Channel Issues On TCL Roku TV: How To Fix [2023] – BlinqBlinq

Channel reception is one of the most crucial aspects of modern-day television. But what will you do when your TV fails to detect channels, especially on an ultra-modern TV such as the TCL Roku TV?

One of my favorite features of the TCL Roku TV is its seamless integration of IPTV, Antenna TV, and OTA channels, all into one single interface. And so, it negates the need to change the input every time you need to switch platforms.

But just recently, I have been facing issues with the channels on my TCL Roku TV. I couldn’t open or add channels. Finding the cause wasn’t easy but I did fix the issue eventually.

To fix channel issues on your TCL Roku TV, first, restart the device. If the issue still persists, a system reset may fix the problem. Making some changes to the settings may also alleviate the issue. Channel issues are mostly due to outdated software and antenna issues.

Here’s everything I found while researching the issue online and the fixes that worked for me:

Check the Basics

As always, never forget to take care of the basic requirements. These little buggers can cause a whole lot of problems if not supervised from time to time.

Whenever a problem comes into action, look for these essentialities first and make sure they are alright. Let’s take a look at these requirements before talking about resets and setting configurations.

Internet Connectivity and Availability

The most important troubleshooting tip when it comes to streaming devices and gadgets is to check the internet connectivity. Many users have been facing wifi issues on Roku TV.

Make sure you have a proper connection and adequate speed for optimal performance.

Test the internet speed using speed tester software on your phone or PC.

If the speed is unstable, consider refreshing the connection. Unplug the router/modem and reconnect it after a few seconds.

If you have a high latency connection, try switching the network to a 5GHz band WiFi connection.

This bandwidth supports higher traffic without compromising latency, which is an issue with the traditional 2.4 GHz connection.

Even better is to try and connect using an Ethernet cable via a wired connection. This will negate all the fluctuations and interference issues associated with a wireless connection.

Another area of caution is the firmware version you are running on the device. An outdated version can and will cause a lot of unprecedented problems, like the channel issue.

Make sure to check and update the device at regular intervals if it doesn’t automatically do so.

To update the device manually, follow these steps.

1. In the Home screen, click and open the Settings icon.

2. Navigate to and open the Systems option.

3. Click on System Update and then the Check Now option to manually search for updates.

If there is an update available, install it and then restart the device.

Antenna and Dish TV Issues

If you are not able to see any OTA channels on your TCL Roku TV, you might want to check the weather and the surrounding conditions of the antenna or the dish receiver.

These platforms depend on the surrounding conditions for proper transmission and reception.

If you have adverse weather conditions in your area, you may have to wait till the conditions dissipate for proper reception.

Try relocating the antenna/dish to a better location, preferably in the direction of the equator, for better reception.

Contact your service provider if you have issues with interference or any antenna-related issues for further assistance.

Check the Coaxial Cable

With the increasing length of the coaxial cable, the interference associated will also exacerbate proportionally.

You may want to take a look at the length of the cable if you are getting severe interference or white noise while watching the cable/antenna TV.

Ideally, the length of the cable should not exceed 100 ft. If you have exceeded the limit, the transmission may be susceptible to interference.

Try relocating the TV to a nearer location, or you might want to look into some amplifying methods to reduce interference.

Channel Blocked in your Region

If you cannot find a specific channel in your arsenal, try checking if it’s blocked or not in your region. Geoblocking of channels is common in certain states and counties in the US.

To check if the channels are blocked or not, try contacting the service provider. If it is blocked, sadly, you cannot access the channel.

If it is an IPTV channel that is unavailable on the device, try accessing it after enabling a VPN on your network.

Restart the Device and Rescan the Channels

A simple solution to try once the problem manifests in the system is to restart it. You could either power cycle the device or restart it using the onboard command.

A power cycle test involves a momentary unplugging of the device (TCL Roku TV) and plugging it back in after a few seconds.

Doing so will remove any temporal issues and bugs borne in the system and make it much more efficient.

To restart the device using the system commands, follow these steps.

1. In the Setting tab of the device, click and open System.

2. Select Power and then the System Restart option.

3. Click on Restart to start the process.

After restarting the device, you can rescan the Roku TV for available channels (in the case of Antenna or cable TV). To scan the device for channels, follow these steps.

1. On the Home screen, hover over the Antenna TV icon. If you cannot find this channel/app, go to Settings> TV inputs> Antenna TV> Set as input(if you want live TV on the device, click on Live TV within the TV inputs section).

2. Once you have highlighted the icon, press the * button on the remote and select Scan for Channels. Click OK.

3. Click on Start Finding Channels, and select “No, channels 3 & 4 are not needed“.

4. This will lead you to a scanning tab. If you have a cable connection, click on Skip this step.

5. Click on Done to complete the scan(alternatively, you can select Set up Live TV pause from this tab).

Prioritizing Channel Visibility

Sometimes, your live TV and Antenna TV channels may get jumbled and clubbed together, rendering it difficult to find a specific channel among the big mess.

In this case, you can hide a specific type of channel group to access your desired channels, like hiding HDTV and OTA channels to view only live TV channels.

To do so, follow these steps on your TCL Roku TV.

1. In the Settings tab, click and open TV inputs.

2. Select the type of input, for example, Live TV.

3. Then you have the option to hide specific platforms like the Hide Streaming TV channels option in this menu.

Alternatively, you can manage your channel lineup on your Roku TV to find or hide channels. Follow these steps to find them.

1. In the Settings tab, click and open the Edit Channel lineup.

2. Click on Hide channels.

Restart the device after making changes in the settings. Check for further problems.

Uncheck the Favorites Option in Settings

A bug seemingly present for a long time, although not omnipotent, is with the Favorite Channel options associated with TV inputs.

This option has been the cause of many a problem with the “channels not found” issue on the device.

Look no more if you have issues with finding channels on your Roku TV because this bug, coupled with the next one down below, has been the root cause of all satellite and ground-based broadcast issues.

All you have to do is to uncheck this option within the settings. Follow these steps to do so.

1. In the Settings menu, click and open TV inputs.

2. Select the input of your choice, like the antenna TV input.

3. Under the Favorite channels tile, make sure to uncheck it.

4. Exit the settings and restart the device.

Issues with External Storage

Another seemingly unusual bug is with the external storage connected to the TV, especially a USB thumbstick. The reason for such an unorthodox issue is unclear, most probably a bug.

Nevertheless, the bug is still present among devices and continues to give users a hard time finding channels.

The remedy is to unplug the storage and then check for the issue. Formatting the USB drive has also proven helpful to some degree.

Conversely, some users have attested that plugging in a USB drive has helped them find the missing channels.

Remove and Re-add the Channels

Roku TV channels, and by channels I mean the IPTV apps that Roku calls channels, can at times be unwieldy and inoperable.

In such cases, you may want to remove them from the device. After removing the channel, you can re-add the channel from the channel store onboard.

Follow these steps to remove a channel.

1. In the Home screen, navigate and highlight the wayward channel.

2. Press the * button on the remote to bring up the options/settings menu.

3. On the bottom, click on Remove channel.

4. Select Remove to delete the channel.

Restart the device after removing the channel. Head over to the channel store and click on Streaming channels. Search the title and then add the channel.

Hard Reset the TV

Under certain circumstances, you may be forced to reset the TV so that the ill-favored issue vacates the device.

A factory reset will remove all stagnant bugs and clear the cache memory of the device.

It will also rest your personal preferences to default factory ones and remove the channels you have added.

This step can also help in obviating any screen issues with the TV as well.

You can factory reset your device using a couple of methods.

The most simple one is by pressing the reset button on the back of the TV.

In some older devices, it might be a pinhole button in place of a normal push button. So you may need a pointed tool to perform the reset.

Press and hold the button until the display turns OFF and the bouncing Roku logo comes on.

Another method to reset the device is to do so using the interface commands. Follow these steps to reset the device.

1. In the Settings tab, click and open System.

2. Select Advanced System Settings.

3. Click on Factory Reset and then enter the Special code.

4. Click on OK to complete the procedure and start the reset.

After the reset has been completed, continue to set up the device like new.

Roku TV Not Finding Cable Channels: How To Fix

As mentioned at the start, TCL Roku TVs work seamlessly with Antenna, Dish, and Cable transmissions.

Among them all, Antenna transmission is most likely to get affected by channel reception issues. But that doesn’t make cable reception error-free.

In fact, cable transmission, too, can get affected by reception issues just as much as Antenna or Dish reception.

The reasons for TCL Roku TV to not detect cable channels can be various. Worn-out cables, climate adversities, and cable box issues can be named as the most common culprits.

Regardless of the reasons, here are the many fixes to resolve the Roku TV not finding cable channels issue:

★Check the cables and ensure that it has no wear and tear, crooks, kind, or signs of corrosion at the lead ends. If you do find any such abnormalities, replace the worn-out cable with a new one.

★Power Cycle Roku TV and rescan the channels.

★Check for updates on Roku TV. Ensure to update the TV regularly.

★Check for issues with the Remote and ensure Roku remote is not beeping. Power cycle the Remote by plucking out the batteries and installing them back on.

★Factory Reset the Roku TV.

★Contact the cable provider for issues with the cable box.

Final Thoughts

And so, there you have it, a comprehensive guide on channel issues on your TCL Roku TV.

Make sure to check for environmental and weather conditions in your region if you have issues with the broadcast.

If you couldn’t benefit from this article, try contacting the customer services of Roku and TCL for further assistance.

Happy Streaming.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are some of my channels not working on my Roku TV?

Channels not working on Roku TV are mostly due to outdated software and antenna issues. To fix the issue, reboot the device. To reboot Roku TV, Select Home > Settings > System > Power > System restart.

Why does Roku keep deleting my channels?

If your Roku keeps deleting channels, it may mean that your TV is low on memory. To free up space, delete channels or applications on your TV.

Why does my TCL Roku TV keep shutting off?

If your TCL Roku TV keeps shutting off, it may indicate a low power signal or pending updates. Replace the power source and check for updates from the Settings menu.