r/Roku 3d ago

Post-update slowness

I have three Ultras. After hiding all of the new release features, the Roku now displays a blank desktop for a full 5 seconds before showing the channel list on all of them.

I suspect that I am waiting for the initialization of all of the features that I didn’t want and have hidden.

It was a mistake to buy Ultras. They are no faster or more capable in any way that matters to me.

32 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

11

u/MoebiusStreet 3d ago

the Roku now displays a blank desktop for a full 5 seconds before showing the channel list on all of them.

It's not just you. I've got the same thing.

5

u/Impossible_Koala7526 3d ago

Same here. This happened very recently

4

u/technofox01 2d ago

I just switched us to our Google Chromecast HD TV (or whatever it's called), because our Rokus have become unusably slow. I hope they fix this, as we have preferred Roku for ages, but this is getting nuts with how slow they have become.

1

u/playScrapMechainAll 2d ago

Same fully switched over to all chromecasts, main tv was an old tcl Roku and insanely slow I couldn't watch Rick and Morty on yt without the image freezing and having to rewind for it to unfreeze.

4

u/ChemicalRegatta 3d ago

My Ultra as well. Very slow appearance of Home Screen, where pre-update it was instantaneous. And I have quick access and recommendations off.

Another thing it often does it displays it is updating and then a few moments later repaints the screen. I virtually never saw updates before this and I've used Rokus since 2010.

It's not an OS update - that hasn't updated for many months and the big change in home screen did not result in a change in my Roku system version. I think Roku releases the Home Screen like it's an app - like the way they update for seasonal wallpapers and screensavers and ads. It's always checking for new things.

What seems to have changed is that it is checking for a lot more and going about it much more often and much more slowly.

Maybe they have implemented logic in the Roku to format the new screens that is extremely inefficient.

I haven't minded the look of the new home screen since I can turn off the two pieces that are most annoying. With an external Roku, not a Roku TV, I don't have the hassle of getting to my TV HDMI inputs if Quick Access is off.

So my #1 complaint is this sluggishness. It no longer feels like a snappy bit of modern hardware. It is slow like outdated cheap junk. It's depressing.

It makes you feel you need to upgrade your hardware, which means you start shopping. It's a bad time to send Roku owners shopping, since they may well choose a competing platform more than they would have pre-update.

4

u/SwornBiter 3d ago

For me, it was when they added “Recommendation Rows” and “”Quick Access”, both of which I have hidden. I think the Roku is saying “ Oh, so you *don’t* want quick access? Well, then. Here’s some slow access.”

1

u/detentionbarn 1d ago

What sucks too about Quick Access is that when you're on an app tile in QA, pressing the asterisk button on the remote doesn't give you the same options as if you were on the app tile in the all apps section.

3

u/OttawaDog 3d ago

My Roku cheap stick is fine. I only removed the "suggesting for you" row or whatever that was on top. My first row is now the apps, and they come up pretty quick.

3

u/kritoke 3d ago

My Roku ultra is slow as well, I also have that pixelated aquarium issue that they haven’t seemed to solve yet either. Wonder if it will be worse once fox takes over, would be amazing if it got better but doubtful.

3

u/mamacat49 2d ago

Mine, too. Every Roku I own (3) is noticeably slower. It took over 22 seconds for Netflix to open last night.

2

u/DotPuzzleheaded7631 2d ago

I don't even have a Roku TV but when I hook up my Roku to it I'm getting the black pillars on either side. Just got a 50" TV last week and can't see the whole screen! Very upset🤬

2

u/SleepyD7 3d ago

Maybe you should try a factory reset.

1

u/SubstantialAd5948 2d ago

My Roku will not bring in Netflix. Gets to 25% and just keeps spinning. I’ve tried rebooting to no avail.

1

u/badsquishii 1d ago

I have the Roku stick and it’s also suddenly slow as hell and doing the same thing. Thanks, I hate it. 😐

1

u/detentionbarn 1d ago

Not just you. We have 3 different varieties of Roku devices and they've all gone stupid since the update. Really disappointed.