Wi-Fi & connectivity

Having Roku connectivity problems? Get the help and troubleshooting tips you need for Roku wireless connection issues, ethernet connections, and more.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
sevillegas
Channel Surfer

Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Hi, we have had the error message 020 for a while now. I did all the things suggested to solve it. We finally bought a new Roku Express, and we are STILL getting the message. Sometimes it plays well, sometimes we get the error message. More often than not we get the message. Today was the most recent issue. Here are the specs:

Model: 3930X-Roku Express

Serial num.: X00400DSJ3XM (S008325SJ3XM)

Software version: 12.0.0 build 4184-AE

GC Version: 9.3.516

Time stamp: 2023-06-14 13:08:48Z

Issue ID: XM-236-948

Please help us resolve this! It has been going on for months now. 

Thank you!

0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
RokuArjiemar
Community Moderator
Community Moderator

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Hi! @sevillegas,

Thanks for reaching out to the Roku Community!

Regarding the error message 020, it is an HDCP error. We're pleased to assist.

What do you do if you see "HDCP Error Detected" on your Roku player?
If you see the "HDCP Error Detected" message or purple screen when you are explicitly trying to stream 4K UHD or HDR content on your Roku player, you should review the instructions and requirements for:

Setting up your player for 4K UHD
Setting up your player for HDR
If you see either error screen when attempting to watch content on your Roku player, follow the following steps to help resolve the issue.

  1. Unplug each end of the HDMI cable on your Roku player and TV.
  2. Power off your TV and unplug its power cord.
  3. Remove the power cord from your Roku player.
  4. Reconnect both HDMI cable's ends, ensuring each connector is attached firmly and securely.
  5. Reconnect the power cord to your TV and your Roku player, and wait for both devices to power on
  6. Try viewing the content again.

If the issue continues after attempting the instructions above, try the additional suggestions below.

  1. Try a different HDMI input on your TV.
  2. If possible, try using a different HDMI cable (less than 6 feet long) to ensure the cable you currently use is free of defects.
  3. Your Roku player will be switched directly to your TV using an HDMI switch.
    Note: Not all HDMI switches support HDCP. Check your device, review online documentation, or contact the manufacturer.
  4. Try another TV that supports HDCP, if possible.
  5. If you use a computer monitor, try a TV that supports HDCP, if possible.
  6. Try using different display settings on your Roku player. These settings are under Settings > Display type.
  7. If you see the "HDCP Error Detected" message or purple screen for the first time after setting up your Roku player, ensure your TV  supports HDCP. 

For additional troubleshooting steps, check out this article: How to Fix HDCP Error.

Please keep us posted on what you find out. We will be more than happy to continue assisting you. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Arjiemar

Arjiemar
Roku Community Moderator

View solution in original post

0 Kudos
9 REPLIES 9
RokuArjiemar
Community Moderator
Community Moderator

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Hi! @sevillegas,

Thanks for reaching out to the Roku Community!

Regarding the error message 020, it is an HDCP error. We're pleased to assist.

What do you do if you see "HDCP Error Detected" on your Roku player?
If you see the "HDCP Error Detected" message or purple screen when you are explicitly trying to stream 4K UHD or HDR content on your Roku player, you should review the instructions and requirements for:

Setting up your player for 4K UHD
Setting up your player for HDR
If you see either error screen when attempting to watch content on your Roku player, follow the following steps to help resolve the issue.

  1. Unplug each end of the HDMI cable on your Roku player and TV.
  2. Power off your TV and unplug its power cord.
  3. Remove the power cord from your Roku player.
  4. Reconnect both HDMI cable's ends, ensuring each connector is attached firmly and securely.
  5. Reconnect the power cord to your TV and your Roku player, and wait for both devices to power on
  6. Try viewing the content again.

If the issue continues after attempting the instructions above, try the additional suggestions below.

  1. Try a different HDMI input on your TV.
  2. If possible, try using a different HDMI cable (less than 6 feet long) to ensure the cable you currently use is free of defects.
  3. Your Roku player will be switched directly to your TV using an HDMI switch.
    Note: Not all HDMI switches support HDCP. Check your device, review online documentation, or contact the manufacturer.
  4. Try another TV that supports HDCP, if possible.
  5. If you use a computer monitor, try a TV that supports HDCP, if possible.
  6. Try using different display settings on your Roku player. These settings are under Settings > Display type.
  7. If you see the "HDCP Error Detected" message or purple screen for the first time after setting up your Roku player, ensure your TV  supports HDCP. 

For additional troubleshooting steps, check out this article: How to Fix HDCP Error.

Please keep us posted on what you find out. We will be more than happy to continue assisting you. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Arjiemar

Arjiemar
Roku Community Moderator
0 Kudos
Spiritriver
Streaming Star

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

After the update of 10-19-23, I started getting lots of 020 errors, after not having them for about a year.  This Roku Ultra was a replacement, sent to me after Roku figured out that the multiple 020 errors my previous device was giving were caused by a defective device.  I'm pretty convinced that the software update is the source of the problem.  

Despite that, I went through the placebo process of unplugging and replugging HDMI cables and power a few times, and it made no difference, as the 020 errors persist.  Older Rokus that were also 4k, had none of these 020 problems, even when playing HDCP content, hence I think the engineers have installed a weakness in the newer devices and/or software.  

I'd like Roku staff to explain why perfectly fine HDMI cables, even those provided by Roku function flawlessly on non-Roku devices, but with the latest Roku Ultra, the HDMI connections have apparently become ridiculously unreliable.  I don't buy it!  A Fire Cube has the same specs and works fine with the same cables.  

Something you folks should give some thought to is that all this cable plugging and unplugging is a major pain in the ass to anyone who has their devices in an entertainment center.  I have to roll up the carpet, pull the cabinet out, then get on my hands and knees with a flashlight and grope around for the connections, as the cabinet has a back with minimal access to the back of the components.  

HDMI cables have been reliably connecting devices for many years, and last for many years without being disturbed.  If no one else in the Universe has to **bleep** their HDMI connections to keep their equipment working, why is it necessary in order to keep a Roku Ultra working?  

You might as well face it guys/gals, if other manufacturers can make streaming devices work without all the 020 (HDCP error) hassle, maybe it's time to stop blaming non-defective cables and address the issue once and for all. 

 

RokuCarly
Community Moderator
Community Moderator

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Thank you for posting here in the Roku Community, @Spiritriver!

Firstly, we sincerely apologize for any trouble and inconvenience this may have caused you. 

It seems like you have exhausted all the troubleshooting steps possible regarding the HDCP Error Detected in your Roku Ultra. We would like to know if this happens across all apps on your device or if this usually happens on a specific one. 

Additionally, you mentioned that your Roku Ultra's HDMI cable is unreliable. Could you tell us more about it? 

We'll be anticipating your response as we would be more than willing to find you the best resolution or answer your concerns. 

Best regards,
Carly

Carly Y.
Roku Community Moderator
0 Kudos
Spiritriver
Streaming Star

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

What I was trying to explain is that I feel that odds are extremely low (like zillions to one) that all these HDMI/HDCP problems are caused by HDMI cables or even the connections, especially when those cables have been supplied by Roku.  Since Roku devices are having these chronic problems, as evidenced by thousands of postings about it online, the devices themselves must be remarkably unreliable.  Since the cables work on everything else, including other streaming devices with HDCP protection features, I think it's time for Roku to stop blaming the connections and cables, as though that's the only possible problem.  Consider also, my Roku was working without problems for a year, then these errors started showing up after the update of 10/19/23.  Modern cables and connections don't have much of a history of suddenly becoming faulty.  Generally, when components are plugged in, they continue to work for years if not indefinitely.  Despite that, I went through the recommended unplugging and replugging the HDMI connections and had it no effect on the frequency of error 020's.  

Regarding apps, the problem appears on all of them, including those providing non-HDCP content. 

My theory is that you folks sent out a software patch a year ago which resolved the problem, and recently did another update that unpatched it.  

I also wonder about HDCP that only intermittently detects the issue, often letting the content play through without problems.  That in itself suggests that your HDCP technology is flaky.  Either the content protection is only functional for a minute or so every hour, or some glitch (non connection related) is causing "false positives," which resolve momentarily.  I don't know if it's helpful or not, but usually, just before the error appears, the sound starts to distort and there are occasional screen flashes before the notice appears on the screen.  

Rebooting reduces the frequency of errors.  If I don't reboot, they can come every 15 minutes or so.  When I reboot, it'll play for an hour or two before the error shows up again.  Would that be the case if it a cable was at fault?  A faulty connection can't adjust the frequency of it's fault based on reboots.  

I did order a replacement device, as I'm running out of patience and hoping the problem may have been addressed surreptitiously. Sadly, my spouse seems to be addicted to Roku because of the earplug feature.  I'm spending more time on a Fire Cube.  

RokuEuniceL
Community Moderator
Community Moderator

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Hi @Spiritrive,

We appreciate you letting us know about this here in the Roku Community!

We'd like to know more about it to assist you further. Please provide us with more details.

  • Have you tried plugging the Roku device into a different TV or port?
  • Have you tried a different HDMI cable already?
  • Have you tried using different display settings on your Roku player (you can find these settings under Settings > Display type) or disabling the Auto-Adjust Display Refresh Rate option?

Let us know if you are willing to downgrade your software version so we can check if it will work again.

We'll be waiting for your response.

Kind regards,

Eunice

Eunice L.
Roku Community Moderator
0 Kudos
Jakervik
Newbie

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Same issue with a newer box that I probably bought within the last year or two. Just started happening out of the blue. I even bought new HDMI cables. Now I just reboot it literally every day. 

No automatic error reporting and tracking, Roku? Just hoping I drop another $100+ on another new box?

0 Kudos
rlamport
Newbie

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

What if I can’t unplug the cables without removing the TV (8 feet) from the wall? 

0 Kudos
Spiritriver
Streaming Star

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

I don't think Roku factors such issues into their proposed solutions.  It's unfortunate that this problem is still manifesting after all this time.  I gave up trying to get a solution from Roku.  I came up with a workaround, by connecting the device directly into the TV, but that means the AV receiver is offline unless the sound signal is transferred to it via RCA cables from the TV's headphone jack.  The AV receiver is HDCP 2.2 compliant, so this absurd workaround shouldn't be necessary.  Even with this arrangement, the Roku glitches, interrupting the sound signal for a second or two, every half hour or so, which roughly corresponds to the number of error messages I was getting before bypassing the AV receiver.  Therefore, I'm convinced that if I again connected the devices CORRECTLY, I'd be getting the errors about every half hour.  

What may be even more bizarre is getting the error message on my streaming stick, which of course doesn't involve the use of HDMI cables.  I just quit using it.  

0 Kudos
MrsFr
Newbie

Re: Error 020 after doing all the right things

Jump to solution

Hi, I followed the entire procedure, but it still has the same error. 

0 Kudos
Need Assistance?
Welcome to the Roku Community! Feel free to search our Community for answers or post your question to get help.

Become a Roku Streaming Expert!

Share your expertise, help fellow streamers, and unlock exclusive rewards as part of the Roku Community. Learn more.