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bradynapier
Visitor

Expose Universal Search via API/SDK?

Hey Guys,
I believe the ability to do a few things would be a huge help for Home Automation & Remote Control of the Roku. Has there been any discussion as-to if and when these may be implemented?

1. Universal Search - The ability to search and get responses so they can be listed right on the external controller similar to Roku's implementation?
2. Direct Jump - Universal Search - If not the ability to do all the searching from the API itself, perhaps just a command that will jump directly to Universal Search so we can easily implement a little macro (JUMP UNIVERSAL, W A L K I N G D E A D) so that we can give the user direct access to that part of the Roku Interface without more complex unreliable macros (Menu (wait) up, up, right, W A L K I...)
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: Expose Universal Search via API/SDK?

"bradynapier" wrote:
Hey Guys,
I believe the ability to do a few things would be a huge help for Home Automation & Remote Control of the Roku. Has there been any discussion as-to if and when these may be implemented?
1. Universal Search - The ability to search and get responses so they can be listed right on the external controller similar to Roku's implementation?

That sure will be neat but i wouldn't raise my hopes it will happen - the "unified search" is a crown jewel of Roku and i suspect they'd be highly suspicious of anyone getting their grabby handses on it. And probably been asked by streaming providers to pinky swear keeping their catalogs away from direct access.

2. Direct Jump - Universal Search - If not the ability to do all the searching from the API itself, perhaps just a command that will jump directly to Universal Search so we can easily implement a little macro (JUMP UNIVERSAL, W A L K I N G D E A D) so that we can give the user direct access to that part of the Roku Interface without more complex unreliable macros (Menu (wait) up, up, right, W A L K I...)

This is much more likely to happen, being a link "into" Roku ecosystem (vs giving things "away"). Here is something related, that RokuJoel said should be available but don't know more: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=67743#p432506
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bradynapier
Visitor

Re: Expose Universal Search via API/SDK?

Would love to hear from Roku on this subject. I can only imagine what can be done if this is exposed in the API. It may be looked at as proprietary and want to keep it under wraps, but opening it could allow so much! Way I see it coming together in a home automation system is pretty cool - for example, I would have a module running on XBMC which would check what I am watching and have a "Fling to Roku" button which brings up the results.

So I am watching WALKING DEAD - my app says "Want More? Fling to Roku" I click it and it shows me all the Roku apps that have walking dead, etc.
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