Since other people have asked me if I can add music to my “Time & Weather” screensaver I thought I’d bring it up here. Now that I’ve read the documentation ;), I see it’s not allowed. I can see reasons why it might not be a good idea, but it there any other technical reasons why it’s not allowed?
-JT
It’s an implementation quirk about the way the screensaver interacts with the active application and routing events and messages appropriately. We took some shortcuts here (including disallowing audio in the screenserver) in order to finalize v2.6 quickly and get it in your hands.
–Kevin
Thanks for the quick response! I can see pros and cons to allowing audio from a screensaver, but I guess it would be nice to have the option.
-JT
when do you expect we can see the audio working Kevin? since that was to get 2.6 out. now that were past that. when do you think we can see being able to add audio.
I would suggest looking at the audioapp sample application as an example of creating an application screensaver that can continue playing audio when the screensaver comes on.
We don’t currently have plans to enable audio on the system wide screensaver (the underlying channel may already have the audio hw resources)
–Kevin
Wouldn’t it be awesome to get audio ??
Fish tank is amazing but no bubbles 
Fireplace great…but no crackling 
Etc.
Do you still not allow audio with screensavers? Because I have found only one screensaver that offers audio with it and it crashes.
@jburnes , I don’t think anything has changed. What screensaver offers audio? It is possible to play short sound effects, but that’s about it.
It is called traveler’s audio adventures. I found it in the list of screensavers and then it installed an app. But when you go to it and click play on any of the options, the app crashes. I’m attaching a picture. Also, the app that you can sort of see in the picture to the right is called calm radio. On one of their screensavers, it looks like they do audio with the screensaver so I downloaded it but the pictures on the screensaver just tell you to download the calm radio app so you can listen to music. I don’t think it was intended as an audio screensaver, but more of a screensaver to try to get you to use their audio. Lol. But yeah, the travelers one definitely acted like you were going to get audio screensavers.
Exactly! They over here like we’ll give you peanut butter but no jelly. Ham but no cheese. Yin but no yang. Pictures but no sound. Lol
Kevin, I realize your comment was from 2010 and you probably won’t get this, but I have to ask. If it caused an issue and you shortcut it to be able to get version 2.6 out to the public, what is the reasoning behind not making it happen over the next 15 years? Does Roku not think there would be a demand?
To be honest, I hadn’t even thought about it until I saw the one screensaver. Then it dawned on me that since I have to fall asleep to the TV, a screensaver with white noise or rain sounds or whatever would be a godsend to help keep me from waking up in the middle of the night as I often do. And I would definitely pay money to have it. If Roku implemented it, they could allow developers to make them while profiting off of the sales. As an entrepreneur, this is a no-brainer. Roku could limit the time frame under which they allow development (in case sales weren’t high enough and they wanted to shut it off). Then, advertise it has a limited time feature (like Taco Bell does when they develop something new to eat). If it takes off and works for the company on a profitability and logistics basis, then run with it. If it doesn’t, kill it. It really should be as simple as that. I understand it may be a complex technical problem to solve, but the right people should be able to solve it quickly, if you wanted it to happen.
