Proposal: port VLC to Roku OS (linux-based)
The problem
The 14 oldest Roku devices have recently been rendered useless, as Roku, Netflix, and Amazon have all abandoned support for them. The Roku Channel Store now refuses connections from these devices, which means new channels (apps) cannot be installed from the WAN. The USB port is dead to anyone who didn't buy the drivers for it while the store was an option.
It's a problem of designed obsolescence and it proliferates environmental harm. That is, Roku owners will throw their useless hardware in the trash and do exactly what Roku wants them to do: buy new hardware. The new hardware doesn't have composite connectors, so it means people will throw away old TVs and buy new as well. Roku refugees are looking for solutions.
The fix:
If VLC were ported to Roku, it could extend the useful life of the devices for at least a decade to come, as VLC would supply access to DLNA-served media. Unlike Apple TV, Roku is not really locked down. It runs linux 2.6 on an ARM CPU. There is no jailbreaking needed. The Roku has a built-in web server making it possible to side-load apps (APK files).
Limitations:
One one app can be side-loaded at a time. But if that one app is VLC, it's all that's really needed.