Using Viddler with Roku

Viddler's Overture video hosting and delivery platform can be used to insert multiple video streams into a Roku channel using a single URL. Viddler allows complex Roku channels with large numbers of videos to be quickly built and easily maintained.

• Your channel must either be newly created, or be at Update #279 or higher in order to use Viddler.

To set up Viddler within Instant TV Channel:
  1. Log into your Instant TV Channel account.
  2. Select Channels from the menu along the left side of the page.
  3. Select the channel that you wish to use Viddler with. Each channel that you want to use Viddler with must be set up separately.
  4. Click the Services link on the left side of the page. The Instant TV Channel Services page will be displayed.
  5. Locate the Viddler Video Content Storage section of the page and populate the Viddler Username, Viddler Password and Viddler API Key parameters with the values provided by Viddler.
  6. Additional Viddler Video Content Storage parameter:
    • Viddler Parameter Override - If set to Yes, allow any non-blank parameters specified in the Instant TV Channel Content Editor to override corresponding parameters specified in the Viddler Overture console.
Viddler video streams can be used two different ways with Instant TV Channel:
  1. As individual video content items.

    Use an Instant TV Channel/Viddler URL (example: vr://af37952) as the Stream Url parameter in a Video or Audio content item in the Content Editor. The final 7 characters of the URL is a Viddler video id that can be obtained by examining the browser's URL for the video when editing the video within the Viddler Overture console.

    When using Viddler content, do not use multiple bitrate Streams (Stream 1, Stream 2, etc) in the Content Editor, it is only necessary to put the Viddler URL into the Stream 1 Url parameter. Viddler video streams contain built-in multi-bitrate renditions that will be automatically selected based on each Roku player's measured Internet connection speed.

  2. As playlists containing multiple video content items.

    Use an Instant TV Channel/Viddler URL (example: vr://728606594921e1ee) as the Url parameter in an MRSS or Playlist content item in the Content Editor. The final 16 characters of the URL is a Viddler playlist id that can be obtained by examining the browser's URL for the video when editing the playlist within the Viddler Overture console.

    As with individual Viddler videos, Instant TV Channel will automatically select the correct playlist video rendition bitrate based on each Roku player's measured Internet connection speed.

Viddler Tags can be used to populate any of the Roku parameters used in Instant TV Channel.

  • The format for the tags is RokuParameter: Value.
  • The Roku parameter names are spelled exactly as they are displayed within the Instant TV Channel editor screens.
  • For example, to display "2014" as the Release Date for a video, this Viddler tag would be used: ReleaseDate: 2014
  • Tags are only supported for individual Viddler video items, but not for Viddler playlists. Tags may be supported in Viddler playlists when Viddler releases their V3 API.

If the Keys & CDNs page's Viddler Parameter Override is set to Yes, prefixing a video's Title parameter in the Instant TV Channel Content Editor with "&" will prevent the Title parameter from overriding Viddler's Title parameter as the on-screen Title of the video. This can be used to override specific Viddler parameters other than Title, without having to use a blank Title in the Content Editor.

Instant TV Channel will automatically use all available Viddler metadata such as title, length, description, and thumbnail. It is not necessary to populate these items in the Content Editor when using Viddler content.


Please see this step-by-step guide for further information about how to use Playlists with Instant TV Channel.

Questions and comments about this Roku developer guide can be emailed to .

Instant TV Channel is a cloud-based tool for Roku developers and content providers that shortens development time and eases maintenance after deployment.


Subtitles

If you are considering subtitles for your Roku video content, our sister-site InstantSubtitles.com provides an easy-to-use and inexpensive solution. Click here for more information.




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