Roku

Billy has a four-year-old Insignia TV and wants to listen to the audio with Bluetooth speakers. But it doesn't have Bluetooth; what can he do? Leo says that Bluetooth has latency issues that will drive you nuts watching TV. Leo would recommend wireless headphones; he likes the SennheiserTV brand. Another option is to get a Roku streaming box. Most of the models have a headphone jack built into the remote. So you can plug in headphones and listen without your neighbors complaining.

Jeff has been having streaming issues, forcing him to reinstall the Samsung TV app in order to do it, and even then it stutters a lot. Leo says that he doesn't like smart TVs because the software on them is poorly written and doesn't get updated very often. Using a Roku device is a far better and more secure option. 

Jim noticed that the volume control on his remote no longer works with Roku, and he's discovered this is a known issue with Roku after a recent update. And it's even worse now after Roku tried to fix it. Leo suspects that Roku may have removed Jim's universal remote from its working database, and as such, only the most basic functions will work, and apparently volume isn't one of them.

Alan cut the cable and is watching TV with an antenna. But what about streaming? Leo says that's called "over the top," and he will need to still pay for internet service at least 100MB down to enjoy streaming in 1080p. Then he'll pay for Netflix and perhaps a second like Amazon Prime. But he can also get live streaming using a service like YouTube TV. Locast.org is a free streaming service, but they bug everyone for a donation of $5 a month. Even with using an antenna though, streaming can make it add up to the point where it starts to make cable look like a pretty good deal again.

Joseph is dealing with buffering when he's streaming. Leo says that he can check the speed, but that isn't the only criteria. Leo says that Joseph's old Firestick is likely the problem. He can get a new one, but Leo prefers Roku. 

Jose has issues with his 4K HDR TV connected to Roku Ultra. He's getting HDCP copy protection errors. Leo says that copy protection never stops pirates. He can even order a box that strips copy protection from Amazon. So what's the point? All it does is punish those who follow the rules.

Jose got a new 4K TV and a Roku Ultra. But the Roku Ultra is getting an error for resolution. Leo says Jose needs an HDMI 2.1 cable to support the 4K stream.  You don't need a monster cable or anything like that. Just one that's HDMI 2.1 compatible. Leo recommends MonoPrice.com. It's around $12.

But shouldn't the cable that came with the Roku be compatible? Leo says it should be. Try resetting the Ultra and see if it has the latest firmware. If the problem persists, then it's likely a bad Roku unit, and you should take it back and exchange it for another one. 

Ron has a TV that is an "Amazon Edition." Recently, it started showcasing his photos as a screensaver.  Leo says it may be showing your photos that are backed up to Amazon Photos. Or maybe even your Google Photos. If you're an Alexa user, it may be a skill that Amazon recently added. Can he opt-out? Leo says you can probably disable it in your TV's menu settings. Or it could be in the Amazon App. It could also be the Roku. There are apps in the Roku that picks up your photos. There's a slideshow setting in Roku that could be enabled.

Paul was recently gifted an Apple Cinema Display. But it doesn't light up if he plugs it in. Leo says there's no on/off switch on that old ACD. You just have to plug it into a computer that has a display port to get it to turn on. You may need an adapter for Display Port to HDMI. 

Paul wants to also know what's the best streaming box. Leo says that Roku seems to be the most compatible, but some ISPs have deals with other boxes like Apple which can give it better programming or preferred traffic. So Apple TV may also be a good choice depending on your ISP.