no problems, for a couple of years.  However, starting about a month ago, the TV just suddenly turns off.  Sometimes, it turns back on in half a minute or so, and the Roku Ultra is still on.  Sometimes it turns back in after a few minutes, and sometimes the Roku Ultra is still on the channel I had selected, other times the Roku Ultra has reset itself to the home screen.  Sometimes the TV turns off for hours.  Sometimes it stays on for hours.  But usually it turns itself off and on and off and on every few seconds or minutes.

I tried unplugging the Roku Ultra from the TV complete, and in this configuration the TV stays on, so it appears it is the Roku Ultra that is causing the problem.  I tried replacing the batteries in the remote, but this didn't help.  I tried doing a factory reset, but the only thing that accomplished was to make it so I can no longer get YouTube TV on this Roku (which is a separate thing I'm miffed about).  The TV still keeps turning off and on...it starts doing this as soon as I plug the HDMI cable in from the Roku Ultra.  The TV stays on just fine, as long as the Roku Ultra is not plugged into it.  I have tried plugging the Roku Ultra into both the HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 inputs, and the behavior is the same.

Please help. It seems my Roku Ultra has gone on the fritz.  Is there any way to fix or replace it?

[RokuDanny-R]

@rjones

Thanks for the post.

We would be more than happy to look into the issue further for you.

Can you please provide us the following information:
-Roku device model
-serial number
-device ID
-software OS/version
(these can all be found in Settings > System > About)
-does this issue occur on a specific channel? if so, what channel and what version/build is the channel (this can be found be selecting the channel on the Home screen and pressing the * button)
-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 pass it along to the appropriate team to investigate further.

Thanks,
Danny

[rjones]

Roku device model 4660X - Roku Ultra
Serial number YJ00AT898576
Device ID CK489A898576
Software version 10.0.0, build 4195-46

The issue happens constantly (although it has not happened so far today...this is the longest it has stayed on in a long, long time), so there is not really anything I do to "reproduce" the issue.  It just happens.  All the things I've tried are listed above in the original post.

It is not specific to any one channel.  It happens even when I am on the Home screen. It starts happening as soon as I connect the Roku Ultra to the TV with the HDMI cable. It happens no matter which HDMI input I use.

Also, when the issue happens, it is turning the TV off.  So I can't really do the tracker ID while the TV is off. Do you want me to try and see if I can do the tracker ID in between turning on and off?  I mean, the TV is on now, but it hasn't turned off in a few hours, so should I wait until it turns off and back on again?

[atc98092]

If you're leaving media playing after turning the TV off, the video signal may be triggering your TV to turn back on. I recognize you state that it happens sometimes on the home screen as well, but wanted to toss that idea out there as well.

[Dwill2]

I am having the same problem.   I upgraded to Roku Ultra and the TV starts turning off on its own

[Dwill2]

Thank you Dan, only turns off.  Does not turn back on.

[atc98092]

There is a new menu function with OS 10.5, which is a power saving mode and might be triggering turning the TV off as well. But that shouldn't be happening if you're actually streaming something through the Roku. It's only supposed to kick the power off after 20 minutes of non-use. But you might try turning it off to see if it makes a difference. 

[rjones]

I am the original poster.  In my case, it turned out to be a old, faulty television. I verified by swapping in another Ultra I owned.  In the end, I replaced the faulty television, and the problem went away.  Since that time, I've gradually been replacing my TVs with Roku TVs when they die, so I don't have to mess with the external Roku any more at all.