Roku Developer Program

[KennyJ]

"dnelms" wrote:
Just curious, it took forever to get the Big10 Network on DirectTV. Two questions, #1, are you having to pay the Big10 conference any rights fees? and #2, are they even aware that their channel is being distributed? Reason I ask is that I'd love to see the ACC content on line, but given your goal of $5000 per channel, I was making an assumption that that was only covering development time.

He's just grabbing their podcast feed. They are already publicly distributing this content.

[dvo01]

"dnelms" wrote:
Just curious, it took forever to get the Big10 Network on DirectTV. Two questions, #1, are you having to pay the Big10 conference any rights fees? and #2, are they even aware that their channel is being distributed? Reason I ask is that I'd love to see the ACC content on line, but given your goal of $5000 per channel, I was making an assumption that that was only covering development time.

Can't answer for the developer but it seems that this channel isn't really the Big Ten Network, it's only podcasts that they have released for RSS feeds. The new channels that have been put out there are just using the Roku box as an RSS video and audio podcast reader. The donations are offsetting the cost of developing a custom container for whatever video podcasts are being distributed but they really don't guarantee that those channels will be able to continue to deliver that content. So, if Big Ten or CNN or whoever changes their podcast format, I'd be disappointed but not looking for a refund. It seems like most paid bloggers and other aggregators have been working off this model, set up a set of links to other content and sell advertising space to the page.

[campbellwang]

"KennyJ" wrote:

"dnelms" wrote:
Just curious, it took forever to get the Big10 Network on DirectTV. Two questions, #1, are you having to pay the Big10 conference any rights fees? and #2, are they even aware that their channel is being distributed? Reason I ask is that I'd love to see the ACC content on line, but given your goal of $5000 per channel, I was making an assumption that that was only covering development time.

He's just grabbing their podcast feed. They are already publicly distributing this content.

Even though the podcast feed is public does that give anyone the right to then redistribute that content?

It might be okay for personal use but to redistribute without the owners’ consent?!

If you were to collect donations to cover development costs for redistributing unlicensed or content not formally allowed to redistribute, does that then fall into a murky area?

You could technically say the guy selling DVDs in the road is only collecting donations for his hard work, but will the content creators or owners see it like that?

[KennyJ]

"campbellwang" wrote:

"KennyJ" wrote:

"dnelms" wrote:
Just curious, it took forever to get the Big10 Network on DirectTV. Two questions, #1, are you having to pay the Big10 conference any rights fees? and #2, are they even aware that their channel is being distributed? Reason I ask is that I'd love to see the ACC content on line, but given your goal of $5000 per channel, I was making an assumption that that was only covering development time.

He's just grabbing their podcast feed. They are already publicly distributing this content.

Even though the podcast feed is public does that give anyone the right to then redistribute that content?

It might be okay for personal use but to redistribute without the owners’ consent?!

If you were to collect donations to cover development costs for redistributing unlicensed or content not formally allowed to redistribute, does that then fall into a murky area?

You could technically say the guy selling DVDs in the road is only collecting donations for his hard work, but will the content creators or owners see it like that?

He's not redistributing it though. He's linking to their public feed which directs to their public files. Would Mozilla be in trouble for taking donations which gives you access to copyrighted content? He's not accessing the content any differently (really) than any Podcast reader would. Are you saying a podcast reader can't charge for their software or service?

If the guy is selling legit DVDs, he can certainly take a donation. If he is illegally copying it, then no-- but he also can't be giving it away for free either. There has been no copying here.

[campbellwang]

Kenny I am posing questions. Why would you suggest that I wouldn't want a fellow developer to earn money from their hard work?

I think a podcast reader would come under personal use.

Any companys' name, logos or images are copyrghted. You always need permission. This is what dnelms eluded to.

[KennyJ]

"campbellwang" wrote:
Kenny I am posing questions. Why would you suggest that I wouldn't want a fellow developer to earn money from their hard work?

I think a podcast reader would come under personal use.

Any companys' name, logos or images are copyrghted. You always need permission. This is what dnelms eluded to.

But isn't the Roku channel he created essentially a Podcast reader? Doesn't a Podcast reader also pull in the pictures and text from the xml files? I know iTunes does and Mediafly do.

I'm certainly no legal expert. Perhaps he can get in trouble, but it seems to me that if he's simply linking to content on their website, he'd be fine. Maybe I'm wrong.

[campbellwang]

I would also say 1 - 5 people is personal. 10 or more or the whole of the Roku forums or your website comes under distributing. 😉

Oops I've just seen you made a post . This one might be out of sync.

[KennyJ]

"campbellwang" wrote:
I would also say 1 - 5 people is personal. 10 or more or the whole of the Roku forums or your website comes under distributing. 😉

Oops I've just seen you made a post . This one might be out of sync.

But iTunes is the whole iTunes community. Mediafly is the whole Mediafly community... right?

[campbellwang]

With iTunes you can add your own feeds. Apple has no control over what you add for yourself.

The podcasts you see on iTunes have been submitted by the content owners. Apple then verifys the content is suitable and then allows thier content onto iTunes.

[campbellwang]

I will say MerdiaFly EDIT:might have some dubious content.

When we were researching for our channel one company said, "we do not allow anyone to syndicate our RSS feeds", yet still I found that company’s’ RSS feeds on Mediafly.