Fork of SageTV MiniClient for Android TV

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

I'm using version 1.7.0 of the MiniClient on a FireTV Stick 4K, and I have the "Use Native Resolution" option checked in the settings. However, when I check channels that should be 720p (Fox, ESPN, ABC, etc.) they are all showing up as 1080p when I press the info button on the TV remote. Am I missing a setting somewhere? I would prefer if the MiniClient display the native resolution of the channel being viewed, rather than sending it as 1080p all of the time. Any suggestions?

If you are referring to the option the miniclient, then this is nothing to do with the video output. Use native resolution here tell the UI to match the resolution provided by the device. ie, normally SageTV's resolution for the UI is 720p but you can tell sagev to use the native resolution. SageTV will then send back artifacts that will be scaled to native resolution. In all fairness, this setting should be removed fromt he miniclient since in reality it doesn't do much to improve the overall UI quality. This difference is this...

In native resolution mode, mini client creates a UI buffer the same as the native UI. It tells sagetv what the resolution is, and when sagetv sends the UI parts across the wire, the information to scale them is included in the bitmaps.

In a non native mode pretty much the same thing happens except that the UI buffer is 720p and then it is finally scaled to the native resolution in one shot, just before it renders the UI. Given that both of these are scaling the artifacts, the latter is more memory efficient, since, it will create small UI buffers and only scale the large buffer at the end.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by stuckless

If you are referring to the option the miniclient, then this is nothing to do with the video output. Use native resolution here tell the UI to match the resolution provided by the device. ie, normally SageTV's resolution for the UI is 720p but you can tell sagev to use the native resolution. SageTV will then send back artifacts that will be scaled to native resolution. In all fairness, this setting should be removed fromt he miniclient since in reality it doesn't do much to improve the overall UI quality. This difference is this...

In native resolution mode, mini client creates a UI buffer the same as the native UI. It tells sagetv what the resolution is, and when sagetv sends the UI parts across the wire, the information to scale them is included in the bitmaps.

In a non native mode pretty much the same thing happens except that the UI buffer is 720p and then it is finally scaled to the native resolution in one shot, just before it renders the UI. Given that both of these are scaling the artifacts, the latter is more memory efficient, since, it will create small UI buffers and only scale the large buffer at the end.

There is a setup parameter with a similar name in the HDx00 extenders (I think it is enable native resolution switching). That parameter determines whether the extender re-scales video before outputting to match a fixed output resolution or passed the video through untouched and lets the TV deal with it. In this case whenever there is a resolution change, the screen May blank for a moment while the TV detects the content and adjusts itself. The reason you might want to do this if you think the scaler in your tv is better than the scaler in the extender (or if you are using an external scaler).

I’m not sure if this feature would make sense in a phone or tablet, since there is probably only one scaler, but it could make sense with AndroidTV device that doesn’t have a built in display (such as a Shield). But the hardware (and operating system and display drivers) would have to support this.

[Scriber]

I have a difficult time understanding most of this thread so after buying another FireTV 4K stick wondered if there was a simple list of optimal settings for use with 4K FireTV stick?

FWIW, i change these settings on both of mine:
-Uncheck "Use Exoplayer"
(otherwise sound but no vid)

-Check "IJK: Show Message when using software decoders".
(fyi)

-Check "IJK: Allow Native software decoders"
(otherwise uses software decoders)

-In IJK: Disable hardware decoders" uncheck the first MPEG2 decoder
(otherwise uses software decoders)

I do not use OpenDCT. (All recordings are OTA via HAUPPAUGE WinTV-quadHD)

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by Scriber

I have a difficult time understanding most of this thread so after buying another FireTV 4K stick wondered if there was a simple list of optimal settings for use with 4K FireTV stick?

FWIW, i change these settings on both of mine:
-Uncheck "Use Exoplayer"
(otherwise sound but no vid)

-Check "IJK: Show Message when using software decoders".
(fyi)

-Check "IJK: Allow Native software decoders"
(otherwise uses software decoders)

-In IJK: Disable hardware decoders" uncheck the first MPEG2 decoder
(otherwise uses software decoders)

I find it interesting how users are having such different outcomes using FireTV Sticks.... I for instance am using ExoPlayer with great success.

Anyways. Are these the know best settings? I can add these to the first post if you guys think this is best for the FireTV stick 4k.

Thanks,
Josh

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by jvl711

I find it interesting how users are having such different outcomes using FireTV Sticks.... I for instance am using ExoPlayer with great success.

Anyways. Are these the know best settings? I can add these to the first post if you guys think this is best for the FireTV stick 4k.

Thanks,
Josh

I think it all depends on whether you use OPENDCT or not. Users need to post if they use OPenDCT or not. I have no Problem with EXOPLAYER and OPENDCT.

[jvl711]

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I have been crazy busy with work, so my development efforts have been slowed a bit. Here is my current plan and progress.

I am planning two releases.

Maintenance Release
1. Update to latest version of ExoPlayer. - DONE
2. Simplify and organize the settings screens - 50% complete

New feature release
1. Add an option to SageTV and Android Client to allow for stream fix (Re-container the video/audio)
2. Add support for some addition audio/video codecs


Thanks,
Josh

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I think it all depends on whether you use OPENDCT or not. Users need to post if they use OPenDCT or not. I have no Problem with EXOPLAYER and OPENDCT.

Same here.

[Scriber]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I think it all depends on whether you use OPENDCT or not. Users need to post if they use OPenDCT or not. I have no Problem with EXOPLAYER and OPENDCT.

Im not and updated my original post.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by Scriber

Im not and updated my original post.

Thanks for updating your post it helps a lot ... I guess Josh will have to apply some kind of fix when not using OPENDCT.

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

Thanks for updating your post it helps a lot ... I guess Josh will have to apply some kind of fix when not using OPENDCT.

I think I can do the samething that OpenDCT is doing. Run video through FFmpeg and clean it up . I feel this is kinda a work around though.

I still think it is a good idea to use OpenDCT if you can. It is very stable application for getting live TV into SageTV. And it has a lot of cool features. It is a little bit of a challenge to setup, but once working does not seem to need any care or feeding.

[Eternal]

tab s6 and brand new s21 ultra dont have hardware mpeg-2 decoding. CHUGS trying to play it back. Fixed transcoding works like a treat.

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by Eternal

tab s6 and brand new s21 ultra dont have hardware mpeg-2 decoding. CHUGS trying to play it back. Fixed transcoding works like a treat.

That is the main reason I added that feature. MPEG2 support is pretty spotty on Android. so is PS/TS container support. I am glad it is working for you!

[jvl711]

Hi All,

A new version is in testing with my Patreon supporters. It looks like it is going well. I plan to release for general availability in the next week or so. This is a minor release.

- ExoPlayer update
- Backend support for some additional codecs (Will need additional updates to Sage)
- Some redesigning of some of the options menus.

Thanks,
Josh

[jvl711]

Hi All,

The new release has been published (v.1.7.1) to Amazon and Google. It will take a while before they are live.

Thanks,
Josh

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jvl711

Hi All,

The new release has been published (v.1.7.1) to Amazon and Google. It will take a while before they are live.

Thanks,
Josh

Can I ask a likely stupid question: what’s the secret of raising or lowering volume on an Android device running the MiniClient? I have it installed on a Samsung S7 phone, and can do everything but effect volume. The top-right, screen slider does nothing, nor does the phones physical volume control.
Any idea what I’m missing?
Thanks

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Can I ask a likely stupid question: what’s the secret of raising or lowering volume on an Android device running the MiniClient? I have it installed on a Samsung S7 phone, and can do everything but effect volume. The top-right, screen slider does nothing, nor does the phones physical volume control.
Any idea what I’m missing?
Thanks

That is something that has been broken and fixed from time to time. Can you double check that in the key mappings that volume up/down is mapped to none. Having it mapped to none allows it to change the devices volume instead of sages.

Thanks,
Josh

[KryptoNyte]

Improvements are looking good!

The remote login (user/pass) is still really wonky (Firestick 4k). Traditionally I've been able to work through it and using a combination of bringing up the keyboard and the back button to get out of the keyboard, even using the "space bar" for checking the box beside "Automatically Login."

As it stands right now, every single select-press on this menu brings up the keyboard, even when attempting to select the "Login" button. After the keyboard comes up on the Login button, I've found that a "space bar" selection will enter SageTV successfully. Subsequent logins never saves the login information and I have to enter the user/pass on every attempt.

Maybe using the space bar on the login button is unchecking the Automatic Login checkbox, even though it always appears to be checked?

Would there be any way to re-work the remote login somewhere in the system settings in the launcher so that this SageTV native login screen is no longer necessary?

[KryptoNyte]

Somehow after exiting the app, forcing it closed, and then restarting, the saved user/pass seemed to take and just entered the miniclient without issue.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jvl711

That is something that has been broken and fixed from time to time. Can you double check that in the key mappings that volume up/down is mapped to none. Having it mapped to none allows it to change the devices volume instead of sages.

Thanks,
Josh

The key mappings in the MiniClient software, or the SageTV server software? I turned it OFF in the Miniclients Settings menu, or to NONE, but no change in behavior.
Thanks

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Somehow after exiting the app, forcing it closed, and then restarting, the saved user/pass seemed to take and just entered the miniclient without issue.

That is the behavior I have noticed, but have not been able to describe. You confirmed what I had expected. I will add it to the list for a future release. The login screen is my favorite topic 😁.....

Josh