Fork of SageTV MiniClient for Android TV

[Rezolution]

The sagetv android app will work correctly on an Amazon fire stick?

How do you use a remote control with it, do you use the Amazon remote or the sage remote?

My wife wants a 22" tv outside by her hottub and I've been trying to find a streaming device that will do Netflix and sagetv android without skipping or stuttering.

Is the Amazon fire stick the best streaming device that will work right for the sagetv android app? The tv only has one HDMI port so I need one device that runs all the apps.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by Rezolution

The sagetv android app will work correctly on an Amazon fire stick?

How do you use a remote control with it, do you use the Amazon remote or the sage remote?

My wife wants a 22" tv outside by her hottub and I've been trying to find a streaming device that will do Netflix and sagetv android without skipping or stuttering.

Is the Amazon fire stick the best streaming device that will work right for the sagetv android app? The tv only has one HDMI port so I need one device that runs all the apps.

The Sage remote will not work, you have to use the remote that comes with the Fire Stick (since it is bluetooth). I would get the 4K or 4K Max Fire Stick, from what I understand it has a faster processor in it. Mine does fine with live or recorded TV, but cannot play back any of my ripped DVDs in the Video section of SageTV. All of my ripped DVDs are in .iso files, perhaps it might work if they were in vobs instead of iso files.

While having the miniclient functioning on Fire TV is amazing, don't expect as seamless of an experience as if you were using an HD300. Although I will say, connecting to the server using a Fire Stick is virtually instantaneous.

[Rezolution]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

The Sage remote will not work, you have to use the remote that comes with the Fire Stick (since it is bluetooth). I would get the 4K or 4K Max Fire Stick, from what I understand it has a faster processor in it. Mine does fine with live or recorded TV, but cannot play back any of my ripped DVDs in the Video section of SageTV. All of my ripped DVDs are in .iso files, perhaps it might work if they were in vobs instead of iso files.

While having the miniclient functioning on Fire TV is amazing, don't expect as seamless of an experience as if you were using an HD300. Although I will say, connecting to the server using a Fire Stick is virtually instantaneous.

Thanks for the advice. I stopped at target on the way home and bought the fire stick 4k Max. It truly is amazing. I think it will work out perfectly for my wife's sagetv needs, I didn't notice any skipping or crashing and it allows her to fast forward through commercials with the fire remote. I'm going to replace all of our other fire sticks with this newer version currently on sale for $39. It even loads Disney+ in about 3 seconds compared to the 50 seconds it takes on our older sticks.

She wants the sage tv to play over the hottub speakers. Fortunately the tv has a headphone/line out Jack that is also controllable with this new fire stick. So now all I have to do is order a AC to DC marine adapter and a 4 channel x 40 or 60 watt amp.to drive the speakers. Then come up with a mounting system for the tv that she's ok with and I'm done with the project.

[Bob F]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

The Sage remote will not work, you have to use the remote that comes with the Fire Stick (since it is bluetooth). I would get the 4K or 4K Max Fire Stick, from what I understand it has a faster processor in it. Mine does fine with live or recorded TV, but cannot play back any of my ripped DVDs in the Video section of SageTV. All of my ripped DVDs are in .iso files, perhaps it might work if they were in vobs instead of iso files.

While having the miniclient functioning on Fire TV is amazing, don't expect as seamless of an experience as if you were using an HD300. Although I will say, connecting to the server using a Fire Stick is virtually instantaneous.

I recently picked up a Fire TV 4k for $20 on Craigslist (3rd gen I believe, the diamond shaped one) and connected it to my 43" LG 4K TV (43UK6300PLB), and loaded the SageTV miniclient from Amazon. It runs just like the SageTV on my PC, with seemingly identical picture quality. Special thanks for this SageTV client. It just WORKS!

What really surprised me was that the player controls on the TV remote seemed to work perfectly to control the SageTV miniclient. I could play, pause, skip forward and backward perfectly, and select programs to watch with the position controls. It seems as though the Fire TV is accepting the TV controls from the TV and feeding them to SageTV.

I have to use the Fire TV remote to enter the Amazon PIN to start SAGE, because none of the keys match the "triple =" key on the Fire TV ( the movement and OK keys work for entering the numbers), but the rest of the process seems to work fine from the TV remote. I could probably change my Amazon PIN to just use the low 5 digits in the PIN and not need the Fire TV remote at all. edit - I cannot exit from sageTV back to the Fire TV home page either because the TV remote does not have THAT home button.

I should add - The picture on my 4K TV improved substantially when I switched the Fire TV to 1080P from the 2160P default so that the LG 4K TV, rather than the Fire TV, would do the conversion with its superior hardware. Since my files for SageTV are 1080P at best from my HDHomeRun devices, this is a no-loss choice to me.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by Bob F

What really surprised me was that the player controls on the TV remote seemed to work perfectly to control the SageTV miniclient. I could play, pause, skip forward and backward perfectly, and select programs to watch with the position controls. It seems as though the Fire TV is accepting the TV controls from the TV and feeding them to SageTV.

Well, I guess I never actually tried this. So I did a quick test and, what do you know, it works! I'll have to play around with it some more, and see if it makes sense to ditch the Amazon remote.

Originally Posted by Bob F

I have to use the Fire TV remote to enter the Amazon PIN to start SAGE, because none of the keys match the "triple =" key on the Fire TV ( the movement and OK keys work for entering the numbers), but the rest of the process seems to work fine from the TV remote. I could probably change my Amazon PIN to just use the low 5 digits in the PIN and not need the Fire TV remote at all. edit - I cannot exit from sageTV back to the Fire TV home page either because the TV remote does not have THAT home button.

Are you using Fire TV from a remote location? Because on my home network, I don't have to enter an Amazon PIN to start the Sage miniclient, it just starts right up.

Also, I can exit from SageTV back to the Fire TV home page by exiting to the Sage miniclient startup screen (the screen that shows "Servers" and "Configure" in green on the left side of the screen), then press the exit button on the remote twice.

[Scriber]

Originally Posted by Rezolution

Thanks for the advice. I stopped at target on the way home and bought the fire stick 4k Max. It truly is amazing. I think it will work out perfectly for my wife's sagetv needs, I didn't notice any skipping or crashing and it allows her to fast forward through commercials with the fire remote. I'm going to replace all of our other fire sticks with this newer version currently on sale for $39. It even loads Disney+ in about 3 seconds compared to the 50 seconds it takes on our older sticks.

She wants the sage tv to play over the hottub speakers. Fortunately the tv has a headphone/line out Jack that is also controllable with this new fire stick. So now all I have to do is order a AC to DC marine adapter and a 4 channel x 40 or 60 watt amp.to drive the speakers. Then come up with a mounting system for the tv that she's ok with and I'm done with the project.

What is your recording source -HDHomerun like Bob F or OTA?

[Rezolution]

Originally Posted by Scriber

What is your recording source -HDHomerun like Bob F or OTA?

Mpeg2 hdhomerun with some kind of script that has to run on the sagetv PC for it to work.

[Bob F]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Well, I guess I never actually tried this. So I did a quick test and, what do you know, it works! I'll have to play around with it some more, and see if it makes sense to ditch the Amazon remote.

Are you using Fire TV from a remote location? Because on my home network, I don't have to enter an Amazon PIN to start the Sage miniclient, it just starts right up.

I finally found the setting to turn off the requirement for a PIN to launch apps, so that is solved.


Also, I can exit from SageTV back to the Fire TV home page by exiting to the Sage miniclient startup screen (the screen that shows "Servers" and "Configure" in green on the left side of the screen), then press the exit button on the remote twice.

Thanks for that info.

[tvmaster2]

Ok, I've tried everything I can think of - direct power/powered by 5v TV USB port; updating software; trying a faster wifi router (N900); switching between Eko and Ijk player.

Nothing works. Mini Client on Amazon Firestick runs like molasses if it runs at all.

It is a Fire TV Stick (2nd Generation - 2016)

Is that last thing the problem? All of my tuners are set to output 720p only, so no 1080 programming even hits the Mini Client.

Miffed.

What Firestick are all of you have wonderful Mini Client experiences using...

[Swagger200]

I have been running SageTV client without issues on 2 different FireSticks, other than the playback problems that were solved by the latest update.

Can you try a different FireStick?

I am not sure what gen FireSticks I have, but I bought them during 2021 from Amazon

[Bob F]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Ok, I've tried everything I can think of - direct power/powered by 5v TV USB port; updating software; trying a faster wifi router (N900); switching between Eko and Ijk player.

Nothing works. Mini Client on Amazon Firestick runs like molasses if it runs at all.

It is a Fire TV Stick (2nd Generation - 2016)

Is that last thing the problem? All of my tuners are set to output 720p only, so no 1080 programming even hits the Mini Client.

Miffed.

What Firestick are all of you have wonderful Mini Client experiences using...

I have the Fire TV 4K 3rd gen "Pendant", connecting through an AC1900 router. My SageTV server is on a I7-8700K based PC. and most of my video files are on a USB 3 WD easystore drive attached to that PC.

The SageTV miniclient on that hardware acts almost exactly the same as the SageTV client running on that PC, especially my highest priority - the adjustable forward and backward skip which was the major reason I chose this solution for my TV watching.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Ok, I've tried everything I can think of - direct power/powered by 5v TV USB port; updating software; trying a faster wifi router (N900); switching between Eko and Ijk player.

Nothing works. Mini Client on Amazon Firestick runs like molasses if it runs at all.

It is a Fire TV Stick (2nd Generation - 2016)

Is that last thing the problem? All of my tuners are set to output 720p only, so no 1080 programming even hits the Mini Client.

Miffed.

What Firestick are all of you have wonderful Mini Client experiences using...

A lot depends on your source .... Have you provided Josh with a recording he can look at ?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

A lot depends on your source .... Have you provided Josh with a recording he can look at ?

Thanks - the problem happens with live tv as easily as recorded, so it’s everything. 7 times out of 10, I can barely get to main menu without staring at locked-up screens.
Must be the Gen 2. I’ve got a 4k I can try out next, which is currently being used for a different purpose.

[jhkoenig]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Thanks - the problem happens with live tv as easily as recorded, so it’s everything. 7 times out of 10, I can barely get to main menu without staring at locked-up screens.
Must be the Gen 2. I’ve got a 4k I can try out next, which is currently being used for a different purpose.

I saw a lot of locked-up screens on my miniclients until I upgraded Sage to 16 bit and bumped up the Java heap size considerably. I can't tell by your sig whether you're running 32bit or 64bit, but that migration was the only thing that made using the miniclient possible.

[trk2]

Originally Posted by jhkoenig

I saw a lot of locked-up screens on my miniclients until I upgraded Sage to 16 bit and bumped up the Java heap size considerably. I can't tell by your sig whether you're running 32bit or 64bit, but that migration was the only thing that made using the miniclient possible.

16 bit? You finally retired your Sage Windows 3.11 server?

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by trk2

16 bit? You finally retired your Sage Windows 3.11 server?

I really like Windows 3.1 and MSDOS.

[jhkoenig]

Wow, tough crowd! Yes, I meant to type 32bit where I typed 16bit. 16bit OS was a great step up from the CP/M that I spent so much quality time with. Google it

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jhkoenig

I saw a lot of locked-up screens on my miniclients until I upgraded Sage to 16 bit and bumped up the Java heap size considerably. I can't tell by your sig whether you're running 32bit or 64bit, but that migration was the only thing that made using the miniclient possible.

hehe - forgot to up date my sig. Running W10 64bit, with 8gb of ram and my heap is pretty high if I remember setting it.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jvl711

I have added closed caption support to ExoPlayer. Just wanted to give you guys a preview of what is coming in the next release. I am going to post a beta to my Patreon supporters.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/63709567

Hi again. With all the connection problems I'm having, frozen screens, locked-up Sage interface, no video etc., is there any chance that SageTV installed plugins may be a place to look for compatibility issues?
I have some Malore Menus installed, etc., and it's all I can think of as to why my Amazon Firesticks aren't behaving while other people's are performing great.
Windows 10, 64 bit, 16gb ram, 3818MB heap size.
I've tried two different Firesticks, uninstalled, re-installed, etc. Network switch is a gigabit switch, wifi routers feeding firesticks fast enough.
The only thing that makes sense is something in the setup of my SageTV server itself - any ideas?
thanks

[egeller]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

The only thing that makes sense is something in the setup of my SageTV server itself - any ideas?
thanks

Based on my experience triaging my test system, it may be your sources. I have found that the variability in how the H.264 streams are encoded can cause the Firestick to behave badly.

Therefore, I have to ask what are your sources?

For example, one of my sources is a Windows Media Center PC, used for HBO, showtime and the like. Without cleansing the stream, the firestick cannot seek the stream. Most of the other cablecard sourced streams, from Comcast, do OK.

However, on my test system I have an IPTV source. Each channel is a bit of a roll of the dice. I found that using OpenDCT to transcode the input stream works best. I applied the same fix to the WMC source and it cleaned that up also.

I think I have everything working OK for now and can use the miniClient with streaming mode=Dynamic.

Setting streaming mode=Always Transcode should have been a workable alternative for me. However, when I turned on transcoding in the miniclient, for IPTV I see no-video errors at times. On 1080p streams I see intermittent freezing of the stream, making it unwatchable.

By the way, in OpenDCT my IPTV source is defined as a generic pipe device. The transcoding definition that works for me is
ffmpeg -i http\://URL_OF_STREAM/%c% -c\:v libx264 -preset superfast -pix_fmt yuv420p -coder 1 -c\:a copy -threads 8 -f mpegts -nostats -

Do not use Ultrafast, as -coder 1 will not set CABAC=Yes and you need that to happen, apparently. Also, do not use threads > 8. I found a web site where someone did an analysis and found 4 to 8 work best.