Guess I’ll try starting this myself since we’re more than 2/3rds through the quarter and still no thread for this.For those of us who have to deal with data caps, how about mirroring between Rokus in the same network? Set one as the master, so you’re just pulling one data stream, and have the others mirror from the master. I like to watch the same thing on multiple TVs while working at home (e.g. the Winter Olympics) but currently all three Rokus are each pulling their own stream so my downloads are tripled.

Same as last quarter, fix subtitles.....Subtitle / Caption ImprovementsProblem:Ever since the Roku Global caption policy was changed, early 2017, individual channels like Plex can no longer override the global Roku caption settings. Prior to this I could set Plex server to only display captions when the language was foreign and turn the Roku captions setting to Off. Plex would then override the global caption policy to display captions when it determined necessary, like foreign language scenes in English language movies.Since the policy change / Plex channel app update I now have to turn the global caption policy on / off during movies with foreign language scenes to achieve the same effect. This is quite inconvenient to say the least.Solution:Either improve the caption system to be similar to Plex in that it will allow captions to be displayed only when the captions on the specific video are set to forced or when the caption language does not match the UI language / selected language.The other approach would be return to the previous policy and allow channels, like Plex, to override the global Roku caption settings. In this scenario the user would set Roku global captions to Off or On-Replay Only and then the app, Plex in this example, would determine when it is appropriate to override Roku global caption settings (forced foreign subs). It would seem easier to just return to the previous channel caption policy.Was there any specific reason why this policy changed? It appears this has been brought up on the forum before, Roku's new Captions policy for channels is dumb[/url:293v2bmm], but I can't find any explanation on why this new policy was put in place when it clearly has a negative impact on user experience.

"ylandrum" wrote:Guess I’ll try starting this myself since we’re more than 2/3rds through the quarter and still no thread for this.For those of us who have to deal with data caps, how about mirroring between Rokus in the same network? Set one as the master, so you’re just pulling one data stream, and have the others mirror from the master. I like to watch the same thing on multiple TVs while working at home (e.g. the Winter Olympics) but currently all three Rokus are each pulling their own stream so my downloads are tripled.. Multi room video.. I like it.. I don't know if companies like Hulu and Netflix that put limits on how many TV's can be watching their content will like it though.

How about all future ROKU models come with remotes that control your TV off/on and volume WITH support for sound bars.Oh and I second the master/mirror idea of one stream. Great idea.

My 4K TV now works with the Roku premier plus but the HDMI ports on the TV have only HDCP 1.2 - 1.4 compatibility, this means that about 1/3 of the stuff on YouTube and other channels won't play and produce a purple HDCP lock screen.Right now I have to swap inputs to a Roku 3 running in 1080p mode to view the locked content.How about the purple lock screen having an option to switch to 1080p mode and continue, once you return to the main menu have it go back to the 4K mode.Thank You for your time and efforts.

As of today, MPEG-2 decoding is completely free.http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/ ... tList.aspxPlease consider adding MPEG-2 decoding to your players. It would make the TabloTV experience (and any other networked TV tuner) so much better if it were possible to skip the whole transcoding step and just deliver video directly to a Roku device

Feature Requests - First Quarter 2018

51 Replies

kfun123
Visitor
8 years ago
Same as last quarter, fix subtitles.....

Subtitle / Caption Improvements

Problem:
Ever since the Roku Global caption policy was changed, early 2017, individual channels like Plex can no longer override the global Roku caption settings.

Prior to this I could set Plex server to only display captions when the language was foreign and turn the Roku captions setting to Off. Plex would then override the global caption policy to display captions when it determined necessary, like foreign language scenes in English language movies.

Since the policy change / Plex channel app update I now have to turn the global caption policy on / off during movies with foreign language scenes to achieve the same effect. This is quite inconvenient to say the least.

Solution:

Either improve the caption system to be similar to Plex in that it will allow captions to be displayed only when the captions on the specific video are set to forced or when the caption language does not match the UI language / selected language.

The other approach would be return to the previous policy and allow channels, like Plex, to override the global Roku caption settings.

In this scenario the user would set Roku global captions to Off or On-Replay Only and then the app, Plex in this example, would determine when it is appropriate to override Roku global caption settings (forced foreign subs).

It would seem easier to just return to the previous channel caption policy.

Was there any specific reason why this policy changed? It appears this has been brought up on the forum before, Roku's new Captions policy for channels is dumb[/url:293v2bmm], but I can't find any explanation on why this new policy was put in place when it clearly has a negative impact on user experience.
jeffrok
Roku Guru
8 years ago
"ylandrum" wrote:
Guess I’ll try starting this myself since we’re more than 2/3rds through the quarter and still no thread for this.

For those of us who have to deal with data caps, how about mirroring between Rokus in the same network? Set one as the master, so you’re just pulling one data stream, and have the others mirror from the master. I like to watch the same thing on multiple TVs while working at home (e.g. the Winter Olympics) but currently all three Rokus are each pulling their own stream so my downloads are tripled.
.

Multi room video.. I like it.. I don't know if companies like Hulu and Netflix that put limits on how many TV's can be watching their content will like it though.
Rsmims
Visitor
8 years ago
How about all future ROKU models come with remotes that control your TV off/on and volume WITH support for sound bars.
Oh and I second the master/mirror idea of one stream. Great idea.
Matt9876
Visitor
8 years ago
My 4K TV now works with the Roku premier plus but the HDMI ports on the TV have only HDCP 1.2 - 1.4 compatibility, this means that about 1/3 of the stuff on YouTube and other channels won't play and produce a purple HDCP lock screen.

Right now I have to swap inputs to a Roku 3 running in 1080p mode to view the locked content.

How about the purple lock screen having an option to switch to 1080p mode and continue, once you return to the main menu have it go back to the 4K mode.

Thank You for your time and efforts.
Brettface
Streaming Star
8 years ago
As of today, MPEG-2 decoding is completely free.
http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/ ... tList.aspx

Please consider adding MPEG-2 decoding to your players. It would make the TabloTV experience (and any other networked TV tuner) so much better if it were possible to skip the whole transcoding step and just deliver video directly to a Roku device
atc98092
Community Streaming Expert
8 years ago
"Brettface" wrote:
As of today, MPEG-2 decoding is completely free.
http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/ ... tList.aspx

Please consider adding MPEG-2 decoding to your players. It would make the TabloTV experience (and any other networked TV tuner) so much better if it were possible to skip the whole transcoding step and just deliver video directly to a Roku device

Not the way I read it (unfortunately):
(1) For MPEG-2 Decoding Products in hardware or software (such as those found in set-top boxes, DVD players and computers equipped with MPEG-2 decode units), the royalty is US $2.50 per unit from January 1, 2002 and $4.00 per unit before January 1, 2002 (Sections 2.1 and 3.1.1), but $2.00 from later of January 1, 2010 or execution of license through December 31, 2015. From January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017, the royalty rate for MPEG-2 Decoding Products is $0.50 per unit with right of voluntary termination on 30-days written notice, but Licensees may elect a royalty of $0.35 with right of voluntary termination on or after January 1, 2018. From January 1, 2018 forward, the royalty rate for MPEG-2 Decoding Products is $0.35 per unit with right of voluntary termination on 30-days written notice.
There's still a charge to MPEG-2 decoding. They just lowered the cost.
twiceover
Roku Guru
8 years ago
Alexa voice integration. But since Alexa can only talk to the cloud and roku can only listen locally... Oh well.
jeffrok
Roku Guru
8 years ago
"twiceover" wrote:
Alexa voice integration. But since Alexa can only talk to the cloud and roku can only listen locally... Oh well.

I don't think Roku is going to entertain the idea of making their products Alexa or Google aware.. not since they announced they're coming out with their own smart assistant soon.. which I won't be buying.
blade_005
Roku Guru
8 years ago
"twiceover" wrote:
Alexa voice integration. But since Alexa can only talk to the cloud and roku can only listen locally... Oh well.

I would like to see a Roku supported solution with Alexa as well. But, now that they have introduced their own Roku Connect and Roku Entertainment Assistant branded solutions at CES, I don't think this will be a top priority.
Roku Connect and Roku Entertainment Assistant
Brettface
Streaming Star
8 years ago
"atc98092" wrote:
From January 1, 2018 forward, the royalty rate for MPEG-2 Decoding Products is $0.35 per unit with right of voluntary termination on 30-days written notice.
There's still a charge to MPEG-2 decoding. They just lowered the cost.

I'm not so sure!
Under the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License, royalties are payable for products manufactured or sold in countries with an active MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio Patent at the time of manufacture or sale.

Because there are no longer any active patents, I read this to mean that any device made or sold after today (or yesterday?) will not incur any royalty/licensing fees.
I'd love to pay Roku (or whoever) freaking fifty cents to unlock this capability on my existing devices, and if that's not an option I'd go out and buy all-new Roku hardware if I had to.