Solving playback issues

[Hal1]

I just use the simple screen saver which Roku puts up itself, DBDukes.  When I am not watching a show, I turn the tv to the Roku home page and turn off the tv.  I have a terrific Ubiquiti Amplifi dual-band router with extenders and solid ISP.  Obviously, I want the 5.0 GHz for my computer and smartphone and am a bit confused about making the router and televisions compatible.  What should I do?  Thanks.

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

If you have your own Ubiquiti router, then you're probably not using what the ISP provides. Or does your ISP use Ubiquiti? Most use stuff that's a lot cheaper.

Ubiquiti can be difficult to set up, because it's generally designed to work with all Ubiquity equipment. And an entire Ubiquiti network system can be expensive. I've never dealt with one in a home environment, just in corporate, which are large systems.

Or, is she is a residential community? Assisted living? Private neighborhood that caters to seniors with community WiFi? That could explain the Dorm/Hotel message depending on configuration. Sorry, wrong issue; I'm working two and confused them. My apologies.

[Hal1]

And, an important point is that absolutely nothing has changed in my home, nor have any settings changed, since everything worked perfectly for a very long time.  The operating tv with the 3900 is downstairs and the two problematic tv's with the 3930's are upstairs.  I know it sounds strange given the two 3930's went down at the same time with this very isolated and particular problem relating to OTA channel freeze, but could I have had at some time an electrical power disruption that affected the guts of the two 3930 streaming players in this very limited way?  I'm happy to replace them if you think that this could be an issue.  What do you think, DBDukes?  Thanks again.  I really appreciate this.  

[Hal1]

This is a ranch home hundreds of yards from anyone else and I have a very dependable ISP delivering 50 Mbs service to the house.  The Ubiquiti Amplifi router is directly cabled from the ISP input.  Again, everything else works fine and all the tv's worked fine until about the holidays.  My streaming on my current laptop and on my phone is really swift and uninterrupted.

[DBDukes]

@Hal1 

There could be a problem with the current Roku OS and the hardware in the 3930 devices. Obviously not a universal issue, or this forum would blow up, but something peculiar happened with yours.

If the router is on Auto and switched to another channel that the 3930 are having problem with, that could explain it. Or, they could have received a buggy update from Roku the same night (most updates are overnight).

Or a neighbor could have added something to his network on the same channel. Different network but same channel can cause problems. It's not usual, but it has happened.

I'm hesitant to say abandon the three-year old Express devices. It may be the simple solution, but there may be a way to salvage.

I'm not sure what may be happening. And, it may not be network, but I suspect it it isn some way related.

Do change the screen save to the clock, then reboot. Just to rule that out. Default Roku screensavers more complicated than one that simply gets the time. Skyline and Movie Magic (both can be defaults) communicate with servers and embeds ads. If you're using one of those, go simpler.

[DBDukes]

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@Hal1 wrote:

...  My streaming on my current laptop and on my phone is really swift and uninterrupted.

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They're probably using the 5 GHz band, not the older 2.4 GHz band.

[Hal1]

The ISP doesn't supply routers, but when I did my remodeling work a couple years ago, the ISP technician and our very experienced local electronics store owner who sold me the Ubiquiti Amplifi set everything up with proper cabling.  The router and its extenders then operates throughout the house by WiFi - and very effectively except for this recent glitch.  I am trying to lay out all the information I can because I appreciate your help.  Do you think that I should just replace the two Expresses that aren't working right for the OTA channels given nothing seems to have changed and everything worked so well for 2 years?

[DBDukes]

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@Hal1 wrote:

The ISP doesn't supply routers, but when I did my remodeling work a couple years ago, the ISP technician and our very experienced local electronics store owner who sold me the Ubiquiti Amplifi set everything up with proper cabling.  The router and its extenders then operates throughout the house by WiFi - and very effectively except for this recent glitch.  I am trying to lay out all the information I can because I appreciate your help.  Do you think that I should just replace the two Expresses that aren't working right for the OTA channels given nothing seems to have changed and everything worked so well for 2 years?

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That may indeed resolve it. If you do, don't get an Express. That's the last Roku that's 2.4 GHz only. I suspect everything else is on 5 GHz. The Express 4K+ is dual band, and everything upscale from that is as well.

[Hal1]

DBDukes, I did as you suggested and changed the screensaver to the digital clock and I still have the same problem.  And, to add to the information I am providing, the screen freeze or reversion to the Sling home page almost always occurs after the local OTA channel has been on about 4-1/2 minutes.  The regularity of this seems like good information, but I don't know what to do with it.  Maybe it will rule out some things in your mind.  Thanks again for your diligence.

[Hal1]

None of our tv's are 4K, we have no plans on replacing them in the short term due to some serious health issues within our extended family and that is why l have gotten the basic Express's.  We have three 37" tv's in different rooms and this works well for us now as we get used to internet tv after abandoning dish tv (appearing to be a great move other than this issue).  Should I still get the 4K+?  Will they work on 720/1080p's?  Thanks again, Hal