Roku Launches New Channel Store with 10 New Channels

Roku is launching a new channel store for the Roku Player, and is adding 10 new free channels: Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision 3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox, and MobileTribe. The Roku Channel store will work on all 3 Roku Player models and will be available to all Roku customers within 2 weeks, but if you have a Roku Player you can install the update as soon as its available by going to "Roku Player Setttings," selecting "player info," and "check for update."

 

Adding and deleting channels is easy through the Roku Channel Store menu, and new channels will automatically appear in the store as they are launched.

Roku is making the Roku Channel Store SDK available for free, and Roku is promoting the Player as an open platform where anyone can create a channel.

 "The Roku Channel Store turns the Roku player into the world's first open platform designed specifically for the TV," Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. said, "Now content producers and distributors --from single person shops to billion dollar corporations -- can deliver their content directly to consumers without having to go exclusively through cable operators, satellite networks or TV affiliates."

With an estimated 300,000 - 400,000 Roku players already in use, the Roku Player is an interesting way for video and content companies to use to get their content on the TV. 

Here's a detailed walkthrough of the new Roku Channel Store and a tour of several channels:

If you're going to try one of the new channels, be prepared to go through a one-time activation process that is similar to when you originally setup your Roku. You'll need to read the code on your TV screen and enter it on Flickr, Pandora, or other websites to activate the Roku Player. If your computer is not near the TV a pen and paper is helpful since some of the codes are quite long.

The channel lineup is interesting, and includes social media, audio, photo sharing, web content, and professional video, and Roku says that many more are already in the works. I see the Roku Player as a complement to my cable box for now, not a product that will enable me to cut the cord (yet).

The channels I'd most like to see: YouTube and Hulu. What new channels would you like to see Roku add?

Comments

[striatic]

so .. channel store?

does this mean that some of the channels you have to pay for?

if so, which ones and how much?

[Mike]

The Roku Player update and new channels are free. - Mike

[Brady]

Channels I'd most like to see. The Mtn and Big 10 Networks

[jt]

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm just now finding out about the Roku and learning of its features. Are there any plans to stream content from a local network? For instance, if I have home movies on my PC, can the Roku pick up my wireless network and connect to my PC to stream them?

[banter]

@ jt

No.

[George]

Local streaming....

[Del]

I was beta testing the channels for a while now, I like Revision3, Twit.tv, Blip.tv and Pandora alot. All the channels are free and as of a couple of weeks ago the SDK was not released.

[Kam]

@jt

You can use Motionbox on Roku to watch home movies.

I am loving Revision3 and Pandora, and there are some real gems on Mediafly. Opening up the Roku to content providers is a great move, and I'm excited to see what the channel store looks like a year from now.

[dAVe]

I've had a Motionbox account for 2 years now so seeing it's name in the Channel Store listing has peaked my curiousity!

[byteme]

I don't own a Roku, though I've been considering getting one. As it is, I've been holding off because the investment is a bit much for an appliance with such limited functionality. Plus, if I decided to cancel Netflix or if Netflix changes or discontinues Instant Watch, it basically becomes an expensive paperweight.

At least the addition of more functionality (channels) alleviates that somewhat.

Forgive my ignorance, but...why don't they just add a browser with the appropriate Java, Flash, etc., plugins allowing access to all of the web? If they did, I certainly would make the jump and get one. It would then automatically give access to things like Youtube and Hulu (whether the site owners wanted that access or not.) You might even be able to play some online games on the unit.

[Joe Luna]

Roku is not allowing manual update so far today. The website says customer will get the roll out within two week. Frustrating for owners that want to check the new features.

[corq]

same here I tried to manually update both of my players, but the customer service rep stated they are rolling it out to select beta testers now I guess, and we should see updates in the next two weeks. I am not teh chosen :/

[Tim]

Same for me. I can't get the update, which is a real letdown. I have been following sites for news on this update for weeks. Hopefully the update will be available soon. I don't really understand a reason for the delay.

[banter]

I think if you keep cycling ontop updates it will eventually force it. I'm pretty sure thats what people did for the amazon update.

[matt]

I want fora.tv and c-span. I am a wonk I know.

[banter]

setanta please

[José]

I've tried updating my Roku from the settings menu, but it says that my player is up to date. :(

Are they doing it by regions? I'm in South Texas. I'm so impatient two weeks ago they said they would have it up for everyone and now reports from cnet, yahoo are saying that it would be two weeks from yesterday.

I'll just have to play the waiting game.

[Jimmy Fashionistu]

Bah, obviously ROKU and/or a lot of writers screwed up by not making it clear that the update isn't available yet.

I wasn't sure if my box was too old, or if my box was broken some how. After reading comments (not articles), I learn that the new software simply isn't available to everyone right now, and will be made available sometime in the (hopefully) near future.

[scott]

No updates available for me in NY as of this morning.

[Isaac Church]

To get the update manually check for updates three times and you'll get it. The instructions are sent with the email from Roku.

[Steve.]

I signed up for a Roku account yesterday and received an email just now that I could update my player. There is a LOT of content here. This is a GREAT move by Roku.

[José]

Yay I got the update! :) I checked several times & that didn't help, so when I came back home I tried again and I got it. :)

Pretty neat, now I need to get my channels set up.
I'm the guy from South Texas by the way, so just try to update before watching a movie.

[Matt]

Got the update. Enjoying it thus far. Watched some podcasts. Rev3 has the higher quality there. signed on to pandora for the first time since 06 and it is improved greatly. and a slideshow of top rated flickr images will be great for the background at parties.

[Marcelo Teson]

I would like to see a local streaming app, ESPN360, and Justin.tv

[Matt]

adultswim.com, there's a good amount of streaming on that site. And of course the aforementioned Hulu.