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Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

First of all, I am not all that good with computer and code.

I tried to follow this tutorial:
http://thinkcreatecomplete.blogspot.com ... -roku.html

I could not set a web sharing folder using windows so I did it through apache (all that stuff is new to me)
Apparently that part works. I have a video in http://**.**.***.***/nhl.mp4
By typing the address on my browser I can download it so I assume it is working properly.

Following the tutorial, I went into the file rokudev/examples/source/simplevideoplayer/source/appMain.brs and modified the address to stream my video NHL.mp4

Great and now I am stuck, I don't get how I re-build the app as stated:
"Rebuild the app in the terminal:
cd rokudev/examples/source/simplevideoplayer/source
make"

I see a file called makefile in the above folder but windows doesnt recognize it. In notepad, I can see that is a code so should I somehow run it and how?

Thanks for the help.
Chris.
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9 REPLIES 9
KennyJ
Roku Guru

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

The easiest way to do it is to zip it then upload it via the web interface on the Roku IP address.

You can find instructions in SDK documentation.
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Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

Thanks for the answer.
So I did this and update the zip in roku installer.
I got this on my pc screen
Application Received: 115618 bytes stored.

But then went to my roku and see no new channel. I went in settings to update and still nothing.

Is there something else I should do?
Something I did wrong?
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MarkRoddy
Visitor

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

There could be an error in the app you uploaded. Check the console via telnet to see if there are any error messages by running the command:

telent ROKU_IP_ADDRESS 8085

(see the developer docs for a detailed description on this)

-Mark
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Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

why can't things be easy...

you are right there is something wrong.
I got:
---- Manifest does not exist in zip archive ------
======================
An error occurred while attempting to install the application:
----> Script directory "/source" does not exist in zip archive.


I took a quick look at the pdf while but I didn't really find how to go from there.

I opened the zip file and a Manifest file is in there and so is the folder source...

All that sounds confusing to me...
How is there an error in the app I uploaded when this app comes from roku themselves and all I did was to change the address url of the video in the code and zipped (tried two software for it) and upped it
0 Kudos

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

"buffalofrenchy" wrote:
why can't things be easy...

you are right there is something wrong.
I got:
---- Manifest does not exist in zip archive ------
======================
An error occurred while attempting to install the application:
----> Script directory "/source" does not exist in zip archive.


I took a quick look at the pdf while but I didn't really find how to go from there.

I opened the zip file and a Manifest file is in there and so is the folder source...

All that sounds confusing to me...
How is there an error in the app I uploaded when this app comes from roku themselves and all I did was to change the address url of the video in the code and zipped (tried two software for it) and upped it


baby steps...
I re-zipped and now I have the example channel on my roku!!!!
Great? not so fast!
When I play it, it stays stuck in retreiving (first square of status bar) and then goes back to the picture w/ detail screen.
In telnet it says the connection timed out.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help.
0 Kudos

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

"buffalofrenchy" wrote:
"buffalofrenchy" wrote:
why can't things be easy...

you are right there is something wrong.
I got:
---- Manifest does not exist in zip archive ------
======================
An error occurred while attempting to install the application:
----> Script directory "/source" does not exist in zip archive.


I took a quick look at the pdf while but I didn't really find how to go from there.

I opened the zip file and a Manifest file is in there and so is the folder source...

All that sounds confusing to me...
How is there an error in the app I uploaded when this app comes from roku themselves and all I did was to change the address url of the video in the code and zipped (tried two software for it) and upped it


baby steps...
I re-zipped and now I have the example channel on my roku!!!!
Great? not so fast!
When I play it, it stays stuck in retreiving (first square of status bar) and then goes back to the picture w/ detail screen.
In telnet it says the connection timed out.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help.


It's working now!!!
The answer was in the post "apache server setup to stream videos"
I did the same mistake.
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Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

After being able to watch the short video I was using to test the process, I uploaded the real video file I wanted to watch on a big screen (still mp4) and now it doesn't work.

I guess based on my reading in other posts, according to how it was encoded it doesn't work. Not all mp4 are equal?!?
That sucks.

All that for nothing.

Is roku planing on having an app that will allow to stream from our pc like WD Live TV?
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KennyJ
Roku Guru

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

Even if they did, you'd still have the same problem unless Roku opens up support for wider encoding differences.
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chemosh6969
Visitor

Re: Trying to stream a video from pc to roku

"buffalofrenchy" wrote:
After being able to watch the short video I was using to test the process, I uploaded the real video file I wanted to watch on a big screen (still mp4) and now it doesn't work.

I guess based on my reading in other posts, according to how it was encoded it doesn't work. Not all mp4 are equal?!?
That sucks.

All that for nothing.

Is roku planing on having an app that will allow to stream from our pc like WD Live TV?


You might have to do things the way PyTivo streams videos to Tivo that aren't in the format it likes. It uses ffmpeg to convert the file and stream a supported file type. ffmpeg can be used on a command line, so with some work, it should be possible.
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