Solving playback issues

[Deb72]

My Roku Express+ has a severe lag between button pushes.  I have to wait a full minute or two between each button push to get anywhere.  If I push the button too soon, it seems like my wait time starts over. 

My WiFi signal is excellent and I have replaced the batteries in my remote.  This has been going on for a while and is getting worse.  It takes sometimes 5 to 10 minutes just to pull up a show on Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. 

Anyone else ever have this issue?  I have been using Roku devices for about 8 years and never had this issue before.  This device worked great for the first couple of months that I had it and then down hill ever since.

[jaz5]

Yes, I have the exact same issue with my newest Ultra device purchased in Dec 2019.  Over the past 2 months, there has been an annoying lag whenever I scroll up/down the channel menu or when I try to call up the menu, or when I try to change the channel.  I have just sent a  note to Roku support to see what they say.  This is my second (and newest) device. I do not have this issue with my original Ultra device in the other room which is now over a year old. 

[Deb72]

The problem ended up being the remote.  I tried using a remote from an older Roku device I had and now it works fine.  

Additional resources that you might find helpful:

• Brutal Interface lag on my Roku since the Dec update
• Audio Out of Sync - lagging
• Roku TV - Audio out of sync, and visual lagging

[jaz5]

That's what I'm going to try this morning, since I have 2 Roku ultra devices.  Roku support team asked me to contact my internet service provider and have them set the "channels" to a certain number to mitigate any signal interference. I did so yesterday and it did not solve my problem.  I will report this back to them. I will try using the older remote this morning to see if that solves the 3-4 second time lag that occurs when I try to change a channel or scroll through the menu.  Thank you for your reply.

[Steeeeevr]

Yeah. I’ve just about had it with Roku. I have one in each of three homes and I’m experiencing the same problem in every one. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Sounds like a systemic issue. If Roku doesn’t figure out how to fix this I’m going to need to go with another streaming service.  

[jaz5]

Don't rule out that it may still be your internet service.   Here's why: I had Spectrum 200mb service and had a full 5 bars of reception with Spectrum. However, that is also when I was having the "stuttering" issues as I tried scrolling through my guide on Roku.  Recently, Spectrum decided to stop supporting Roku.  As such, I was forced to give up my service and frankly, grateful to do so.  I now have Frontier high speed fiberoptic service.  Unexplainably, I can only get 3-4 bars of reception on my Roku from my Frontier router.  Since I lost Spectrum TV, I also signed up for Fubo TV and have not had any stuttering issues.  My point is that I don't trust these internet companies and what they are providing. I don't think even their recommended routers provide adequate service more than 10 feet away no matter how many bars of reception show up on our Roku devices. 

[saboken]

I'm starting to think Roku is doing the same thing Android and Apple are doing to slow devices just to get you to buy  new hardware! I have owned almost every Roku since day one and the last 3 players have all started having the same issue "Slowing, Crashing, remote issues" at about the same ages! If Roku is using updates to tamper with the players to make them obsolete "Shame on Roku!!" This kind or Business model is actually bad and people will find out eventually they don't want this kind of black mark!

[Lisapizza78]

All of a sudden same issue. I have spectrum internet and don’t have any obvious issues using our phones or computers. But both of my TVs use roku (6 months apart in purchase dates) and they are both now having major lags in response when using the roku remote. I am tempted to get a new device just since it’s been a few years but worried the same thing will happen? Not sure what to do. I am not at all tech savvy. 

[RokuDanny-R]

@Lisapizza78

Thanks for the post.

There are a couple of things you can try to resolve this issue.

• have you tried replacing the batteries on your remotes?
• have you tried changing the wireless broadcast channel on the router to see if this will allow your device to connect?

In addition to trying the two about troubleshooting steps, can you also provide us with the Roku models that you are using so we can try to provide further troubleshooting steps if necessary.

Please keep us posted.

Thanks,
Danny

[saboken]

I've changed the batteries a lot the channel of my router/routers should not be the issue I test a lot of routers several wifi 6, a wifi 6e, a Orbi mesh system with 2 Satellites, and a Velop router in the past 4-5 months they all have used different channels and until recently I had the only Wifi signal within miles of my home so no other wifi interference. This only affects my Rokus when they reach a certain age not sure if it's wear on electronics? I have even changed to different remotes some never used I aquired from previous testing of Roku devices.