Forum Discussion

omega1's avatar
omega1
Visitor
7 years ago

MRSS - Display poster/background image on audio-only feed

http://www.rssboard.org/media-rss[/url:13n1m8si], but it doesn't look like they've been updated for a while and I cannot find how to add such a background image.[/font][/color]
<item>
         <title>My Title</title>
         <link></link>
         <description>My Description</description>
         <guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>
         <media:category>All</media:category>
         <media:category>Music</media:category>
         <media:content url="http://linktoaudiofile.mp3 language="en-us" medium="audio" isDefault="true">
            <media:title type="plain">Title</media:title>
            <media:description type="html">Description</media:description>
            <media:thumbnail url="icon_large.png" />
            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">Author</media:credit>
            <media:copyright url="coprightURL" />
         </media:content>
      </item>


Any ideas? Thank you.
Happy to also understand if this can be done a different way, such as using a player with the element instead?
Roku Direct Publisher

5 Replies

  • Baradanikto's avatar
    Baradanikto
    Roku Guru
    7 years ago
    Is this for Direct Publisher? Is so, you should be using the Roku mrss spec. That spec supplies a "media:thumbnail".
  • omega1's avatar
    omega1
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    Hi, many thanks for your reply. Yes, this is for Direct Publisher.

    I have checked the specifications, I have been following these specifications: http://www.rssboard.org/media-rss 

    And as per the .xml above, I have included the required <media:thumbnail> but it is not displaying, hence my question.

    I have tried included it both inside <media:content> and outside it, but still cannot get it to show.

    In the .xml supplied, when the item is selected, the audio plays correctly, but no image is displayed. My desired outcome is that the audio plays and the image shows at the same time while the audio is playing, but I get the audio only, no image.

    Any idea why?

    Thank you.
  • tim1607's avatar
    tim1607
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    Hi Omega 1, 
    It looks like https://github.com/rokudev/feed-specifications/blob/master/mrss-feed-specification.md.
    One thing that I have found is that Roku Direct Publisher does not like images unless they are very specific in size, and if your code is right and your image is wrong, then you might as well just hang it up. 
    To quote from that document :
    media:thumbnail

    Required
    The thumbnail is used within your application and in the search results. The image size must be 800x450 (width x height) or larger, with a 16x9 aspect ratio. Supported formats are JPG or PNG.
    Flag(s):
    Flag Required Description
    url Required The URL of the thumbnail

    So if the image is not at least 800x450 with an aspect ration of 16x9 it will not display.   I don't know that is the issue but I do know that image sizes were a big pain point when I was trying to put up my first channel. 

    Is this a background image when the item is playing, or is this a background image on the main screen of the channel?  I think there are limitations on DP for main page background images. (But I am no expert, so someone else will know better)

    Good luck, 
    Tim
  • omega1's avatar
    omega1
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    Hi Tim,

    Really appreciate your reply, very helpful, thank you.

    This is the image that should display when the audio is playing, rather than the image before you press the logo to play it (if that makes sense). What I'm hoping to achieve is that when you click to load and play the asset (which is audio only), I am able to display a background image while it is playing.

    I'll check the images size/dimensions, thank you!
  • omega1's avatar
    omega1
    Visitor
    7 years ago
    Nope, it isn't working...

    The <media:thumbnail> inside the <item> seems to be the one shown on the main screen used for the user to select and press to access the media.

    No matter how I try, I cannot seem to display an image while an audio-only track is playing...

    Am very keen to resolve this, so if anyone has any further suggestions, I'm happy to try them out.

    Thank you.