“Roku’s rules got updated. New channels and any updates get judged by the new rules. If your channel is already live, you’ll face the new rules the next time you change anything.”

Before we upload anything, you need to understand the architecture so every step we take later makes sense. Roku channels are surprisingly simple once you break them down.

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1️⃣ The Core Concept

A Roku channel is not like YouTube where you upload videos directly to their servers.

Instead:

• Roku reads a feed file (usually JSON or MRSS)
• The feed tells Roku where your videos are hosted
• Roku uses that info to:
  • Display thumbnails
  • Show titles/descriptions
  • Play your videos when viewers click

Think of it like a restaurant menu:

• Roku = waiter
• Feed file = menu
• Video host = kitchen
• Your content = delicious food

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2️⃣ The 3 Essential Pieces You Need

To have a working channel, you must have:

1. Video Files
   • MP4 (H.264)
   • Resolution: 720p or 1080p
   • Hosted somewhere publicly accessible (free or paid)
2. Thumbnails
   • JPEG/PNG format
   • At least 800×450 pixels
   • Hosted publicly
3. Feed File (JSON)
   • Tells Roku where your videos & thumbnails are
   • Must be hosted online with a public URL

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3️⃣ What the Feed File Looks Like

Here’s a minimal example:

{
  "providerName": "My Channel Name",
  "language": "en",
  "lastUpdated": "2025-08-05T14:00:00+00:00",
  "movies": [
    {
      "id": "video1",
      "title": "My First Video",
      "content": {
        "dateAdded": "2025-08-05T13:00:00+00:00",
        "videos": [
          {
            "url": "https://example.com/myvideo.mp4",
            "quality": "HD",
            "videoType": "MP4"
          }
        ],
        "duration": 180,
        "language": "en"
      },
      "genres": ["special_interest"],
      "thumbnail": "https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg",
      "releaseDate": "2025-08-05",
      "shortDescription": "A short teaser for my first Roku video."
    }
  ]
}

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4️⃣ Why JSON Is King

• Roku reads JSON directly — fast, lightweight, and structured
• Easier than MRSS feeds for beginners
• Once we know how to generate it, we can automate it in a plugin/app
• We can host it for free (GitHub Pages, Internet Archive, etc.)

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5️⃣ Your Homework Before Lesson 2

So we’re ready to actually build:

1. Pick a channel topic (even just for testing)
   • Example: “AI Storytime,” “Fitness Tips,” “Cooking with AI”
   • This will influence thumbnails, descriptions, and target audience
2. Gather 1–3 short videos
   • Can be AI-generated with Artistly + VideoExpress
   • Export in MP4 format
3. Create matching thumbnails
   • Minimum size: 800×450 pixels
   • Artistly works perfectly for this
4. Decide where you’ll host videos & images
   • Free: GitHub Pages, Internet Archive
   • Paid but better: Vimeo Pro, AWS S3

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Once you’ve done the homework, you’ll be ready for Lesson 2 where we’ll:

• Host your files for free
• Create your first JSON feed
• Start connecting it to Roku

Lesson 2