URC has announced the release of Roku Integration 3.0 for its Total Control automation platform, expanding how Roku streaming devices and Roku TVs function within integrated residential systems.
According to URC, the third-generation update delivers two-way control, dynamic app management, and deeper automation capabilities, positioning Roku as a fully integrated system component rather than a standalone streaming source. The update is available through a URC software release and supports both new installations and existing Total Control systems.
URC says Roku Integration 3.0 was rebuilt using its standardized integration framework, allowing Roku devices to operate on equal footing with other subsystems such as lighting, audio, and environmental controls. The company notes that this structural change improves response time, interface consistency, and system awareness across touchscreens, remotes, keypads, and mobile apps.
A key addition in Integration 3.0 is a dynamic Roku Apps Page that automatically displays all installed Roku channels within the Total Control interface. URC says the app list updates as channels are added or removed and sorts dynamically based on usage, reducing the need for manual programming and ongoing dealer maintenance.
The update also supports direct channel launching, allowing integrators to assign Roku apps to main menu or sub-menu buttons. Selecting a channel launches the app and transitions the interface to Roku control automatically, which URC says aligns the user experience more closely with how homeowners expect streaming systems to operate.
Roku Integration 3.0 adds expanded interface customization options, enabling installers to configure whether Roku Apps or Roku Controls are displayed when the Roku Home screen is active. URC says these settings can be tailored per client device, allowing different interfaces for touchscreens, handheld remotes, and keypads within the same project.
Additional features include a full Roku Controls Page with dynamic backgrounds tied to the active channel, support for up to four user-defined favorite channels, and an on-screen keyboard for supported Roku apps to enable text entry and search directly from URC interfaces.
From a programming perspective, URC says Integration 3.0 simplifies setup by automatically populating Roku devices and channels within the Entertainment sub-menu. Discovery, configuration, and testing follow standard Total Control workflows, with the company noting that Roku devices must be preconfigured and assigned a static IP address or DHCP reservation prior to integration.
URC positions the update as a shift toward treating streaming media as part of the broader automation environment. According to the company, Roku actions can now be included in scenes, schedules, and conditional logic, such as coordinating playback with lighting scenes, launching specific channels during routines, or powering down devices during whole-home shutdown modes.
URC states that Roku Integration 3.0 was developed in response to dealer feedback gathered over more than a decade of real-world deployments, with an emphasis on reducing exceptions, improving feedback, and maintaining interfaces as streaming content evolves.
