Good bye Android Miniclient

[stuckless]

I got this email today....

Hello Google Play Developer,

In August 2019, we began requiring all apps using native code to provide a 64-bit version in addition to the 32-bit version when publishing to Google Play. One or more of your apps was granted a six-month extension until February 1, 2020.

Action required

Please review all of your apps for 64-bit compliance. After February 1st, the extension will expire and you will be unable to roll out non-compliant releases. No additional extensions will be granted.

Affected apps

As of January 6, 2020, we have detected the following app(s)* were not compliant:

sagex.miniclient.android.tv
Assessing 64-bit compliance

If you’re not sure whether your app fully supports 64-bit, you can check your compliance status by reviewing your release history or by uploading a draft version to the Play Console. You’ll see an alert if there’s anything to address.

The Android developers guide also provides step-by-step instructions for assessing the use of native code and becoming 64-bit compliant. The following are common reasons why an app may not be 64-bit compliant:
Architecture compliance. For each native 32-bit architecture you support, you must include the corresponding 64-bit architecture.
For the ARM architecture, the 32-bit libraries are located in armeabi-v7a. The 64-bit equivalent is arm64-v8a.
For the x86 architecture, the 32-bit libraries are located in x86. The 64-bit equivalent is x86_64.
Multi-apk compliance. If you use multi-apk, ALL apks in the release which support Android Pie or later must offer 64-bit variants. For further detail, please see this guidance on ensuring compliance.
Legacy Renderscript (.bc) files. The Android platform will force any .apk containing .bc files to run in 32-bit, even if it supports 64-bit. In this situation, developers should remove the .bc files and rebuild the app using build tools 21 or later.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Google Play developer support or your business development representative.

Sadly while it's likely possible to move the miniclient to 64bit I have 0 time to do this, and likely would take more more than a couple weeks. So, expect it to be removed from the play store at some point. I think the APKs are still downloadable from bintray (or github).

This is one of the reasons why I've stopped developing for Android. Google changes stuff all the time and as a hobbyiest developer I can't keep up

[pjpjpjpj]

I suspect this will affect a lot more folks in much worse ways than me (I still use extenders in the house but was starting to dabble into switching to miniclient use)... hopefully someone can take up the 64-bit reins. I would if I knew anything about programming...

[bigbill]

Oh, that's not good. Glad I didn't pull the trigger on a new Shield device over the holidays!

Is there an Apple version of the app? I switched to apple phone and ipad last year. (they are the buggiest devices I have ever used!) But I really want to find a decent sagetv client, was hoping the Android boxes would step up. If only a Raspberry Pi could be used. I would switch in a heart beat.

I have been running my motorhomes solar from an RPI via the free VenusGX OS for a year now, and its bulletproof. -Bill

[btrcp2000]

So when would the current mini client no longer be usable even if we stash an apk somewhere? That will be the end of the road for me.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

hopefully someone can take up the 64-bit reins. I would if I knew anything about programming...

The miniclient is already 64bit on ARM but non on x86 (most android devices are arm based). There were issues on x86_64 which is why it got dropped.

Originally Posted by bigbill

Oh, that's not good. Glad I didn't pull the trigger on a new Shield device over the holidays!

Is there an Apple version of the app? I switched to apple phone and ipad last year. (they are the buggiest devices I have ever used!) But I really want to find a decent sagetv client, was hoping the Android boxes would step up. If only a Raspberry Pi could be used. I would switch in a heart beat.

Keep in mind the shield is 64bit and the miniclient on shield is 64bit. It's more about providing 64 bit support for x86 devices. I'm not aware of a miniclient for apple devices.

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

So when would the current mini client no longer be usable even if we stash an apk somewhere? That will be the end of the road for me.

I suspect that the miniclient has about 2 more years... ie, it'll be dropped from the app store since it won't get an update. And then after that, likely at some point google will make changes in Android 10 or 11 that will make it incompatible. I suspect that's probably 2-3 out... but it will happen, since, google thas done this several time as I've been working on the miniclient.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by stuckless

The miniclient is already 64bit on ARM but non on x86 (most android devices are arm based). There were issues on x86_64 which is why it got dropped.



Keep in mind the shield is 64bit and the miniclient on shield is 64bit. It's more about providing 64 bit support for x86 devices. I'm not aware of a miniclient for apple devices.



I suspect that the miniclient has about 2 more years... ie, it'll be dropped from the app store since it won't get an update. And then after that, likely at some point google will make changes in Android 10 or 11 that will make it incompatible. I suspect that's probably 2-3 out... but it will happen, since, google thas done this several time as I've been working on the miniclient.

So if you bought other devices FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE to install the MiniClient, for example Amazon Fire HD tablets and Amazon Fire Sticks, is it possible to make those devices REFUSE updates of any kind? Do you think these devices could run the MiniClient either longer, or worse, shorter? Damn - I wish I was computer literate this way, as I have the time to do it

Finally - if you were to come up with a $$ figure to make it worth your while, throw it out there, you never know how many might respond. The Miniclient is VERY helpful, especially when travelling.

[wayner]

One of the things that may work is to buy an older device that is not able to be update to newer versions of Android or the Fire TV OS, like a 1st gen or 2nd gen Fire TV device.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

One of the things that may work is to buy an older device that is not able to be update to newer versions of Android or the Fire TV OS, like a 1st gen or 2nd gen Fire TV device.

ok. Are Fire devices clearly labeled somehow as 1st or 2nd gen? Hell, we’ve been surviving with 10-year-old technology (Sage Media Extenders) so finding an Amazon device that’s locked in time is fine with me. Probably cheaper as well.

[wayner]

I don't know that they are clearly labelled but it seems pretty straightforward to tell the difference - Google has a few pages on this. The thing that isn't as obvious, at least to me, is if there is a maximum Fire OS version that the old ones can run which would stop them from being updated.

By the way, this looks like it is a useful way to simplify sideloading apps: http://www.aftvnews.com/how-to-sidel...ng-downloader/

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by stuckless

The miniclient is already 64bit on ARM but non on x86 (most android devices are arm based). There were issues on x86_64 which is why it got dropped.

Can it be published as ARM only?

--John

[jusjoken]

Bintray location of apk files...

https://bintray.com/opensagetv/sagetv/AndroidMiniClient

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Finally - if you were to come up with a $$ figure to make it worth your while, throw it out there, you never know how many might respond.

Unfortunately this is not a $$ issue... I simply don't have time... Between work and another side project, I'm working 7 days a week 12 hours a day If I had time, I'd just do it.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Unfortunately this is not a $$ issue... I simply don't have time... Between work and another side project, I'm working 7 days a week 12 hours a day If I had time, I'd just do it.

Good to know. Hopefully someone picks up your torch. Thanks for everything

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by stuckless

The miniclient is already 64bit on ARM but non on x86 (most android devices are arm based). There were issues on x86_64 which is why it got dropped.

Can you elaborate on what kind of issues there were? Is the "native" stuff you refer to Exoplayer and ijkplayer or are there more pieces?

I have zero experience with Android development but could take a look at the 64-bit issues if I knew where to look. No promises.

Also, I read that you only need to support 64-bit on an architecture if you offer the 32-bit version. Can you just remove the 32-bit x86 version if so few devices use it anyway?

[VCRUser]

What about the Amazon appstore? Are they demanding 64bit also? I don't mind using older devices/refusing updates if it comes to that.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by wnjj

Can you elaborate on what kind of issues there were? Is the "native" stuff you refer to Exoplayer and ijkplayer or are there more pieces?

I have zero experience with Android development but could take a look at the 64-bit issues if I knew where to look. No promises.

Also, I read that you only need to support 64-bit on an architecture if you offer the 32-bit version. Can you just remove the 32-bit x86 version if so few devices use it anyway?

The miniclient has native libraries for the UI (libgdx), IJKPlayer (audio and video) and ExoPlayer (for audio transcoding).

The "issues" are not code issues per se... but, build/config. Eg, it's upgrading the latest android studio and then android libraries... that's usually 1-2 days since google tends to change stuff in there all the time. Then it's making sure all the 64bit parts of those libraries can compile and be built, and then it' getting all that into the build packaging. If that done then it's uploading to google store and there I'm sure google will have changes some other requirements (last time I had to spend time creating new images for some of the playstore artwork). If all goes well it could be done in a couple days. The problem is that I don't have those couple of days to figure it all out But there is no "coding" to this, it's really either getting the 64bit versions of those libraries to be incluided in the build.

Originally Posted by VCRUser

What about the Amazon appstore? Are they demanding 64bit also? I don't mind using older devices/refusing updates if it comes to that.

I haven't gotten anything from amazon, yet.

[AlphaCrew]

Screw Google, We don't need them as long as it's still available elsewhere..

Thanks for all your hard work, it's much appreciated.

[wayner]

Kind of ironic that Google is killing SageTV

For the second freakin' time!!!!

[KryptoNyte]

Thanks for keeping the apk's available otherwise. That works great for me.

[Carlton Bale]

Originally Posted by jpwegas

Can it be published as ARM only?

That was my thought as well. Narrowing focus to the nVidia Shield isn’t the worst sacrifice.

Instead of replacing the current app, maybe release a new version “SageTV Miniclent 64-bit for Arm Devices”?