Roku Control

Control Roku devices over your local network using the External Control Protocol (ECP). No authentication, cloud services, or complex setup required - just local HTTP commands.

Prerequisites

• Roku device on the same network as OpenClaw
• Roku's IP address (can be discovered automatically)

Setup (First Time)

1. Discover your Roku:

python3 scripts/roku_control.py discover

This will show all Roku devices on your network with their IP addresses.

2. Save the IP address:

Note your Roku's IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100) for use in commands.

3. Test connectivity:

python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 info

Common Operations

Device Information

# Get device details
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 info

# List all installed apps
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 apps

# See what's currently playing
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 active

Navigation & Control

# Navigate menus
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Up
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Down
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Left
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Right
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Select

# Go home
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Home

# Go back
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Back

Playback

# Play/pause
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Play
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Pause

# Rewind/fast forward
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Rev
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Fwd

# Instant replay (back 10 seconds)
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key InstantReplay

Volume & Power

# Volume control (Roku TV or HDMI-CEC enabled)
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeUp
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeDown
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeMute

# Power off
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key PowerOff

Launch Apps

# Launch by app ID (faster)
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch 12  # Netflix

# Launch by app name (case-insensitive)
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch Netflix
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch YouTube
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch "Disney+"

Search & Text Input

# Send search text
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 text "Breaking Bad"

# This is much faster than individual key presses for searches

Natural Language Translation

Map user requests to commands:

Navigation:

• "Go to home screen" → key Home
• "Go back" → key Back
• "Scroll down" / "Move down" → key Down
• "Select this" / "Click" → key Select

Playback:

• "Play" / "Resume" → key Play
• "Pause" → key Pause
• "Rewind" → key Rev
• "Fast forward" → key Fwd
• "Go back 10 seconds" / "Replay that" → key InstantReplay

Volume:

• "Turn up the volume" → key VolumeUp
• "Turn down the volume" → key VolumeDown
• "Mute" / "Unmute" → key VolumeMute

Apps:

• "Open Netflix" → launch Netflix
• "Launch YouTube" → launch YouTube
• "Start Hulu" → launch Hulu

Search:

• "Search for Breaking Bad" → text "Breaking Bad"
• "Find Stranger Things" → Open search + send text

Power:

• "Turn off the TV" → key PowerOff

Common App IDs

See references/common-apps.md for a comprehensive list.

Quick reference:

• Netflix: 12
• YouTube: 837
• Hulu: 2285
• Disney+: 291097
• Amazon Prime Video: 13
• HBO Max: 61322
• The Roku Channel: 151908

To get app IDs for your specific Roku:

python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip <ip> apps

Complete Key Reference

See references/remote-keys.md for all supported remote keys.

Common keys: Home, Back, Up, Down, Left, Right, Select, Play, Pause, Rev, Fwd, VolumeUp, VolumeDown, VolumeMute, PowerOff, Search, Info

Advanced Workflows

Watch Netflix

# Go home, launch Netflix
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Home
sleep 1
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch 12

Search and Play

# Open search, send text, select first result
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Search
sleep 1
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 text "The Office"
sleep 1
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Select

Quick Replay

# Go back 10 seconds and resume
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key InstantReplay
sleep 1
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key Play

Movie Night Setup

# Launch streaming app, adjust volume
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch "Disney+"
sleep 2
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeDown
python3 scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeDown

Device Mapping

Store your Roku IP in references/roku.json:

{
  "living_room": {
    "ip": "192.168.1.100",
    "name": "Living Room TV",
    "model": "Roku Ultra"
  },
  "bedroom": {
    "ip": "192.168.1.101",
    "name": "Bedroom Roku",
    "model": "Roku Streaming Stick+"
  }
}

Then reference by friendly name in conversations.

Troubleshooting

"No Roku devices found"

• Ensure Roku is powered on and connected to network
• Check that OpenClaw and Roku are on same network/subnet
• Some routers block SSDP discovery - try manual IP if known
• Verify Roku's network settings in Settings → Network

"Connection timeout"

• Verify IP address is correct
• Ping the Roku: ping <roku-ip>
• Check firewall isn't blocking port 8060
• Roku may have changed IP (use DHCP reservation)

"Key not working"

• Some keys only work on Roku TVs (volume, power, inputs)
• Volume keys require HDMI-CEC or Roku TV
• Power commands may not be supported on older devices
• Check references/remote-keys.md for compatibility

App won't launch

• Verify app is installed: run apps command
• Use correct app ID (case-sensitive for name matching)
• Some apps require additional authentication in their own UI

Discovery not finding device

• Try manual IP if you know it: check router DHCP leases
• Roku's IP is shown in Settings → Network → About
• Set static IP or DHCP reservation for reliability

Integration with Other Skills

Movie Night Routine

Combine with Govee lights skill:

# Dim lights
for light in "living room" "tv lights"; do
  python3 govee-lights/scripts/govee_control.py brightness "$light" 15
  python3 govee-lights/scripts/govee_control.py temp "$light" 2700
done

# Launch streaming app
python3 roku-control/scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 launch Netflix

# Set comfortable volume
python3 roku-control/scripts/roku_control.py --ip 192.168.1.100 key VolumeDown

Notes

• ECP protocol works entirely over LAN (no internet required)
• No authentication or API keys needed
• Commands are instant (local network speed)
• Multiple Roku devices can be controlled independently
• Works with Roku TVs, streaming sticks, and boxes
• Power-on commands not supported (ECP limitation - Roku must be awake)
• For power-on, use HDMI-CEC or network wake features if available

Limitations

• Cannot power on a fully-off Roku (ECP only works when device is on)
• Volume/power commands limited to Roku TVs or HDMI-CEC setups
• No feedback on success/failure for some commands
• Text input is character-by-character (slower for long searches)
• Discovery requires SSDP (some networks block multicast)