Q: Is streaming through a Roku any different than streaming through an Android/iOS (etc.) device? Example: “My Roku TV is stuck on “retrieving” but my other devices work fine.”
A: Yes, Roku streams using a different protocol than most others (HLS instead of RTSP). Effectively, this means that the Roku has higher bursts of activity followed by dead periods, whereas Android/iOS operating systems have a more continuous stream of activity at a lower bitrate. (For example, if the Roku can’t reach 4 Mbps, it won’t be able to stream the standard video quality. However, on Android, a 4 Mbps stream would have only a few interruptions, if any. The video quality settings are identical; it’s the streaming protocol that is different.)