Roku Developer Program

[AVP777]

Just wanted one last visit to this topic. FLV wrapped H264 would be very nice, I can live without
the VP6, but the FLV wrapper gives me some extra options for our system. Foremost of which
is commercial insertion directly into the stream without using playlists. Playlists can be bypassed
and affect our revenue stream.

We really like the Roku box, but without this (which should be possible since it's only a wrapper) we are
stuck with going after the boxee market which I don't really care for that much.

[TheEndless]

I'm not positive, but it sounds like you might be talking about Flash's real-time streaming (RTMP), which is independent of the FLV container format, and a whole different animal.

[AVP777]

No, I'm referring to http streaming.

[RokuKevin]

AVP777,

I'm not trying to open the discussion on Flash, but you bring up a feature I'm not familiar with.

Can you point me to a link discussing how Flash supports:
"commercial insertion directly into the stream without using playlists"

Thanks,

Kevin

[AVP777]

I have rolled my own server side streaming system that manipulates the video stream
on the fly. After watching the process of people writing hulu plugins that circumvent
hulu's commercials, then hulu breaking their plugin, and the process starting all over again,
I decided to look into how I could put out streams that can't be used without our ads in them
(or optionally without ads if a subscription is payed).

We patented the method last year and are using it for testing in our XBMC
plugin. If you would like to see it work I will send you the xbmc plugin. I have
tested this both with the VP6 and H264 codecs inside FLV wrappers and it
works flawlessly.

[RokuKevin]

What prevents you from using this technique with an mp4 container?

--Kevin

[AVP777]

Our system isn't currently built to parse out the mp4's. That's on our list of upgrades
for the future. But until I reach that point I don't know for sure the same method will work.

Not trying to be a smart ass, but Roku wants to sell boxes, people want content, so if more
content can be provided by adding a feature, I would think Roku would be all for it. I don't
know how difficult it would be for you, I just hoped that Roku would consider it.

[Anonymous]

"AVP777" wrote:
Our system isn't currently built to parse out the mp4's. That's on our list of upgrades
for the future. But until I reach that point I don't know for sure the same method will work.

Not trying to be a smart ass, but Roku wants to sell boxes, people want content, so if more
content can be provided by adding a feature, I would think Roku would be all for it. I don't
know how difficult it would be for you, I just hoped that Roku would consider it.

We would certainly consider it if we were getting asked for it. Fact is, pretty much everyone is using h.264 either in mp4 or via HTTP Live Streaming. I've heard from may two partners in the last 6 months for whom not having flash was an insurmountable problem. With everyone targeting non-flash-enabled devices (iOS and others), they're investing in migrating to other technologies.

[AVP777]

OK thanks for the reply. Guess we'll target other devices for now.

[destruk]

Yes, if nobody is using FLV, perhaps it's because it is unsupported and undocumented. So, rather than twiddling our thumbs waiting, hoping for support, we'll just get started on converting to what is already working, h264. The poll was from last march, and no movement was taken on it at all, so we've given up and submit to your preferred format. with all due respect, of course. At this point it shouldn't make much difference as long as the existing codecs continue to work.