Roku is currently looking into user complaints regarding washed-out colors when streaming HDR content from Disney Plus. This investigation comes after a series of reports surfaced on the Roku issue tracking board, suggesting that the problem may be more extensive than initially thought. User comments indicate that the issue affects nearly all apps available on Roku TVs, not just Disney Plus.
The complaints seem to correlate with a recent Roku software update. A community moderator, known as RokuEmmanuel-D, provided an update on Thursday, stating that the company is actively investigating the reported problems related to HDR content on Disney Plus. The moderator encouraged users to share specific examples, including details about the affected content, their TV model, and the software version currently in use.
Initial reports focused primarily on Disney Plus and were predominantly from users of TCL TVs. These users noted that while app menus and colors appeared normal in non-HDR content, the HDR visuals were significantly compromised. One user even shared images demonstrating how vibrant colors from the show Andor were rendered as muted and grayish on their device.
As the thread progressed, more users began reporting similar issues across various streaming platforms, including YouTube TV, Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and Amazon Prime Video. Interestingly, one user noted that their Hisense-branded Roku TV experienced the same color desaturation, while another reported that HDR content played flawlessly via HDMI from their PS5. This suggests that the issue may be isolated to Roku's streaming capabilities rather than reflecting a broader firmware issue with the TVs themselves.
Users commented that their TVs, both Hisense and TCL models, were operating on Roku software version 14.5. Typically, washed-out colors can occur when viewing HDR content on TVs that lack the brightness required to deliver an optimal HDR experience. This was a known issue with lower-end models in the past. However, the current reports indicate a more severe problem where Roku is producing desaturated colors, resulting in nearly black-and-white images during HDR playback.
While it remains unclear just how widespread this problem is, there are additional discussions on platforms like Reddit that echo similar concerns. Users have mentioned experiencing grayish or black-and-white visuals that do not impact the streaming app menus, further confirming the nature of the issue. As of now, Roku has not provided an official response to inquiries from The Verge regarding this matter.
As Roku continues its investigation, users experiencing color issues with HDR streaming on their devices are encouraged to share their experiences and details to help the company identify the root cause of the problem.
