Disappointed in Roku 'net radio apps....

[radio]

Our station began "public" net broadcasting today, and the server is a shoutcast server, but from a company not with that name. (Viastream-excellent to work with, by the way.)....

We're publicly listed, and working on the phone apps for TuneIn and Shoutcast, our format of stream plays just fine. On the Roku app for TuneIn, we're not compatible. Wouldn't you think the third party streamer would want consistency on all the platforms on which they appear? I was hoping to use TuneIn to check on the stream now and then, but apparently it won't work with ROKU's TuneIn app.

Then, Shoutcast has us up and running on my engineer's smartphone, but.. "search" after 24 hours brings nothing up on the Roku Shoutcast app, and if we use the category in which the phone app has us, you have to look at MANY sub-categories, and we don't know which one!

I'm quite surprised that there is no consistency between the phone apps for these services and the Roku "channels" in how they work.

Granted, they're free. I'm not complaining as a "you owe us" kind of thing. They don't. They're not our primary streamer. I'm just surprised at the lack of support from one platform to another. We'd enjoy being able to promote their platform on Roku to our listeners just as much as our own site, or our apps in google play and the one coming soon for i-phones, too.

Not a bad thing to have to go to our site for listening, just an observation regarding convenience of 3rd party streamers.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It might be due to the AAC+ format.

On my Squeezebox if I go to the TuneIn App it tells me that the WION stream is not compatible. However if I go to MySqueezebox.COM and enter the Direct URL for the WION stream it plays fine on the squeezebox, which means it is compatible!

 

[mike123abc]

Sounds like a need for detailed instructions on your website on how to add your station to Roku.

 

[Mr Tony]

Sounds like a need for detailed instructions on your website on how to add your station to Roku.

agreed!

 

[radio]

The Roku app allows no "account" intervention for direct input, or associating with any kind of account.
Looks like Roku is just "out." Sad. We researched for best quality and bandwidth. Measured our stream against
the "big boys" and we're much wider. Sad that the "re-streamers" can't handle it.

 

[radio]

It might be due to the AAC+ format.
On my Squeezebox if I go to the TuneIn App it tells me that the WION stream is not compatible. However if I go to MySqueezebox.COM and enter the Direct URL for the WION stream it plays fine on the squeezebox, which means it is compatible!

Exactly correct! And, by the way, Scott...we chose that box for the Expo giveaway this year! It took the stream INSTANTLY when entered on the website, and I was amazed you could set up an account without a PC!
It is the AAC stopping the ROKU from working, you are right. Strange how they have no issue re-streaming it on phones!

 

[eurosport]

Solution. Broadcast an mp3 stream instead. Compatible with just about any player.

Sent from my DROIDX using SatelliteGuys

 

[NE8E]

Solution. Broadcast an mp3 stream instead. Compatible with just about any player.

We did consider keeping one of the streams MP3. In fact, it was very late in the process when we decided to drop MP3 completely! We listened to every flavor of mp3 codec. The only ones that were even tolerable had to be streamed at 196k or more! MP3 just sounds horrible! We have invested so much time and money into our sound, and it shows. We get regular praise from new listeners on both our AM and FM sound. Imagine what people would think, tuning into a 48k mp3 stream, to hear us bragging about our amazing sound.

The other issue was bandwidth. AAC sounds so much better at lower bandwidth, it seemed like a "no brainer". Our area is very rural. High Speed Internet is very rare. We have mostly dial-up people out here. Many people have Satellite for internet with very low bandwidth caps. AAC took care of that problem too.

Hopefully all the 3rd party's out there jump on the modern AAC bandwagon, and get off MP3 sinking ship. Anyway, this was our thought process that went into the decision to stream AAC only. Who knows, if there are enough issues, we may have to consider adding an MP3. I tend to doubt it. There seems to be a work around for everyone so far.

 

[eurosport]

We did consider keeping one of the streams MP3. In fact, it was very late in the process when we decided to drop MP3 completely! We listened to every flavor of mp3 codec. The only ones that were even tolerable had to be streamed at 196k or more! MP3 just sounds horrible! We have invested so much time and money into our sound, and it shows. We get regular praise from new listeners on both our AM and FM sound. Imagine what people would think, tuning into a 48k mp3 stream, to hear us bragging about our amazing sound.

The other issue was bandwidth. AAC sounds so much better at lower bandwidth, it seemed like a "no brainer". Our area is very rural. High Speed Internet is very rare. We have mostly dial-up people out here. Many people have Satellite for internet with very low bandwidth caps. AAC took care of that problem too.

Hopefully all the 3rd party's out there jump on the modern AAC bandwagon, and get off MP3 sinking ship. Anyway, this was our thought process that went into the decision to stream AAC only. Who knows, if there are enough issues, we may have to consider adding an MP3. I tend to doubt it. There seems to be a work around for everyone so far.

Good points, but to me anyway, MP3 at 128k actually sounds pretty good. But, if the AAC stream actually works on a dial-up connection AND sounds good, then that's very cool!

 

[navychop]

..... We listened to every flavor of mp3 codec. The only ones that were even tolerable had to be streamed at 196k or more! MP3 just sounds horrible! .......

Better not tell that to a gazillion teenagers and twenty somethings!

If it ain't portable, it ain't. SIGH. I find no one under 30 appreciates good surround sound, much less a good home theater. I've seen my son turn up his nose at a BD on a 61" screen in favor of streaming to his laptop.

Heck, I'd love to go to a live Big Band presentation. Haven't seen one in many years. But now I'm really getting off topic.

UPHILL! BOTH WAYS! IN THE SNOW!