Building Low-Latency HLS Channels for Roku: Integrating CMAF and Real-Time Features in the Age of Interactive CTV 2026
There was a time when a 20-second delay on a stream felt acceptable. Viewers tolerated it. They didn’t compare timelines across devices. That tolerance is gone. In 2026, when someone watches a live sports clip on their phone and flips to their television, they expect the same moment. Not the replay. Not the delayed cheer from next door. The same moment. For developers building on the roku platform , low-latency HLS is no longer a technical luxury. It is foundational. Especially in the era of interactive CTV, where polls, live betting, shoppable overlays, and synchronized second-screen experiences depend on precision timing. And yes, it starts with infrastructure decisions. Why Low-Latency HLS Matters More Than Ever HTTP Live Streaming remains one of the dominant protocols for connected TV distribution. It is reliable, widely supported, and deeply integrated into device ecosystems. But traditional HLS, with six-second segments and multi-segment buffering, introduces delay. L...