Android application: taSageTV

[Fonceur]

Tallus Android SageTV allows you to monitor your SageTV Server, by browsing your Favorites, Scheduled recordings, etc. It also doubles up as a remote control, to navigate all your Client(s) and/or Extender(s), start/stop/pause playback, etc. All this through the comfort of your Android phone or tablet.

Streaming has been implemented through VLC and other test options, but actual playback is dependent on the installed media player on the Android device.

The instructions are provided on the support wiki while the latest version is available here or through the Android Market.

Demo videos

Here is a video of the version 1.73, which might be slightly different from the current version...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy5bpgAdGYk

[PLUCKYHD]

Wow Nice

Do it for the Iphone (I yell shamelessly as I go back into my hole )

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Do it for the Iphone (I yell shamelessly as I go back into my hole )

While I do have an iPod Touch myself, the lack of a Mac for development purposes is a big stumbling block...

[bialio]

I like the looks of this alot, BUT:

I'd be more likely to give this a try - and buy eventually - if it used some of the existing access methods - either of the web-servers or whatever else is out - as opposed to the TCP connection thing you created for this. I'm leery of installing 'unproven' stuff on my server......

btl.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by bialio

if it used some of the existing access methods - either of the web-servers or whatever else is out - as opposed to the TCP connection thing you created for this. I'm leery of installing 'unproven' stuff on my server......

Actually, the basis of the SageTCPServer has been created by Beelzerob about 2-3 years ago, and it was based on NielM's webserver. It does pre-date some of the other alternatives... It has been used for 2 CQC plugins, for a MainLobby plugin, for a plugin of a non released Home Automation application and taSageTV, so it's not like I just created it last week...

EDIT: Also 2-3 persons have shown interest to accessing SageTCPServer directly for their use, but I never got much details...

[kevine]

That looks pretty cool. I notice that your screenshots don't show the WiFi enabled. Can I assume that you are working external over the wireless connection then?

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by kevine

That looks pretty cool. I notice that your screenshots don't show the WiFi enabled. Can I assume that you are working external over the wireless connection then?

Those screenshots are of the emulator, so you have to take the Android's control icons with a grain of salt...

[panteragstk]

Will this application support streaming eventually?

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Will this application support streaming eventually?

In principle, it does now through VLC... But streaming in general does not work in the Android emulator, possibly due to the lack of support for multicast or something else. So I am still waiting for someone to actually test streaming on a real device.

[brewston]

Hello Fonceur

I tried this again and this time had more success (I think the CPU spikes I saw last time were unrelated) The remote works really well (Although I've not tested it exhaustively) It would be nice to power off/on the HD200 from it.

Favourite shows *most* of my favourites but not all of them.
Live TV fires up live TV as you would expect
Media Center doesn't show any of my music/photos/videos and pressing synchronize doesn't appear to effect anything
Recordings doesn't show anything at all either
Schedule doesn't show anything at all
TV Guide appears with 3 drop down boxes, the topmost are empty and fire up a white window when I press them. The number of days only shows 1 day and doesn't let me change it

I will probably use it for the remote at the moment, having the remote selectable from the first screen (Instead of having to press menu) would be nice

Final point, configuring the client confused me as I was inputting the HD200's IP address not my servers :-)

all in all, looks promising. Let me know if you want more information.. BTW I have a Milestone/Droid running Android 2.0.1

Cheers

Tim

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by brewston

The remote works really well

Good!

It would be nice to power off/on the HD200 from it.

In principle, I just need to add a button for that and send the right command...

Favourite shows *most* of my favourites but not all of them.

Well, the unlicensed version is limited to 10 items per list.

... doesn't show anything at all

That sounds like there is no connection to the server, but then you have something for the Favorite, which couldn't be possible in that case...

having the remote selectable from the first screen (Instead of having to press menu) would be nice

It's already getting crowded, but I'll see if I can squeeze that in somewhere...

Final point, configuring the client confused me as I was inputting the HD200's IP address not my servers :-)

Not sure how I can make the wiki info clearer than "the Hostname should be the same as the Server's one"...

Let me know if you want more information..

I could use the sagetv_0.txt log file for debugging, to see if the info is sent to the phone... If you haven't enabled the SageTV debugging, shutdown SageTv (and service), then make sure sage.properties has:

debug_logging=TRUE
sageTCPServer/debugOn=true

[Naylia]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

While I do have an iPod Touch myself, the lack of a Mac for development purposes is a big stumbling block...

You could sit in an Apple store for the duration. They probably wouldn't mind.

To actually provide something of value to the thread - I'll forward to autoboy. I know he has a Droid and would probably test this out.

[Fonceur]

Version .48 is available.

Originally Posted by brewston

It would be nice to power off/on the HD200 from it.

I've added a power button for that, which is hard coded for the HD200...

having the remote selectable from the first screen (Instead of having to press menu) would be nice

You can now click the client's name at the bottom of the Main page...

[brewston]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

I could use the sagetv_0.txt log file for debugging, to see if the info is sent to the phone... If you haven't enabled the SageTV debugging, shutdown SageTv (and service), then make sure sage.properties has:

debug_logging=TRUE
sageTCPServer/debugOn=true

Thanks for such a prompt response - I downloaded .48 and I like how you've implemented pulling up the remote. I saw the power button on there (I'm at the office so can't test that it works) I will try to get some debug logs tonight when I get home - is there another non-Android app I can use to test SageTCPServer ?

I have another suggestion to simplify the front screen - Just have a client entry which fires up the remote and then a server entry that fires up media center, favorites etc... Maybe have live TV in there too ?

BTW - if you have Astro on your phone (which understands .zip extensions) you can point your phone browser to the wiki and download the newest version (Need to remove the old one first)

Cheers

Tim

[tmiranda]

Thanks for this Fonceur. I may have to go out and get an Android phone now

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by brewston

is there another non-Android app I can use to test SageTCPServer ?

There are no stand alone apps for that, though you could use my plugins for MainLobby or CQC, or even directly through a TCP connection... Though I suspect that what you really want is an Android application like "Log collector" or such.

Just have a client entry which fires up the remote and then a server entry that fires up media center, favorites etc...

I've searched a bit, and I see that I could have the current launch mode, as well as another icon which would launch directly the remote. Now the issue is that "under the hood", there are two services running to talk to SageTCPServer, and those are getting launched by the "main" entry point... So I will keep the request in mind, but for now I don't see how I could get it to work...

BTW - if you have Astro on your phone

Thanks, I added this tip to the wiki.

[matt91]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

Well, the unlicensed version is limited to 10 items per list.

I didn't see anything in the wiki or in here on this. What are your plans for licensing?

[brewston]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

I've searched a bit, and I see that I could have the current launch mode, as well as another icon which would launch directly the remote. Now the issue is that "under the hood", there are two services running to talk to SageTCPServer, and those are getting launched by the "main" entry point... So I will keep the request in mind, but for now I don't see how I could get it to work...

I didn't actually mean launch them in parallel, I just meant the entry screen for the app *just* shows Server or Client and pressing Server gets you to Media Centrer, Recordings etc or pressing Client gets you its Remote. (Thinking about it, having live tv on the front screen doesn't make sense as its a client activity)

[Fuzzy]

So I set this up tonight. i've got Droid, and would like to be able to test out the streaming. I'm not sure how it's supposed to work though. I've added teh streaming lines to the SageTCPServer section of the properties file, but I don't see any option in the SageTCPServer to start the streaming. I can browse the recordings, click on a recording, and get the detailed informatino screen on it, but it doesn't have any option to watch. Browsing music shows a "Play" button, but all it does is launch the playback on the client.

[Fuzzy]

Also, another observation, the text on the droid is extremely small. I'm not sure if it's a screen res issue, but you SHOULD be able to test that by running with the 854x480 res in the emulator.