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How to create your own Roku channel using Red5Server live streaming

How to create your own Roku channel using Red5Server live streaming

Some time ago, one of our clients asked, “Can I get my live stream to play on my Roku TV like a real channel?”
And honestly, I smiled, because that’s exactly the kind of question we love. The answer is yes. You can, and it’s simpler than it sounds.

I’ve done this myself many times, so in this post I’ll walk you through everything.
Grab a coffee and let’s get your Red5Server stream showing up on your Roku device.

Step 1 – Find your HLS link (this is the magic key)

Every Red5Server account (Wowza-powered) automatically generates several playback links, including HLS — that’s the one Roku understands.

Here’s how to find it:

  1. Log in to your Red5Server control panel.
  2. Look at the left menu and click Widgets & Links.
  3. You’ll see a few URLs — copy the one ending in playlist.m3u8.

It’ll look something like this:

https://5caf24a595d94.streamlock.net:1937/ajewxuqktm/ajewxuqktm/playlist.m3u8

That link is your golden ticket. Roku loves .m3u8 — it’s like candy for it.

Step 2 – Get your Roku device ready

If your Roku isn’t set up for development yet, don’t worry. You only have to do it once.

  1. Go to https://my.roku.com/signin and sign in or create an account.
  2. Join the Developer Program here: https://developer.roku.com/overview.
  3. Then enable Developer Mode (Roku’s guide shows you exactly how):
    https://developer.roku.com/docs/developer-program/getting-started/roku-dev-prog.md

After this, your Roku will show a web address (like http://192.168.1.25) and a password.
Write them down, they’re important for later when we upload your app.

Step 3 – Download the Roku channel template

This is the part that still feels like the old days: you’ll need a small folder of files that will become your Roku app.

Download the official example here:
👉 Roku Example App (ZIP)

Once downloaded, unzip it. Inside, you’ll find folders and files that look like this:

manifest
source/
components/
images/

Don’t worry — we’re only editing two small text files and swapping a couple of images.

Step 4 – Add your Red5Server stream

Open the file /source/MainScene.brs with Notepad or any text editor.

You’ll find a line like this:

videoContent.url = "https://cdn.mycloudstream.io/hls/live/broadcast/viducc7f/index.m3u8"

Replace that line with your Red5Server link:

videoContent.streamFormat = "hls"
videoContent.url = "https://5caf24a595d94.streamlock.net:1937/ajewxuqktbm/ajewxuqktbm/playlist.m3u8"
videoContent.title = "My Red5Server Stream"

That’s it! You’ve just told Roku where your live video lives.

Step 5 – Give your channel a name and a face

Inside the same folder, open the file called manifest.
Change a few lines to personalize your app:

title=My Red5Server Live Channel
description=Live streaming powered by Red5Server
provider_name=Red5Server
major_version=1
minor_version=0
build_version=00001

Now, open the /images/ folder. Replace the existing files with your own icons and splash screens.
Here are Roku’s preferred sizes:

File name Resolution
icon_focus_hd.png 290×218
icon_focus_sd.png 246×140
splash_fhd.jpg 1920×1080
splash_hd.jpg 1280×720
splash_sd.jpg 720×480

Even a simple logo with your stream name will do — don’t overthink it.

Step 6 – Test it on your Roku

Now it’s time for the fun part: seeing it live.

  1. Zip the contents (not the folder itself) into my-roku-channel.zip.
  2. Open your browser and go to the web address shown on your Roku earlier, for example http://192.168.1.25.
  3. Log in with username rokudev and your password.
  4. Click Upload, choose your zip, then Install.

Roku will instantly load your new app. If everything’s correct, your stream starts playing — and that’s a beautiful moment, trust me.

Step 7 – Make it official

When you’re happy with how it looks:

  1. Use Roku’s Packager (in the same developer web panel) to create a .pkg file.
  2. Go back to the Roku Developer Dashboard.
  3. Click Developer Dashboard → Public Channels → Create Channel.
  4. Upload your .pkg file, fill out the listing details, and run Static Analysis.
  5. Once it passes, click Schedule Publish.

Your Red5Server stream is now an official Roku channel!

Step 8 – Quick troubleshooting

If Roku or InstantTV says “bitrate too high”, lower it in your encoder settings.
Start with 1000–1500 kbps, H.264 video, AAC audio, and 2-second keyframes.
Roku devices don’t like ultra-HD bitrates — they prefer lighter, steady streams.

Step 9 – Bonus tip: test it anywhere

That same .m3u8 link works in:

  • InstantTV (Add Stream → paste URL)
  • VLC
  • Safari or iOS browser
  • Smart TVs that accept custom streams

So if you ever want to check your feed outside Roku, you already have everything you need.

My own first time doing it

The first time I built a Roku app, I admit — I zipped the wrong folder three times.
Roku didn’t like my manifest, my icon was upside down, and I almost gave up. But when the stream finally appeared on my screen… I felt like I had just launched a space mission.
So if that happens to you — breathe, check your folder structure, zip again, and it will work.

Trust me, even the “pros” forget the folder level once in a while.

Try it free

If you want to experiment before going live, we’ve got you covered.
You can request a free demo account and play around with HLS streaming, Roku setup, and more:
👉 Get your trial here