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[Feature request] Universal watchlist #22

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e-t-l opened this issue Apr 14, 2021 · 0 comments
Open

[Feature request] Universal watchlist #22

e-t-l opened this issue Apr 14, 2021 · 0 comments

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@e-t-l
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e-t-l commented Apr 14, 2021

Concept

One popular feature many Roku users would like to see is a universal or channel-agnostic watchlist, but it looks like Roku is uninterested in implementing this officially. Individual channels have their own watchlists; I can save a Netflix show to watch later on Netflix, or add an HBO Max movie to my lists on the HBO Max channel, but there's no centralized way to view all saved watch items across all channels. Adding this sort of universal watchlist would be a great way to elevate this app above the other Roku remote API apps, and provide a truly unique and invaluable service.

Implementation

Option 1: Syncing with services (aka the hard way)

If we want the in-app universal watchlist to sync with users' actual per-channel watchlists, so that adding something to my Watch Later while using Netflix.com from my computer, for example, automatically gets added to my RoMote watchlist, I think that would require adding a lot of backend to RoMote to allow users to enter their credentials for watched channels into the app, and the app would then query the website to update the watchlist. For example, if I want my RoMote watchlist to sync with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, then I need to enter my login credentials for those three services into the RoMote app, so the app could then communicate with the services directly. This would be slightly less difficult if services have some sort of API for querying users' watchlists, but I doubt it. Don't recommend going this route.

Option 2: Saved searches (aka the easiest way)

If we want to make things as straightforward as possible, we could basically create a curatable list of saved searches. For example, if I want to add Star Wars (1977) to my RoMote list, I type it in and hit save, maybe dragging it to a different position on the list based on how I'd like things to be ordered. Then when I want to watch it, I open up my list in RoMote and tap Star Wars. This launches a search for "Star Wars" on Roku, and I select whatever version of the movie and streaming service I desire.
Major benefit: It doesn't matter if a movie is removed from one service and added to another; as long as it's searchable on Roku, it'll show up.
Major downsides: There's no good way to return only one result (there's dozens of search results for "star wars"), and this doesn't help in the rare circumstance that a movie is available on a Roku channel, but for whatever reason it doesn't show up in Roku search results. I've had this happen before.

Option 3: Save watch items directly through Roku API (not sure if possible)

A better way of implementing Option 2 would be if the Roku API allows for directly navigating to a specific watch item. For example, I want to watch Avatar: the Last Airbender, Book Two Episode 3, so I save it to my watchlist, and when I tap it, Roku launches Netflix and starts playing immediately. I just have no idea if this is even possible through the Roku API.


Unfortunately these are all just suggestions, as my knowledge of Java is very basic and I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to start if I tried to fork and code this myself.

Thoughts?

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