Roku TV bricked until agreeing to new terms of service
Roku TV bricked until agreeing to new terms of service
See title - very frustrating. There is no way to continue to use the TV without agreeing to the terms. I couldn't use different inputs, or even go to settings from the home screen and disconnect from the internet to disable their services. If I don't agree to their terms, then I don't get access to their new products. That sucks, but fine - I don't use their services except for the TV itself, and honestly, I'd rather by a dumb TV with a streaming box anyway, but I can't find those anymore.
Anyway, the new terms are about waiving your right to a class action lawsuit. It's weird to me because I'd never considered filing a class action lawsuit against Roku until this. They shouldn't be able to hold my physical device hostage until I agree to new terms that I didn't agree at the time of purchase or initial setup.
I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...
EDIT: Shout out to @testfactor@lemmy.world for recommending the brand "Sceptre" when buying my next (dumb) TV.
EDIT2: Shout out to @0110010001100010@lemmy.world for recommending LG smart TVs as a dumb-TV stand in. They apparently do require an agreement at startup, which is certainly NOT ideal, but the setup can be completed without an internet connection and it remembers input selection on powerup. So, once you have it setup, you're good to rock and roll.
I reached out to Roku support regarding this. The rep told me “why are you complaining. You are the only one.” He then disconnected the chat. I’ve reached out to my state’s AG to report this. No action so far but waiting. If there are enough complaints, that might help move the needle.
What Roku is doing should be completely illegal - bricking the product after purchasing it for full price if you don’t agree to waiving your rights.
Sucks this happened to you. If it is still under warranty, you should return it for a replacement or store credit. Complain that it has ceased to function.
A good set of advice is to never connect your TV to the internet. A cheap streaming box or HTPC does the same function, and doesn't open you up to issues like this. Your TV is also almost certainly selling your viewing data if you have it connected to the internet.
IANAL, and not that it really makes this bullshit any better but...
It's unlikely that agreeing to terms of service that claim you waive rights to any class action lawsuit would actually hold up as legally binding in court. Many of these agreements aren't reply binding are already legally gray... Plus, universally vaguely signing your legal rights away in any contract doesn't hold any water either.
I highly doubt you'd actually lose any rights to a check box that's bound to "you can't ever sue us".
Hisense did this to me and my TV, but in fact actually broke the TV's wifi when it forced an update that I didn't want and couldn't decline. I argued with them and escalated it for 4 months and nothing came of it. I reported them to my state's attorney general and the BBB. But this is definitely a class action lawsuit that will happen sooner or later.
Send this to leuis rossmann.
Yep. I got hit with this this morning when I turned on my TV before heading work.
I thought to myself ''Well... I hadn't planned on suing you but now I'm not so sure. Lol''
Yeah. This is complete BS and has me looking at computer monitors for a suitable replacement. I went ahead and agreed to their terms and my TV still works great but when it comes time to replace it, I'll be damned if I get another Smart TV.
I don't see how this could be legal at all and how any of those terms could be applicable. My 2 year old found the remote today and he loves buttons, so naturally he pushed every button on there. I thought nothing of it but saw something pop up and then disappear, I assumed it was an error or something from the button mashing, but I guess my 2 year old agreed to rokus new TOS.
You can try to Root your TV. https://www.xda-developers.com/rootmyroku-jailbreak-roku-tv-set-top-boxes/
I like everyone saying “but this is surely illegal!” as if these corporations actually care. At least in the US, it really doesn’t matter what the law says at this point.
Corporations will do what they want and the law will be modified to reflect that, this is the current status quo and it is going to take significant political action (specifically making rich people afraid again to piss the rest of us off too much) to make it change.
That sucks, but fine - I don't use their services except for the TV itself, and honestly, I'd rather by a dumb TV with a streaming box anyway, but I can't find those anymore.
Search for monitors, not televisions. For example, you can get an 48in and 55in OLEDs dumb monitors with multiple HDMI inputs.
Take a brick to Roku until it agrees to your terms.
Ive got a TOS for them:
SECTION I
a. This contract expressly and to the fullest extent of the law binds that I did not read, nor am I bound to the terms and agreement laid out in any agreement that I agreed to. Any financial gains are automatically won by me in arbitration and any losses acrued are paid for by the Company to me with interest. Here is a vague copy/paste of about 9 more incoherent paragraphs full of "legal jargon" that never really state any clear purpose or definition of services rendered.
....
SECTION IX.
a. BY READING OR NOT READING THIS NOTICE COMPANY ASSUMES AND ACCEPTS ANY AND ALL FINANCIAL LIABILITY THEREIN. COMPANY AGREES TO PAY ME $75,000 FOR EDITING THIS CONTRACT (STANDARD GOING RATE PER DAY) PER DAY EFFECTIVE FOR 3 DAYS MAXIMUM TOTALING $225,000 PLUS TAXES AND INTEREST PAID.
b. COMPANY HAS UP TO 5 DAYS TO RESPOND TO AND DISPUTE THIS CONTRACT(They can't. It is legally and eternally binding). THANKS FOR THE MONEY NERDS
Did the old device agreement allow them to brick it until you agreed to the new agreement? If not, I say file that class action.
That is some grade A bullshit right there (not op, the Roku tv)
Anyway, the new terms are about waiving your right to a class action lawsuit. It's weird to me because I'd never considered filing a class action lawsuit against Roku until this. I wish Roku TVs weren't cheap walmart brand sh*t. Someone with some actual money might sue them and sort this out...
The good thing about class action lawsuits is that you don't need money. The law firms are just about the only ones that get paid. If you pay attention to class action settlements it's often something like $3m in attorneys fees, $5,000 to the named plaintiffs, and then a 3 month subscription to the companies own service or a refund of out of pocket expenses, during a specified period, not to exceed $150 per person.
Long story short, firms are more than happy to take on a class action that can be won, but you won't get much.
Sections 1(F) and 1(L) seem like the only ways out/around of this. (IANAL; the bolding emphasis was done by me.)
F. Small Claims. You or Roku may pursue any Claim, except IP Claims, in a small-claims court instead of through arbitration if (i) the Claim meets the jurisdictional requirements of the small claims court and (ii) the small claims court does not permit class or similar representative actions or relief.
L. 30-Day Right to Opt Out. You have the right to opt out of arbitration by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to the following address by mail: General Counsel, Roku Inc., 1701 Junction Court, Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95112 within 30 days of you first becoming subject to these Dispute Resolution Terms. Such notice must include the name of each person opting out and contact information for each such person, the specific product models, software, or services used that are at issue, the email address that you used to set up your Roku account (if you have one), and, if applicable, a copy of your purchase receipt. For clarity, opt-out notices submitted via any method other than mail (including email) will not be effective. If you send timely written notice containing the required information in accordance with this Section 1(L), then neither party will be required to arbitrate the Claims between them.
People might not like this suggestion but I got an AppleTV when my Roku TV started showing ads. Like everything with Apple, it cost money but at least there’s no fucking ads. (I have a Raspberry Pi running Kodi for my “DVD rips” but for streaming services, the Apple TV is great. It’s got HDR and Dolby support and they don’t fuck up the user experience on purpose. I know it’s making a deal with the devil but it does just work. I usually am a DIY person but when I sit down to watch TV, I just want to relax.)
You have 30 days to opt out by sending a letter to:
General Counsel, Roku Inc.
1701 Junction Court, Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95112Letter must include:
- Name of each person opting out, contact info
- product model
- software version
- email address (optional)
- copy of receipt (optional)
I just use a dumb hdtv with a laptop and wireless mouse. From there you have a lot of options
This "smart" tv shite is getting so goddamn out of hand.
In the past 3 months, my dads TV had to be replaced because the module that runs Google TV shite broke, causing the TV to get stuck with an error message on screen, this was more of an annoyance than a big issue, as you could still watch TV, just with the error message displaying.
Then a few weeks after that it had to be replaced because at first I thought the backlight was dead (nothing but a feint glow on screen while having audio) as this happened even from a cold boot, but turned out that the Bravia module would run into a hung/frozen state right after it booted.
So, ya think that would be it right?
Nope, a good month after that, the TV would constantly log my parents out of Bravia, Google TV and any apps they had installed (indicating to me there was as storage issue).
The store they got the thing from were sure they must be doing something wrong, so sent someone out who spent a good 4 hours repeatedly factory resetting the TV, relogging them in to then be surprised the issue was exactly as we described.
So, 3 months, TV replaced 3 times, all due to issues with the goddamn Smart TV shite they shove into everything.
And you have to know, here there's nothing on cable or air you don't have on digital, your internet provider gives you a decoder for digital TV and all your TV really needs to do is accept a HDMI signal and you should be set to watch whatever you want, as Netflix and some other streaming services are integrated into their decoder to begin with.
But it's almost impossible to find any TVs without several layers of this smart tv shite integrated into them.
Starting it up without an internet connection will prevent the pop-up from locking you out of your own device
Our current TV (a Vizio) is old enough that it's not smart enough to be a problem like the newer ones. I hope it lasts forever.
Fun quirk - it and the blu-ray player are from that very brief era when you could get 3D that used polarized glasses, rather than the active shutter glasses. We've only ever watched one 3D movie on it, though.
Are you a wealthy lawyer at a huge firm? If so do not sign it! If not, your participation in a class action suit would net you about $7.50
If you are simply a man of principle, I feel you but this world is no longer meant for you. Either become a recluse monk or click the button like the sheep we have become and just let a little bit of extra bitterment enter your soul.