Device(s) affected:
Model: 3840X — OS 15.3, build 4.832-JW
Model: 3820R2 — reported by end user, OS 15.3, build 832
Note: The issue was independently observed on two different Roku hardware models (3840X and 3820R2) both running OS 15.3, suggesting this is not device-specific but tied to the OS version itself.
Summary:
Live HLS streams containing video-only MPEG-TS segments (no audio elementary stream) fail to play on Roku OS 15.3. These same streams have played correctly on all prior Roku OS versions for approximately 6 years. The issue reproduces consistently and appears tied specifically to the absence of an audio track in the transport stream.
Stream technical details:
Master playlist:
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1831120,CODECS=“avc1.4d0029”,RESOLUTION=1280x720
chunklist.m3u8
Media playlist (chunklist):
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:18
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:3051
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-SEQUENCE:0
#EXTINF:10.001,
media-ugoktlbu7_3051.ts
#EXTINF:10.0,
media-ugoktlbu7_3052.ts
#EXTINF:10.003,
media-ugoktlbu7_3053.ts
Container: MPEG-TS
Segment duration: ~10 seconds
Video codec: H.264 (avc1.4d0029), Main profile, level 41
Resolution: 1280x720, 30 fps, progressive
Pixel format: yuvj420p, color space bt709
No audio elementary stream present — confirmed via ffprobe
ffprobe output (segment media-ugoktlbu7_3053.ts):
Stream 0: codec_type=data, codec_name=timed_id3 (timed ID3 metadata only)
Stream 1: codec_type=video, codec_name=h264, mime_codec_string=avc1.4d0029, 1280x720, 30fps
Total streams in container: 2 (video + timed ID3 metadata) — zero audio streams
Format: mpegts, bitrate ~1.55 Mbps, probe_score=50
Expected behavior:
Stream should play normally with video only and no audio, as it has done on all Roku OS versions prior to 15.3.
Actual behavior:
Playback fails on Roku OS 15.3. The subscriber’s device is otherwise functioning normally and can play other (audio+video) HLS streams without issue.
Suspected cause:
This appears to be a regression or a newly introduced requirement in Roku OS 15.3 around HLS/audio track handling — possibly requiring at least one audio elementary stream (even silent/null) to be present in the transport stream for playback to succeed. This was not previously a requirement.
Reproduction steps:
On a device running Roku OS 15.3, attempt to play the HLS stream referenced above (video-only H.264, MPEG-TS, no audio track).
Playback fails / does not start.
Confirm the same stream plays correctly on a device running Roku OS 15.2.x or earlier.
Request:
Please confirm whether Roku OS 15.3 has introduced a new requirement for an audio track in HLS live streams, and if so, whether this is intentional (matching other platforms like YouTube’s null-audio requirement) or a bug to be fixed before general release.
