Roku App Broken? Yes it is. Here's the solution. [UPDATE 11/23]

Our Roku app is broken. Some changes on the back-end broke the Roku app. Unfortunately we can't revert those changes because without them other stuff is going to break. We submitted an update to Roku and they say it will take about two weeks to get that update public.

Don't Panic!

We made the app available as a Private App now. To install that version while you wait for the public version:

Login to your Roku account here: https://my.roku.com

Go here: https://my.roku.com/account/add?channel=9PTPQV

Click Add Channel.

That should do it! Sorry for the hassle...

VERY LATEST UPDATE:

We fixed All The Bugs! Delete the last app and re-add it using the link above. Some stuff may be wonky until we get a site build live around Nov 23, 15:00 PST

@edgework: no, you should only have to authenticate once in the app...

This is great and horrible news. I hope this gets fixed, as at the end of the day all I want to do is lay down and watch some sweet, sweet Giant Bomb Premium Content.

The Roku app is the primary way I consume GB premium video content! It'll be pretty tragic if it gets abandoned.

@pedantics1: Same here.

Thank you very much for putting up the temporary app. Seems to be working. Love using Roku to access all the videos.

@edgework: Thanks for the app. Back in this thread there were two repos mentioned. One from Whiskey Media that hasn't been touched in 4 years, and one from cbsi that sounds like it's more up-to-date, but 404s for me. Not sure which one you based this temporary app on.

I don't know much about Roku app development, but I'd be willing to learn and help out with it when I have free time.

@pedantics1: it hasn't been updated since March of 2013. It already was abandoned, it just continued to work since they didn't make any big changes until now.

Paging @alexisg or @sdornan, if either of them still check the forums.

Count me as another user who primarily views GB content through the Roku channel. Given the popularity of the Roku and other streaming boxes, I would imagine that there are plenty of others for whom this is true.

To the CBSi developers - having some Roku development on your resume might not be such a bad thing. Streaming boxes have just been getting more popular year after year, and Roku is one of the big players in this space. I'm not sure why learning a new marketable skill (and satisfying your community in the process) qualifies as "hating yourself."

For a modern media company like CBSi, you would think this would be a much higher priority than it seems to be.

Man, this is how I watch all GB content. Holding out hope that this will somehow get solved despite that seeming unlikely. Regardless glad to see people are aware.

OMG thank you thank you thank you! Today is hangover day and I must have GB on the roku as part of the healing process

This app can not be abandoned, that would be a nightmare. I don't know if I could handle that, this is the only way I consume gb video.

@polishhill: Seconded! Love the Roku and Boxee apps!

I use the Roku app like 90% of the time for watching GB content. I've been freaking out all day about this being busted. I'll try out the private channel.

@edgework I know Brightscript fairly well. I've got a few channels published in the Roku store and an open source code base for said channels. I would be glad to help.

Just a quick bump of support for this. I love the app and would like to see it working. The new one worked for me for a night but seems to have stopped functioning. Hope we see some kind of update. :)

@notsonic: you're a true gentleman.

Having my premium membership rendered useless would be really, really shitty...

Thanks for the info. Giant Bomb on the Roku IS my TV and I watch it pretty much every day. I'm always concerned when Jeff talks about how few people use it. Maybe if they promoted it on the podcasts more people would adopt. Or if an Xbox app or something was developed that'd be fine, I don't care as long as it's in my living room. Thanks again.

Is anyone at Giant Bomb managing the Boxee app, or that an externally developed project? It looks like that app has suffered a similar fate, which along with the poorly supported on-device browser leaves me with no simple way to get that Giant Bomb goodness on the big screen.

For you folks having big screen withdrawels, I use my PS4's built-in web browser to watch premium content. It works great! Not sure if Xbox would work because I don't have one.

@edgework will other services that use the API (eg the Plex channel) need work as well? Once the API changes are finalized, I can update that.

Just another person who watches GB on Roku. Thanks to all who are fixing it.

Another person that watches virtually all GB content on the Roku app. I really hope it gets updated. Maybe we could see an Apple TV app sometime in the future too?

@cochise99: I'm sure you've already done this, but just AirPlay from Video Buddy. Agreed though, an actual ATV4 app would be rad.

We're not abandoning it. We just don't have any plans to continue ongoing development. We'll keep it running as-is. Maybe I'm just too picky and what I consider broken you guys don't even notice. I'm hoping that there's a better version of the code out there but from what I can tell I have the very latest. The stuff in the Whiskey Media Repo is what our code is based on. We forked that repo under CBSi but didn't do anything with that fork. I deleted that fork and mirrored the repo from Whiskey but that is private since its going to have some private keys added to it soon. ...anyway I'll definitely fix the need for constant re-authentication, but anything beyond that isn't really likely unless someone contacts me who wants to work on it.

IMO, regarding Brightcode. I can see why there are so few people who know how to develop apps for that thing. There are no tools for it, no debuggers, linters etc. Its a mess. Its the Roku founder's side project and IMO is the reason Apple is about to eat Roku's lunch. It was a dumb idea. They should have used Python or JavaScript or any other open source language with a whole bunch of dev tools and people who know it. Too bad ego got in the way and they included a "superior" language instead.

@ascagnel: They shouldn't but it seems some made the HD url processing way too complicated and a change in that URL format is causing problems. I'm hearing that Plex is broken now too. Contact me directly and I'll tell you why it broke. Its simple.

@dshs70: Why would it be worthless? We'll fix the Roku (to get it working).

@edgework: Thank you. Fixing the constant need to authenticate is all I can honestly hope for, probably the same for most of us too. If there is ever an app for the xbox or ps4 or apple tv that would be cool. I know nothing about coding language, but I'll take your word for it. A well done super sleek app would be awesome.

Thanks for continuing to look at this Edgework, I'll echo the others here and state that I do quite a bit of binge watching on the multiple Roku's in my house (which yes I bought just to use this app.)

Thank you for continuing to update the community as well, much appreciated!

@edgework: brightscript seems like a pain, but it's supposed to be fairly easy to get something up and running and Roku provides sample channels to look at. They're big on lower cost devices and supporting legacy Rokus for a fairly long time. Brightscript ensures that devs develop for their devices instead of porting over from more powerful ones at the cost of performance. Plus Apple isn't going to allow apps like Vudu or Amazon to sell or rent video without their Apple cut.

Even though their stock layouts are kind of ugly, coming from a more powerful Fire TV I find Roku often still runs better with less hiccups. Can't count how many times I've been hit with a android phone UI screen while using fire tv.

@edgework: I pay for premium to have access to HD on my TVs via the Roku channel. I have no real desire to watch long-form video hunched over my laptop instead. Failing a solution to the problem of the recent spate of reliability issues with the medium in which I consume premium content other than "I don't know, buy an Apple TV." makes it increasingly more difficult to feel good about paying for an annual subscription. And that sucks.

@dshs70: he said they're fixing it...

I was looking at trying to update the GB app and the problem is there are no tools for Brightscript other than a shoddy Eclipse plugin.

@dshs70: We'll get the Roku working as it has up to now.

@mosdl: Have you tried asking for help on the Roku dev forum?

Honestly, I think the Brightscript complaints are a bit unfounded. Like every backwater Baptist church has a function Roku channel, so I'm sure the people at CBSi will be able to figure something out. After all, there is a CNET Roku Channel.

@edgework: Thanks for all the work you are doing. Been using the Roku app since the day it was brought out and its been great.

Wouldn't be opposed to picking up an Apple TV if an app was made for that, if its going to be easier to maintain I'm all for it.

App Updated!!!! Re-read original post and download latest version...

Did it. It works just like it used to. Thank you to all who made this work again. Great support from edgework.

Thanks for the update! I hope the Boxee dev has as much success as you had with the Roku updates! Appreciate you and your team!

@edgework: Yes! Thanks a ton, even if only a few of us use it, restoring functionality is like an early Christmas gift. I'll sacrifice a turkey this week in your honor.

Thanks for the work!

Thanks for all the hard work!

Edit: For what it's worth, I'm still having the same issue on the most recent UPF video, although the other videos seem to work.

Edit #2: False alarm. It seems to be working now!

@edgework I still need to update my apps, but thank you guys for continuing to keep the app functioning as is - That is all we need :)

Thank you so much for taking care of this so fast! Love you guys!

OMG this is great THANK YOU!!!

When the videos stopped playing i was freaking out because i assumed the roku app had been long abandoned. I'd only recently started using it and I love it! Was in the middle of catching up on some Metal Gear Scanlon... thought my life was ruined!! THANKS AGAIN FOR KEEPING THIS UP!!!

Anyone else having trouble again? I added the private channel which fixed it, but as of this afternoon content is no longer playing on Roku again for me.