Roku update may have broken HDR playback for some ...

If you have a

Roku TV
and noticed over the weekend that the colors looked very washed out while streaming

HDR content
, don’t worry; you’re not alone.

According to user reports on the Roku Issue Tracking Board, some Roku users are experiencing an issue with washed-out colors when streaming HDR content from Disney+. The issue seems to be primarily affecting TCL Roku TVs, but there are some reports of Hisense Roku TVs being affected as well. The problem appears to stem from the latest software version of Roku TVs, Roku OS 14.5.

“We’re investigating the Disney Plus HDR content that was washed out after the recent update,” said Roku community moderator Emmaneul-D.

Other streaming apps are also affected

The issue only seems to affect Roku OS apps, not hardware connected to the TV like a PS5

Roku

While Disney+ appears to be the primary culprit for Roku’s HDR streaming issue, some users are also reporting problems with other streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Max, and YouTube TV.

One user on the Roku issue forum wrote, “it happens with 4K and HDR titles, all white and washed out, but doesn’t seem to happen with HD titles. I’m surprised more people aren’t complaining, because it makes a ton of shows simply unwatchable. Was looking forward to Andor, and Tuesday night ruined.”

A user by the name of Squinky on the Roku forums posted an image of what Andor looks like on their Roku TV with the issue, and what it actually should like. You’ll notice in the first image of Andor that the colors appear very pale and gray, while in the second one they look vibrant and rich (which is what HDR should look like).

It’s important to note that this issue seems to solely affect Roku streaming. For instance, this means if you’re streaming HDR content on your Roku TV using a PS5, HDR won’t look washed out. It’s just when using a streaming app on Roku OS. It also doesn’t seem to affect Roku’s menus or any of its application menus, just when launching an HDR title to stream through Roku OS.

Other Roku devices, such as its streaming sticks, appear to be unaffected by this issue. It reportedly only involves TCL Roku TVs and some Hisense models running the latest 14.5 software version. Hopefully, Roku can implement a fix for this soon, allowing users to enjoy the bright, rich colors HDR has to offer once again, especially on new hit shows

like Andor
.

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