Roku owners left baffled after receiving ‘overheating’ message amid reports of smoking and melting devices
ROKU owners have been left dumbfounded over persistent “overheating” messages – and some devices have even burst into flames.
“Usually, I ignore it because it doesn’t repeat, but the last few nights I’ve gotten several messages,” one user wrote on the Roku support forum in June.
“The device works fine even when overheating. I’ve taken to laying a gel ice pack on the Roku to cool it down. Any ideas?”
As responses rolled in, it became clear it was not an isolated incident.
“My Roku Ultra overheats regularly now, too,” another user wrote.
“I keep it propped up so it has airflow all around and underneath but I still need to put a fan on it almost daily.”
Some Roku fans have taken desperate measures to evade the error message, such as stripping devices down to their essential parts.
“My 3920 that used to overheat is now just a naked circuit board hanging from its cables. Hasn’t overheated since,” one user wrote.
To add insult to injury, there have been reports of Roku devices smoking and bursting into flames.
One anonymous user posted to the Roku support forum yesterday to explain how her television suddenly caught fire.
“Only had this TV two weeks when I heard a loud pop and hissing noise followed by tons of smoke rolling out from the bottom of it!” the user recalled. “The TV wasn’t even on.”
While a representative insisted it was an issue with the hardware and therefore out of the company’s hands, users have complained about overheating devices for years.
If you own a Roku device, you’re more likely than ever to encounter the same message during what is shaping up to be one of the hottest summers on record.
Luckily, there is an easy way to troubleshoot the problem.
If your device is overheating, you will spot a telltale pop-up message in the corner of your TV screen.
Gently unplug the power cable from your Roku player and allow it to cool down.
Next, place the device in a cooler spot, avoiding sunny and enclosed spaces.
Don’t stack it on top of other electronics like cable boxes or routers, which generate a fair amount of heat.
Wait for your Roku player to cool down for at least 10 minutes – and while this may seem like a while, it will prevent further damage to your device.
After 10 minutes, plug the power cable back in and wait for the Roku player to turn on.
If you still see the overheating message or the Roku player shows a solid red light, unplug the power cable and wait for it to cool again.
What is Roku?
The company is best known as a popular provider of free, ad-supported streaming television - or SMART TV for short.
Roku, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood, an English-born businessman who relocated to the United States as a teenager.
Wood wanted to help TV fans watch what they wanted when they wanted and came up with the idea of a TV operating system with access to online content.
Roku released its first product in 2008 – a streaming box called the Roku DVP, which sold 10 million units in just six days.
The company’s hardware is compatible with any TV that has an HDMI connection. This means virtually anyone can access the streamer’s growing body of content.
Each player comes with a Roku remote to navigate on-screen menus and control playback.
The company also licenses its operating system to television manufacturers like Toshiba and Hisense to create Roku-branded TVs.
The streamer has steadily been expanding its portfolio on The Roku Channel.
It boasts free content from over 250 partners, including live news from networks like NBC, Fox, and CBS.
The ever-growing library boasts over 350 live TV channels and 80,000 free movies and shows.
The company may send you new hardware if your Roku Streaming Stick is overheating.
Users can order a free HDMI extender directly from the company site, but be aware of the long backlog, as it seems many customers are grappling with the same issue.