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jamesr219's avatar
jamesr219
Newbie
2 years ago

Custom Application to play videos controlled via external system.

Hello,  I'd like to use Roku in a custom application. I've developed an application which basically plays videos when commanded from another computer. Right now I'm just using the Roku's in develope...
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RokuBen's avatar
RokuBen
Community Moderator
2 years ago

It sounds like your application is better suited for our sister company, BrightSign (https://www.brightsign.biz/) which makes products for digital signage.  Roku is a consumer platform and only has limited private channel distribution using beta channels which have significant limitations.

  • jamesr219's avatar
    jamesr219
    Newbie
    2 years ago

    Thanks, I will look into that. 

    • jamesr219's avatar
      jamesr219
      Newbie
      2 years ago

      Does application/channels developed for Roku port easily over to BrightSignOS?

      • EnTerr's avatar
        EnTerr
        Roku Guru
        2 years ago
        jamesr219 wrote:

        Does application/channels developed for Roku port easily over to BrightSignOS?

        No. It's been many years and the APIs have vastly diverged - for example Roku moved to so-called "Scene Graph" homegrown UI almost 10 years ago 

        I think you have couple of options here with Roku:

        1. Install your code as "beta app" on account with the devices (before these were known as "private channels" and had no limitations - but now the beta app will un-publish itself in 3 or 6 months, something like that)
        2. Publish it as regular app but don't have it work if someone installs it by accident - show screen explaining it's for limited internal use - and only have it work when controlled from another computer (i presume over ECP? then maybe it also sends some form of "password" that way to unlock the functionality)