Android application: taSageTV

[Fonceur]

Between the national holiday of Quebec (June 24th), Canada (July 1st) and USA (July 4th), the price is reduced to $9.99...

[Fonceur]

Version 2.06

- Another Remote control update.


I do want to make one last Remote control iteration, where in portrait mode the swipe would be horizontal instead of vertical, but it has created issues on high DPI devices before, so I'd rather have this version as a fall back...

[Fonceur]

Is anyone using Plex for Android? That's seems like another alternative for the streaming, though I don't know yet if I could launch the stream from TaSageTV...

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

Is anyone using Plex for Android? That's seems like another alternative for the streaming, though I don't know yet if I could launch the stream from TaSageTV...

It is my default streamer! After trying (trying...trying...trying...) to get any number of players and (sage)interfaces to work... I tried plex. Wow!

It syncs with most of the DB's (tvDB, etc) and grabs the local stuff (cast, characters, plot, thumbs...) and even displays them in it's Interface. Streaming is SPOT on as well! No skips, stutters, etc. (depending of course on your network...).


Hmmm... now that you made me think of it... Using the pleXBMC add-on for straight XBMC, you could have one hell of a client/extender! No more scripts to try and sync the data! Wow! I need to try this!

Sorry... off topic.

-Jason

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by Jason

Streaming is SPOT on as well! No skips, stutters, etc. (depending of course on your network...).

Good, hopefully they'll reply positively to exposing some Intent so I can launch streaming of a specific file...

[broderp]

Has there been any update to this program? This reminds me of the old days when getting com skip to work with SageTV was a 20 level process of editing files and having a better than 'comsumer average' knowledge of SageTv lingo and program skills.

I downloaded this file, and installed it on my Verizon Samsung Facinate phone (w/ android OS) and then I down loaded the SageTV server pluggin and installed it.

Thats were things go south for me. I read the 'Wiki', and no offence to the author, but detailed instructions? Really?? Detailed if you know your way around the program. I found them vague at best, with directions not is a logical order. Then if I'm understanding it correctly, to get other parts of it to work, you have to modify SageTV files.

There is no instruction on how to configure the plugginh, and even less on how to confugure the app. I'm sure they are there somewheres, but not very obvious to the casual user.

For example:
under the sageTV Server Settings, Name...of what? my user name? the Server name?
HOST: Host what? server IP address? Locator ID?? what works here?
Then lets talk about ports. Where do I find the info on ports? Port for the server? The router I'm using? Are they the same?

What the Wiki needs is a step by step with descriptions of were to get this info for each step required to config both the app and the pluggin.

I was attempting to configure the pluggin, and under ports I must have entered a wrong value or something, but it kicked my server off line and I had to delete my wizbin and properties file as I could not remember (or did not know) were the information for the port was stored. Needless to say had to rebuild ALL my SageTV setting and reconfigure everything. I was not happy. This is further compounded by the fact I do not use a mouse or keyboard on my Server as it is an integral part of my HT system driving my 60" TV. WHAT A HASSLE!

I don't care about watching video over my phone, that seems so silly IMO, but I have had several times that I would have liked to access my server and add a re3cording or see the program gude etc.

Finally, before I get flames, please know that I did NOT read thru all 50+ pages of this thread. the first 6 pages was all I needed to see to realize this is what I wanted, but that it was way over my head with all the configurations. I'm not sure why I attempted it. If someone could offer some assistance, or if I could provide a list of question to the thread for review and answers, I would be very appreciative, and maybe the instructions I'm looking for would help someone else as well. Make into a downloadable file or add to Wiki, for us idiots.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by broderp

Has there been any update to this program?

The last update was less than a week ago...

then I down loaded the SageTV server pluggin and installed it.

SageTCPServer gets installed from the SageTV 7 plugin interface, or were you looking at the one year old instructions?

I read the 'Wiki', and no offence to the author, but detailed instructions?

OK, so what isn't clear? When was the last time you visited the wiki and are you sure it wasn't an old cache?

Then if I'm understanding it correctly, to get other parts of it to work, you have to modify SageTV files.

If you want to use some advanced features that SageTV itself doesn't expose through the settings, sure, but you should start by the basic...

There is no instruction on how to configure the pluggin

Because it doesn't need configuration, the default values are just fine. For advanced users, they can tweaked things if they want.

and even less on how to confugure the app. I'm sure they are there somewheres, but not very obvious to the casual user.

Have you tried the wiki, it even has pretty pictures of where to enter those values...

under the sageTV Server Settings, Name...of what? my user name? the Server name?

You are configuring a SERVER, what kind of name could it be asking for? If you don't know, stick with the default value...

HOST: Host what? server IP address? Locator ID?? what works here?
Then lets talk about ports. Where do I find the info on ports? Port for the server? The router I'm using? Are they the same?

Straight from the wiki:

Typing ipconfig at a command prompt is one way to obtain that machine's IP/Hostname. 
The port would match Server entry in SageTCPServer (i.e. default port 9250). 
If you set a password in SageTCPServer, you will need to enter it here.

How much more explicit can it be?

What the Wiki needs is a step by step with descriptions of were to get this info for each step required to config both the app and the pluggin.

Which it does...

I was attempting to configure the pluggin, and under ports I must have entered a wrong value or something, but it kicked my server off line and I had to delete my wizbin and properties file as I could not remember (or did not know) were the information for the port was stored.

You could have taken 30 seconds to post in the thread, I would have told you which lines to delete in the Sage.properties file... To take care of a spider you decided to destroy and rebuild your house...

Finally, before I get flames, please know that I did NOT read thru all 50+ pages of this thread. the first 6 pages was all I needed to see to realize this is what I wanted

Sure, read the 1 year old instructions and wonder why things don't work...

[mzup]

Idiot.

Says there are no detailed instructions yet in larger font letters on wiki there is a section called Detialed Instructions.

Some people just can't ask a question first before going on and on about how bad something is when it isn't bad at all.

I appreciate your hard work as well as all the other developers here that have created such excellent plugins for people to use.

Anytime I had a problem I search, then I ask. I always get a response fairly quickly.

Thanks again.

[broderp]

Originally Posted by mzup

Idiot.

Says there are no detailed instructions yet in larger font letters on wiki there is a section called Detialed Instructions.

Some people just can't ask a question first before going on and on about how bad something is when it isn't bad at all.

I appreciate your hard work as well as all the other developers here that have created such excellent plugins for people to use.

Anytime I had a problem I search, then I ask. I always get a response fairly quickly.

Thanks again.

You assume too much. Thats the problem with this forum. Not everyone is as PC savy as those here who flame others. I equate it to having a profesion in the 'food industry' then all of a suddengetting a job as an electrical engineer. You would be lost until such time you are up to speed.

Yes I did read the wiki, and downloaded the app and pluggin just last night, so I assume they are the 'latest'. The problem is I didn't I couldn't figure thecdirestion out based on my current level of experience and knowlege with SageTV. That doesn't make me an idiot.

I have posted questions in the past, and have never recieved a quick responce, so I did what I know how to do. And yes I'm sure I gave myself more work than what I needed to do, but I couldn't depend on a responce from the forum. Maybe I'm wrong. Just basing it on past experience.

Thank you to the author for a quick reply. Perhaps I will go thru the instructions again, with the post you left above and post my questions as I need and see if I get responces. If this works, I'd be more than happy to purchace this.

This app and sagetV are great, but IMO part of what keeps this from being a mainstream app or being even wider recieved or accepted is the cryptic nature of it. Unfortunately, the features that make it great also add to this complexilty.

[broderp]

1. Installed app on my droid phone. No appearant issues.
2. Installed the sagtcpserver pluggin from my SageTV Setip menu. All went well there. I have not configured anything.

3. At a command prompt, I typed "ipconfig" to see machine's IP/Hostname. Here is what I got:

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.
C:\USERS\SAGETV>ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : woh.rr.com
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::xxxx:xxxx:xxx:xxxxxx
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.xxx.x.xxx
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.xxx.xxx.x
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.xxx.x.x
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : woh.rr.com
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:xxxx:xxxx:xx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fexx::xx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxxxx
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
C:\USERS\SAGETV>


I see no fewer than 4 lines that contain "IP" and NONE that say "Hostname". So which do I use?


Here is what I found out:

All you need to do is go to the Server computer and follow the path of:

SETUP, SYSTEM INFORMATION. There you can see the NAME and IP address.

The information as requested is what confused me. On the app itself, you ask for Name. You should label it Server name. Then you ask for Host, this should be labeled Server IP address. This would have avoided a lot of confusion on my end, maybe others as well.

I do have one issue I can not seem to resolve. I can connect via wi-fi only. If I turn off wifi, I loose my conection to the server. What can I do to connect via 3G as I will not always be in front of my PC (defeats the purpose of having SageTV "to go" !

Thank you.

[twollman]

To take advantage of the sale price, I just bought this for my Motorola Xoom. Its a cool app. I do get force closes every time I hit the back key from viewing the recording details. Xoom is running the latest version of Honeycomb. Running 2.07 version of TASagetv.

Everything else seems to be working. The remote is nice. The buttons could be a bit larger. On the Xoom I use my thumb to push the buttons and end up "fat fingering" the wrong button. The Xoom screen has a lot of room to spread them out/make them a bit bigger.

Once I get my key, I will play with it some more. Let me know if I can do anything to help you solve the force close issue.

Thanks again for a cool app!

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by broderp

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.xxx.x.xxx

That was probably the right one, on windows XP it simply gets labeled as "IP address" under "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection"...

SETUP, SYSTEM INFORMATION. There you can see the NAME and IP address.

But I don't have that under XP, so your detailed instructions would be useless to me... See a pattern?

You should label it Server name. Then you ask for Host, this should be labeled Server IP address.

So when people select the Server settings, I should label everything as "Server XYZ"... That's redundant, and means I would have to reduce the size of the input fields, so people couldn't see everything they typed in...

If I turn off wifi, I loose my conection to the server. What can I do to connect via 3G as I will not always be in front of my PC

I have added a section to the wiki called "3G/External server", based on users explanations...

[Fonceur]

Version 2.08

- Changed some labels on the Server settings.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by twollman

I do get force closes every time I hit the back key from viewing the recording details.

Right, the newer versions of Android are producing FC if the app spends more than 16ms on the UI thread... So I do need to move more stuff out of the UI thread. I think version 1.74 was built against Android OS 2.2 and did not have those issues. If you go back in the thread around that release, you should find the initial investigation we did of the issue, with links to older versions.

Everything else seems to be working. The remote is nice. The buttons could be a bit larger. On the Xoom I use my thumb to push the buttons and end up "fat fingering" the wrong button. The Xoom screen has a lot of room to spread them out/make them a bit bigger.

On a phone, the remote control should fit in 2 screens. On my Cruz T301 tablet, which is 600x800 medium DPI, the 2 screens are present at the same time and filling the width (in portrait). In principle, things should be rescaled 1.5 or even 2.0 times on your tablet, depending if it is considered high DPI or extra-high DPI... Any chance you could post a screenshot?

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by Jason

It is my default streamer! After trying (trying...trying...trying...) to get any number of players and (sage)interfaces to work... I tried plex. Wow!

I did get some replies from Isaac at Plex. Unfortunately, what I wanted to do isn't supported (i.e. launching their app to stream a specific file). While I could request some key to use the transcoding API, that wouldn't help much either as the built in Android media player couldn't play the resulting stream anyway.

[mzup]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

Version 2.08

- Changed some labels on the Server settings.

You list you updated to 2.08, but your profile says 2.07. I am very confused by this. Which am I to believe.

[broderp]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

That was probably the right one, on windows XP it simply gets labeled as "IP address" under "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection"...


But I don't have that under XP, so your detailed instructions would be useless to me... See a pattern?


So when people select the Server settings, I should label everything as "Server XYZ"... That's redundant, and means I would have to reduce the size of the input fields, so people couldn't see everything they typed in...


I have added a section to the wiki called "3G/External server", based on users explanations...

THANKS! I just downloaded the new version, and it makes more sence with the changes you made. Guess I'm such an idiot after all, if my comments caused such a quick change.

I actually found the info I mentioned above from within the SageTV program, not windows. If Users go to SETUP, SYSTEM INFORMATION they will see the information there. I believe everyone should have that there. (Its also easier than going to a command prompt and doing the ipconfig.

I also will read up on the 3G section of the wiki. I'm buying this app before Monday.....I just found out about the sale price, well worth it to me just to monitor and change stuff when I'm not home.

[cefisher]

Aaak! I thought I had it mostly working on my Pandigital Novel. I get video streaming, but no audio.
I made a change to the Sage.properties to get rid of the clients, and updated TaSageTV to version 2.08 (with purchase, thank you), and now all I get is Force Close when I start it.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by broderp

if my comments caused such a quick change.

The reason the current version is 2.08 is because I've published over 200 iteration in the last year or so... I've been known to push many in a single day. I am very opened to suggestions and constructive criticism, but for that I need more than "the instruction sucks" or "the app doesn't work"...

Originally Posted by cefisher

I get video streaming, but no audio.

Have you tried different files or streaming profile?

all I get is Force Close when I start it.

Install an application like aLogCat, this way you'll be able to post an Android log of the app crashing, so I can figure out the issue...

[IVB]

tiSageTV to the rescue, thanks Fonceur! We only have 2 TVs in the house, the kids were engaged in an epic battle about what to watch (I typically surrender to the wife). They have an iPod Touch, I installed this on there and the streaming works. We have to hit pause to buffer content as its all HD all the time, but we watched ~10m and I only had to do that twice.

Well, now they may fight over who gets the iPod Touch and who has to watch the TV, but one battle at a time