Roku Developer Program

[zash]

Does the Roku output signal 720p signal on the HDMI output (either through configuration or auto-detect) when playing back 1080p content if the TV is NOT 1080p capable at all?

I'm trying to use Roku for a VoD service where all videos are 1080p (I'd rather not re-encode them for the few TV sets that are not 1080p capable).

[stratcat96]

The Roku outputs whatever resolution the unit is set to EXCEPT when set to "1080p" it will output all menus at 720p and only put out 1080p if a video it's playing is 1080p. If the screen setting is at 720p in the Roku, it will upscale or downscale all content to 720p, like-wise for any other lower resolution. Based on your other post, if you are considering a VOD channel, you should probably think about having multiple encodings of the movies as not to exclude potential users who do not have the internet bandwidth to receive a 1080p-encoded video, accommodate fluctuating bandwidth capabilities, and users who do not have an HD television. Look at the SDK documentation about variable bitrates.

[kc8pql]

"zash" wrote:
(I'd rather not re-encode them for the few TV sets that are not 1080p capable).

In fact, it's probably the other way 'round. There are many, many TV's in use out there that aren't 1080p, or even HD capable.

[kbenson]

"kc8pql" wrote:

In fact, it's probably the other way 'round. There are many, many TV's in use out there that aren't 1080p, or even HD capable.

Roku has come out with numbers here before, and I think it was something like 50% of people are using the SD unit or are at least running in SD mode.

[zash]

The VoD project is for a Condo complex with Gigabit LAN and all units have large flatscreens, however not all are 1080p... And they all will buy the Roku unit or whatever will be recommended to them... Regular Internet rules don't apply...

[RokuKevin]

All these suggestions about multiple streams with different resolutions/bitrates to conserver network usage are good recommendations....

However, for your private network VoD service where you only want to provide one encode the Roku box is capable of downscaling the 1080p HD content to 720p HD content (or even SD content) when the box is set to that display mode.

--Kevin