Forum Discussion

TVB99's avatar
TVB99
Binge Watcher
6 years ago

REAL screensaver: turn off video

This was brought up in a discussion, but I want to formally suggest it as a feature: Add a "screensaver" option to discontinue the video signal rather than playing a slide show, clock, etc. There's a "Black" screensaver available that sends a blank image to the display, but that still keeps the monitor/TV "on". Modern displays will usually turn themselves off – saving electricity and the life of the backlight/display tech – when the video signal stops. They power back on when the signal resumes. Including a video-off option after X minutes would turn the Roku "screensaver" feature into a literal "screen saver".

8 Replies

  • TVB99's avatar
    TVB99
    Binge Watcher
    6 years ago

    I want to stress just how annoying this missing feature is becoming. I connected a Roku to one of the ports on my computer monitor, so I could watch something at my desk when someone else is watching the big TV. Now I have to turn that monitor off every time I put my computer to sleep, because the Roku takes it over and keeps it from going to sleep too, like it used to. The fact that people went to the trouble of creating "black" screensavers shows there's an interest in having the monitor go blank instead of doing a slideshow. Why not let us do it "right"?

    • TVB99's avatar
      TVB99
      Binge Watcher
      6 years ago

      I wonder if anyone at Roku ever actually reads these, or if it's just a trick to make it look like they welcome feedback?

    • TropicDiverOne's avatar
      TropicDiverOne
      Reel Rookie
      5 years ago

      This is the same issue for me, just turn OFF the HDMI when it sleeps will turn off my monitor which now lights up my room all night wasting power. I have no desire to keep turning off this one monitor each night when the rest of my monitors turn off when I shut down the PC This is madness, come on Roku..

  • feebleminded's avatar
    feebleminded
    Reel Rookie
    5 years ago

    Yes, please! This is an egregious oversight on an otherwise pretty fantastic product. Let my TV go to sleep!

  • TropicDiverOne's avatar
    TropicDiverOne
    Reel Rookie
    5 years ago

    I have a older HDMI splitter attached to the Roku now, one output goes to a monitor PIP area for news feed and the other to a large monitor if I want to watch a show. Since Roku no longer has an audio out I bought a new splitter to give me Optical audio out and this splitter also has a remote with power off button that will now let me kill this **bleep** screen!

  • yobry1's avatar
    yobry1
    Streaming Star
    5 years ago

    Totally agree. I have the same problem. Tired of waking up 4-5hrs later to go pee and have to turn off the tv too coz it's wasting electricity.

  • Jay_Kay's avatar
    Jay_Kay
    Newbie
    4 years ago

    I would love to have a screensaver like this, or, alternatively, a feature similar to the bandwith saver where the video signal is discontinued after 4 hours of inactivity. Everything else hooked up to my TV has a version of this, but not my Roku express... (I just noticed this thread is 2 years old, I guess I'll stop holding my breath!)

  • TopherBrowne67's avatar
    TopherBrowne67
    Reel Rookie
    4 years ago

    Adding my vote to this.

    FYI - the youtube app does this. When you choose one of the many hour ambient noise videos that claim black screen, my TV (aging Vizio E390i) turns the video OFF but maintains the sound channel.