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kbenson
Visitor

New channel version notification?

Is there any sort of notification to users when a channel updates to a new version? It seems like some way to indicate a channel has been updated and what's new would be useful for users and developers.

At this point I guess we could include a new channel image with a graphic stating it was updated, and then update again later to remove that graphic, but that's a lot of busy work on our part setting it up and on Roku's part reviewing the channels.

While some sort of change log would be nice, minimally just some indication on the main channel screen that a channel was recently updated would be sufficient. E.g. If submission date within 7 days of current date, show visual indication it was updated, etc.
-- GandK Labs
Check out Reversi! in the channel store!
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22 REPLIES 22
TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: New channel version notification?

For my channels, I save the current version to the registry. That way, the first time an update is launched, I can compare the stored version with the current version and present the user with a dialog indicating what has been updated if they don't match.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
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kbenson
Visitor

Re: New channel version notification?

"TheEndless" wrote:
For my channels, I save the current version to the registry. That way, the first time an update is launched, I can compare the stored version with the current version and present the user with a dialog indicating what has been updated if they don't match.


Yeah, I understand that's possible, but I'm really referring to the home screen, before they've decided to look into the channel. It's less of an issue for a media channel where the content is constantly updating, as the user is already conditioned to the fact that the content will be changing often and look occasionally.

Our situation may be a good example: We are updating Reversi! to have a new feature (definable board size) and a harder max difficulty level. Without a way to indicate there are new features, someone who decided they were bored with the current difficulty/features may take quite a while to check back in on it. I would rather customers feel they got a good deal for their money, and that the game/channel is actively being worked on.
-- GandK Labs
Check out Reversi! in the channel store!
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TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: New channel version notification?

Gotcha. You know, they use to push channels that had been updated to the front of the list, but that seemed to go away with the new channel store. I wonder if they could add a "Recently Updated" category to complement the "New" category.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
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kbenson
Visitor

Re: New channel version notification?

"TheEndless" wrote:
Gotcha. You know, they use to push channels that had been updated to the front of the list, but that seemed to go away with the new channel store. I wonder if they could add a "Recently Updated" category to complement the "New" category.


Yeah, I think the old channel store actually had a sorting category for most recently updated, but I can't recall. This would address some of the issues at a minimal level, and theoretically not be very hard for Roku to implement. Good suggestion!
-- GandK Labs
Check out Reversi! in the channel store!
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jbrave
Channel Surfer

Re: New channel version notification?

Yeah, it would really be nice if underneath the "New" section, there was a "recently updated" section. This could be kept from being too chatty by only listing channels that had significant changes, of course that would be up to the folks at Roku to decide. Right now, if you have a major upgrade, nobody will know about it except people who already have it installed.

- Joel
Screenshades: The first Screensaver for Roku2!
Musiclouds: The best free internet music, on your Roku!
Ouroborialis: Psychedelic Screensaver for Roku!
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kbenson
Visitor

Re: New channel version notification?

"jbrave" wrote:
Yeah, it would really be nice if underneath the "New" section, there was a "recently updated" section. This could be kept from being too chatty by only listing channels that had significant changes, of course that would be up to the folks at Roku to decide. Right now, if you have a major upgrade, nobody will know about it except people who already have it installed.


Well, it starts getting into the realm of not being as easy to implement anymore, but a box on channel submission for entering the list of (publicly viewable) changes could then be used to trigger whether it shows up in the recently updated section. Leave the change log box empty, no recently update listing. Enter something in it, show it in recently updated, preferably along with the list of changes. Although at that point it will probably take a while to get implemented, and they might as well just take their time and do it right then.

Right now I would be happy with a recently updated section in the channel store that just lists the last X recently updated by submission or Roku acceptance date, with the assumption it would be easy/quick for Roku to implement and would provide at least some out-of-channel information that a channel has changed.
-- GandK Labs
Check out Reversi! in the channel store!
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jbrave
Channel Surfer

Re: New channel version notification?

Yeah Kbenson, I basically agree on this. Since they only update once a week anyway, this would be absolutely fine.

- Joel
Screenshades: The first Screensaver for Roku2!
Musiclouds: The best free internet music, on your Roku!
Ouroborialis: Psychedelic Screensaver for Roku!
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: New channel version notification?

I don't see the point of such notification and it will also be an easy target for abuse. Somebody can bump the version every day (or week, as often as that registers) and submit the app as "new" thus staying featured perennially in the "Recently updated" list.

It goes cross with the idea of a "channel" too. A channel imho specializing in delivering a multimedia experience of some sort (be it films, music or a game). If it changes its contents radially, that would be another channel, so publish it separately. If it aggregates say multiple games, get a regular schedule for publishing said new sub-game (once a week or month) and your users will come for it. You can notify your users "in situ" (when the channel is started, the idea by TheEndless) or out-of-band by any means you made the users opt-in to be bugged about updates (email etc when registering on your site).

And i personally will be unhappy if my Roku start showing some blinking or jumping or highlighting of some channel icons because it has to download new versions of them. Part of the elegance of Roku player is that it behaves like a home appliance and "simply works" (unlike say a Sony Blu-ray player that will jump on me every time i turn it on "i found new update! new firmware, i want you to update me mom, can we do that please please please!"
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TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: New channel version notification?

"EnTerr" wrote:
I don't see the point of such notification and it will also be an easy target for abuse. Somebody can bump the version every day (or week, as often as that registers) and submit the app as "new" thus staying featured perennially in the "Recently updated" list.

Public channels and their updates have to be approved by Roku, so I don't think there's a danger of someone abusing the update process.

I think there's great utility in a row in the channel store that indicates what channels have been recently updated. We're not talking about flashing lights and sirens, just another row next to the "New" row. There may be a channel I tried out awhile back, but decided for whatever reason wasn't quite useful enough to clutter my channel list. Or maybe a game that I completed and uninstalled. If I have no way of knowing it's been updated, then I may be missing out on some exciting new features and/or new levels. In-channel notification is only useful for channels I already have installed and regularly use, which I'll automatically get the updates for anyway.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
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