Channel tuning speeds on Roku

General Discussion
1

I’d like to get an idea for other community members who use roku how long it takes to tune to each channel from the guide. I haven’t been too pleased with the amount of time it takes on my roku, so I’m trying to figure out whether the issue is with my roku, roku devices in general or something else. If you can post your times, I would appreciate it.

2

I know it does build roughly a 12 second buffer when you start a channel, thats what I see when I use live TV streaming on the Roku 3.

3

Here are some of my test results using a stopwatch this morning.

2-tuner Tablo set to 1080p and Fast live TV startup is enabled. Tablo is wired to my router.

  1. Chrome on PC on a wireless AC network - 12 sec
  2. Roku 3 (preview app) wired to same router as Tablo - 18 sec
  3. Roku 3 (old app) wired to same router as Tablo - 12 sec
  4. Roku 3 (preview app) wireless in adjacent room - 19 sec
  5. Android phone on home network - 17 sec
  6. FireTv wireless next to router - 13 sec (though buffering issue is there)
4

I have a wired roku 3 setup (and one new Roku 2). Th initial channel takes 15-17 seconds to load. My understanding from others more technical than I am is that this is due to transcoding the antenna signal and building a buffer. Once a channel has initially loaded, a return to this channel from another channel is almost instantaneous.

My question for those more technical than I am - because Tablos are not connected directly to a tv through HDMI, am I right that the necessity to transcode means that there is a practical limit to how fast initial live tv tuning can be on a roku. That is, would you expect that it is possible to significantly speed up initial channel tuning or does the need to transacode mean that it can never be faster than 10-15 seconds?

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5

I would definitely say there is a limit to channel tuning. I don’t see how with their current hardware to ever get better than 10 seconds because of transcoding.

I did think it was interesting that the old Roku channel is noticeably faster to tune than the preview channel. I wonder why that is.

6

I have 2 roku 3’s. 1 wireless and 1 wired. Here are my results for time it takes to tube a channel.

*Tablo preview app:

Wired: 16.5 seconds for a new channel.
1.5 seconds for a previously tuned channel.

Wireless: 20.5 seconds for a new channel.
3.5 seconds for a previously tuned channel.

*Old tablo app

Wired:
11.5 seconds for a new channel.
1.5 seconds for a previously tuned channel.

Wireless: 11.5 seconds for a new channel.
3.5 seconds for a previously tuned channel.

Overall I am pleased with the amount of time it takes to tune a channel. My issue WAS the slow loading of the guide, but with the recent enhancements to the preview channel, that is no longer an issue so I am satisfied.

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7

@master_yoda in your setup is it possible to hardwire any of your devices (the tablo being a priority). If you can’t, do you at least have the capability to put the tablo and/or roku’s on a 5ghz band (provided you receive a strong enough signal).

8

@KyleR, I tried hardwiring tablo initially, but neither roku nor ipad app could find it, but I could try it again. The problem is that the location where I have the CenturyLink Modem router is not very good in terms of antenna location. I’ll try to move one roku and hook it up to CL Router.

I’ll try to time the old tablo app and see if it’s better.