Solving playback issues

[mikew_nt]

@RokuTakashi 

Since this problem appears to have occurred after a June-ish software update, why don't you guys just load up a pre-June software into a 4670 in your lab, measure the processor occupancy/etc, and then load in the problem load and repeat measurements?  You could also look at what processes are running higher.

This is also extremely repeatable, I would have to think you can reproduce this in your lab with ease.  Not super sure why you need debug traces from the field?

[ecdiii]

I reported earlier in this thread my Roku Model 3920RW was having the same issue. Details requested below;

Model - 3920RW

SN - YH00AP698021

ID - JF29CA698021

OS - 13.1.4 BUILD 1512-91

TRACKER ID - 21-366-716

[OverheatingUltr]

My Roku Ultra just started displaying the overheating warning as well! It hasn't ever before, and I've had this model for a few years. It's at the same location, in the open, in a air conditioned home! The temp in my home is 72 degrees.

Roku needs to step up and figure out what update they sent us that is causing this. These copy and paste responses from the Roku people on here is making my blood boil. 

I believe the higher ups know what's going and know exactly what is causing these overheating issues. They are trying to figure out what's the best way to deal with this problem:

-Do we admit our update is causing Rokus to overheat

- Do we play dumb and tell people to stop putting the Rokus in a tight space

[Mguy]

My ROKU ULTRA is 4 years old. Other WEB sites state the lifespan is 2 to 5 years and overheating is a sign the device is wearing out. I'm going to start unplugging the ROKU at night. 

[mikew_nt]

@OverheatingUltr man, I had a whole reply typed in, and then when I went to submit, I wasn't logged in, and the website dumps everything.  Let me try to recreate.

I suspect Roku fundamentally changed the way the software works sometime back in June, and it's pulling more processing power and heating up the Ultra.

I put the link above, but I opened my 4670 up, and there's a bottom heat sink that's not coupled to the circuit board at all.  And the top heat sink is only coupled to the main processor, and only by a small thermal pad over the die location.  Oh, and the whole thing is sealed in a case with no airflow.  No wonder it heats up.

I worked for a fanless PC company, and know a bit, so I thermal padded the bottom of the processor to the bottom heat sink, thermal padded both big chips on the top side to the top heat sink, and then installed a PC heat sink which sticks out from a hole I cut in the top of the case.  Even with all that, I still get an overheating error once per night.

All that said, the heat sink isn't that hot.  So, I really don't have any idea if the processor is operating outside of safe parameters, or if the warning threshold is set incorrectly.  Roku should, and I'm quite certain, does know those things.

Either the software update did push the 4670 out of safe parameters, in which case Roku has essentially obsoleted the 4670 on us.  Or the threshold has always been set incorrectly and this update just warms it up enough to go above that incorrect threshold.  I'd be shocked if Roku doesn't have the lab characterization data to evaluate this.  But I don't.  So we are at the mercy of Roku.

I honestly don't know why they don't just hook one up in their lab and troubleshoot it.  Asking for tracebacks would seem to be reacting, but they really shouldn't need them and it feels like just pushing things off......

[Mozzilla]

Same here. bought our Rokus in 2020. The Ultra started overheating earlier this year and keeps doing it. As customers we should not have to make changes to the device to help such a dangerous flaw. I was just about to order a new Ultra or even a Streambar Pro, but then decided to see first if others have the same problem. Voila...it is a very common occurrence. So now we have to unplug our Rokus to avoid a disaster? Will it take a house fire before Roku will do something to remedy this problem? With the current documentation such a disaster could become very costly for the company. 
I don't understand the attitude that there has not been done ANYTHING but give us the same recommendations that are worthless and that we all have tried repeatedly. I was going to buy Rokus for family members for Christmas, but I'll be d***** if I put anyone in danger of having a device or house fire. I am very disappointed because I love our Roku Ultra and Express, but if there is no remedy, we will buy something else in the near future. Having to unplug daily or make physical changes are both unacceptable solutions. 

[Gatorgogo]

I've been getting the overheating warning too.  Seems to happen more when watching Netflix or Disney+.

I just installed something to lift the Roku Ultra up so air can circulate all around it - we'll see if that helps or not.  The Roku is not in an enclosed space.  

Model 4670X - Roku Ultra

Software Version - 13.1.4 Build 1512-46

[RokuTakashi]

Hi, Community users.

We appreciate you for providing the information that we have requested in this thread?

Please be advised that the details and your concern have been forwarded to the appropriate Roku team who's working on the issue at the moment. Further developments will be posted in this thread as an update on the issue.

Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated in the meantime.

Best wishes,
Kash

[Hobbipro]

Another user here reporting a Roku Ultra has been experiencing the overheating warning as of a few weeks now. It seems totally random, I can be streaming a YouTube video, or watching something on Amazon Prime, and it will give a overheating warning. And then other times it works perfectly, and will stream for hours. I was going to go buy another one, thinking mine was defective, but now not so sure it is.

[MrEd]

The thermal heatsink pad disintegrates over time. Remove the bottom plate by pulling back the rubber at the corners and removing the exposed screws. Now use a guitar pick or spudger to gently separate the bottom cover by moving around the perimeter. The heatsink is mounted to the cover and a thermal pad is squeezed between a razed square on the heatsink and the processor shield. Remove and discard the old thermal pad. Clean any stuck remnants with isopropyl alcohol and a Q-Tip. Replace with a new thermal pad cut to cover the razed square of the heatsink or use a thermal compound applied to both surfaces. I used Wakefield on mine, but any good thermal compound should work.