Fork of SageTV MiniClient for Android TV

[jvl711]

Hi All,

I am about to do a new release and I wanted to get some feedback before I pull the trigger. This release will install along side of the production version, so you do not have to worry about it messing up your current setup up. It has a different name with "(DEBUG)" on the end of it.

Link: https://nextcloud.joshandmonique.com...Rg46PBBXQkGSFQ

Here is the changelist

- Made exoplayer playback error message more descriptive
- Added retry on recoverable playback error
- Disabled remux settings when stream mode is not fixed
- Changed the method for getting version name and version code
- Modified Jenkins local copy to publish changelist and name to directory
- Added code for a Subtitle/Closed Caption selection list from the Navigation window
- Rewrote the Android Media Session logic so that it can control playback for ExoPlayer and IJKPlayer.

Note: The closed captions only work if the livetv is not transcoded/remux or altered in anyway. ExoPlayer is very particular about how the closed captions are presented and seems to not work if everything is not perfec :/

[hvymetal]

Originally Posted by jvl711

Hi All,

I am about to do a new release and I wanted to get some feedback before I pull the trigger. This release will install along side of the production version, so you do not have to worry about it messing up your current setup up. It has a different name with "(DEBUG)" on the end of it.

Thanks for the update. I started testing last night. The retry works great....previous I had to FF/RW to get it to retry. Also the descriptive error can be helpful for future troubleshooting. I still see audio sync problems sometimes when you do large jumps like a commercial skip. To get it back in sync I have to FF/RW. This happens both using dynamic and fixed transcoding.

No matter what I tried I could not get the CC to display. I have tried tunning using native SageTV HDHR support and OpenDCT copy tuner with all MiniClient transcoding off. Both tunning methods will show CC with a HD200. I can get CC working with OpenDCT by extracting CC and using subtitles but the display in SageTV is not the same as native CC. It show subtitles in smaller font and in the middle of the picture compared to CC. Does anyone know how to adjust appearance of subtitles?

[Zogg]

I will try the debug version when I can, but in the meantime I just discovered that Exoplayer is now working on my Fire TV 4K sticks. In the past I had to run IJKplayer, but I pulled a new stick out of the box and gave it a shot and Exoplayer works fine.

This is with app v1.10.1 and Fire OS 6.2.8.1 on one stick and 6.2.8.7 on another.

[jvl711]

Version 1.11.0 is live in Amazon and Google.

Changelog is accessible here: https://github.com/OpenSageTV/sagetv...r/CHANGELOG.md

Thanks,
Josh

[hb4]

Originally Posted by jvl711

Version 1.11.0 is live in Amazon and Google.

Thanks,
Josh

Just tried this version on Firestick with ChannelsDVR as a source, playing back a recording that was having seeking issues yesterday and this one seems a little better; I am still seeing FF presses jumping forward and them immediately back to where the press started from, and no 'large button' short press action. Long press seems OK, but not predictable.

Is there some magic combination of settings that might affect this? Another issue may be the signal level that Channels (with TV Everywhere) sees on their experimental local TVE channels; could this affect FF/RW?

[Eternal]

is it possible to add the newer transcoding options such as higher bitrate and resolution into the placeshifter client?

since its still stuck at 2000kbps and 480p

[sic0048]

This has been a "problem" that I have had with the MiniClient. Whenever I exit the program by going to the "home " screen of the Android software, if I go back into the SageTV Miniclient, about 75% of the time the menus will have garbled characters. The core of the software works and videos still play (if you can figure out the menu to select them), but the menus are totally unreadable. I have to "force close" the app and reopen it to fix this issue.

If I "exit" sage TV via the SageTV main menu, this problem never appears.

Obviously there is some sort of corruption occurring when the app is not closed properly. Does anyone else experience this bug? Any chance that this bug can be tracked down and fixed? I'd be happy to provide logs or other information.

[jqweber]

Running several Nvidia Shields. Updated to 1.11.0, and started having some occasional issues. The previous version 1.10.2 worked much better for me.

Would the following work?

Uninstall current version
Sideload 1.10.2

or would there be stuff "laying around" from 1.11.0 that might mess up 1.10.2?

[jvl711]

Originally Posted by jqweber

Running several Nvidia Shields. Updated to 1.11.0, and started having some occasional issues. The previous version 1.10.2 worked much better for me.

Would the following work?

Uninstall current version
Sideload 1.10.2

or would there be stuff "laying around" from 1.11.0 that might mess up 1.10.2?

I think I might have found the issue causing the random crashes. I think that there is an issue with the Media Session object in Android that is causing the crashes. I enhanced media sessions in the last version. It does not like when I update the playback state to often. This is my theory at least. When it crashes there is not info at all on why it is crashing, so I am left making a best guess to what might be causing it. I have a fix I am testing, but it is hard to reproduce since it is random. Hopefully in a week or two I will have a new version out.

If you uninstall and install 1.10.2 you should be fine. You will most likely loose any settings changes you made.

Josh

[jqweber]

Thanks for looking into this. I will try your update when you release it.

No rush - in the meantime, I have reverted to the previous version.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

The Miniclients work great remotely without a VPN so why would I install something extra that is not needed to access SageTV remotely ?

I’ve asked this before, so I’m wondering if anything new has been implemented I missed.

What’s the procedure for using the miniclient on a Amazon Firestick remotely?

For example, I use a DNS server when travelling, so I type:

my.dns server.name:8080

Then I get the Sage login screen, at which point I can enter my user name / password. But after hitting ‘Login’, the keyboard screen pops up again, and no login is possible - just keeps looping back the login screen.

Any idea?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

Pretty sure you can just use your external IP with the port. But you have to have forwarded your port, which is 31099, I think.

So http://99.21.15.12:31099 should work if that is your external IP. or http://yourdnsservice:31099. Port 8080 is (usually) for the web client, which you may want to forward as well to allow you to use the Web UI remotely.

Follow up to the same scenario in 2021, hoping new implementation has occurred possibly?

Thanks again - I’m travelling once more, and cannot connect remotely when using 31099. Firstly, how do you know to use ‘http’ or ‘https’?
Second, the keyboard screen loops back to ‘on’ after entering User/Pass and then hitting ‘login’.
After hitting ‘login’, my Firestick loops back to the keyboard screen. Is this a security problem where I’m remotely located possibly?

Bit of important info: using my.dnsservername.com:31099 on an iPad, returns a network error, so I assume the Firestick is experiencing the same problem, which is possibly its way of saying so by looping the keyboard screen?

I can log into :8080 from the ipad with no problems whatsoever.
Checked my router port assignments, and 31099 is in there…

[sic0048]

If you don't have a port in the address line while you are local, you shouldn't have to add a port to your address while you are remote. Obviously those ports need to be forwarded on the router, but they don't need to be on the address line (unless you are using a unique port for remote access - which I feel like is pretty unnecessary in this case).

A much better long term solution is to switch to using a VPN connection. Many routers support a VPN service now. This isn't a paid/free service designed to be used to send your local network traffic through in an effort to mask your data/location from your ISP - this is a secure tunnel that allows you to access your network from the outside. The benefit is that you only have one "open" port on your router and it goes to the VPN server which requires a unique encryption key before it allows any access on your network. An added benefit is that your devices appear as being on the local network. So you would use the exact same local login information on your SageTV app even when you are away from the house.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by sic0048

If you don't have a port in the address line while you are local, you shouldn't have to add a port to your address while you are remote. Obviously those ports need to be forwarded on the router, but they don't need to be on the address line (unless you are using a unique port for remote access - which I feel like is pretty unnecessary in this case).

A much better long term solution is to switch to using a VPN connection. Many routers support a VPN service now. This isn't a paid/free service designed to be used to send your local network traffic through in an effort to mask your data/location from your ISP - this is a secure tunnel that allows you to access your network from the outside. The benefit is that you only have one "open" port on your router and it goes to the VPN server which requires a unique encryption key before it allows any access on your network. An added benefit is that your devices appear as being on the local network. So you would use the exact same local login information on your SageTV app even when you are away from the house.

Hi. I have several, paid VPN services, which I may get around to one day. For now, however, I have no worries using my DNS service, as I have the last five years.
But I do use unique ports for all kinds of apps AND specific machine IT'S.
The problem here seems to be the implementation of the keyboard overlay when logging in. Josh addressed this some time ago I believe, but not enough people found it important enough for him to spend time on.

[sDiesel]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Follow up to the same scenario in 2021, hoping new implementation has occurred possibly?

Thanks again - I’m travelling once more, and cannot connect remotely when using 31099. Firstly, how do you know to use ‘http’ or ‘https’?
Second, the keyboard screen loops back to ‘on’ after entering User/Pass and then hitting ‘login’.
After hitting ‘login’, my Firestick loops back to the keyboard screen. Is this a security problem where I’m remotely located possibly?

Bit of important info: using my.dnsservername.com:31099 on an iPad, returns a network error, so I assume the Firestick is experiencing the same problem, which is possibly its way of saying so by looping the keyboard screen?

I can log into :8080 from the ipad with no problems whatsoever.
Checked my router port assignments, and 31099 is in there…

i had some keyboard issues as well back a few years ago, was able to get around is by sideloading a keyboard app and a mouse pointer app. have you tried using an otg cable and a usb keyboard/mouse?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by sDiesel

i had some keyboard issues as well back a few years ago, was able to get around is by sideloading a keyboard app and a mouse pointer app. have you tried using an otg cable and a usb keyboard/mouse?

The only keyboards available to me on vacation are what’s included in the Amazon Firestick’s software, and iOS software. None of any external nature.

[sDiesel]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

The only keyboards available to me on vacation are what’s included in the Amazon Firestick’s software, and iOS software. None of any external nature.

ok, so i tried this on my firestick gen 2. had the same exact thing happening as you did and found a way to fix it using a phone for the firetv remote app(easy copy/paste for links).
1) go to search icon on firestick and look for 'Downloader' - made by the guy that runs aftvnews.com.

2) open web browser and search for 'mouse toggle for fire tv', you are looking for a download link to copy for that apk. no need to download it to your phone. if ya need a quick link then use https://bit.ly/mouse-firetv - picked it from the firestickhacks.com website. copy this link into your phone.

3) open firetv remote app on phone.

4) open Downloader on firestick and copy the link into Downloader, press go. you can now use your normal remote for the rest.

5) install and open mouse toggle, tick both sliders so its on and always start-up.

[6) the adb settings button didnt work for me and it wasnt starting so i had to go manually turn off and then on adb debugging in the firestick settings\my fire tv\developer options].

7) once mouse toggle is started, press home and open sagetv.
note: i couldn't tick the box for auto login or login before - always with the keyboard pop-up.

8) enter creds for sagetv and then exit the keyboard so you can see screen.

9) double-click 'pause/play' (dont double-click-hold like me ><) and youll see a halo in the middle of the screen. use the d-pad on remote to move to 'login' button.

10) after things have logged in you can double-click 'pause/play' to turn off mouse mode.


this should hopefully help ya with the keyboard weirdness.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by sDiesel

ok, so i tried this on my firestick gen 2. had the same exact thing happening as you did and found a way to fix it using a phone for the firetv remote app(easy copy/paste for links).
1) go to search icon on firestick and look for 'Downloader' - made by the guy that runs aftvnews.com.

2) open web browser and search for 'mouse toggle for fire tv', you are looking for a download link to copy for that apk. no need to download it to your phone. if ya need a quick link then use https://bit.ly/mouse-firetv - picked it from the firestickhacks.com website. copy this link into your phone.

3) open firetv remote app on phone.

4) open Downloader on firestick and copy the link into Downloader, press go. you can now use your normal remote for the rest.

5) install and open mouse toggle, tick both sliders so its on and always start-up.

[6) the adb settings button didnt work for me and it wasnt starting so i had to go manually turn off and then on adb debugging in the firestick settings\my fire tv\developer options].

7) once mouse toggle is started, press home and open sagetv.
note: i couldn't tick the box for auto login or login before - always with the keyboard pop-up.

8) enter creds for sagetv and then exit the keyboard so you can see screen.

9) double-click 'pause/play' (dont double-click-hold like me ><) and youll see a halo in the middle of the screen. use the d-pad on remote to move to 'login' button.

10) after things have logged in you can double-click 'pause/play' to turn off mouse mode.


this should hopefully help ya with the keyboard weirdness.

Superb. Thanks. I am now able to click ‘auto login’, and proceed to login.
Sadly, my server can’t play recordings once entered, and barfs me back to the Miniclient ‘select server’ screen. At which point, it does NOT remember the ‘auto login’ checkmark, and we’re back to entering the user/pass/auto login/logon info again.
Why I can’t play recordings and then get a time-out is likely a local internet connection problem.
Thanks again for moving this forward a step :j

[sDiesel]

might be related to the trouble im having now with fire tv's.

exoplayer wont play interlaced mpeg2 (might be some of your recordings on hdhomerun?), while ijkplayer can - though only using software decoder.
exoplayer should play mpeg4 from your hauppauge's, but again it can be weird - enable remux seems to work, but then it kills my hevc videos.

exoplayer with remux settings on, but disable mpeg2 decoding(will force mpeg2 transcoding).

or ijkplayer with mpeg2 hardware encoder disabled(might have to disable the .avc codecs too for mpeg4), remux on or off(try both).

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by sDiesel

might be related to the trouble im having now with fire tv's.

exoplayer wont play interlaced mpeg2 (might be some of your recordings on hdhomerun?), while ijkplayer can - though only using software decoder.
exoplayer should play mpeg4 from your hauppauge's, but again it can be weird - enable remux seems to work, but then it kills my hevc videos.

exoplayer with remux settings on, but disable mpeg2 decoding(will force mpeg2 transcoding).

or ijkplayer with mpeg2 hardware encoder disabled(might have to disable the .avc codecs too for mpeg4), remux on or off(try both).

Strangely (what isn’t with SageTV) I was able to connect, with auto login, the next time it booted up. Getting files to play…..not so easy. Actually, I’ve NEVER had an easy time with Amazon Fire Sticks in this regard. Time to look for alternatives next vacation