Portable streaming devices like Roku, Google Chrome Streaming Stick, Amazon Fire, and many more are inherently prone to get overheated from flat-screen panels in which they plugin and set-top boxes alike, but how do you cool them down and avoid overheating altogether?
Overheating of the Roku streaming Stick means that the Roku device has surpassed the normal heating temperature and the temperature in which it might operate on can damage the Roku device.
And the most common causes of overheating of your Roku streaming stick is generally an increase in temperature due to:
Excessive Usage Of the Roku Stick Might Lead To Its Temperature Rising Above Normal.
When the Roku device is placed in an enclosed space leads to lack of enough air circulation in and out of the Roku Device and temperature easily increases in the enclosed space or inside the box.
When the Roku device is placed near a TV. The TV might emit high temperature molecules which might reach the Roku Device hence increasing the temperature of the Roku Device therefore causing an abnormal increase in the temperature of the Roku device causing it to overheat.
When near the Roku device are heating devices like a heater, it might cause the Roku device to overheat as well.
When the Roku device is near an electric point.
When you expose your Roku device to direct sunlight, the beams of sunlight will be hitting your device directly causing a drastic temperature increase which leads to the overheating of your Roku device.
When the overall room temperature might be another reason that will cause your Roku device to overheat and how you operate the device in such a room.
How To Confirm Roku Overheating?
It is normal for every device to heat up upon being used for a particular period of time and that is why it is of paramount importance to know the difference between normal heating and abnormal heating also known as overheating. Normal heating is fine and can not negatively affect the device in any way. It is overheating that is hazardous and might damage your device.
Case 1: The Roku device will show a light that is Red in nature and if you notice that after an extended period of time this Red light is not disappearing, know that your Roku device is overheating.
Case 2: On your screen, a message will be displayed which mostly reads “your device is overheating”. Choosing to ignore such a warning message might not be a wise decision, action has to be taken immediately.
Case 3: Touch your device manually. Your hand is blessed with a sense of feel and you can know what normal heating feels like, and this will enable you to discover when your Roku device overheats upon touching it. Follow the right procedures to cool down your device when you notice this.
How To Stop Roku Streaming Sticks From Overheating?
After confirming why your Roku device is overheating, it is now very important to figure out to cooldown your Roku device and stop it from overheating. And these simple steps below should help to resolve 99.99% of Roku sticks getting overheated, and these are:
- Giving the Roku stick some time to cool down
- Changing the location of the Roku stick
- Connecting to the wall outlet
- Using an HDMI extender
- Removing the cover
Giving The Roku Stick Some Time To Cool Down
The first thing you should do is unplug your Roku Players’ power cable as this allows the Roku stick to decrease in its temperature when it has overheated.
Afterwards, take the Roku device to a cooler place while making sure that you put the Roku in a free and open space. Keep in mind to not place your Roku device on top of other electronic devices like the boxes, routers or any audio receiver device as these might also worsen the situation.
Then sit back and relax and leave your Roku device for about 8 to 10 minutes for it to cool down in its temperature. After the approximated time when the Roku device has cooled down, the power can be plugged on back and then you can switch on the stick again. If the Red light is still appearing or if the warning message is still being displayed on the screen, you can repeat the above steps again.
Using an HDMI Extender
This is an alternative way to help in preventing the Roku device from overheating. As the name suggests, this will give you the chance to increase the distance between your Roku device and TV. Plus, the Roku stick can finally be placed in a location of your choice which in fact reduces the problem in discussion.
Here’s something interesting you need to know too, Roku provides its valued customers with a free HDM extender. What is required of you is to visit their website on their Roku HDMI Page, and then make sure you feel in your details and the serial number which is found at the Roku sticks’ back. After all that is done, the HDMI Extender is shipped to your home upon the physical address which you provided.
Change The Location Of The Device
This is another way that might prove effective in stopping your Roku device from overheating. As much as you might choose to ignore this, putting your device in closed spaces, or and near heating devices might cause your Roku device to overheat. Therefore, your Roku device must be placed an open place, a place far from heating devices and a place that is also far from a power supply.
Connecting To The Wall Outlet
This has been observed to fix this problem of overheating therefore it is good and recommendable to use this method instead of the usual use TV’s USB port for power.
Removing The Cover
As much as it is a masterpiece, its major disadvantage is its poor design in terms of heat dissipation. So you can remove the cover and let it be without the plastic cover on. A lot of Users reported on how effective this method is and it helped get their Roku devices out of the danger zone and you can also try placing it on a fan or cooler of some sort.
Ways To Use To Avoid Overheating Of The Stick
Knowing how to stop overheating is good but knowing how to avoid it is also of paramount importance as overheating of the Roku stick can lead to it having a lot of problems. Overheating can lead to your device blasting or it can adversely damage your TV and the Roku stick itself. Therefore, knowing what to do before the overheating occurs is good and here are some of the ways you can use. The following are some of the ways that you can use:
Do Not Put Your Roku Device In Hot Places
Always place your Roku device in a cool place or a place with moderate temperature. Placing it in a hot place will cause it to heat up and this will prove to be fatal for your Roku device and TV.
Always Place Your Roku Device In An Open Space
Make sure you avoid putting your Roku device in a cabinet or closed space. You should always avoid putting your Roku stick in a cabinet or any compartment that is enclosed. An enclosed space usually has a higher temperature and there is always lack of airflow.
Avoid Placing It On Top Of Other Devices
You should never place your Roku stick on top of devices like receivers or routers. These devices can also become hot when used for some time. Therefore, putting your Roku stick over them will also make the Roku to become hotter and this may lead to overheating of the Roku stick.
Always Place It Away From The Sun
The sun leads to an increase in temperature. Therefore always make sure that your Roku stick is not placed in a place where the sun is hitting directly. Be wise and place it in a place where the sun does not reach. This will keep the Roku free from the heat that is caused by the sun.
Cleaning The Roku Stick
The Roku streaming stick must be cleaned regularly. This prevents dust from settling and gets rid of the dust there is.
Conclusion
Overheating of the Roku Device means that the Roku device has surpassed the normal heating temperature and the temperature in which it might operate on can damage the Roku device. This occurs due to excessive usage, placing it near a heating device, placing it in an enclosed space and near an electric point.
You can stop it from overheating by unplugging the device, putting it in a cooler location usually away from direct sunlight and any other heating device, giving it time to cool down approximately 10 to 15 minutes and if all these steps fail, you repeat the process, if the overheating continues, you now get yourself a free extender from Roku by visiting their website and filling in your details and submitting the form to get yourself an extender for free of charge. One also has to know the difference between regular heating which is not a problem at all and overheating which might cause your device not to last long.