Yesterday my Roku Premier began operating very slow, like push a remote button and wait 5-10 secs for something to happen. It only happens in Plex. I’ve reset everything including factory defaulting the Roku and also trying a separate backup server. No luck.
Everything operates normal using the Samsung Smarthub (both servers), so it pretty much narrows the problem down to the Roku device. Any Ideas? I did notice some red messages coming up when I was watching the console in the Plex server.
Here’s a screenshot of the server console when I’m using the Samsung Smarthub. The first line is generated when I select any library on the TV, and the 2nd line is generated when I play anything and keeps repeating while playing.
Important thing - This is going on when I’m using the Smarthub, so it’s happening when Plex works ok, lol! I’m going to try and wrestle with the Roku now and see what comes up. This will take a bit.
Okay, this does not appear to be a Roku problem. It doesn’t appear to be a server problem either, because it happened on 2 very diff servers. What should I do next?
Same issue here.
Roku: 4660x - 12.5.0 Build: 4162-46
Plex app: V 7.7 build 2
Plex server (unraid docker): Version 1.32.5.7349
My Roku device updated to 12.5.0 the same day the slow response started. Factory resets and reinstall of plex app, still slow to work. Almost unusable at this point. Not sure if it’s a Roku or Plex app issue, but since everything else works fine I suspect something is flawed with the plex app.
I’m still working on this, but it’s beginning to look like a Plex server problem. I’m setting up another server today just as a bare bones test. My system still works okay (a little slow) if I use the smart tv instead of the Roku, however even with smart tv the server generates errors. I’ll post whatever I find out.
I get zero errors or warning in my logs. There is also a reddit thread on r/plex about this. Others with the same issue since the update. It’s either a Roku or plex app issue IMO. As others with out the 12.5 update do not have this issue.
Same here with TCL ROKU TV, after update things got real slow on PLEX app. Tried factory reset of ROKU in hopes, it helped somewhat, but still very slow.
Maybe my server has been generating errors before all this. Like I say, my smart tv works okay, and my Roku worked until a couple days ago. I’m building another server now. We’ll see.
FYI Allen, I tried a factory reset on my Roku also - no luck.
I’ve been having the same issues since the 12.5.0 update. I posted the following comment to /r/plex:
I have two Roku Ultras (4660X) with one running 12.0.0 and the other having just updated to 12.5.0 three days ago. Both are running Plex 7.7.2 and are connected locally to the same Plex Server.
Ever since the update of one of my Rokus to 12.5.0 it has been having the same UI lag and slow video loading times in the Plex app as you described to the point that app is nearly unusable. I’ve also noticed massive CPU spikes that occur on my Plex server even when just navigating the Plex menu on the 12.5.0 Roku. My 12.0.0 Roku on the other hand is still running Plex as quickly and responsively as ever without any heavy CPU usage on my server.
I tried rebooting the Roku and server, reinstalling the Plex app, and even factory resetting but nothing has helped.
I’ve went through Roku support chat. A trouble ticket has been created for this and it has been elevated to the next tier of support to resolve the issue. If I get any info from them via email I’ll update this thread.
Thanks for the re-post, Ryan. Yep, I’d say you’re onto something with that 12.5.0 update on the Roku, like maybe a Plex compatibility problem. One thing, I tested my Roku with other apps and it works fine, so it seems like a Plex problem. Also, I’m seeing weird stuff without the Roku, (using the smart tv), like choppy flickering stuff and weird screen behavior when I scroll a library. Also the smart tv will stop playing avi movies and freeze-up sometimes.
I’m still building the new server. I’ll switch over to it tomorrow and do some testing. However, I’m guessing it’s gonna do the same s**t, but it won’t show errors like my existing server does, but that’s just a guess. My existing server runs an old obscure version of Win7. It sounds like there’s a hamster running on a wheel. I’ll post what I find out.
Can Plex server be rolled back to an older version? If so, it would be a good test. Does anyone know if it can?
Yo Malokhan, I’d say you’re right, but I think it’s both the app and Roku, lol! I’m using the app on my smart tv and the Roku too, and they both went screwy a few days ago. The thing is, the Roku is reeeeeel bad! Unusable bad!
I agree. If you look at the dev release notes for 12.5 you will see below…
- Available memory query — The roAppMemoryMonitor node includes a new GetChannelAvailableMemory() function that provides developers with the estimated kilobytes (Kb) of memory available for their channel. This helps developers identify when to release memory when their channel receives low-memory warnings.
I think they did something with device memory functions other than the API call. So the Plex app isn’t dealing with memory correctly IMO. From what I could tell, after a device reset the plex app will work perfectly for 30 to 60 seconds, then slows WAY down to being unusable. Now is that because the app was badly coded to manage memory to begin with? or did the 12.5 update break something? That other channels work well leads me to think the plex app.
As for rolling a plex server back, if you are running in docker you can specify version. I just always run linuxserver/plex:latest.
That makes sense. Ryan posted (above) seeing big CPU utilization spikes on the server during basic user activity. It sure looks like the problem is in the Plex app, and Roku is just another Plex app, right? Now I’m even more confident that my new Plex server will have the same problem, but I need a new server anyway.
I checked, and I’m running an older Plex server version on my Win7 server now.
I’m having the same problem, starting after the last Roku update to 12.5.0 late Friday evening Eastern US time. Not quite unusable-level bad, but really poor performance. One really vexing problem - subtitles display can’t keep up with the dialog. It just skips some of the subtitles! I’m hoping a Plex app update for the Roku can fix whatever Roku broke in 12.5.0!
I got the new Win10 Plex server running last night. I shutdown the old Win7 server, and unpinned all of it’s libraries from main menu of the smart tv. I fell asleep last night to a movie running from the new server using the smart tv.
I now believe the problem we’re having is a Roku problem. Period. My smart tv issues (and the red error msgs in the Console) appear to have been caused by my old stone age server and a stone age Netgear ReadyNAS that I still use… I mean, did use. It’s gone too. There goes a reliable 2TB. Dang it!
So, when I tested with the Roku, it was the same crazy long delays, even scrolling and selecting libraries! I watched the Console while scrolling around on the Roku, and there was a lot. No red stuff, but what seemed to be a LOT of file update stuff, like thumbnails and such, it just seemed like it was awful busy.
I’ll do more testing with the Roku. I’d like to upload my logs, but there is sooo much info, and at first glance, it’s a little too revealing. Watch your Console while you scroll around on your Roku.
millhunk3:
As a test I have an older ROKU 3 and ROKU TV that had not updated, both ran fine. We’ll have to wait for an app. update from PLEX. Till then… Is what is is…
That’s a good test, Allen. It would be confirmation.
FYI to everyone - my Roku is running the dreaded version 12.5.0, and my Plex app on the Roku is version 7.7 build 2.
Also, since my new server, the Roku is usable. It still stinks big time! But now it’s usable.
Also, repeating my earlier post - my Roku works fine with other apps. I’ve been scrolling around PBS and right now I’m watching a Frontline. All good.
We are sorry to hear that you all have been experiencing performance issues with the Roku client on OS 12.5. It’s frustrating when an app that was working fine suddenly becomes unusable. Based on our investigation and the timing of the reports, it seems likely that the issue is related to the 12.5 OS update.
To provide more context, we do not tailor the app for each model or OS; rather, it runs consistently across all of them. We’ve been working to identify the root cause of these issues but have not yet pinpointed the specific issue. Additionally, we’ve tested older versions of our app on the same 12.5 device. Surprisingly, these older versions replicate the same issue on 12.5, whereas they function flawlessly on 12.0.
I’ve been developing on a Roku running 12.5 for the past couple of weeks and can confirm that this issue was not present during that time or at the end of last week. However, today, I was able to reproduce the issue firsthand. Interestingly, when I checked my device’s update history, I noticed that the last update occurred on Friday the 15th at 8 PM, which coincides with the timing of the first report.
This observation strongly suggests a compatibility problem with the OS update itself. It indicates that the changes introduced in OS 12.5 might be causing the issue, as our app versions, which previously functioned well on 12.0, are now encountering problems exclusively on 12.5.
We are committed to resolving this matter as swiftly as possible. Rest assured, we will keep you all informed about any progress or additional information we discover.
