rokurunner

RokuRunner is a webapp for easily automating Roku remote keypresses (and more)

• Simple and responsive interface built with Flask and Vue.js
• Automatic Roku device discovery
• Create HTTP endpoints to run button press scripts (Runners)
• Custom actions (HTTPRequest) to invoke other actions (like IOT devices, etc)

Use cases

Simple:

• Launch a channel (other than the ones built into your remote)
• Launch a channel and automatically select some specific or random content
• Set a sleep timer (if your Roku device supports power-off via remote)
• more to come

Advanced:

• Hook up generated endpoints to other automated services or IOT devices (e.g. Google Home, Alexa, IR bridge, lights, etc.)

Main interface	Runner editor

Installation

Use pipenv to install dependencies

pipenv install

Then run

pipenv run rokurunner

This will start RokuRunner server on port 8900.

Tested on Windows 10 (Miniconda) and Ubuntu 18.04... Other deployment options in the todo list

Usage

Visit http://localhost:8900 which presents you with the main interface.

Main interface

• Roku Devices

  • Add your Roku devices here by their IP address. Clicking Manual Add will let you enter the IP address manually. (To find your Roku's IP address, from your Roku goto Settings - Network - About)
  • Clicking Auto Search will search for Roku devices on your network, and display them by IP address and UUID. Press the + button to add a discovered Roku to the Roku Devices list, update the name, then Save Changes.

• Runners

  • These are the automated scripts you can build. To add, click Add, enter a name, and click Save Changes
  • To edit the Runner, click the notepad icon beside it (see next section)

• RokuRunner Endpoints

  • A place to build endpoints (links) you can access (curl or just goto the URL in your browser) to run your Runner on a specific Roku Device
  • The play button will open and run the endpoint, the copy button will copy the endpoint URL

Runner builder/editor

• Create your Runner (script) here. Click Add to add a first command. To add more, click the + button to the right of the command to insert a new one.
• To reorder commands, drag the grip on the left of the command

Command Types:

• ButtonPress
  • Set ButtonPress type in the argument dropdown. Note: All button types are exposed, but some Roku devices don't support certain button press types (e.g. PowerOn, PowerOff, InputHMDI1, etc). Optional arguments:
    • Loops: How many times to execute this ButtonPress (default 1)
    • Delay (ms): If running multiple Loops, set the delay in milliseconds between each Loop (default 0)
• Delay
  • Set a delay (ms) in the argument field
• HttpRequest
  • Performs a POST request (no data) to the endpoint entered in the argument field.
• SendCharacter
  • Sends a character (literal) to the RokuDevice (e.g. when the keyboard on the Roku is open)
• RandomMove
  • Performs a series of random controller moves (Up, Down, Left, Right) specified by number of loops. Each movement is selectable (example: select Right and Down to only move those directions), and a millisecond delay between movement commands can be adjusted.

Development

• Shout out the the original inspiration for this, my Grandma, who I built this for to be able to tune to her favorite international streaming channel with one remote button press
• Thanks to python-roku for the inspiration and Dan Krause for his SSDP code (I had to modify the gist, it won't work with multiple local network interfaces, solved by binding the socket to the local address)
• My first webapp with a 'modern' front-end framework. I really appreciate being able to using VueJs 'single-page style' without having to install a gigantic build environment (cough). I'm sure I'll appreciate the build system some other time, but for a project this size it's all good.

Limitations

• An inherent limitation is the "open-loop" system style of commands received by the Roku. There is no guarantee the command will be executed nor any way to check whether an channel has launched. Usually though if you provide a sufficient delay the runners should be fairly repeatable.

TODO

• Dockerize. The way the Flask app is run is not ideal (e.g. running the db init stuff at startup) but simplifies deployment.
• Tested this on a RaspberryPi Zero-W, turns out pipenv was a pain to get running properly. Include a simplified deployment for that scenario.
• Maybe incorporate a MQTT client to subscribe to topics and run endpoints (IOT stuff)?
• more testing