[Android MiniClient] Now in BETA

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I seem to always get a black screen for the UI on a Galaxy S4, so I was trying to determine why. I've been able see the S4 connected via the web interface on another computer, and even launch a video on the S4 via the web interface. Unfortunately the UI is always a black screen.

I wondered if it might be Gemstone, but the more I think about it, I think that any brand new client always connects with the stock v7 STV.

Any other folks try this on an old S4?

I was going to post something yesterday, but didn't get a chance to check all my findings as to what, specifically, would or would not play. However, I'll at least chime in that I was able to run Gemstone itself just fine on my S4 (ED: Who you callin' old? ), as well as the stock v7 STV and some recordings will even play without issue. This is all on SageTV v7.

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I seem to always get a black screen for the UI on a Galaxy S4, so I was trying to determine why. I've been able see the S4 connected via the web interface on another computer, and even launch a video on the S4 via the web interface. Unfortunately the UI is always a black screen.

I wondered if it might be Gemstone, but the more I think about it, I think that any brand new client always connects with the stock v7 STV.

Any other folks try this on an old S4?

I had the same problem initially - just a black screen. Then a week ago I clued into the fact that when I rebuilt my Sage installation about a year ago, I never did reinstall my place shifter licenses. Reinstalling them fixed my issue....

[AzJazz]

Hi, stuckless!

Is there a way to use the Mini Client over the internet? I tried to connect over the internet, and I saw a black screen with two black boxes that I couldn't do anything with.

Playing videos isn't as important, it's more so I can set up recordings and such while away from home.

Thanks,

AJ

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by AzJazz

Hi, stuckless!

Is there a way to use the Mini Client over the internet? I tried to connect over the internet, and I saw a black screen with two black boxes that I couldn't do anything with.

Playing videos isn't as important, it's more so I can set up recordings and such while away from home.

Thanks,

AJ

Are you running the latest Beta Build (Beta 6 i think). If so, i think placeshifting should work (including playing videos). if you Swipe in from the left side it should open the on screen navigation and in there there is a keyboard icon. But, you need to be on the latest beta. You problem sounds like a problem that existed early on the Alpha builds.

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Are you running the latest Beta Build (Beta 6 i think). If so, i think placeshifting should work (including playing videos). if you Swipe in from the left side it should open the on screen navigation and in there there is a keyboard icon. But, you need to be on the latest beta. You problem sounds like a problem that existed early on the Alpha builds.

Hmm. I'm using version 6 and all I can play are recordings. DVDs and Blurays do not. I forget exactly what happens when I try to launch them. I'll double check and post.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by SteveW

Hmm. I'm using version 6 and all I can play are recordings. DVDs and Blurays do not. I forget exactly what happens when I try to launch them. I'll double check and post.

I guess, I should qualify... I'm not saying that you'll play 100% of everything... but that some things, such as recordings, will most likely play.... And even in those cases YMMV depending on the recorded media.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by SteveW

I had the same problem initially - just a black screen. Then a week ago I clued into the fact that when I rebuilt my Sage installation about a year ago, I never did reinstall my place shifter licenses. Reinstalling them fixed my issue....

Hmmm. I'll have to check on that. I don't recall seeing anything in the client log about that, on the other hand, not sure what that would look like in the log.

Just to clarify, what all is required on a SageTV V7 server to use this Android Client?
- Placeshifter license (or client license of some sort maybe)?
- Server configured to use extenders/placeshifters
- anything else?

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Hmmm. I'll have to check on that. I don't recall seeing anything in the client log about that, on the other hand, not sure what that would look like in the log.

Just to clarify, what all is required on a SageTV V7 server to use this Android Client?
- Placeshifter license (or client license of some sort maybe)?
- Server configured to use extenders/placeshifters
- anything else?

IF your device (phone, etc) is on the same NETWORK as your sagetv server, then this client identifies itself as an HD Media Extender (ie HD300 - Sage doesn't now the difference). If your phone/device is on a different network, then it will go into placeshifter mode.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I was going to post something yesterday, but didn't get a chance to check all my findings as to what, specifically, would or would not play. However, I'll at least chime in that I was able to run Gemstone itself just fine on my S4 (ED: Who you callin' old? ), as well as the stock v7 STV and some recordings will even play without issue. This is all on SageTV v7.

Well, based on the above posts, I have no idea what the problem is with this Verizon S4. I've always tried to use the Android client that is wifi connected to same router/switch as the SageTV server.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Well, based on the above posts, I have no idea what the problem is with this Verizon S4. I've always tried to use the Android client that is wifi connected to same router/switch as the SageTV server.

Time for a new phone

[KryptoNyte]

Ohhhhhhh ..... come on now!

I swear, this planet will do anything to suggest that any device over 5 minutes old isn't worth having!

[Dargason]

I've got it working on my S4 surprisingly well over LAN, though it seemed pretty slow as placeshifter. I haven't done a bunch of testing though, as I really don't plan to use my phone much for this purpose. A tablet, though...

[stuckless]

@KryptoNyte have you tried deleting the client properties, on the server, for your phone. The device id of your phone is listed in the miniclient settings screen at the bottom. Find the client properties with the same id and then delete. Make sure sagetv is not running at the time. Once that is done, then restart sagetv and then reconned with your phone.

[stuckless]

FYI... I loaded this up on my old Galaxy SII, and it work. I can't say it worked well, the system top status UI kept show up over the sagetv UI which was annoying. And the left swipe in to reveal the OSD was hard to trigger. Other than that the UI was responsive enough and I could play video. But the UI looks very pixelated

[dinki]

Stuckless, here's a FYI oddity (at least to me): I'm using miniclient on my phone with bluetooth output to a bluetooth speaker. This works great until I turn off the speaker. The video continues to play for a few seconds but then exits back to the server select screen. I'm guessing it's still trying to send audio to the BT device and can't so it fails to the server select screen. Ideally it would hand off the audio to the onboard speaker. Again, this is not a gripe just an observation. I can capture logs if you'd like. It may also be isolated to my phone and not happen on other Android devices.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by dinki

Stuckless, here's a FYI oddity (at least to me): I'm using miniclient on my phone with bluetooth output to a bluetooth speaker. This works great until I turn off the speaker. The video continues to play for a few seconds but then exits back to the server select screen. I'm guessing it's still trying to send audio to the BT device and can't so it fails to the server select screen. Ideally it would hand off the audio to the onboard speaker. Again, this is not a gripe just an observation. I can capture logs if you'd like. It may also be isolated to my phone and not happen on other Android devices.

I should be able to test this... I have several bluetooth speakers. Sounds like, as you said, a handoff issue... If you could open a defect on the issues site, then I won't forget about it

https://github.com/OpenSageTV/sagetv-miniclient

FYI... It's in beta now, so I expect issues to come in (and I don't mind). I can't promise to fix them all before the final release (especially since I'm spending the bulk of my time working out video issues)... but if they are in the issue tracker, then I'll get to it eventually.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by stuckless

FYI... I loaded this up on my old Galaxy SII, and it work. I can't say it worked well, the system top status UI kept show up over the sagetv UI which was annoying. And the left swipe in to reveal the OSD was hard to trigger. Other than that the UI was responsive enough and I could play video. But the UI looks very pixelated

Other than the pixelation, your experience on the S2 is identical to my S4. Although, "hard to trigger" is subjective. I have nothing to compare to so, perhaps the swipe isn't actually all that bad on my S4.

Also, one suggestion for the future: When you start typing in the "My Server" field to add the server, maybe make it delete the "My Server" part automatically? It's only a minor annoyance most people will only see a few times, but I was surprised when I had to move the cursor to the end and manually delete the rest of the text.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Other than the pixelation, your experience on the S2 is identical to my S4. Although, "hard to trigger" is subjective. I have nothing to compare to so, perhaps the swipe isn't actually all that bad on my S4.

I'm comparing it to how it works on Nexus 5... where it works every time I swipe in from the left edge... but on the S2... I couldn't get it to work in most cases

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by stuckless

I'm comparing it to how it works on Nexus 5... where it works every time I swipe in from the left edge... but on the S2... I couldn't get it to work in most cases

In that case, the swiping works pretty decently on mine. I've noticed that I have issues bringing that up if a selectable item is close to the edge of the screen (about 1/4"), but I think that's just the nature of the beast on such a small screen.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by stuckless

@KryptoNyte have you tried deleting the client properties, on the server, for your phone. The device id of your phone is listed in the miniclient settings screen at the bottom. Find the client properties with the same id and then delete. Make sure sagetv is not running at the time. Once that is done, then restart sagetv and then reconned with your phone.

Yeah, just tried that with a clean install of beta 0.6, no dice. The phone is obviously not rooted, but I did allow the install of non-play store apps. Is there something else on the phone that needs to be adjusted?

Is this the typical properties file that's created on the server after first start of the app:

#Sage Preferences
#Wed Jan 20 19:05:02 CST 2016
STV=C\:\\Program Files (x86)\\SageTV\\SageTV\\STVs\\SageTV7\\SageTV7.xml
extender_resolution_extra_modes=
force_nonlocal_connection=false
miniclient/disabled_audio_codecs=
online_video/update/last_update_time=1453338162461
osd_rendering_height_ntsc=1080
osd_rendering_width=1920
show_mouse_icons=false
ui/accelerated_rendering=false
ui/animation/background_surface_name=BG
ui/animation/preferred_scrolling_surface=Foreground
ui/default_bluray_icon=bluray.png
ui/default_dvd_icon=dvd.png
ui/default_music_icon=MusicArt.png
ui/default_picture_icon=Slideshow.png
ui/default_video_icon=VideoArt.png
ui/last_version=SageTV V7.1.9.256
ui/scaling_insets_base_height=480
ui/scaling_insets_base_width=720
ui/ui_overscan_correction_offset_x=0
ui/ui_overscan_correction_offset_y=0
ui/ui_overscan_correction_perct_height=1.0
ui/ui_overscan_correction_perct_width=1.0
ui/wait_icon_prefix=images/tvicon_anim
ui/wait_indicator_refresh_period=100
version/STV_file_set=2012031001
videoframe/always_call_fileplaybackfinished=false
zzz=true


Ah, forget it. This isn't worth the troubleshooting time. It would be rare that I'd watch TV on this small screen.