Roku Direct Publisher

[keithrvntv]

Hello, we have out streaming through boxcast, but there is some issue on Roku with out live TV direct publisher link from Boxcast where the content on the Roku channel is several hours behind always.

On boxcast directly it is up-to-date/time and if we watch via the Boxcast app on Roku it is up-to-date/time as well, but if we try to use the Boxcast direct publisher link for our own LIVE TV channel on Roku the feed is always hours behind.

Anyone. have any advice on this?

[AaronMSpelling]

if you are referring to the feed content - in Roku DP that is not updated instantly - it always was and is a time delay - the feed is updated like 4 times  /day 

[AaronMSpelling]

just noticed the live streaming part in it - for that is the same  - to make sure that your live feed is actually in the tv feed you need to  have content in it like 24/7 -  easy to do using a playlist -  for the time you don't actually have live content - just run a playlist  - program replays , or a loop with the next "air" time 

[keithrvntv]

So there is no way around this 4 times a day thing? No way to ensure it is current, so that even if a show is currently playing it will play in real time with the feed?

[AaronMSpelling]

actually ...... there is - and I just told you in my previous comment:) 

to have content "on" when you want or need - the only workaround ( I use ) is using live feeds. 

you set up live feeds as content - as a "placeholder" for the updates you want to make "instantly" 

because you need to have content on the URL you set up in your tv feed  - you can run loops with preciously stream material - or whatever servers your interest better -  then when you want a particular piece of content to "be on the channel "  just connect to your live feed and stream into it -  use a more general type of thumbnail image  - and you are all set.

[mike_rb]

According to this you schedule the live streams with validityPeriodStart and validityPeriodEnd - https://partnersuccess.roku.com/hc/en-us/articles/360016146114-How-can-I-schedule-live-content-to-ap...

[AaronMSpelling]

well .......  it never worked as expected for me so i adapted :)))))))) to something that works 100% of the time 

[jzachary]

What I do is serve up a blank m3u file using a redirect. Roku sees it and thinks the link is valid so it lets it display. 

Then when I go live I redirect from the blank m3u to the live one and it instantly switches over. So Roku is basically always getting the same url to look at and it will see the blank version or the current live version. 

Being forced to run content constantly so Roku thinks the link is valid is one of the dumbest things about the Roku platform. 

[mike_rb]

What does this blank file look like?