Solving playback issues

[KR60]

• My ROKU Express Model 393OX Serial # S0082073HOAU has been working great for two years on my old Sony Trinaton tv 📺 with hdmi to AV converter. Suddenly two weeks ago the power light started blinking and it says “No Signal”. 
  
  I talked to tech support. They told me to plug into a tv with hdmi port. So I plugged into roommate’s tv. Same problem. 
• They told me I must upgrade my ROKU device and that the converter damaged the ROKU. 
  
  
• My roommate calls B.S. He says the converter is just a series of wires that connect the device to the tv. He says there are no electronics in it, so it should not be able to harm the ROKU device. 
  
  
• What say you, community? 
  
  
• Thanks

[atc98092]

Well, your roommate is wrong. An HDMI to AV converter has a digital to analog device inside. There's no way to take a digital signal and output it as analog without one. 

It is unlikely that the converter damaged the Roku. Possible, certainly. But unlikely. The only way to test it would be to connect a different HDMI device into the converter and see if it works. However, if the converter is defective, you run the risk of damaging the second device as well. 

My suggestion would be to first try a new HDMI to analog converter, and use something other than the Roku to test it. Since the Roku didn't work when you tested it on a different TV, it likely does have issues. 

The Express 3930 is now a 3 year old design, and Roku is offering far better players for a good price. The Roku® Streaming Stick® 4K is currently on sale for $25, and would run circles around your old Express. I never recommend the basic Express, as it's simply not much more money for a much better player. 

[Strega]

I think a lot of support people soon figure out that if you say “I don’t know” people continue to ask why so they just give some answer and if you’ve mentioned any other (not my product) devices, then that’s a good thing to blame.  Oh, you have gerbils?  Didn’t you know that they are notorious for sneaking out of their cage at night and opening electronic products and chewing on the circuit boards?  😀

[KR60]

Yes, my roommate took another look at the converter and retracted his original statement about the converter not containing electronics. Sorry for that . 

Thanks for your reply. I will research how long this model usually holds up. 

I have one hooked up to my old box tv in the living room that doesn’t require hdmi that has been going strong for 15 years or so. Seems strange that the express I’ve had for two years would wear out so soon. But, hey, they used to make washing machines that lasted for 35 years…. So…..

[KR60]

Ha ha ha! Exactly. 

Thank You 🙏 

[atc98092]

There's no reason that your Express only lasted two years. Sometimes it's just something that happens. I have an old 2 XS that is now about 10 years old. It still works, but it's buried in the bottom of a drawer simply because it doesn't have the power to run the latest apps. In fact, I shelved it about 6 years ago because it was miserable trying to watch YouTube on it. Not the fault of Roku. The channel develop (in this case Google) simply made their channel require a more powerful player. My oldest player still in use is a Roku 4 that my granddaughter still uses. That one is now over 7 years old, but it has enough power to still be useful. 

Unfortunately, the consumer electronics world continues to require more powerful equipment to keep up with the developers of the programs that run on them. Look at computers. My first Windows 3.1 computer had only 4 MB of RAM and a 120 MB hard drive. When Windows 95 was released, I immediately had to add another 4 MB of RAM, because it simply was unusable with only 4 MB. It's the same with Roku, Fire TV, or any other streaming player. They improve the hardware, the software also improves, requiring new hardware again. It's a cycle. 

Your Sony TV likely still produces a great picture for a standard def image. But it doesn't support digital connections, so you can't connect the latest hardware (which all require HDMI). It's also a true statement that an inexpensive 1080p TV would likely look far better than your Sony. Once you get used to high def video, it's tough to look at SD material much longer. I've replaced a lot of DVDs with Blu Rays of the same title, simply for the improved image and sound. When I replaced my Blade Runner DVD, I went with the 4K version, and wow does it knock your socks off with the difference. And this is a movie that was released in 1982, so none of the latest and greatest techniques used.

[KR60]

Ahhhh. Makes sense. Thank you for the explanation. The problem didn’t start until I added Apple TV….. So maybe that was the deal. 

I will try the streaming stick you recommend. 

Not ready to get rid of the Sony. It still works. The picture looks just fine to us. 

Thanks for your expertise. I really appreciate you taking the time.