Features, settings & updates

[AlexKneeThem]

Hi everybody, I just bought a Roku express. I love using the remote to watch stuff as Im going to bed. However, after a while I want to turn the TV off so the bright screen doesn’t keep me up. Is there literally no way I can tell Roku to not **bleep**ing keep the screen bright? Obviously I can go unplug that **bleep** but that is not the move, like I bought this remote for a reason. I just want to use my remote to make the screen dark. I can’t believe I can’t find any info on this.

[renojim]

You can't find any info because it isn't possible.  Some TVs have that option, but I've never seen a connected device of any kind that has that option.

[AlexKneeThem]

Is there a reason for that? Seems like a weird design choice. Should I put on a 12-hour black screen YouTube video to get the same effect? Sounds a bit wasteful on bandwidth, and for what. I feel like there has to be a better workaround. Maybe I can download an app or something that simply displays a black screen?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtM_GMxlT8Y

I can't be the only person that wants this.

[renojim]

I've always thought every TV should be required to have such an ability.  You hear so much about being "green".  How many TVs are wasting power all night keeping the screen on while people are sleeping with the TV on just for the background sound?

A screensaver wouldn't do any good if you're actively streaming video because the screensaver would never kick in.  I created a screensaver long ago that just turns the screen black, but it's only useful if you're listening to an audio only channel (like music) that also doesn't have its own screensaver.

If you're finished watching for the night you can just turn off the TV, but I'm assuming that's not what you're talking about.  You want the ability for the screen to go dark while the audio continues, right?

[AlexKneeThem]

Oh no, not at all. What I want is to literally turn the TV off (or the outward equivalent). No noise, no light, no nothing. My Roku express remote doesn’t have the option to turn off my TV (it has no power button), and my TV doesn’t have a remote (I use the side buttons on it). I was looking for a way to tell the Roku to turn off the TV, or at least a way for the Roku to manually project darkness and silence to my TV. The black screensaver idea (which I didn’t know about) sounds promising, but I’d like to be able to activate it manually.

Yes, I could get up from my comfy bed and hit the power button on my TV; yes this would be most eco friendly; and finally, yes, I am simply lazy.

[renojim]

I see.  I totally misunderstood.  If you want to try the screensaver you can add it at:
https://my.roku.com/account/add/blackness

I haven't used it in a long time, so I can't be sure you can still install it.  If you can, you can set your screensaver timeout to 1 or 5 minutes and then when you're done streaming for the night, just go back to the Home Screen and it should turn your screen black in short order.

Note:  There have been a lot of reports lately about not being able to add private channels.  I just checked and it doesn't appear to have been fixed by Roku.

[Xxrasierklinge7]

“I've never seen a connected device of any kind that has that option.”

Xbox One/Series S/X, PS4/PS5 and Nvidia Shield have a sleep mode that can turn off the console and dim the display.

I want this feature too.

[makaiguy]

I don't know if this feature is present on all Roku models, but I have it on my current two models that are hooked up to TVs:

Settings > Home Screen > Shortcuts > TV Off

This adds a "TV Off" tile to the home page channel grid.  Clicking this will tell the TV, via your HDMI connection, to turn off.  You also should turn on "1-touch play" via Roku menu path Settings > System > Control other devices.

For your TV to understand the "TV Off" signal sent by the Roku, your TV must have a CEC (Consumer Electronic Control) feature enabled in the TV's settings.   Unfortunately many TV manufacturers call this feature by their own proprietary names instead of CEC.  Some common names for systems not calling it CEC: 

• AOC: E-link
• Hitachi: HDMI-CEC
• LG: SimpLink or SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC)
• Mitsubishi: NetCommand for HDMI, Realink for HDMI
• Panasonic: VIERA Link, HDAVI Control, EZ-Sync
• Onkyo: RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI)
• Philips: EasyLink
• Pioneer: Kuro Link
• Runco International: RuncoLink
• Samsung: Anynet+
• Sharp: Aquos Link
• Sony: BRAVIA Link, BRAVIA Sync, Control for HDMI
• Toshiba: CE-Link, Regza Link

Some other names shared by multiple manufacturers:
• Fun-Link, INlink, T-Link

Note: On some TV's you may need to have the TV do a scan or search for connected CEC devices.

For more details see Roku's page re "TV OFF".