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rovidx_media's avatar
rovidx_media
Roku Guru
9 years ago

Generate Direct Publisher JSON feeds with Wordpress

Download on the WordPress plugin repository  (100% Free Plugin)

UPDATED v1.3.1:  

  • NEW:  Updated Series system

  • NEW:  Amazon Fire App Builder JSON feeds

  • UPDATED:  Closed Caption Support

  • UPDATED:  UI to be more friendly

  • FIXED: Error with TV Specials not displaying in some cases

Coming in 1.4 - MAJOR update to the HTML5 player including Embedding, Better VAST support and updates to the HLS engine.

I've spent the last few months quietly getting this plugin together.   It is currently awaiting approval from WordPress, but I wanted to post it here so I could get some qualified feedback.

A few notes:

  1. Install the plugin like any other WordPress plugin

  2. It currently only works with Movies and Short Form Video content.  I will be adding support for more in the upcoming versions.   Now works with Short-form Videos, Series and TV Specials.

  3. Instructions can be found in WP Smart TV > Settings > Help Documents > View All Documentation

  4. This does not work with YouTube videos, and no I can't add support for it.  It's against their T.O.S.

  5. Tested with Vimeo Pro and Amazon S3/CloudFront.  Should work with most video hosting options

  6. WP-Engine (and possibly other hosts) will sometimes block images from the Roku DP system.   Enable Jetpack and turn on "Speed up images and photos" or disable "Mod Security" in Apache.

  7. I'll update this post when it is in the WordPress plugin director and I will answer any questions in this thread
Roku Direct Publisher

31 Replies

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  • Lifegenius's avatar
    Lifegenius
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    I'm running my wordpress site on a google instance. I had no issue generating a json file with another plugin. Downloading the file generates an error, file not found. I'm running wordpress 5. Could that be it? Any other ideas?
  • tim1607's avatar
    tim1607
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    I doubt that there would be a problem with WordPress 5.  While the changes within WordPress were dramatic, this functionality would not be related to that. 
    If it generates an error when trying to download the file saying that the file doesn't exist, to me that would indicate that there is some write permission and the file is not being created corretly. 
    I know that when I drop to command line in my WP site I can't find the file because it's some WP magic, but I can get the file downloaded fine.

    Maybe rovidx_media has some idea for your issue.

    To be honest, I have also not been able to get my WP-Smart TV to work either, but I am able to download the file. My created json just flat generates an error on Roku DP setup, saying that the images are wrong and that the feed doesn't exist, when I hand create the JSON it works just fine with the exact same links so I am still working on what the heck is going on with mine.  ( http:/domainname.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/mountains-1920x1080-800x450.jpg ) is how the image links show up while it should be ( http://domainname.com/wp-content/upload ... 00x450.jpg )
  • chucka84's avatar
    chucka84
    Binge Watcher
    7 years ago
    "Lifegenius" wrote:
    Yeah it's https://www.lifegeni.us/wp-json/tv/roku/
    That's the link I get from the plug-in and when I hit download json I get a file not found error. If it helps, I'm.hosting my WordPress site on Google compute.

    I'm having the same problem...my host is JustHost
  • chucka84's avatar
    chucka84
    Binge Watcher
    7 years ago
    I have my channel running now. I gave up trying to make it work on my justhost domain and I got a new domain through the super cheap option on dreamhost and it works fine there.
  • Lifegenius's avatar
    Lifegenius
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    [hiquote="chucka84"]I have my channel running now. I gave up trying to make it work on my justhost domain and I got a new domain through the super cheap option on dreamhost and it works fine there.

    Sweet thanks a lot man! I think I might just try that too since I couldn't get it to work on Google compute either. I've gotten pretty quick at updating it manually through atom find and replace but it's still pretty tedious. Out of curiosity, are you using Roku partner monetization or did you go with a 3rd party? I'm with Roku and despite getting my app approved for monetization I'm now being told I need to reach 50,000 streaming hours per month before they'll start serving ads. Pretty ridiculous considering the cost to host and acquire content. I'm not sure whether this is turning out to be a waste of time or not. My app is getting several thousand installs and people are using it, but I'm no where near 50k...
    • KHlishmitware's avatar
      KHlishmitware
      Newbie
      2 years ago

      Congratulations on successfully migrating your channel to Dreamhost and resolving hosting issues. Regarding monetization, Roku's requirement of 50,000 streaming hours per month can be challenging for smaller content creators. Considering the significant cost of content acquisition and hosting, it's worth exploring third-party monetization options, which often offer more flexibility. Your app's growing installations and user base are promising signs, and with the right strategy, it may prove a worthwhile endeavor. Keep in mind that building an audience and generating income can take time, so patience and persistence are essential. If you have more questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with your project! In Last few Days i was working on a client website which is related to mod apk , he was facing the same issue but now it solved . thanks

  • chucka84's avatar
    chucka84
    Binge Watcher
    7 years ago
    "Lifegenius" wrote:
    [hiquote="chucka84"]I have my channel running now.  I gave up trying to make it work on my justhost domain and I got a new domain through the super cheap option on dreamhost and it works fine there.


    Sweet thanks a lot man! I think I might just try that too since I couldn't get it to work on Google compute either. I've gotten pretty quick at updating it manually through atom find and replace but it's still pretty tedious.  Out of curiosity, are you using Roku partner monetization or did you go with a 3rd party? I'm with Roku and despite getting my app approved for monetization I'm now being told I need to reach 50,000 streaming hours per month before they'll start serving ads. Pretty ridiculous considering the cost to host and acquire content. I'm not sure whether this is turning out to be a waste of time or not. My app is getting several thousand installs and people are using it, but I'm no where near 50k...

    I am not doing any monetization at this time but man 50k streaming hours is a ton.
  • podworx's avatar
    podworx
    Streaming Star
    7 years ago
    Using Wordpress, how would one go about taking an existing video podcast feed and automatically using it to populate a roku category?  The RSS feed already has all the info needed. . .just need to figure out how to push it to Roku in a manner that works.
  • theWilliam's avatar
    theWilliam
    Newbie
    3 years ago

    Congratulations on your new plugin! The updates and upcoming features sound impressive, and I'm sure the WordPress community will find them valuable for enhancing their blogs. The clear instructions and compatibility with popular video hosting options make it user-friendly. Best of luck with the approval process, and I hope you receive positive feedback from the blogging community.

  • ferdiworks's avatar
    ferdiworks
    Roku Guru
    3 years ago

    I know you sent us the info for the Direct Publisher tool being sunset! The scenegraph template being shared works w Series and episodes/ I wanted to try and see if we can use the wp smart tv plugin to create the series and episodes then take the feed url and brig it into the scenegraph template and see if the series and eepisodes get parsed and display!

    I also know you wrote - stay tuned for an exciting announcement about a new direction for Rovidx Media! We remain committed to providing innovative solutions and supporting your success. We’re thrilled about what the future holds and look forward to continuing our journey together.

    Patiently awaiten to see what you will bring to us!