# Roku !!!!!!!! - Oh wait, it doesn't work. :( **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397 "2010-12-26T02:01:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/1 "2010-12-26T02:01:17Z")
I just got a Roku for Christmas. Sweet! Except, when I turn it on(plug it in), it says it will take 3 minutes to setup and I should press “OK” on the remote to begin. Uh, nothing happens. My remote(or the sensor in the box) does not work, apparently. Nothing happens when I press OK!!! ☹ Great. :sigh: No, I don’t have a smart phone I can turn into a remote. No, my universal Sony remote does not seem to interact with it. ☹ I guess I’ll call them tomorrow. Yes, the internet is plugged into it and the lights on the ethernet cable are blinking quickly. And the batteries are in correctly. And I tried new batteries of my own in addition to those provided. Nothing. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/2 "2010-12-26T02:48:26Z")
Is there an IR cable thingy in the box you can try? It’s a cable with an IR sensor on it that allows you to control a system that is hidden in a cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/3 "2010-12-26T04:06:48Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > Is there an IR cable thingy in the box you can try? It’s a cable with an IR sensor on it that allows you to control a system that is hidden in a cabinet. I don’t know what an IR cable is, but there wasn’t anything extra in the box. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/4 "2010-12-26T04:23:30Z")
Just wondering - does the instruction clarify whether it’s rock-you, row-coup, or raw-coo? (I say #2) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/5 "2010-12-26T05:55:26Z")
Considering it is supposed to be “six” in Japanese, you are right, more or less. Row-koo. I assume there was no plastic strip in the remote which blocks the contacts on the batteries? You probably would’ve noticed it if you switched batteries. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/6 "2010-12-26T07:22:23Z")
You can verify that the remote is working or not by aiming it at a video camera. The camera will see the infrared flashes from the remote. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/7 "2010-12-26T14:33:01Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I assume there was no plastic strip in the remote which blocks the contacts on the batteries? You probably would’ve noticed it if you switched batteries. Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/8 "2010-12-26T14:34:08Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > You can verify that the remote is working or not by aiming it at a video camera. The camera will see the infrared flashes from the remote. How will this appear visually? How do I know if the remote is working or not? Nevermind, I read it online. Uh, the remote IS working. I saw a purplish(light blue) light flashing when I looked through a video camera screen at it. Can not get a reaction from my Roku box to save my life. ??? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/9 "2010-12-26T18:50:25Z")
Get this. Roku called me and told me to switch the batteries around…I mean put them on the wrong poles. I did this, waited one minute, and then slipped them back to the correct polarities. It worked. For 1 minute. I can now use my Roku for 1 minute, then it stops. I flip the batteries over, let them sit for a minute, then put them back correctly. It works again for a minute. Why is this? They are sending me a new remote, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/10 "2010-12-26T19:05:36Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Get this. > > Roku called me and told me to switch the batteries around…I mean put them on the wrong poles. I did this, waited one minute, and then slipped them back to the correct polarities. > > It worked. For 1 minute. > > I can now use my Roku for 1 minute, then it stops. I flip the batteries over, let them sit for a minute, then put them back correctly. > > It works again for a minute. > > Why is this? Apparently remote controls are easy to screw up in the factory. I had to have a (free) replacement sent when I bought my current tv because none of the buttons did what they were supposed to. Down went to channel 9, 3 prompted the set-up menu, and the volume buttons changed the channel. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![jrmycrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jrmycrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrmycrsn)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/11 "2011-09-25T19:04:15Z")
after searching forever to fix problem & nothing working I took the batteries out of the remote and unplugged the box waited a few seconds then plugged in the box then I waited until the Roku bouncing letters flashed on the screen then reinserted the remote batteries now it is working fine . I tried many subjection I found online nothing work so hopefully this helps someone. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/12 "2011-09-25T19:58:50Z")
I guess this has been bumped. Anyway, the deal is this. They sent me a replacement remote, but after about a week, the old one started working too. No idea what was the problem. I do have a fix, though, for others. It requires getting yours up and running once, though. [Control your Roku from your computer here. It is a remote app that actually gives you the full advanced remote.](http://apps4tv.com/remoku/) ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/13 "2011-09-25T21:41:15Z")
You can also go old school and telnet into a Roku box. > **[Roku Community Support | Fast Responses | Roku Community](https://community.roku.com/)** > > Find out how to make the most of Roku Community support and learn about the best ways to get your questions answered on our thriving forum with these FAQs. ---
**Author:** ![felipevanc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90db22/32.png) [@felipevanc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/felipevanc)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/14 "2012-04-18T22:59:52Z")
I solved this, tell you how. When I reseted my roku 2 RS to its factory values, the remote stoped working. The screen asked me to press OK but I couldnt! After trying different thigns I found A SMALL VIOLET BUTTON that is only visible when you take off the battery compartiment. I pressed this for several seconds and voila, it started to work again!! hope this helps ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/15 "2012-04-19T00:23:12Z")
Yes, I got it to work 1 1/2 years ago, but thanks. They sent me a new remote, anyway, and I can now use my Ipod Touch to control it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roku-oh-wait-it-doesnt-work/565397/16 "2012-04-20T03:54:50Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I guess this has been bumped. > > Anyway, the deal is this. They sent me a replacement remote, but after about a week, the old one started working too. No idea what was the problem. > > I do have a fix, though, for others. It requires getting yours up and running once, though. > > [Control your Roku from your computer here. It is a remote app that actually gives you the full advanced remote.](http://apps4tv.com/remoku/) It can’t find my Roku box, and it rejects what I think the address is. Is there a way to page Linksys to find out what is on the network?