Roku Developer Program

[bbefilms]

Is there a public API to list Roku channels?

[bbefilms]

Not even a reply from the Roku guys 😞

[Anonymous]

ECP Documentation: http://sdkdocs.roku.com/display/sdkdoc/ ... trol+Guide

[bbefilms]

Thanks Patrick, but the external control of the Roku wasn't my question.

My question is does the Roku company have an API (probably through a restful web service) to iterate through published and/or private channels. i.e., a programmatic way to list Roku channels.

[RokuJoel]

Hi,

at present, we don't have a public API for this. What would be the business case for providing this service?

- Joel

[bbefilms]

Business case? How about that it appears insane that you aren't enabling developers to provide end users of your product with critical content information. One API usage scenario might be a widget that could be placed on websites and blogs that lists the latest/most popular/craziest channels; you don't think that this kind of widespread, free promotion would help sell units?

[destruk]

If I had a bunch of private adult channels installed on my Roku, I don't think I want anyone but the channel providers to know about that...

[gonzotek]

"destruk" wrote:
If I had a bunch of private adult channels installed on my Roku, I don't think I want anyone but the channel providers to know about that...

bbefilms is not asking to know what apps you (a user) have installed. They want access to the list of channels in the channel store. There's an api, obviously, since the channel store on the box, on the website, and in the android and ios apps all would require one. They just haven't made it public.

[Anonymous]

"bbefilms" wrote:
Thanks Patrick, but the external control of the Roku wasn't my question.

My question is does the Roku company have an API (probably through a restful web service) to iterate through published and/or private channels. i.e., a programmatic way to list Roku channels.

We don't provide public api access to the channel store today, though the suggestion of a widget is an interesting one. Owners of Channels can enable their viewers to easily add the channel through a simple URL that we provide to every developer. I doubt private channels would ever be indexed publicly -- They're usually private for a reason, if the developer wants people to know about their channel, they'll let people know and/or submit it for the public channel store.

Patrick

[wzwor]

A directory service would be a very good enhancement. This would help people find channels not in the store and provide third parties a resource that could be used to create directory channels or apps.

It's be nice to have web page, author, contact, revision, last updates, parental ratings, type of app, category and all of that. participation would be voluntary with the default listing being public and an option to make private/unlisted.