Roku mobile app

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toonbon
Binge Watcher

Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

I downloaded the Roku Mobile App to my iPhone 7.  When I press the headphone icon a green light appears above it and sometimes the sound from the TV moves to the iPhone, but usually the sound just stops coming from the TV and does not move to the iPhone.

When the sound does move to the iPhone, it drops out for an instant about every 5 seconds, which is annoying to the point of being unusable. The iPhone is running IOS 14.8.1

The iPhone is about 12 feet from the Roku TV.

Does anyone know what  the problem might be?

Thank you.

 

Steve

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14 REPLIES 14
Ello2022
Roku Guru

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

That’s an issue on your end. Nothing to do with Roku. Sounds to me like you have weak or slow WiFi. Are you simply using your phone speakers or are you using Bluetooth? Is your iPhone running iOS 15.4? Are you sure your using the official Roku Remote Control app for iOS? It’s version 8.2.0.4. Have you restarted your modem, Roku and phone? What is your internet speed? Your iPhone needs to be on the same WiFi channel as your Roku also. Meaning both on 2.4 or both on 5.0

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atc98092
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

The headphone function on the phone is limited to audio that comes from the TV itself. That would be any OTA TV channels, and any channel running on the Roku OS (Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, etc.). If you have a cable box or some other device connected to an HDMI jack on the TV, the audio from that device is not available through the Roku app. I have no idea why they designed it that way, but that's the way it works. 

If it's having issues sending the audio, and it's coming from the TV (not an external device as I mentioned above) my first thought would be a network issue. The sound is going from the Roku TV, into your home network, then back out to the phone. If either or both devices are using 2.4 GHz WiFi, there's a lot of interference in that band, as well as a limited number of available channels. That's one of the reason for the level of interference, and it might simply get interrupted. If your Roku and phone both support 5 GHz WiFi (most but not all do), there's far less interference and a better connection might be possible. 

If 2.4 GHz is all you have available, you can try changing the channel in use on your router. I can't tell you how to do that, as every piece of hardware works differently. On this band, there are only three channels that don't overlap each other: 1, 6 and 11. One of those is almost always the best choice, but without scanning your immediate area I can't tell you which you should use. Look at what channel is in use now (your Network menu on the Roku will show the channel it's using for WiFi), and they try one of the other two.

Dan

Roku Community Streaming Expert

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toonbon
Binge Watcher

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

The router from the ISP is sending 2.4GHz WiFi throughout the house.

I'm using just my iPhone speakers now.  The plan once I get that  solid is to plug Apple Earbuds into the Lightning port, for the best sound.

The phone is running IOS 14.8.1.

Are you sure your using the official Roku Remote Control app for iOS? It’s version 8.2.0.4.  I'm not sure.  I downloaded it from the iPhone Apps store a couple of days ago. How can I see the version?

What is your internet speed?  20Mbps.

Your iPhone needs to be on the same WiFi channel as your Roku also. Meaning both on 2.4 or both on 5.0. The ISP is using 2.4GHz. How can I tell what the iPhone is using?

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Ello2022
Roku Guru

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

@toonbon  These are all questions for you to answer. For the Roku Remote Control app version open up the app, click on your account on the top right, scroll to the bottom and you will see the version number on the bottom. Most ISP’s broadcast in both the 2.4 and the 5.0. Usually you will see two WiFi names. Like acbce WiFi then abcde-5G WiFi. Replace the abcde with your WiFi name. 5.0 GHz is faster then 2.4. iOS is currently version 15.4 should you should update your iPhone. 20 Mbps is kinda slow. Is that speed from your WiFi using your computer? What speed are you paying for through your ISP?

I have xFinity WiFi 500 Mbps. My iPhone 13 Pro Max running iOS 15.4 shows 420 Mbps when I go to fast.com. That’s even 25’ from my modem. 

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atc98092
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV


@toonbon wrote:

Your iPhone needs to be on the same WiFi channel as your Roku also. Meaning both on 2.4 or both on 5.0. The ISP is using 2.4GHz. How can I tell what the iPhone is using?


This is not an accurate requirement. Some of my Roku devices are wired, some are 2.4 GHz and some are 5 GHz. The app can see and control them all, regardless of what band my phone connects to.

I have found it best to use different SSIDs in my access points for the 2.4 and 5 GHz radios. That way I always know exactly what band each device is connected to. Some ISPs and router manufacturers claim their equipment will always connect a device to the "best" band, but in real life I find that's not always true. Since I have multiple access points in my home, each device has a different name and each radio on that device has a different SSID. Then I absolutely know which one I'm using and on which band.

Dan

Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee, just another user.
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toonbon
Binge Watcher

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

Thanks Dan and Ello,

Roku app is 8.2.0.4, so that's OK. 

Let me update phone to 15.4 and see about switching WiFi to 5.0 GHz, and I'll come back.

To 20Mbps may be slow compared to what you have, but it streams Netflix 4K so it should be able to handle to handle some audio.

Thanks again,

Steve

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Ello2022
Roku Guru

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

Netflix recommends at least 15 Mbps so your barely reaching that. You may want to upgrade your internet speed 

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toonbon
Binge Watcher

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

Ran into a problem getting 5G WiFi on Roku TV.  My service provider let me swap the router for one that had both bands. And when I put the iPhone back on, scanning for networks saw both bands being offered and got onto the 5G ok.  But no matter how many times I told the Roku TV to scan for networks, it only saw a single network from the provider. So the router is now broadcasting both bands (because the iPhone sees them) bit the Roku TV scan only sees one.

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Ello2022
Roku Guru

Re: Roku Mobile iPhone App not capturing sound from Roku TV

Who is your ISP? So now you have a new modem which is broadcasting both the 2.4 and the 5.0? They should be named differently and each one with its own password. So which one is your Roku TV seeing? 2.4 or 5.0? Who is the manufacturer of your TV? All my TCL Roku TVs pick up the 5.0 since the Roku software will decide which is best. If you know the name of your network you can manually type it in. It gives you the option. Select private network. What is the make and model of your TV?

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