Solving playback issues

[UserOfStreamers]

The Volume Modes being disabled/disappearing is certainly not a good sign, and coupled with your "intermittent black screen restart popup message" (which I cant recall ever seeing/experiencing on any of my devices, ever) and "reboot necessary to load apps", likely indicates a flawed/failing device.

You might consider replacing your 3930 with a 3941 (Express 4K+) which comes with a WiFi Direct "Point Anywhere" remote and also has a USB>Ethernet adapter option, and which is currently $30.

[OliverevilO]

If it's defective, I suppose that's because it was never properly refurbished, which is how my unit was advertised, and Roku ought to replace it free. The black screen pop-up message I referred to is what seems to have gotten discussed a lot here and elsewhere is as an "HDCP error message"

[BillieAnnie]

@OliverevilO  Roku does not sell refurbished units. You bought it from a 3rd party seller off EBay or Amazon. Check back with them. Roku’s is not gonna replace a device that you bought somewhere else refurbished

[OliverevilO]

@BillieAnnieit's direct from Roku: I ordered it from Roku's website in October last year. I guess I could be wrong in remembering it as refurbished, but FWIW my order specified the model as "3930R," and if not when I bought it then later I came to think that "R" stood for "Refurbished"

[BillieAnnie]

Roku doesn’t sell refurbished units. Do you have an email receipt indicating you bought it from Roku as “refurbished”? No where on the Roku website does it say anything about refurbished units 

[OliverevilO]

@BillieAnnie 

Yeah, my receipt email doesn't say it was refurbished, so at this point the only thing at all suggesting that it was is the "R" that was appended to the model number, and IDK where I got the idea that the "R" stands for "refurbished." I may be misremembering that aspect, possibly from having considered buying a refurbished unit on another site when comparing prices. 

[UserOfStreamers]

@OliverevilO 

HDCP error messages are common with Roku devices going back many years/firmware versions due to longstanding HDMI programming/OS-design incompetence of Roku's software engineers.

However, there are some known solutions/workarounds:

1) Use different HDMI cable or HDMI port.

2) Manually configure the "display type":  Settings/Display type = 720p/1080p/4K/etc (do not use auto)

3) Disable (or sometimes enable) "Auto adjust display refresh rate": Settings/System/Advanced system settings/Advanced display settings/Auto adjust display refresh rate = Off/On (lower end/non-4KHDR models do not have this option)

4) Reset/Factory Reset the TV/display device/connected device.

Regardless of whether your 3930 is refurbished or not (the "R" simply indicates a model sold through the retail channel - e.g. a 3810RW would be a retail channel unit sold through Walmart), its a very limited capability model, and you would be much better served with a 3941 (Express 4K+), which has Dual-Band WiFi, Point Anywhere WiFi Direct remote, USB>Ethernet option, etc (none of which the 3930 has) - and considering some of the odd behavior (and limited functionality) of your low-end 3930, is definitely recommended, especially @ $30.

[OliverevilO]

@UserOfStreamersThanks for the tips and suggestions. Actually I considered and specifically opted against everything more deluxe than the 3930, because I didn't want a remote with a microphone.  I don't suppose you know a way to use an old unmic'ed remote, do you? (BTW I'm not interested to use Roku's phone app as a remote)

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[UserOfStreamers]

@OliverevilO 

Just use the Simple (IR-only) remote that came with your 3930 with your 3941  (it'll work with all/every non-Stick Roku player, which support both IR and WiFi remotes).

Or, get the 3940 (Express 4K - WalMart-only version) - it comes with a Simple (IR-only) remote (though I recommend getting the 3941, just to have a WiFi remote "just in case").

[BillieAnnie]

@OliverevilO  is there a reason why you don’t want a remote with a microphone? Just cousin my has a microphone doesn’t mean you need to push it and use that feature.