Solving playback issues

[Hal1]

My Sling AirTV2 OTA local channels worked perfectly for 2 years on my 3 tv's with my 3 ROKU Expresses until about the recent holidays and then, with 2 of them, after a few minutes of any local channel, the screen reverts to the Sling home page or the screen freezes and the problem with the 2 Expresses has remained constant since then.  On all 3 Expresses, all the other Sling non-OTA channels continue to work perfectly and all the OTA local channels work perfectly on my computer and my phone.  Additionally, Sling tech has guided me on every conceivable step to re-download, restart and update all the Sling, AirTV and ROKU software and my router is new and very strong, they say there is nothing left to do and they are not seeing this as a universal problem.  Given the controls we have performed, it very much appears to be a problem with something related to the 2 Roku streaming players, interestingly enough, only as it specifically relates to my OTA channels.  But why does 1 streaming player work fine on any tv I connect it to (and it's only the streaming player portion I move around) and any tv to which I connect one of the 2 non-working streaming players have the same OTA problem? The streaming player which works is white with a black clear plastic front (thinking it was the former model made for Walmart) and the other two are black with the black clear plastic front.  Can someone figure this puzzle out?  How could 2 of my streaming players go down at the same time in a very isolated, identical way and the 1 work fine on any tv I put it on?  I am afraid to replace the two black Expresses which don't work because all the ones I see for purchase are black like these and it is the white one which continues to work, plus it is only the OTA local channels through Sling's AirTV which have a problem on both players.  I'm hoping someone in the community is smarter than me! Thanks for your help, Hal1

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

I can't test a similar setup. I have the Air TV Anywhere, not the Air TV 2. And my Roku devices are not the Express. So, I can't test with the same models of equipment as you.

What we do need, however, if the model numbers from the Roku devices. Settings > System > About

Let us know which device is which. You have three, with one working, and two not. So, Working is what model number? Non1 is what model number? Non2 is what model number?

That may give us an insight as to the issue.

In addition to the model numbers, what OS version and build is each running. Don't say "latest." Give the version and build.

Let's see where that information takes us.

[Hal1]

Thanks for your quick reply DBDukes!  The 2 streaming players which do not work properly for the Sling OTA local channels are 3930 RW Roku Expresses and the 1 streaming player which does work is a 3900 RW Roku Express.  All 3 are software version 10.5.0 but the 1 which works is build 4208-51 and the 2 which don't work properly are build 4208-AE.  I am totally baffled and I'm anxious for your reply.  Thanks so much again.  Best, Hal1

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

Just to be clear. Right now, you can go to the 3900 and watch OTA via Sling TV/Air TV. And go to each 3930 and the screen freezes?

If so, did you 1) remove the Sling TV app from a 3930, 2) reboot the 3930, then 3) reinstall the Sling TV app? All three steps, in that order?

[Hal1]

Yes, definitely, to your first question, DBDukes.  I either get screen freeze or sometimes I get a temporary black screen with the cycling symbol for a few seconds and then it reverts back to the Sling home page.  I did everything you suggested but I will do it again to ensure the order and reply shortly.  Thanks again, Hal1

[Hal1]

DBDukes, I did all 3 steps in that exact order and still got screen freeze on a model 3930 after a few minutes.  Puzzling.  Certainly stumped the Sling AirTV techs.  Looking forward to your next insight.  Thanks again, Hal1

[Hal1]

I let the screen freeze sit for a few minutes and it then reverted to the Sling home page.  So, after a few minutes, I get immediate screen freeze, immediate reversion to the Sling home page or screen freeze converting into the Sling home page after a bit.  Can't predict which, but no other problems at all.

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

Have you confirmed the Sling TV app is updated on the problematic devices? Highlight the app on Roku, hit the Options button, and choose the update option. Essentially same way you removed it, just update it instead.

Also, have you checked for firmware updates on the Air TV device? I think you use the Sling TV mobile app for that. (I'm away from my Sling TV/Air TV location today, and can't connect to it remotely.)

Also, I want to make sure I read your original post correctly. You explicitly said you moved the working Roku to other TVs. Did you take a problem Roku (3930) to the other TVs and try it? You can just unplug the power and HDMI from the Roku Express and put it in place with the power and HDMI of the working one. You don't need to unplug from outlet or TV, as all connections are compatible. Did you try that?

[Hal1]

Great suggestions, but there must be some other issue.  Yes, the Sling apps are all up-to-date.  AirTV is also up-to-date.  And, yes, the problem goes to whichever tv I take the non-working 3930's and the tv works wherever I take the working 3900.  Thanks for helping, DBDukes. 

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

What screen saver are you using on your 3930? Are you using a Roku simple one, such as the clock? If not, try that, reboot, then connect.

Screen savers are one of the few things that sort of run while other apps are running. They can make connections and such while other stuff is going on. I'm just trying to rule out anything that can interfere with the stream.

It's as if something is interrupting the stream, causing it to glitch and freeze, and the freeze remains during the boot up. I suspect after a reboot, it works for a bit then freezes, but after the first freeze, the next freezes come quicker.

If so, we want to look at network. Something about the newer Express models may be glitchy. That model has been out since 2019, which is the longest any Express model has been around. The 3900 is from 2017, but may actually have better network parts.

There are fewer complaints about the 3900, but it was in service only ⅔ of the time the 3930 has been, and the 3930 has sold a lot more than the 3900, just because of the yearly increase in Roku sales, plus the longer active period of that model.

So, if the 3930 has inferior network guts (I don't know it does, but I'm thinking we want to try this just in case), what channel is your network on?

All Express (not the Express 4K, or Express 4K+) models are 2.4 GHz only, which means they work best on channels 1, 6, or 11. And, if the router is set to Auto, it may be picking one that is crowded. Keep in mind that a crowded channel can impact you, if if it's the same channel but on another network.

Let's rule out screen save first. Failing that, let's get the channel your 2.4 GHz network is using.