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Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

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Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#11

Post by ceejayoz »

stefan_ wrote: post #9
908B64B197 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. That's the behavior I would expect from a full screen app. ie, if I issue a command in a full screen app for the command to be interpreted in the context of that app.

Maybe, maybe not? If I'm in Google Maps, should Siri offer me Google^TM-themed recommendations?

If I'm actively using Google Maps, I'd love for Siri to respond to "get directions to McDonalds" within the Google Maps context instead of opening Apple's.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#13

Post by djanogo »

908B64B197 wrote: post #3
s3r3nity wrote: post #2

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with…

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. That's the behavior I would expect from a full screen app. ie, if I issue a command in a full screen app for the command to be interpreted in the context of that app.

That's not at all how voice assists are meant to work. Voice icon in cars/remotes are all meant to provide answers or take commands irrespective of what's happening on that device or other devices they control.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#14

Post by fra »

s3r3nity wrote: post #2

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with…

I'm not quite ready to take out the pitchforks...

> Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with Google's Chromecast.

This could simply mean Google is requiring chips with hardware VP9 support

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora.

This is both what many users would expect (if I have an app open, voice search works within that app), and a pretty reasonable ask for any business (don't show competitor's offering when searching within my app).

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#15

Post by p49k »

ceejayoz wrote: post #11
stefan_ wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, maybe not? If I'm in Google Maps, should Siri offer me Google^TM-themed recommendations?

If I'm actively using Google Maps, I'd love for Siri to respond to "get directions to McDonalds" within the Google Maps context instead of opening Apple's.

Sure, but that’s not what Google is asking of Roku.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#16

Post by honksillet »

I guess this is a good a place as any to say that the video quality on youtubeTV is atrocious. I was shocked when I watch a live NFL game on the Roku amazon prime app. Also ytTV has just about double in price in less than 3 years.

Roku has some issues too. Namely, it autodownloads a new random app about once a week so Im constant deleting apps from my home page.

Lastly, this sounds a lot like, "Comcast Cale users might lose the ESPN Chanel ...". I'm pretty sick of all these xorporations.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#17

Post by 908B64B197 »

djanogo wrote: post #13
908B64B197 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. That's the behavior I would expect from a full screen app. ie, if I issue a command in a full screen app for the command to be interpreted in the context of that app.

That's not at all how voice assists are meant to work. Voice icon in cars/remotes are all meant to provide answers or take commands irrespective of what's happening on that device or other devices they control.

In a car sure. On a living room TV?

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#18

Post by enragedcacti »

ericra wrote: post #5

I have always used a Roku for TV streaming, but things like this are making it more difficult. Something similar happened with Amazon and the Twitch app for Roku. Amazon obviously wants you to use a Fire product to access Twitch, and they completely removed support for the Twitch app for Roku. Even the unofficial Twitch app shut down shortly after this, leaving no reasonable way to access Twitch content from a Roku.…

Twitch on Roku is really frustrating. The unofficial app worked perfectly for me and then the dev faced legal action from Amazon. One thing I have found is that using the "Roku Stream Tester" dev tool you can push a twitch stream to your TV to play it.

You can use this site to get the .m3u8 URL for the stream at whatever res you want: https://pwn.sh/tools/getstream.html

Then use this tool with your Roku in dev mode: http://devtools.web.roku.com/stream_tester/html/

This is a giant pain in the ass obviously but it does work if you just want to use it occasionally. The Stream Tester works through a REST API so theoretically someone could write a browser plugin or app to automate all of this.

edit: a fun side affect of this is that the stream plays better than it ever did in the official twitch app or even on my Non-4k fire TV. 60fps is really smooth whereas on the FireTV or the Twitch app for Roku it would hitch and stutter occasionally

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#19

Post by 908B64B197 »

p49k wrote: post #15
ceejayoz wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I'm actively using Google Maps, I'd love for Siri to respond to "get directions to McDonalds" within the Google Maps context instead of opening Apple's.

Sure, but that’s not what Google is asking of Roku.

It is.

If their app is open and full screen, search within the app first.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#20

Post by NeuNeurosis »

I am in no way on Google's side on this but I am taking this with a grain of salt since I am sure that Roku is quite aware of the leverage this allegation could bring against Google with the on going anti-trust suite that is being brought against them.
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