YouTube TV subscribers are seeing red — and not in the familiar logo of the Google-owned cable TV alternative. A YouTube TV bug seems to be causing the app the freeze on Roku devices after a recent OS update, according to users on Roku's forums.
This is unrelated to the ongoing spat between Roku and YouTube TV, which led to the latter's app being removed from the Roku Channel Store (and could see the YouTube app leave as well).
The problem, as described by one Roku user, is that "the YouTube TV app on both my Roku players keeps freezing after a few minutes." The issue appears to have started in the last few days and affects Roku devices and Roku TVs made by TCL and Hisense. The Roku OS update could be the culprit, or it could be on YouTube's side.
However, a quick scan of Twitter shows that this bug may not be confined to Roku. It may also affect Amazon Fire TVs and Chromecasts.
@YouTubeTV you are freezing every 5-10 min and per Twitter search looks like it’s Happening a ton. Pay to watch a game and this is awful. Fire sticks And android TVs it’s doing it.November 20, 2021
YouTube has acknowledged the bug and says it is working on fixing it — at least when it comes to the Roku app. The official YouTube Twitter account noted, "We're already aware of this issue, and our team is currently working on a fix. We'll let you know as soon as we receive an update. Let us know if it's something different."
To a different subscriber complaining about the same issue on Chromecast With Google TV and Shield Pro, YouTube suggested reinstalling the app. That's a common fix for these kinds of problems.
But because of the Roku/YouTube TV feud, the app is not longer available to download from the Roku Store. So, deleting and reinstalling YouTube TV is not an option for Roku users. They will have to wait until YouTube releases a fix.
