Roku users are reporting a significant issue with HDR streaming, resulting in washed-out colors and a generally desaturated image. The problem, initially noticed on Disney+ and TCL Roku TVs, appears to be far more widespread, affecting various streaming apps and different TV brands including Hisense. Many users are pointing towards a recent Roku software update (version 14.5) as the culprit.
Reports on Roku’s own issue tracking board initially focused on Disney+ content appearing grayed-out. However, the issue quickly escalated as users reported similar problems across a range of apps, including YouTube TV, Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video. Interestingly, HDR content played via HDMI from devices like PS5s and 4K Blu-ray players seems unaffected, suggesting the problem is specific to Roku’s streaming capabilities and not a deeper hardware or TV firmware issue.
The visual impact is dramatic. Screenshots shared online show vibrant scenes from shows like *Andor* rendered in a dull, almost monochrome palette. While poor HDR performance can sometimes be attributed to insufficient screen brightness, the issue here appears to be different, with many users reporting desaturated, almost black-and-white images even on TVs capable of handling HDR. This suggests a software bug within Roku’s HDR processing is the most likely cause.
Roku has acknowledged the problem on its community forums and stated they are investigating. A community moderator has asked users to provide details about the affected content, their TV model, and their software version to help expedite the investigation. While the exact scope of the problem remains unclear, the number of reports suggests it’s a significant issue affecting a substantial portion of Roku users. We will update this post as soon as we hear back from Roku with a solution or timeline for a fix.
