Instant TV Channel supplies Programmable Buttons that can be used in a Roku channel to provide automated capabilities beyond what is possible with standard poster and and menu buttons.
Programmable Buttons can be used anywhere in a List that content items like video streams or picture screens can be used.
If the List has its AutomaticPlay parameter set to "once", "repeat", or "schedule",
then the Programmable Button will be executed automatically when the Button's position in the List is reached during automatic playback or scheduling.
Programmable Buttons
Function
Content Editor Icon
Remote Control Button
Description
back
May not behave as expected due to changes in Roku OS 12.0 Identical to the BACK button found on newer Roku remote controls.
Exits from the current List and displays the previous (parent) List.
When used in a List that has AutomaticPlay set to "once", "repeat", or "schedule",
this Button will exit from multiple nested AutoPlay or Schedule levels
and return control back to the user.
channel
None
The current channel exits completely
and a launch screen for the target channel specified by the ChannelAppId parameter is displayed,
or the user is provided with the opportunity to install the target channel if it is not already installed.
deeplink
None
May not behave as expected due to changes in Roku OS 12.0 Transfers control to a specific video or item in a different channel.
The target channel must have deep-linking enabled,
and you must provide the Content UID of a location or item in the target channel.
For target channels developed using Instant TV Channel, see the three DeepLinking Theme parameters.
exit level
None
Exits from the current List to the previous (parent) List.
When used in a List that has AutomaticPlay set to "once", "repeat", or "schedule",
this Button will only exit a single level.
goto
None
Transfers control to a different part of the current channel.
The target may be any item in the channel, for example a video, list, or grid.
The target may be specified by copying and pasting its UID into the ContentUID parameter, or by dragging and dropping its icon from the content tree into the ContentName area.
home
May not behave as expected due to changes in Roku OS 12.0 Identical to the HOME button found on the Roku remote control.
The channel exits completely and the main Roku Home screen is displayed.
in-channel purchase
None
The user is prompted to enter their PIN number to purchase the product or video content item specified by the Identifier parameter.
The price for the item is configured in the Roku Developer Account.
If non-zero, the Expiration and Bitrate parameters determine how long the item purchase is valid for (a rental),
and what the maximum allowed bitrate for the item will be.
restart
None
The channel is exited and then restarted.
Useful in the context of AutomaticPlay-enabled lists or Schedules to allow new content to be periodically reloaded.
search
None
The Search screen is displayed, allowing the user to search for a particular video.
Requires the Theme SearchScope parameter to be set to something other than "off".
top
None
The current List is exited and the channel's top-level List is displayed.
The Channel Programmable Button performs several different functions depending on
whether the button is in an AutomaticPlay-enabled List,
whether the target channel (the channel being installed or jumped to) is already installed on the Roku player,
and whether the HDChannelSetupUrl and SDChannelSetupUrl parameters are provided.
Multiple Channel Programmable Buttons can be included in a single channel, with each button installing or jumping to a different target channel.
The Channel programmable button does not automatically delete the original channel from the Roku device when the target channel installation is successful.
Function = "channel"
Not AutomaticPlay
AutomaticPlay
No ChannelSetupURL
ChannelSetup URL
No ChannelSetup URL
ChannelSetup URL
Target Channel Already Installed
Jump to the target channel specified by ChannelAppId.
Jump to the target channel specified by ChannelAppId.
Jump to the target channel specified by ChannelAppId.
Playback continues with the next content item in the AutoPlay List.
Target Channel Not Installed
Go to the Channel Store.
Display the Setup image. If OK is pressed while the setup image is displayed, go to the Channel Store screen for the target channel specified by ChannelAppId.
Go to the Channel Store.
Display the Setup image. If OK is pressed while the Setup image is displayed, go to the Channel Store screen for the target channel specified by ChannelAppId.
The In-Channel Purchase Programmable Button performs the same function as a Springboard Purchase button
and is used to allow a user to make an
In-Channel Purchase from within the Roku channel.
A channel's App Id, usually a 5-digit number, can be found in the URL displayed in your browser's address bar while viewing the channel in your Roku Developer or Owner Account.
The App Id is not the same as the Vanity Access Code or the automatically generated Access Code.
The App Id is placed in the ChannelAppId parameter for the Channel Programmable Button.
The App Id allows the original channel to determine whether the target channel is already installed on the player
and to locate the target channel in the on-screen Roku Channel Store.
The HDChannelSetupUrl and SDChannelSetupUrl parameters are intended to contain URLs that point HD (1280x720) and SD (720x480) versions of JPG images
that describe the channel being installed by a Channel Programmable Button or upgraded to by an In-Channel Upgrade Programmable Button.
If the image is not full screen (1280x720 or 720x480), then the image is centered over a solid background color specified by the ChannelSetupColor parameter.
PNG transparency is supported.
The ChannelSetupTimer parameter determines how many seconds the HD or SD Setup image is displayed.
It is usually set to 10 to 30 seconds if the Programmable Button is used within an AutomaticPlay List.
When set to 0 seconds the Setup image is displayed until a remote key is pressed.
Comments, suggestions, or questions about this Roku developer guide can be sent to .
Instant TV Channel
Instant TV Channel is a cloud-based tool for Roku developers and content providers that shortens development time and eases maintenance after deployment.
performs the same function as a Springboard Purchase button
and is used to allow a user to make an
In-Channel Purchase from within the Roku channel.
List,
whether the target channel (the channel being installed or jumped to) is already installed on the Roku player,
and whether the HDChannelSetupUrl and SDChannelSetupUrl parameters are provided.
