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Roku Facebook Photos channel broken again

I finally got around to testing out the “Facebook Photos” channel on my Roku HD player, but it doesn’t work.

The process starts by visiting Roku.com/Facebook, which redirects you to a Facebook page that allows you to click a “Generate” button that creates a one-time use code. This code allows you to link your Roku player with your Facebook account. I input my code on my Roku HD player and linked my player to my Facebook account with no issues.

Once the Facebook Photos Roku channel loads, there are options for Photo Feed, My Photos and Friends’ Photos. At first glance, everything looked good, I could see a thumbnail photo for “My Photos” and when I went into my Friend’s Photos, I could see a thumbnail for each of my friends.

The problem started when I clicked on My Photos to view the albums and photos inside of it. After clicking on my thumbnail for My Photos or a friend’s thumbnail to try to view their photos, the Roku Facebook Photos channel displays the error message “No photos found”.

I then clicked on the “Photo Feed” option and the Facebook Photos channel notified me that I needed to enable “extended permissions” for the Roku Facebook app. I went back to Facebook, enabled the “extended permissions” and checked to see if there were any other permissions available for the Roku app on Facebook. I had all permissions enabled.

After enabling these extended permissions, my photo feed started working. Eureka! I could now see a stream of all the latest Facebook photos from my friends on my HDTV via my Roku HD player. This is cool, but I’d also like to be able to browse my own albums and my friends albums specifically, instead of just a random stream of the latest photos, like the Photo Feed displays. Perhaps the extended permissions fixed the My Photos and the Friends Photos sections too? Nope. I still get the same error message “No photos found”.

I’ve tried many things to resolve the issue, with no luck so far. I’ve deleted the Facebook Photos channel and readded it to my Roku (to ensure that I have the latest version). I’ve checked my Facebook privacy and application settings. I’ve checked the options for “My photos”, “My videos” and “Photos and videos I’m tagged in” on the Facebook settings section: Choose Your Privacy Settings -> Applications, Games and Websites -> Info accessible through your friends. The issue still recurs.

After searching the interwebz, I found that this problem had occurred before. On March 4th 2010, numerous customers reported on the Roku forums that they could no longer view photos and were getting a “No photos found” message on the Facebook Photos Roku channel. On March 6th, Roku support resolved the issue by releasing a new version of the Facebook Photos channel (it is developed by Roku).

I’m guessing that Roku needs to update their Facebook Photos channel yet again to fix the problem. But if not, they need to at least give us detailed instructions on what settings we need to enable in our Facebook accounts in order to get it working. And no, the default Facebook privacy settings are not acceptable. What say you Roku?

Introducing Google TV

It seems like every consumer electronics manufacturer is adding more and more Internet-dependent features to every device. Practically every Blu-ray Disc player, HDTV, and smartphone streams internet radio, internet video, and features social networking apps. Navigating between all of the apps can be a challenge. Enter, Google TV.

Google TV is an Android operating system for the television powered by a modified Atom processor from Intel. Sony and Logitech have also joined in the endeavor, announcing a Google TV HDTV set and a Google TV set top box, respectively.

There are no specs provided for any of the hardware yet. Sony’s offering is called Sony Internet TV, and presumably will include a new line of LCD televisions apart from the current BRAVIA series. Also announced was a line of Blu-ray Disc players integrated into Google TV set top boxes.

Logitech does not have any model information available, but they are tentatively calling the variety of options eventually provided the “Google TV companion box.” This will be a stand alone set top box for use with any television, with Logitech Harmony compatibility built in. There is a hint that the companion box will require HDMI, so some TVs may not benefit. There is also a statement in the Logitech FAQs that cable and satellite boxes need an “HDMI output as well,” meaning these receivers may pass through the Google TV box. This makes sense considering the Google TV is supposed to search for television programs.

Google TV provides access to websites, and the Sony HDTV and Logitech companion box will support qwerty keyboards. But their main feature is using Google’s powerful indexing abilities to quickly find television programs, online videos, online audio streams, and even access recorded content on compatible cable and satellite DVRs. Internet video from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand and Youtube will all be supported, with many more to follow. Google is working with multiple cable and satellite providers, but Dish Network will be compatible at launch in the fall of this year.

Because this is an Android produce, apps will be supported, though the extent of which hasn’t been detailed yet. Logitech claims they will have “video calling and a variety of controllers – even a Logitech smart-phone app.” The press release does mention Google TV will support Adobe Flash content.

Below you will find an introductory video from Google, and the press release.




SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 20, 2010) — Today at the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco, leading industry players announced the development of Google TV—an open platform that adds the power of the web to the television viewing experience, ushering in a new category of devices for the living room. Intel, Sony, and Logitech, together with Best Buy, DISH Network and Adobe, joined Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) on stage to announce their support for Google TV.

Over the past decade, the Internet has created unprecedented opportunity for innovation and development across the world, but so far the web has largely been absent from living rooms. With Google TV, consumers will now be able to search and watch an expanded universe of content available from a variety of sources including TV providers, the web, their personal content libraries, and mobile applications.

Search across TV, Web, and Apps

Google TV is based on the Android platform and runs the Google Chrome web browser. Users can access all of their usual TV channels as well as a world of Internet and cloud-based information and applications, including rich Adobe® Flash based content – all from the comfort of their own living room and with the same simplicity as browsing the web. When coupled with the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100, Intel’s latest system-on-a-chip designed specifically for consumer electronics, the new platform will offer home theatre quality A/V performance. Sony and Logitech said they would be delivering products based on the new Intel Atom processor and running Google TV later this year. While Google TV is designed to work with any TV operator, at launch the user experience will be fully optimized when paired with DISH Network.

Google TV expands video choice from the hundreds of channels available today through a pay TV provider to the vast storehouse of video content available through the web and streaming videos. The Google TV experience is complemented by the ability to watch streaming video from leading content platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and YouTube. Google TV will also have the capability to run apps from the Android Market.

To navigate the array of content that will now be available through a single device and on a single screen, Google TV introduces an integrated search experience to help viewers easily find relevant content across over-the-air and pay-TV channel listings, DVR, and the Internet, as well as a picture-in-picture layout to access multiple windows simultaneously. Google TV also features an innovative home screen to help viewers quickly organize their favorite content and personalize their TV viewing experience. Some of these features are only available with advanced integration from DISH Network.

Broad Alliance of Industry Leaders

Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman and CEO said, “We are very proud to be working with this distinguished set of partners, all of whom have decades of experience in hardware, design and retail.”

Sony announced plans to introduce “Sony Internet TV,” the World’s first TV lineup incorporating the Google TV platform. The first models are planned to be introduced in the U.S. market in the Fall of 2010 with the lineup featuring both a standalone TV model and set top box-type unit incorporating a Blu-ray Disc drive.

Howard Stringer, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Corporation said, “I am delighted to announce the unique alignment of Google’s rapidly growing, open source Android platform with Sony’s unparalleled expertise in the field of TV design and technology. The addition of ‘Sony Internet TV’ will further bolster Sony’s comprehensive TV lineup and will fuse new levels of enjoyment and interactivity into the TV experience.”

Logitech will introduce a companion box that brings Google TV to existing HDTV home entertainment systems, easily integrating with any brand of HDTV and set-top box. The companion box will incorporate Logitech’s Harmony® remote control technology, and will include a controller that combines keyboard and remote control capabilities. The company also has plans to introduce an HDTV camera and video chat for Google TV, along with additional choices for navigation and control, including apps to turn a smart phone into an advanced controller for Google TV and home-entertainment systems.

Gerald Quindlen, President and CEO, Logitech said, “We committed to Google TV early on because it aligns with our strategy to support open platforms that enable new immersive experiences in the digital living room. While Google TV enables seamless discovery of all your content, Logitech enables seamless control over how you experience that content. We look forward to continued collaboration with Google and the developer community to create new Google TV experiences that have yet to be imagined.”

The Intel Atom CE4100 processor will power both the Logitech and Sony devices. Paul Otellini, Intel President and CEO praised the collaborative effort and said TV as we know it was being “reinvented.” “Today marks the next step in the evolution of TV. TV’s are becoming smarter as a result of the microprocessor and the Internet. Traditional TV programming will be merged seamlessly with the infinite amount of content on the Internet to enable every viewer to determine what they want to watch, when they want it. This is Moore’s Law transforming television, powered by the performance of Intel microprocessors.”

DISH Network has been a key partner with Google on advanced integration development for Google TV. The two partners began a joint trial over a year ago with more than 400 DISH Network and Google beta users. Based on the continuous feedback from the trial, Google and DISH Network have built the optimized Google TV experience that seamlessly integrates traditional TV, DVR and web content.

Charlie Ergen, Chairman, President and CEO of DISH Network, said, “Google TV marks the next evolution in television, and we are excited to be the first to partner with Google to bring this experience to our customers. Only DISH Network Google TV customers will be able to enjoy a unified search across TV, DVR and web; easily find related content; and manage their entire TV viewing experience. Additionally, the advanced integration will allow developers to create new and exciting applications to enrich the TV viewing experience.”

Best Buy will bring their retail experience and consumer expertise to the project, with Google TV devices being sold at Best Buy locations nationwide later this year. “Every day, our 180,000 Blue Shirt store employees and Geek Squad Agents work with our customers to get them the best home theater experience possible”, said Brian Dunn, CEO Best Buy, “We are thrilled about the new and exciting experiences smart TVs, like Google TV, provide to our customers – and we are looking forward to showcasing those experiences in our store and ensuring customers get connected to all the products and services that bring those experiences to life.”

Finally, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 will be integrated directly into the Google Chrome browser on Google TV, enabling viewers to experience tens of millions of web pages with rich Flash content including games, animations, applications, videos, audio and more. Shantanu Narayen, President and CEO, Adobe said, “An open web ecosystem offers endless opportunities for creativity and innovation. Flash Player 10.1 extends the advantages of full web browsing and consistent, rich experiences to smartphones, tablets, netbooks and Internet-connected TVs. We’re thrilled to be part of the Google TV initiative with other industry leaders who share a common vision of enabling access to the best web experiences possible.”

Opportunity for Developers

The demonstration at I/O highlighted the unique opportunity developers have to help shape the future of Google TV. Today Google announced that they would soon release a set of TV specific APIs for web applications, encouraging web developers to begin building unique web applications for use on television sets. Later this year Google will also release an updated Android SDK, which will support applications built for Google TV.

Google also plans to open source the Google TV platform to help spur innovation in the industry and so that other developers can benefit from the project. The long term goal is to collaborate with the entire developer community to help drive entertainment in the living room forward and to introduce the next generation of TV-watching experience.

For more information about the project visit google.com/tv.

About Google

Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

About Sony

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $78 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

RealDVD bested in MPAA match up

Two years ago, the MPAA sued RealNetworks over their RealDVD software, which allowed for backing up DVDs to a hard drive, claiming an infringement of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Last August, the MPAA prevailed in the case against Real. The Judge in the case made a very cryptic comment in the decision stating:

Had Real’s products been manufactured differently, i.e., if what happened in Vegas really did stay in Vegas, this might have been a different case. But, it is what it is. Once the distributive nature of the copying process takes hold, like the spread of gossip after a weekend in Vegas, what’s done cannot be undone.

After months of deliberation, Real decided not to appeal the decision, and paid $4,500,000 to the MPAA for legal fee reimbursement. They also shut off their online metadata service.

From the judge’s comments, it seems this decision affects software which could lead to distribution of the content. This may favor Kaleidescape’s argument considering their closed-architecture does not allow for data on their servers to be accessed except by associated Kaleidescape players.

It also seems to target a retail software, and should be a pronouncement on personal Fair Use.

Vudu adds apps

This year’s CES expo has certainly been well for Vudu. Not only has LG announced a Blu-ray Disc player with Vudu and a 250GB hard drive, and new partnerships with Sharp, Mitsubishi, Vizio, Toshiba and Sanyo forged, but they’ve also improved their service for their users.

Vudu Apps is a platform these stated manufacturers may add to their hardware, much like the Yahoo! Widgets we’ve seen on TVs last year. The user can chose amongst the apps to install on their own device, while manufacturers can deny certain apps at their discretion.



There are over 100 apps already available. The more popular apps include:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pandora
• Dailymotion
• Picasa
• Flickr
• The New York Times
• Associated Press
• NBC Nightly News
• DiggNation

It seems Vudu is becoming a very serious competitor in the streaming video market. With last year’s introduction of 1080p video, true 5.1 Dolby surround sound, the addition of the Criterion Collection movie library, and Rotten Tomatoes, they truly have an enviable service.

How to play Blu-ray video on portable devices

If you were interested in backing up your Blu-ray Disc movies and playing them on your iPod, PSP, PS3, AppleTV, iPhone, Wii, Xbox 360, or other device, I may have found the product for you. BestHDsoft is selling BestHD Blu-ray DVD Ripper which includes all of these functions, and more.

The software – which is on sale now for under $56 – can convert high-definition Blu-ray video to standard definition video formats such as AVI, XviD, DivX, WMV, MPEG4, MOV, FLV and other various formats. The software can also convert Blu-ray movies to high-definition video formats for high-def playback.

The audio encoding is obviously part of the package, and the BestHD Blu-ray DVD Ripper software supports 5.1 surround sound audio, as well as subtitles.



Once encoded, the video can be imported into virtually any video playback device you would like.

The software is supported by Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 2000. Of course you also need a Blu-ray Disc drive, which are getting more and more affordable.

New media format: USB drives

Feature length films will be coming to USB “thumb drives” late 2009 from a joint effort by Sonic Solutions and Widevine. Entitled CinemaNow USB Movie Drives, they feature an integrated media player to play the included movie direct from the drive on a PC. When online, the user can connect to their Roxio CinemaNow account to add the title to their library to share up to four other networked devices such as portable media devices, Blu-ray Disc players and televisions. Each device will receive an optimized file for that specific device capabilities.

Widevine is providing a Hollywood-approved DRM and video optimization for the drives, while Sonic is providing the software and hardware. Sonic is also partnering with 250 content providers, including all major Hollywood studios and independent distributors.

The intent is to sell these drives through retail to keep brick and mortar stores in the loop while providing flexible viewing options. I imagine this should appeal to the consumer who likes the idea of streaming video, but the inconvenience of going to Best Buy to buy the product. However it does solve the desire to possess a real copy of the movie.

Sony adding Netflix streaming to BRAVIA televisions

Sony was the first company to add streaming directly to the display, and now they’re adding Netflix streaming to their BRAVIA line of LCD televisions.

The current 2009 models BRAVIA models connect via Ethernet to the internet and stream video via the Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface. But most Sony TVs from the past two years have the ability to connect a “BRAVIA Internet Video Link” module, meaning there is a large installed base right now that can benefit from this relationship when it releases in the Autumn.

Sony has developed their own interface for the Netflix instant queue which they call “a little more elegant.” You still have to add movies via a web browser, however. I imagine the interface will look a lot like the current XMB interface.

In addition to Netflix, Sony offers video from over 25 sources, including Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, and Crackle.