INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 25 for Windows => Topic started by: dr. shane on February 13, 2019, 01:57:15 pm
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I wish JRiver would become a complete replacement for a Roku Streaming device, streaming all the online entertainment services Roku offers (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime videos, Sling, HBO Go, etc). It seems Roku has these streaming services more seamlessly integrated.
In fact, even though JRiver's site states: "Video comes in a lot of packages. DVD and Blu-ray, streaming video from Netflix or Hulu, Youtube clips and movies, and so on. JRiver Media Center integrates these into a single seamless interface." , it's still not clear to me how JRiver integrates Netflix into a single seamless interface.
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Not likely to happen. Content owners just don't trust the openness of the PC platform. Because of that, you're almost always going to get a better experience with a streaming box. OTOH, local media is where a PC really excels.
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No open APIs for developers and the mass use of DRM kinda hampers what can be done.
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If Roku can do it and AppleTV can do it and other platforms can do it, JRiver could too. But they choose not to for reasons I don't completely understand. Jim has been pretty vocal about not liking streaming and thinking that it is an unsustainable business model that he does not want to be involved in or risk his company's money on. I mostly tend to agree with Jim on this, though I do see that "most people" are embracing streaming as their every day delivery of media of all types.
If I want a Roku type device, I'll buy one. Probably an AppleTV at this point. JRiver MC is a different product that is more collection focused rather than streaming focused. ...and I like that.
Brian.
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I haven't said that I don't like streaming. I do like it. It's just that there is no reliable streaming service to build on.
I looked at Roku's financials last night, and they also lose money. They do a lot of business, but they run at a loss.
I would not rule out building a better streaming solution based on hardware. The JRiver Id is a solid platform.
I think there is no chance of adding those streaming services to MC. The content providers (mainly movie studios) wouldn't allow it.
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If Roku can do it and AppleTV can do it and other platforms can do it, JRiver could too.
Well, Apple and Roku are much, much bigger companies and likely can afford the huge costs involved with the various streaming vendors to gain a supported app and/or private API access. Does anyone know the exact costs for such a thing? I wouldn't be surprised if it cost over a million dollars to gain a supported app/private API access to Netflix for integration into a product. Then times that by whatever number of streaming services are available.