Channel Description: Synctrix is an multi-app system that organizes your cloud-based personal media files into playlists for streaming to your Roku, Chromecast, Android TV, or Amazon Fire TV. The concept is this:
- Install the Synctrix Android app on a mobile device. You will be required to allow the app to access your contacts list and to log in through your Google account. You must also let the app connect to your Google Drive and/or Dropbox account.
- Create playlists within the Android app by selecting files from Google Drive and Dropbox.
- Launch the Synctrix channel on your Roku (or other streaming TV device) and connect it to your Google account. Because both the Roku channel and the Android app are logged into your Google account, the Roku channel will load the playlists that you created in the app.
That's the theory behind this beta app. In reality, I never got it working. I was able to link everything up, and my Android playlist showed up on the Roku channel, but the media files never actually streamed. Normally we don't list broken private channels on RokuGuide.com, but we sometimes make exceptions for beta apps like this where other users may have a better experience.
I'm somewhat ambivalent about the usefulness of this app. There are other Roku apps, such as Roksbox xStream, that will stream personal media files from Google Drive and Dropbox without the need for intermediary apps. However, those apps don't allow the creation of playlists; they play all media in a selected folder, while Synctrix lets you combine files from different folders into a single playlist.
Creating playlists seems, in fact, to the be the only reason why you want to use this app at this point in its development. It does not recognize image files so you cannot create slideshows, you cannot combine music and video files in the same playlist, and you cannot add cover art to your music files. And I'm also curious as to why the Android app requires access to my contact list when there is no option to share playlists with others.
As I stated above, this is a beta and worthy of watching how it develops. But if you're looking for something to put into action right now as a consistent way to stream personal media to your Roku, you'll be better off with an established app from the channel store - browse the many options available in the Apps, Personal Media, and Photo Apps categories to find one that's right for you.
CHANNEL ACCESS CODE: synctrixbeta
FEES: None
RELATED LINKS:
Synctrix Website
Synctrix on Twitter
-- Information is current as of September 29, 2016
