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EnTerr
Roku Guru

What's new in fw 5.2+ for ECP ?

I noticed unusual behavior in ECP keypress on one of my boxes, then saw that said 3100 model runs firmware 5.2.3180 (downloaded 16-oct) as compared to 4200 that is on 5.1.1241 (circa 7-oct). The oddity is that on 5.2 a /keypress can take long time (say 5 sec or timeout if cutoff set under that) and return HTTP status "202" while all previous fw (2000 series fw 3.1 included) it always returns fast and with 200.

@Roku*, what's up - what are the news for 5.2?
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21 REPLIES 21
EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

PS. there is something fishy going on, channel launching takes very long time (Netflix and Pandora take 2000-3000ms for /launch to return), /keypress/Home was 2200ms - i am getting timeouts all over my app. And to top it off, the player lost connectivity for no reason - while still playing pandora and responding to IR remote but no ping, SSDP nor http. Will update if i observe more.
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RokuJoel
Binge Watcher

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

What Roku model are you using?

- Joel
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

"RokuJoel" wrote:
What Roku model are you using?

Joel, not knowing the Roku models is unprofessional. Please print yourself copy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku#Feature_comparison (if nothing else) so you don't ask questions like that.

Quick check there will tell you 4200 is "Roku 3" and 3100 is "Roku 2 XS". 2000 series is Roku HD/XD/XS from the MIPS platform. Hope that clarified it.
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destruk
Binge Watcher

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

It's usually easier to ask than to look it up on a chart or hunt through the documentation.
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destruk
Binge Watcher

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

You might want to look over this thread if you've never seen it before --
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=44685

Basically it explains that for the best help or support from Roku, they ask you to be as descriptive as possible. This way you are helping them to help you. Now maybe most of the items on that list are not necessary for troubleshooting your issue, or you just might not think them to be relevant, but when I initially read your post here I thought it wasn't as helpful as it could have been, and then reading your reply where you humiliate the person from roku trying to help you - that isn't going to make him very happy either.
"Joel, not knowing the Roku models is unprofessional. Please print yourself copy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku#Feature_comparison (if nothing else) so you don't ask questions like that. "

Would it have been so hard for you to simply state it was a Roku3 and Roku 2 XS and move on? We both know RokuJoel goes out of his way to help and support users here, and he has to deal with a lot of irritating people - but here you are being one of them.

I would expect to see a short release notes or list of minor changes in the SDK documentation, or in the developer blog, or in a short notice here on the forum when 5.2 is finished being rolled out, just like Roku usually does. (patience)
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

"destruk" wrote:
Would it have been so hard for you to simply state it was a Roku3 and Roku 2 XS and move on? We both know RokuJoel goes out of his way to help and support users here, and he has to deal with a lot of irritating people - but here you are being one of them.

I would expect to see a short release notes or list of minor changes in the SDK documentation, or in the developer blog, or in a short notice here on the forum when 5.2 is finished being rolled out, just like Roku usually does. (patience)

<sigh> you are going on a tangent and wholesale ignoring what i replied you in private message. You want me to repeat it here, fine: First, i would understand if Joel is new here and/or volunteer. Neither is the case- he's been around for a long time and is being paid to support the developers. I don't know for a fact that he "goes out of his way" to help and support - i know RokuShawnS does but i have seen RokuJoel multiple times shoot answers from the hip, showing he did not read or paid attention to what was said. That is annoying and wastes others time and effort. I put an effort when i send my message, i checked and double-checked versions and models, if there is new firmware waiting and so on. I expect the courtesy of when saying it is model 3100 to believe me that IT IS that model - this is not like in live conversation, when you can say "which, which one?" and be told right away - if one is too lazy to spare five seconds to do the check and instead bounce message back just delaying the response by a day, i don't pity that.

Second, as i told you - i did not use "marketing model names" because they are unreliable. What, with the latest announcements of recycling the "Roku 2" name. And with "Roku HD" model being used 3 separate times - in 2009, 2010 and 2012 models. Same for "Roku LT" with 2011 and 2013 different incarnations - you cannot rely on the marketing name to pinpoint the exact model. You can however trust the model number printed on the bottom. I cannot fathom working years for a company and not knowing by heart what their 3xxx and 4xxx series are. And to top it off, this is what is reported by the player itself - open root page on ecp port ( say http://192.168.1.25:8060/ ) and observe:
<root xmlns="urn:schemas-upnp-org:device-1-0">
...
<device>
<deviceType>urn:roku-com:device:player:1-0</deviceType>
<friendlyName>Roku Streaming Player</friendlyName>
<manufacturer>Roku</manufacturer>
<manufacturerURL>http://www.roku.com/</manufacturerURL>
<modelDescription>Roku Streaming Player Network Media</modelDescription>
<modelName>Roku Streaming Player 3100X</modelName>
<modelNumber>3100X</modelNumber>
...
Do you see there "Roku 2 XS"? Me neither.

Now about the "patience" - i don't have it, because this firmware BROKE my app. There are odd errors popping up because of the changes made. I was unable to find any hint of these upcoming changes and that is why i am asking. And if you know something about it, please let me know - otherwise keep idle chat private. Yes, i am cranky because i have to scramble on zero advance notice, blow the dust and cobwebs off Xcode and release new app version to tip-toe around some unannounced 5.2 change - all while keep guessing, because i don't know what exactly is changed and have no idea when 5.2 is rolled out everywhere. In the mean time i will be slapped with negative reviews and may have to yank the app from AppStore, losing literally nteens 🙂 of dollars daily in the process. No, showing short release notes after the fact is not normal for the ecosystem, consider how the big platform makers give you advance disclosure of the things to come. And yes, normally i am nicer person and try to keep mean observations to myself.
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

#1:ECP starting a started channel kicks "503 service unavail

Ok, here is one of my observations - a lesser one but i exercised it well and can lay it in comprehensible way (one can hope).

When a channel (any will do, say Pandora) has been started (is playing), ECP /launch invocation for the same channel fails with http status 503. This happens on fw 5.2.3180 (#3100 <- model number) but does not happen on 5.1.1241 (#4200) and 5.1.1195 (#2400).

That new behavior does not jive well with some of the remote apps out there:

  • "Roku" for iOS app pops error message "Can't connect to Roku Player | Verify that your mobile device and the Roku Player are on the same network | OK"

  • "Roku" for Android - ditto, "Lost Connection | ... " with added button "Check connection"

  • "DVPRemote" app closes (crashes) silently

  • "Remote for Roku" (iOS) - pops "Channel launch failed: service unavailable"

What's the expected behavior... well either do nothing (ignore the launch and stay on the channel) or re-start the channel (e.g. exit, then start again) but 503 makes no sense, it's like the car radio scolding (or zapping) you when pressing button preset#2 while station #2 is playing already, not a good interface.

PS. Seems this new behavior is regression to behavior from fw4.8, per viewtopic.php?f=34&t=51224 - note @RokuKevin said bug was filed on that. It might be the same thing from 4.8, absent in 5.1, came back in 5.2?
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RokuJoel
Binge Watcher

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

"EnTerr" wrote:
"RokuJoel" wrote:
What Roku model are you using?

Joel, not knowing the Roku models is unprofessional. Please print yourself copy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku#Feature_comparison (if nothing else) so you don't ask questions like that.

Quick check there will tell you 4200 is "Roku 3" and 3100 is "Roku 2 XS". 2000 series is Roku HD/XD/XS from the MIPS platform. Hope that clarified it.


Actually my bad for not seeing that you had actually written in the model numbers in your post - probably eye strain or something, too much time staring at the computer monitor.

The thing is, and the reason why I asked in the first place, 5.2 is not released yet to the general public except on our very newest series of devices (not yet released for the original Roku2 and 3 hardware platforms) , so if you have it on a Roku2 XS or Roku3, you were probably authorized for a beta program at some point or are in a very early test-release group. Because the software is not yet released, the issue you are seeing is not currently affecting the majority of users, and may not be an issue in the most recent builds we are testing.

- Joel
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EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: What's new in fw 5.2 ?

"RokuJoel" wrote:
The thing is, and the reason why I asked in the first place, 5.2 is not released yet to the general public except on our very newest series of devices (not yet released for the original Roku2 and 3 hardware platforms) , so if you have it on a Roku2 XS or Roku3, you were probably authorized for a beta program at some point or are in a very early test-release group. Because the software is not yet released, the issue you are seeing is not currently affecting the majority of users, and may not be an issue in the most recent builds we are testing.

Mmmm, it is possible that said Roku2 XS was enrolled for betas at point of time, i get fuzzy on which one, having half a dozen hopping around. If so, I am grateful (yes i am, grumbling notwithstanding) for experiencing those changes before general release so i can prep. Is there some secret place i am supposed to report my findings instead of using the forum? I think forum will be useful for others too (e.g. earlier pointed 3 popular ECP apps de/affected) but if i agreed not to talk about it, remind me so.

And also, if some info can leak on the networking changes in 5.2, please? (i see in forums discussed 5.2 is the M-Go addition but besides that)
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