Solving playback issues

[RkkMe]

I'll just throw this in the mix that AAC audio is on a lot of files/streams now and Rokus are finnicky in playing that audio format, especially if it's multi-channel (5-7 channels etc). For me, it results in pops and clicks that don't really exist, and converting the audio stream from AAC to AC3 resolves the issue (meaning those pops and clicks are gone). Problem is that streaming services are delivering multi channel AAC audio more and more, making it more of a problem since the Rokus seem to have issues playing/decoding/downgrading/converting it correctly.

[Mr_Boom]

Agree it some codec not being read correctly. The thing is that before they did a system update it worked perfectly fine. If you could revert I would but if you do it will auto update in a day. Roku software team has dropped the ball, it’s been too long an issue without a fix. 

[MaxPower]

Too long is right!  I finally gave up and set up a Plex server to stream all my content. 

[themole]

Here’s the best solution- throw it out and never give them your money again. And make sure everyone you know never buys a Roku product again. Spread the word on social media. Maybe facing financial ruin will wake them up.

I can hear the Roku fanboys complaining now. Well they had their chance and did nothing. If people stop complaining and continue to buy their junk, it will validate their “screw what the customer thinks” policy.

Drastic action? Sure. But what’s the alternative? Re-encode hundreds of movies? And what if another firmware update breaks your files again?

[themole]

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@RkkMe wrote:

I'll just throw this in the mix that AAC audio is on a lot of files/streams now and Rokus are finnicky in playing that audio format, especially if it's multi-channel (5-7 channels etc). For me, it results in pops and clicks that don't really exist, and converting the audio stream from AAC to AC3 resolves the issue (meaning those pops and clicks are gone). Problem is that streaming services are delivering multi channel AAC audio more and more, making it more of a problem since the Rokus seem to have issues playing/decoding/downgrading/converting it correctly.

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And what if you re~encode and another firmware update decides it won’t read the new format?

[gk802]

Agree.  I'd definitely not buy again.  So far, I've been able to keep 2 functioning Streaming Sticks, only one of which updated to OS-10.  The other is still on OS-9.4.   Immediately after the issue arose, I blocked them from the internet and saved the second one before it updated.  Now, I have the software update servers blocked at my router so the daily attempt at updating fails.  As to audio codecs, I find the device behavior a function of both the source file and the playback device.  If the playback device can accept the AC3 signal directly, an AC3 encoded file seems to work fine with "audio" set to DD (it does not work with audio set to "Auto" as it did under OS-9.4).  If the playback device needs the signal downmixed to PCM, the same file that plays fine on OS-9.4 results in unlistenable pops/clicks on OS-10 regardless of the settings.  

[themole]

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@MaxPower wrote:

Too long is right!  I finally gave up and set up a Plex server to stream all my content. 

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That’s fine except Roku already has your money and obviously doesn’t care if you use it or not.

[Andru123]

Not really - new ppl buying this device will be returning it, as it simply does not work as media player. Once the return rate with that reason spikes, maybe they finally do a 5 minute codec update.

[themole]

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@Andru123 wrote:

Not really - new ppl buying this device will be returning it, as it simply does not work as media player. Once the return rate with that reason spikes, maybe they finally do a 5 minute codec update.

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It’s not even an update ~ it’s a rollback. They already had working code and broke it. Shouldn’t be too hard - if they cared.

[themole]

It’s great that you were able to lock one to V9, but it will come back to haunt you. At some point some of the third party apps will break because they couldn’t update. 
Reminds me of people and businesses who are still using Windows XP (there are more than you think - I work for a municipal government that has 3500 PCs running XP ) because their hardware won’t support Win 7+. Of course their machines are wide open to malware.

The solution to both cases is the same - throw out the hardware and start over.