Roku just got a new update, and it’s causing major problems with HDR content on some of the best streaming services.
Reports across social media and internal forums suggest Roku software version 14.5 is the culprit, pitting streamed HDR shows and movies in washed-out colors. The problem seems relegated primarily to TVs running the Roku interface, primarily TCL and Hisense models.
At first, the washed-out colors were witnessed most prominently in HDR content on Disney Plus, proving a significant boon for Andor fans, but other users are noting a wider net being cast.
Other apps that are being affected include Apple TV Plus, YouTube TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
While you might be quick to assume that it’s more of a problem with HDR via the particular app or HDMI input, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Several users have already noted that HDR content looks fine on other devices, like a 4K Blu-ray player and PS5, to name a few.
In the aforementioned Roku forum, community moderator RokuEmmanuel-D claimed that Roku is "investigating the Disney Plus HDR content that was washed out after the recent update.” If you’re affected by this, feel free to leave a comment citing what device or TV you’re using and which apps are most affected.
It’s unclear when a fix might land for Roku users, but one way to amend the washed-out HDR content concerns is by rolling back the update. Check out how to access the secret Roku menus page, then follow the instructions to undo an update. Otherwise, you can wait for Roku to push out its rollback or fix it shortly.
