AND THE RADIO ROKU SERVER IS "DOWN" AGAIN - IT MUST BE THE WEEKEND

As was mentioned earlier in this thread by Alanmc:

"currently Radio Roku IMHO is far too unreliable"

In an earlier post, I voiced my support to adding Slacker to the Roku.

Slacker has added a new feature to the Slacker Web player. If you are a Radio Plus or Premium Subscriber, you can get full lyrics to songs by clicking on the Song Name on the Now Playing screen.

This may be a feature that addresses the "why have radio on TV?" question.

dvo01 wrote:

In an earlier post, I voiced my support to adding Slacker to the Roku.

Slacker has added a new feature to the Slacker Web player. If you are a Radio Plus or Premium Subscriber, you can get full lyrics to songs by clicking on the Song Name on the Now Playing screen.

This may be a feature that addresses the "why have radio on TV?" question.

Well, I had never even thought about it, but also it could lead to the world's first Karaoke On Demand? Or is there already such a thing? Maybe some of the videos available on Amazon are just that. I'll have to look later.

As long as I am at it, another ignored area of the music business is sheet music (chords, lyrics, etc.). I think we've strayed from why I was asking about the ability to use the DVP as a Digital Music Streamer, but I can't help but mention this side-pet-economics-point.

jl

jlsoaz wrote:

dvo01 wrote:

In an earlier post, I voiced my support to adding Slacker to the Roku.

Slacker has added a new feature to the Slacker Web player. If you are a Radio Plus or Premium Subscriber, you can get full lyrics to songs by clicking on the Song Name on the Now Playing screen.

This may be a feature that addresses the "why have radio on TV?" question.

Well, I had never even thought about it, but also it could lead to the world's first Karaoke On Demand? Or is there already such a thing? Maybe some of the videos available on Amazon are just that. I'll have to look later.

As long as I am at it, another ignored area of the music business is sheet music (chords, lyrics, etc.). I think we've strayed from why I was asking about the ability to use the DVP as a Digital Music Streamer, but I can't help but mention this side-pet-economics-point.

jl

There already is Karaoke On Demand or at least there was. Comcast had it as an On Demand option, most of the songs were "in the stlye of" the originals though since the rights cost so much. I think this is like most Karaoke though. Anyway, not sure if they still have it, but they did at one point.

I would like it to do Sirius too.

RokuAnthony wrote:

Yes, the video player could do internet radio (or pandora or whatever).

We internally debate whether customers would appreciate music on it. You would have to turn on your TV to select the music. What do you think?

Why do they have so much trouble realizing that a visual interface is actually important for streaming audio? I dare them to try to use Rhapsody without a visual interface. Even if they set up all their preferences, favorite 30 channels, and 30 personal playlists online with their PC, they'd still want a visual interface and a handheld remote to help pick one to play at any given time through their entertainment system. (And that's why Roku's Soundbridge gimmick is obsolete.) And cover art can help make the service easy, addictive, and even stimulate purchase of tracks back via their PC.

Whoever in Roku is still wasting time debating this simply doesn't "get it" -- probably because they grew up when the only visual selection method for remotely-provided music and news was to turn the dial on their radio.

Of course, I recognize the need to partner with a streaming audio service that is able to be profitable. Rhapsody is the audio equivalent of Netflix because of their dominant revenue stream in their category and existing Internet streaming capability (not to mention the fact that Roku already knows how to do Rhapsody since it's supported by their Soundbridge). (Those are advantages of supporting Rhapsody before considering free streaming music services.)

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they could implement Rhapsody in less time and with less cost than the time they are wasting debating and doing "market research" on this.

CraiginNJ wrote:

[...]

Of course, I recognize the need to partner with a streaming audio service that is able to be profitable. Rhapsody is the audio equivalent of Netflix because of their dominant revenue stream in their category and existing Internet streaming capability (not to mention the fact that Roku already knows how to do Rhapsody since it's supported by their Soundbridge). (Those are advantages of supporting Rhapsody before considering free streaming music services.)

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they could implement Rhapsody in less time and with less cost than the time they are wasting debating and doing "market research" on this.

They could have at least five channels: one to your own network library of music files, one to Radio Roku (warts and all), one to your presets and one to Rhapsody. Perhaps a fifth to Amazon, since buying MP3s on amazon is about as easy as renting and buying Videos On Demand, and Roku is already partnering well with them.

However, I agree that Rhapsody seems like a good candidate. Last I looked at the devices offered as part of Rhapsody's page, I don't recall the Roku being there, but rather many Roku competitors. I first bought a Roku Soundbridge by finding it listed on the Rhapsody page as a device that would work well with Rhapsody, and I looked into it, and it was an affordable risk. So, your Rhapsody comment is a good one, but things seem to have changed and the Rhapsody-Roku togetherness doesn't seem to be as much there as it used to be?

Bottom line, whether music or karaoke or movie or sheet music or visual still art or photos or newspaper articles or album art or other files, they're all digital media and all could be handled by a digital media streamer configured for such. Some of them are static files (photos and text news articles), and their organization and archiving and purchasing may for some reasons not be as oriented to the Digital Media Streamer treatment, but a digital Media Streamer can in theory do any of these, from a technological viewpoint.

I think your points about getting going with streaming audio-radio through the DVP seem to be worth at least thinking over. If some competitors already do it and that is an attractive part of their hardware sales pitch, then is it that controversial for Roku? Why not just do it?

If Roku sells a DVP (or DMP would perhaps be a better future name) for use with a TV screen (i.e.: "monitor sold separately"), in a way this is just a soundbridge with a "monitor sold separately" as an alternative to the LED readout? Buyers can have a choice as to whether they want the built-in screen of the Soundbridge, or a separate screen that gives them a superior view, but might have some drawbacks in the eyes of some or many users?

jl

jlsoaz wrote:

CraiginNJ wrote:

[...]

Of course, I recognize the need to partner with a streaming audio service that is able to be profitable. Rhapsody is the audio equivalent of Netflix because of their dominant revenue stream in their category and existing Internet streaming capability (not to mention the fact that Roku already knows how to do Rhapsody since it's supported by their Soundbridge). (Those are advantages of supporting Rhapsody before considering free streaming music services.)

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they could implement Rhapsody in less time and with less cost than the time they are wasting debating and doing "market research" on this.

They could have at least five channels: one to your own network library of music files, one to Radio Roku (warts and all), one to your presets and one to Rhapsody. Perhaps a fifth to Amazon, since buying MP3s on amazon is about as easy as renting and buying Videos On Demand, and Roku is already partnering well with them.

However, I agree that Rhapsody seems like a good candidate. Last I looked at the devices offered as part of Rhapsody's page, I don't recall the Roku being there, but rather many Roku competitors. I first bought a Roku Soundbridge by finding it listed on the Rhapsody page as a device that would work well with Rhapsody, and I looked into it, and it was an affordable risk. So, your Rhapsody comment is a good one, but things seem to have changed and the Rhapsody-Roku togetherness doesn't seem to be as much there as it used to be?

Bottom line, whether music or karaoke or movie or sheet music or visual still art or photos or newspaper articles or album art or other files, they're all digital media and all could be handled by a digital media streamer configured for such. Some of them are static files (photos and text news articles), and their organization and archiving and purchasing may for some reasons not be as oriented to the Digital Media Streamer treatment, but a digital Media Streamer can in theory do any of these, from a technological viewpoint.

I think your points about getting going with streaming audio-radio through the DVP seem to be good ones. If some competitors already do it and that is an attractive part of their hardware sales pitch, then is it that controversial? If Roku sells a DVP (or DMP would perhaps be a better future name) for use with a TV screen, in a way this is just a soundbridge with a TV Screen sold separately as an alternative to the LED readout. Buyers can have a choice?

jl

Amazon for MP3s? How would that work? They are for download only right? I don't think they stream. I want something like Live365 or Pandora or something like that, if it is not a free audio thing, I won't use it since I can get the same stuff for free via the PC connected to my HT setup.

billc124 wrote:

I want something like Live365 or Pandora or something like that, if it is not a free audio thing, I won't use it since I can get the same stuff for free via the PC connected to my HT setup.

With all due respect, if you are a person willing to accept having to use a PC to get streaming audio to your HT setup, then you aren't the kind of person they're trying to cater to with the Roku DVP. Most people won't bother with something that requires that much extra effort, especially if they prefer to keep the two in separate rooms.

I actually installed all sorts of wires between my PC's in my "study" and my entertainment room, but I almost never use them (except the LAN). It's too much effort (and wastes electricity). Streaming audio (e.g., Rhapsody or something) over the DVP would give me the convenience I've been waiting for (just as it did for my Netflix instant viewing).

Regardless of our opinions, it might boil down to a question of whether Roku is trying to maximize DVP box sales, or whether their priority is finding partners with $$$'s who can subsidize (or at least offer free tech development assistance with) the development cost of supporting another proprietary platform. I'm sure Roku would be glad to partner with Pandora if Pandora paid for the development cost, but my guess is that Pandora's revenue is too small to afford to do that.

RokuAnthony wrote:

Yes, the video player could do internet radio (or pandora or whatever).

We internally debate whether customers would appreciate music on it. You would have to turn on your TV to select the music. What do you think?

Yes, but once you select the channel, turn off your TV and turn on your stereo system. That's what we do with our Samsung BD-P1600

I listen to the digital music channels from my cable TV system daily and regularly listen to music files on my Playstation 3 and Pandora through the PS3's Internet browser. Ideally any radio streaming through a TV connected component would have a built in screen saver, which is why I don't listen to Pandora more often through the PS3 (if you turn the TV off, Pandora "times out" after an hour of no user input being provided.)

We have a Denon iPod dock that streams internet radio. We can play from the iPod or select among a few favorites or go searching for others, using the TV screen and an xbar type tree, and then turn off the TV. The TV interface is pretty fast and easier than peering at the iPod once we got used to it. We've stopped using the AM/FM tuner altogether.

We have a MVP that can do something similar but it needs the PC on to stream.

So I think this would be a useful feature where you didn't have a similar device.

elorimer wrote:

We have a Denon iPod dock that streams internet radio. We can play from the iPod or select among a few favorites or go searching for others, using the TV screen and an xbar type tree, and then turn off the TV. The TV interface is pretty fast and easier than peering at the iPod once we got used to it. We've stopped using the AM/FM tuner altogether.

We have a MVP that can do something similar but it needs the PC on to stream.

So I think this would be a useful feature where you didn't have a similar device.

I think if we take note of various competing devices, particularly video players, that also provide this sound-through-the-TV-or-multimedia-system capability, then this will "help" Roku decision-makers see that we have some case made for adding music (radio and music file, local and internet) capability to the DVP, to make it a DMP. Yes, there are some strong competing arguments such as keeping things simple and affordable, the right tools for the right jobs, and not canibalizing their own line. However, on this last point, I t see it as debatable. If they don't offer a combined all-media device, or most media, I think someone else might. Dunno if it will make money.

jlsoaz wrote:

If they don't offer a combined all-media device, or most media, I think someone else might. Dunno if it will make money.

"Someone" already does, Samsung, in the form of their last two blu-ray players which do Netflix and Pandora, Tivo HD (which does Netflix, Amazon, and Rhapsody), and the PS3, which even without PlayOn software, can do Hulu, Pandora, YouTube, and others through its Internet browser. Most of those players are much more expensive, but they are out there and media streaming is the new "value added" feature many TVs and blu-ray players are offering. As a PS3 owner, I actually would not have bought a Roku if PlayOn was a little more stable and could do HD.

Satnamji wrote:

jlsoaz wrote:

If they don't offer a combined all-media device, or most media, I think someone else might. Dunno if it will make money.

"Someone" already does, Samsung, in the form of their last two blu-ray players which do Netflix and Pandora, Tivo HD (which does Netflix, Amazon, and Rhapsody), and the PS3, which even without PlayOn software, can do Hulu, Pandora, YouTube, and others through its Internet browser. Most of those players are much more expensive, but they are out there and media streaming is the new "value added" feature many TVs and blu-ray players are offering. As a PS3 owner, I actually would not have bought a Roku if PlayOn was a little more stable and could do HD.

Good to know all these things. Do you know of any that can stream or play local MP3 or video or picture files from one's own network? Of can they only play from those sites on the net? It sounds like with something that has a browser, I could in theory may be upload to a passworded website link and then download to my TV, if I wanted to play them that way?