What to Do If Roku Says No Signal

A smart device and instantaneous result that is just a click away are a marvelous way to make our lives easier. But, we are never fully prepared for when technology fails us. Smacking your old TV box a few times may have done the trick in the past, but if you do the same thing to your smartphone, a significantly different result may follow.

Let’s see what we can do if the Roku player you’re using is not responding.

Step 1. Check the Power

Before doing anything else, check to see if the power light is on.

Step 2. Check the TV Input Source

If it is on, the next thing you should do is double check if your TV is properly connected to your Roku player. You might have your TV set to the wrong input source.

Most TV remotes have a Source or Input button. Click on it and then go through all the options until you find the correct one, which is the one connected to your Roku player.

Some advice – don’t rush through it. It might take a second or two, after selecting an input, for the image to appear on your TV.

Step 3. Check the Cables

If you’re still not getting anything on the display and the situation remains puzzling, perform a detailed check. Are the video cables firmly inserted? Depending on their quality, HDMI cables sometimes do not connect very well, even though they may seem like they’re firmly inserted. Or, you might run into a delay in signal transfer.

So, inspect the video cable and verify that it is properly attached to both your TV and Roku player.

The same applies to Roku Streaming Stick. Make sure it’s inserted correctly.

What to do if There is No Power to Your Roku Device

All of the previously suggested options are applicable if the power light on your Roku Player or Streaming Stick is on. But, if you find yourself in a situation where nothing is on and there is no signal or response, you should try some of these options:

1. Unplug the Roku Device

Just disconnect everything. Unplug all the cables from the outlets and do the same with the video cables. After a few minutes, plug all the cables back in. Make sure you do it carefully and connect them to all the right inputs. Sometimes, this is enough for your Roku signal to come back on.

Also, make sure that all of the power cords are not damaged in any way. And that they are securely inserted.

2. Use the Original Equipment

If there is no signal whatsoever and your Roku still isn’t responding, the issue may be that you’re using the wrong power adapter. Make sure that it’s the one that came in the box with your Roku player. Original AC adapters always work best. And using third-party adapters can cause issues with power and loss of signal.

The same goes for the Roku remote. You’re less likely to encounter no signal if you’re using the original remote.

3. Try a Different TV

Another possibility is that the TV you’re using your Roku Player on is momentarily not responding as it should. If available, try attaching your Roku to another TV and see if there is still no picture on the screen.

4. Are Your Power Outlets Okay?

This may seem like a far-fetched solution, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Sometimes, a power outage or surge can trip the breakers and the corresponding electric outlets would stop working. You might want to switch outlets or check the main breaker box.

Wonderful Yet Flawed

Being tech-savvy nowadays is not a surprising nor particularly impressive achievement. There are toddlers who can handle smartphones better than some adults. We’re not even always aware of just how much we’ve become dependent on technology.

The way we interact with the world is ever increasingly digital. Between smart fridges, smart TVs, and soon self-driving cars, it’s hard to know sometimes what to expect next

And if you came home from work and couldn’t figure out what’s wrong with the Roku that you’re looking forward to, that’s understandable. Technology is great, but it’s also here to frustrate us and put our troubleshooting skills to the test.

What is your pet peeve about Roku (besides no signal)? Have you a better solution than the above? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.