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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Some background info on RokuTV?

Now that officially cat is out of the bag, can you give us some developer-relevant information on Roku TV whatabouts?
For example:
  • Has access to public/private channels just like standalone Roku players?

  • Has GLES (accelerated graphics)?

  • Some idea on performance (CPU or relative to existing players) and resources avail
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7 REPLIES 7
RokuShawnS
Channel Surfer

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

"EnTerr" wrote:
  • Has access to public/private channels just like standalone Roku players?


Yes.

C. Shawn Smith
C. Shawn Smith
Community Liaison

------------
The Cosmos is all that is, and all that was, and ever will be. -- Carl Sagan
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

Good news that.
Anything on the OpenGL question and relative performance/specs?
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RokuJoel
Binge Watcher

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

Uses DirectFB, not openGL on this hardware.

make sure you explicitly set double-buffering when using 2D API as unlike other Roku devices, if you forget to set this, it will flicker badly if you call swapbuffers.

- Joel
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

"RokuJoel" wrote:
Uses DirectFB, not openGL on this hardware.

Aw shucks. And I was hoping 27xx models and their issues will be going away.

That means Marma-late apps cannot run on RokuTV, doesn't it?
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RokuJoel
Binge Watcher

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

Yeah, pretty much. Marmalade apps probably will only work on Roku2 XS/XD/Roku3/original streaming stick (although I think they technically should work on original LT, that isn't enabled at this time, due to lack of motion support), the StreamingStick USB powered doesn't support motion hardware, I suppose we should see what happens if we load a marmalade app on it, should work for non-motion apps, theoretically...

- Joel
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

"RokuJoel" wrote:
Yeah, pretty much. Marmalade apps probably will only work on Roku2 XS/XD/Roku3/original streaming stick (although I think they technically should work on original LT, that isn't enabled at this time, due to lack of motion support), the StreamingStick USB powered doesn't support motion hardware, I suppose we should see what happens if we load a marmalade app on it, should work for non-motion apps, theoretically...

I see. That's a precious nugget of info there, that Marma-laden apps are limited to only 3050/3100, 3400 and 4200 (Roku 2 XD/XS, MHL stick, Roku 3). Don't know the model break-down % but it may as well double the target market if 2400, 3000 and 3500 (ARM LT, Roku 2 HD, HDMI stick) are to be enabled too.

I was keen on trying myself at Marmalade development because of the graphic abilities. Not that it is absolutely impossible to write a game in BrS - i tried myself at writing 2048 for Roku and was quite pleased with the performance i was able to get - 60fps on fw5 (30fps on fw3) made for a much pleasing smooth movement of the pieces (i know, i know - app is unfinished - no audio, no intro, no highscores). But ifDraw2D API is lacking in primitives, e.g. no way to draw a solid triangle which curbs other ideas.

Now that i see Marmalades are to be limited to only a part of the OpenGL Rokus... my enthusiasm goes "poof!". No RokuTV for technical reasons i understand; but no HDMI stick either = :(. And i am probably not alone in trying to gauge the reach before jumping into the jam.

Let me make an argument for extending Merma-lad reach, hope a "decider" will read it: motion remote is not really "all that and a bag of chips", not "the bees knees". Sure one can make Wii type of games (and they should). And including Angry Birds with some players was a marketing coup (although not as fun to play as on touch-screen devices). But there are much more games that work great with a D-pad remote which all Rokus have. My first-hand experience with 2048 on Roku - it worked fabulously well with any remote, it needs only 4 keys (not my fault - i did not invent the game).
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Komag
Roku Guru

Re: Some background info on RokuTV?

"RokuJoel" wrote:
Uses DirectFB, not openGL on this hardware.

make sure you explicitly set double-buffering when using 2D API as unlike other Roku devices, if you forget to set this, it (Roku TV) will flicker badly if you call swapbuffers.

- Joel

How do I explicitly set double-buffering? Is that just the "true" in my roScreen parameters?

screen = CreateObject("roScreen", TRUE, 1280, 720)

Or is there anything else I would need to do?
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