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Smart TV App feature request: Send Message To Smart TV


aleoss112
Go to solution Solved by speechles,

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aleoss112

When I try to send a message to a device it works for laptop/PC devices using the website but it does not work for a Smart TV (Roku).

 

I've literally stood in front of the TV and from my phone sent a message to the Smart TV client and it did not come up on the screen while a movie was playing.

This send message to device feature does work on Android Emby App (smart phone) and laptop/PC using the website. I am not certain if it works for Apple Emby App however as I do not have any Apple devices.

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Hi.  Are the Roku and device you are sending from on the same network?  This functionality won't work on the Roku across different networks.

 

5e061e852b4e5_servermessage.jpg

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aleoss112

From the same network? That doesn't make sense; what if I want to send a message to a remote device? As long as I have access to the server settings (Server Management permission) on the profile that I'm logged into, I should be able to send a message to any logged in device.

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  • Solution

https://developer.roku.com/docs/developer-program/debugging/external-control-api.md

 

Please see here why this limitation exists. It is the way Roku expects this to be done and not following this directive will result in your channel not being accepted into the Roku store. We must comply. Their way or the highway. We must exist on Roku. We must do things their way.

The External Control Protocol (ECP) enables a Roku device to be controlled over a local area network by providing a number of external control services. The Roku devices offering these external control services are discoverable using SSDP (Simple Service Discovery Protocol). ECP is a simple RESTful API that can be accessed by programs in virtually any programming environment.

We use to have our own http server implementation(port 8324) on Roku to intercept these request (it did work remotely if users forwarded that port through their routers), but Roku changed the rules.

 

Roku do not want security holes in their device.

(period. end of line. no further discussion will they have on this.)

 

We must use their DIAL ECP protocols to deliver content from another device to the Roku. This is their rules. They make the rules. We are only playing by their rules. I apologize you see this as a defect. Every Roku app must accept and suffer the same. There are no special privileges granted. Everybody is bound by the same rules on the Roku.

Edited by speechles
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https://community.roku.com/t5/Community-Discussions/Roku-is-no-longer-a-neutral-platform-after-today-s-Roku-OS-9-1-update/m-p/503781/highlight/true#M6241

Firmware 9.1.x added the security tightening of Roku after Consumer Reports (see here: https://www.consumerreports.org/televisions/samsung-roku-smart-tvs-vulnerable-to-hacking-consumer-reports-finds/) reported that Roku was vulnerable to hacking.

 

The problem we found involved the application programming interface, or API, the program that lets developers make their own products work with the Roku platform. “Roku devices have a totally unsecured remote control API enabled by default,” says Eason Goodale, Disconnect’s lead engineer. “This means that even extremely unsophisticated hackers can take control of Rokus. It’s less of a locked door and more of a see-through curtain next to a neon ‘We’re open!’ sign.

 

Because it did not verify entirely the chain of the connection controlling the Roku. Someone remotely could spoof local host and take over your Roku and launch any channel they wanted. Possibly send inaapropriate channels/video to your Roku. Not truly a hack but a PR nightmare. So what Roku did was close that door entirely and notified developers that they had a deadline to switch apps over. Any that lagged are no longer found on the Roku store. They now require all apps that stream to have DIAL ECP methods implemented and securely. Fail and they do not publish your app. We want to always be approved and are always honest. Just as I am honest with you now. If there were something (ANYTHING!) we could do we would try but we do not want to risk our relationship with Roku. Hope you understand. ;)

Edited by speechles
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