Changing channels thru Roku TV app is VERY SLOW

Support & Troubleshooting
1

I have a 2019 55" 6-series (55R625) Roku TV. I installed the Tablo app on the TV. The app runs but switching channels is PAINFULLY slow. It takes anywhere from 8-10 seconds to switch channels. However, when I do the same thing on my iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, the time goes down to 3-4 seconds. It seems that the app on the Roku TV is just broken. I may also try just a standalone Roku Streaming Stick+ or older Ultra and see as well.

Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Are there any suggestions to fixing this or is this an existing bug? I have turned on the “fast live tv startup” feature as well.

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I have a 2017 TCL P series with the same latest versions of the Roku OS and Tablo app. The 10- 12 second time is normal when tuning a new channel since the Tablo has to transcode before displaying (this has always been the norm). When you change from the first channel to another channel, that also takes 10- 12 seconds since the new second channel also has to be transcoded before displaying. But when you switch between two channels that you have previously selected using the ‘last channel’ change feature, the display switches within 2- 4 seconds.

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Just wondering why this is expected behavior? It is really bad and I use Roku most of the time. Is it a Roku OS or Tablo issue do you think? On all other devices I own it only takes 3-4 sec. except for Roku? Is there a bug report on this?

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It’s not an issue nor a bug. Search the forum for many threads on this topic.

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So why the difference with Apple TV, iPhone, iPad or Web App? Switching channels on those devices takes 3-4 seconds. They work fine. I don’t wee where anyone has done a comparison between the other platforms. To me, this says there is a problem with Roku or their Tablo app or both. This only takes this long on Roku devices.

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6

It may very well be device constraints and it’s just the fastest anything Roku can do it because of the necessary transcoding.

Out of curiosity, when you are switching channels on the non-Roku devices, are you doing it between channels that were already previously tuned in on the Roku device?

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I’m not doing it between channels previously viewed. When I do that it is super fast, 1-2 seconds. Same with Roku. But if I go to one that was not previously viewed it takes 3-4 seconds on all other devices and about 8-10 on Roku. It’s weird.

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8

I just tried it on my iPhone XS Max running iOS 14.3, it took 8 seconds to tune a new live TV channel (one that wasn’t recently tuned). That is the norm due to the conversion of an approximate 10 second segment of video from the native MPEG2 to h.264 video. The only way to make it faster is to be able to travel through time to 10 seconds ahead cause you have to wait in real seconds for a segment to be converted. Good luck with coding the time machine!

Edit: just tried it on an iPad Air running iOS 12.4.4, it took 13 seconds to tune a new live TV channel.

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I have a 2019 55" 6-series (55R625) Roku TV. I installed the Tablo app on the TV. The app runs but switching channels is PAINFULLY slow. It takes anywhere from 8-10 seconds to switch channels. However, when I do the same thing on my iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, the time goes down to 3-4 seconds. It seems that the app on the Roku TV is just broken. I may also try just a standalone Roku Streaming Stick+ or older Ultra and see as well.

Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Are there any suggestions to fixing this or is this an existing bug? I have turned on the “fast live tv startup” feature as well.

1 Like
11

Repeatedly asking the same question will unlikely change the answer.


“So why the difference”? not knowing can’t derive with a conclusion - “there is a problem with…”

12

Try splitting the antennae coax and run the 2nd lead into your TV. Then use your TV tuner to watch OTA eliminating the Tablo altogether. In my case signal loss is minimal. One caveat however. Can’t speak to how well this works with multiple TVs/users. My setup is on only one TV.

2 Likes
13

It’s very fast (a second to change back to the previous watched channel —the channel’s name is in red font). No time portal needed. So there is no 10 sec delay to transcode in that situation. I doubt that it is continuing to transcode even when the channel isn’t being watched. Could each tuner “remember” one station. If that was the case, then a 4 tuner model could “remember” 4 previously watched channels. I haven’t heard anybody comment on that.

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That’s why it’s red, tablo does continue to “record” between changing channels. It’s unclear how long, maybe up to 30min.

It’s out there :wink:

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The Tablo is in fact doing exactly that, when it’s flashing red it means the channel is actively tuned and being transcoded, hence why tuning to the channel is instantaneous. Even when you’re not watching the channel, it remains tuned and transcoding for an hour I think.

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So in theory if it could continue to transcode on a single channel that’s not being watched, then it should be able to transcode on more that 1 channel at a time. Could a 4 tuner model, remember 4 channels? Might need adequate processing power to do that, but in theory…

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Yes it does “remember” 4 channels if you have tuned them all, go give it a try. You can switch back and forth between the 4 channels quickly.

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Thanks, I have a dual lite so I will take your word for it. On a related issue, I note that it takes about 12 seconds to load a show on my Roku stick, but only 6 seconds on my ipad. I assume the transcoding is done on the Tablo device. How is this time difference explained?

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The transcoding is done by the taboo, then streamed to "the device/app* for processing for playback.

Depends on processor and network connectivity, for example and other possible variables between devices.

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Which Roku Stick? Model number?