Roku has long had live elements among its hundreds of channels, but a new one from Livestream injects the set-top box with its first dedicated wholly to at-that-moment events. September 4, 2013 7:20 AM PDT Livestream makes its entry on televisions with a Roku channel, bringing the set-top box its array producer-created live sports, news, web chats, red carpets and concerts. (Credit: Livestream) Roku's long roster of channels is getting a jolt of live content The set-top box maker has added a Livestream channel, the first live-video platform -- a service designed to let anyone stream live video to the world -- through its set-top boxes. As video moves more and more online, content is bifurcating into services that meet live and library demands. Library content -- think Netflix as the biggest example -- has long been the easier hill for distributors to climb. With the ability to plan, tailor and manicure content ahead of its debut, purveyors of video libraries have the time to make online distribution watchable. The challenge there is largely in getting the most popular content for the most people. Live video has long been a trickier proposition, as it must work toward the same content-quality goals while also battling a more challenging technological one: bringing high-definition video -- especially difficult on an unforgiving screen like an HD television -- at an adaptive bitrate that won't look like a pixelated mess on 50-inch plasma. Related stories Facebook hashtags said to have zero viral impact Uber hires former Google, Facebook, Klout executives Facebook flaw allowed hackers to delete posted photos Candy Crush: You play, you're hooked. Now what? Facebook trials trending topics on Web Roku has had live elements in a smattering of the hundreds of channels it offers up to users, such as the MLS Live channel for soccer games. Or live church services through StreamingChurch.tv. Livestream will bring those same kinds of live events, and others -- presidential debates, Grammy red carpets, high school football games, citizen journalists streaming live footage of protests -- to one place on Roku, without a subscription. Plus it brings Roku a base of 30 million viewers each month. For Livestream, its an entry onto televisions for the first time, getting the service on the last screen it hadn't reached. Max Hoat, Livestream's chief executive and cofounder, called it the company's "first entry into the connected TV world, but it's only the beginning." Hoat said in an interview with CNET that the company is working on launching on Chromecast, Xbox, Playstation and on down the line, aiming to roll those out over the coming months into next year.
Roku has long had live elements among its hundreds of channels, but a new one from Livestream injects the set-top box with its first dedicated wholly to at-that-moment events.
Livestream makes its entry on televisions with a Roku channel, bringing the set-top box its array producer-created live sports, news, web chats, red carpets and concerts.
(Credit: Livestream)
Roku's long roster of channels is getting a jolt of live content
The set-top box maker has added a Livestream channel, the first live-video platform -- a service designed to let anyone stream live video to the world -- through its set-top boxes.
As video moves more and more online, content is bifurcating into services that meet live and library demands. Library content -- think Netflix as the biggest example -- has long been the easier hill for distributors to climb. With the ability to plan, tailor and manicure content ahead of its debut, purveyors of video libraries have the time to make online distribution watchable. The challenge there is largely in getting the most popular content for the most people.
Live video has long been a trickier proposition, as it must work toward the same content-quality goals while also battling a more challenging technological one: bringing high-definition video -- especially difficult on an unforgiving screen like an HD television -- at an adaptive bitrate that won't look like a pixelated mess on 50-inch plasma.
Related stories
- Facebook hashtags said to have zero viral impact
- Uber hires former Google, Facebook, Klout executives
- Facebook flaw allowed hackers to delete posted photos
- Candy Crush: You play, you're hooked. Now what?
- Facebook trials trending topics on Web
Roku has had live elements in a smattering of the hundreds of channels it offers up to users, such as the MLS Live channel for soccer games. Or live church services through StreamingChurch.tv.
Livestream will bring those same kinds of live events, and others -- presidential debates, Grammy red carpets, high school football games, citizen journalists streaming live footage of protests -- to one place on Roku, without a subscription.
Plus it brings Roku a base of 30 million viewers each month.
For Livestream, its an entry onto televisions for the first time, getting the service on the last screen it hadn't reached. Max Hoat, Livestream's chief executive and cofounder, called it the company's "first entry into the connected TV world, but it's only the beginning." Hoat said in an interview with CNET that the company is working on launching on Chromecast, Xbox, Playstation and on down the line, aiming to roll those out over the coming months into next year.
