Are you using scripts/allente/livetv? If so, that script sends individual ADB keyevents for each number, which is not what this mod does. Tuning for this is done using a curl command.
You should not be seeing that. Deeplinks are intended to take you to a live channel. What channel are you trying to tune to? What deeplink did you use? Where did those deeplinks come from?
If I had to guess, it looks like you're using the wrong IDs. Sling has both asset IDs (which reference specific content), and channel IDs (which take you to a live, linear channel). It's very easy to grab the wrong ID, if you're doing it yourself.
Yes, I have the correct links. That pic is using the default Deep Links. I knew that I would get that screen.
I can't click on a link in my Apple TV with your configuration, Channels gives an error message. It worked for a scheduled recording.
I have been using
{
"name": "Fixed Delay",
"author": "",
"version": "0",
"description": "fixed delay.",
"uuid": "2d193a0f-641e-4314-b3dc-5c4eeee46582",
"global_options": {
"wait_for_video_playback_detection": false,
"use_fixed_delay": true,
"fixed_delay_seconds": 0,
"check_for_and_clear_whos_watching_prompts": false
},
"pre_tune_commands": [
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP"
],
"tune_commands": [
"am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d '||TARGET_URL_OR_IDENTIFIER||' '||TARGET_PACKAGE_NAME||'",
"sleep 15",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_ENTER"
],
"post_tune_commands": [
"am force-stop '||TARGET_PACKAGE_NAME||'",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME"
]
}```In a prior post @spammedeeper said he had issues when using a sleep command more than 4 seconds. I can't remember specifics but that is why I use multiple sleep commands with no one greater than 4 seconds. I think he said he would get random results when sleep was more than 4.
Edit: it was @nateg that said poor results with sleep > 4
@user3162 After you set com.sling as the Keep Alive Package for your tuners, and changed the custom config, how long did you wait?
It can take a "cycle" (up to about 5 minutes I think) before a new keep alive takes effect. You can confirm using the View option above your streaming endpoint settings. You should see something like this before you test:
This tells you the Sling app is loaded and sitting at its home screen. As I said, tuning is reasonably fast and reliable this way-- using this method with the custom config I provided. About 8 seconds to viewing the live channels, and a few more seconds for the buttons I mentioned above to disappear.
1 Like
This is the sling home page.
When I click on a channel in the menu, I can see by viewing in VLC that it does indeed load very quickly, but, what I see on my TV, is a message that streaming to the tuner failed. Service unavailable.
Are you seeing activity in the ADBTuner log when you try to tune? Maybe post a log snippet from one failed attempt, using the above setup.
You should be able to see what's happening as well, using VLC or the "View" option from the WebUI. You'll probably want to set a tuner to priority "1" so you know which wiil be used.
Here's an example of a successful tune I did moments ago:
2025-10-14 20:18:16.312 - stream - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] htpc6:5582 | Go-http-client/1.1
2025-10-14 20:18:16.312 - stream - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] No active tuners found for Starz in Black HD. Reserving a new tuner.
2025-10-14 20:18:16.312 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Attempting to reserve tuner for: ['com.sling', 'com.sling'].
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Available Tuners:
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Name: firestick-rack1 Priority:
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Name: firestick-rack2 Priority:
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Selecting random tuner
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - tuner_management - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Reserved Tuner: Name: firestick-rack1 Priority:
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - stream - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] Tuning to Starz in Black HD on firestick-rack1
2025-10-14 20:18:16.315 - stream - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] Using channel configuration: Deep Links - Sling with No Video Playback Detection (44da8817-32b3-4f52-a5ee-42a208d870a4)
2025-10-14 20:18:16.783 - lib.adb - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] ADB: firestick-rack1 - pidof com.sling
2025-10-14 20:18:16.894 - stream - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] Using https://watch.sling.com/1/channel/23a6ea3c163a47f390f73900ccc76bc1/watch to load channel.
2025-10-14 20:18:16.894 - lib.adb - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] ADB: firestick-rack1 - input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP
2025-10-14 20:18:17.627 - lib.adb - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] ADB: firestick-rack1 - am start -n com.sling/.MainActivity 'https://watch.sling.com/1/channel/23a6ea3c163a47f390f73900ccc76bc1/watch'
2025-10-14 20:18:19.071 - stream - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Waiting for playback start. Status: unknown
2025-10-14 20:18:20.106 - lib.adb - Media session playback has started.
2025-10-14 20:18:20.106 - lib.adb - [Tune (5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9)] ADB: Closing connection - firestick-rack1
2025-10-14 20:18:20.106 - stream - [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Tuning completed after 3.79 seconds. [Tune 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9] Display was on, application (com.sling) was running.
2025-10-14 20:18:20.106 - uvicorn.access - 100.xxx.xxx.xxx:0 - "GET /stream/6 HTTP/1.1" 307
2025/10/14 20:18:20 [PROXY] 100.xxx.xxx.xxx -> GET "/proxy/1?requestKey=5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9" -> "http://encoder_48007/0.ts"
2025-10-14 20:18:29.950 - server -
--------------------------------------------------
Tuner "firestick-rack1" is currently in use and locked.
Tune ID: 5WmFa72Dw6HGWytmHjJnY9
Channel: Starz in Black HD
Lock Obtained: 2025-10-14 20:18:16 (0.23 minutes ago)
Last Seen: 2025-10-14 20:18:29 (0.95 seconds ago)
Bytes Transferred: 5000800 (4.77MB)
Remote User Agent:
Go-http-client/1.1
--------------------------------------------------
Note ADBTuner reported less than 4 seconds to tune this way.
The log is confusing because the bedroom tuner is already in use recording MSNBC. It is the livingroom tuner that is trying to tune CNN that is important here. It looks like it is checking for a profile screen? The who's watching is set to false.
2025-10-14 22:32:18 2025-10-15 02:32:18.036 - uvicorn.access - 172.17.0.1:0 - "POST /admin/channel/4 HTTP/1.1" 303
2025-10-14 22:32:18 2025-10-15 02:32:18.062 - uvicorn.access - 172.17.0.1:0 - "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.983 - stream - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] 192.168.4.232:5592 | Go-http-client/1.1
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.992 - stream - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] No active tuners found for CNN. Reserving a new tuner.
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.993 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Attempting to reserve tuner for: ['com.sling'].
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.997 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Available Tuners:
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.997 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Name: Livingroom Priority: 4
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.997 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Name: Basement Priority: 5
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.997 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Using first available tuner (by priority).
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.998 - tuner_management - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Reserved Tuner: Name: Livingroom Priority: 4
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.998 - stream - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Tuning to CNN on Livingroom
2025-10-14 22:32:24 2025-10-15 02:32:24.999 - stream - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Using channel configuration: Deep Links - Sling with No Video Playback Detection (3f8bdedf-60ee-428a-b699-7ce880ae958f)
2025-10-14 22:32:25 2025-10-15 02:32:25.285 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] ADB: 192.168.4.233 - pidof com.sling
2025-10-14 22:32:25 2025-10-15 02:32:25.348 - stream - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Using https://watch.sling.com/1/channel/eb6c608319dc4328a9aa5bea1307cbaf/watch to load channel.
2025-10-14 22:32:25 2025-10-15 02:32:25.348 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] ADB: 192.168.4.233 - input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP
2025-10-14 22:32:25 2025-10-15 02:32:25.461 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] ADB: 192.168.4.233 - am start -n com.sling/.MainActivity 'https://watch.sling.com/1/channel/eb6c608319dc4328a9aa5bea1307cbaf/watch'
2025-10-14 22:32:27 2025-10-15 02:32:27.092 - stream - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Waiting for playback start. Status: unknown
2025-10-14 22:32:33 2025-10-15 02:32:33.841 - stream - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Waiting for playback start. Status: unknown
2025-10-14 22:32:38 2025-10-15 02:32:38.582 - server -
2025-10-14 22:32:38
2025-10-14 22:32:38 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Tuner "Bedroom" is currently in use and locked.
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Tune ID: 6okZ4qeZW6kfe7e6Mumo4w
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Channel: MSNBC
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Lock Obtained: 2025-10-15 02:00:00 (32.64 minutes ago)
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Last Seen: 2025-10-15 02:32:38 (0.58 seconds ago)
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Bytes Transferred: 2483851488 (2368.79MB)
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Remote User Agent:
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Go-http-client/1.1
2025-10-14 22:32:38 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:32:38
2025-10-14 22:32:38 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Tuner "Livingroom" is currently in use and locked.
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Tune ID: N/A
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Channel: CNN
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Lock Obtained: 2025-10-15 02:32:24 (0.24 minutes ago)
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Last Seen: N/A
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Bytes Transferred: None
2025-10-14 22:32:38 Remote User Agent:
2025-10-14 22:32:38 N/A
2025-10-14 22:32:38 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:32:39 2025-10-15 02:32:39.799 - stream - [Tune eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui] Waiting for playback start. Status: unknown
2025-10-14 22:32:40 2025-10-15 02:32:40.303 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Checking for profile screen
2025-10-14 22:32:44 2025-10-15 02:32:44.820 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Checking for profile screen
2025-10-14 22:32:52 2025-10-15 02:32:52.135 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] On screen text: 'owe { ”
2025-10-14 22:32:52 x _ " j 5
2025-10-14 22:32:52 paz
2025-10-14 22:32:52 . _
2025-10-14 22:32:52 # q
2025-10-14 22:32:52 an
2025-10-14 22:32:52 '
2025-10-14 22:32:52 3 ¥
2025-10-14 22:32:52 i _
2025-10-14 22:32:52 pn
2025-10-14 22:32:52 5 4
2025-10-14 22:32:52
2025-10-14 22:32:52 \
2025-10-14 22:32:52
2025-10-14 22:32:52 trump: wy $08 bailout of argentina doesn't matter to u.s.
2025-10-14 22:32:52
2025-10-14 22:32:52 tinuing ail president donald trump says his administration has “iden1 newsnight
2025-10-14 22:32:52 df ~ |
2025-10-14 22:32:52
2025-10-14 22:32:52 ~~ — .
2025-10-14 22:32:52
2025-10-14 22:32:52 40:3: 32 pm ='
2025-10-14 22:32:52 2025-10-15 02:32:52.536 - lib.adb - [Tune (eQKsnxbeVhZ2f4TTc9HBui)] Checking for profile screen
2025-10-14 22:33:08 2025-10-15 02:33:08.601 - server -
2025-10-14 22:33:08
2025-10-14 22:33:08 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Tuner "Bedroom" is currently in use and locked.
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Tune ID: 6okZ4qeZW6kfe7e6Mumo4w
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Channel: MSNBC
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Lock Obtained: 2025-10-15 02:00:00 (33.14 minutes ago)
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Last Seen: 2025-10-15 02:33:08 (0.6 seconds ago)
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Bytes Transferred: 2527243768 (2410.17MB)
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Remote User Agent:
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Go-http-client/1.1
2025-10-14 22:33:08 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:33:08
2025-10-14 22:33:08 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Tuner "Livingroom" is currently in use and locked.
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Tune ID: N/A
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Channel: CNN
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Lock Obtained: 2025-10-15 02:32:24 (0.74 minutes ago)
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Last Seen: N/A
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Bytes Transferred: None
2025-10-14 22:33:08 Remote User Agent:
2025-10-14 22:33:08 N/A
2025-10-14 22:33:08 --------------------------------------------------
2025-10-14 22:33:25 2025-10-15 02:33:25.966 - tuner_management - Releasing tuner 1 as it is untracked and has been locked for over a minute.
2025-10-14 22:33:25 2025-10-15 02:33:25.966 - tuner_management - Released tuner (1).
In the Deep Links - Sling with No Video Playback Detection custom config, try setting use_fixed_delay to true. You can also experiment with leaving fixed_delay_seconds at 0, and also try setting it to something low-ish like 5.
Yes, there was something strange happening in the logs at the time, when I sent sleeps longer than 4. I would just send multiple sleeps to get the total timing I needed. Recently I’ve been able to send longer sleep commands without issue. However there is definitely a race that goes on between setting up the timing against certain apps vs. channels timing out and giving up. This anecdotally is in the 20-ish second range in my experience.
Yes, I couldn't get it to work. I have been trying various configurations. I could not get it to work consistently with any options. It would work with one, then a few hours later, it would fail. Meanwhile, YTTV just plain works. Unless someone comes up with a valid idea, I am giving up on Sling. It is $40 a month cheaper, so I really wanted to get it to work.
I believe I was finally able to duplicate what you've been experiencing. I've been tuning to live channels, and starting recordings in the middle of an event (for testing), and that's been working well.
Tonight though, I setup a couple of scheduled recordings, and that's where Sling tosses us a curve ball. When you set a recording to start exactly at the scheduled time, you get this "special" screen where you can choose to Watch Now or Record.
So far, the solution seems to be to add some padding to the recording -- both 30 seconds before and 1 minute before have worked for me. No Watch Now option, and the channel is tuned as normal.
It sounds like you're moving on -- which I get. But at least for the next guy, it appears that if things are setup as I described a few posts back -- Sling is workable.
I did make a couple of changes to the custom config, that give a more consistent landing spot when a stream is stopped. Either the home screen, or the Watch Now screen work as resting places in between streaming sessions. Deeplinks work from either.
Occasionally, there'd be a black screen when simply stopping playback, but going to the the home screen followed by bringing the app back into focus took care of that :
{
"name": "Deep Links - Sling with No Video Playback Detection",
"author": "bnhf",
"version": "0",
"description": "Sling virtual tuning without video playback detection.",
"uuid": "44da8817-32b3-4f52-a5ee-42a208d870a4",
"global_options": {
"wait_for_video_playback_detection": false,
"use_fixed_delay": false,
"fixed_delay_seconds": 0,
"check_for_and_clear_whos_watching_prompts": false,
"wait_after_post_playback_start_commands_seconds": 0
},
"pre_tune_commands": [
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP"
],
"tune_commands": [
"am start -n com.sling/.MainActivity '||TARGET_URL_OR_IDENTIFIER||'"
],
"post_playback_start_commands": [],
"post_tune_commands": [
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME",
"am start -n com.sling/.MainActivity"
]
}
Wow, good catch! I had been using Sling before switching to YTTV for baseball season. When I switched back to Sling, it no longer worked. I did change my recordings to start on time.
But, I still have the problem with the Development version. I will be watching a recording, and for no reason, the video stops, and the recording shows the home screen of my onn. (When I mentioned this before, I said it goes to the home screen of the app, but I was wrong.) I saw it with YTTV and with Sling. It doesn't happen very often, but I never saw it using the Latest version.
For those reading this down the road. I use only the standard release of ADbTuner. I have had nearly zero issues recording Sling Blue channels with ADBtuner LinkkPis, Firesticks and Onn 4k boxes.
1 Like
I have seen this as well while testing in the development version. It's not common, but just as you describe. I didn't realize this was happening with YTTV as well. Let me know if you see anything in the logs, or any other clues that might point to the cause.
Always worth reinforcing that any container tagged as :test, :experimental, :development or the like, should not be considered stable. Using them, and reporting issues, is helpful however in moving projects forward.
On YTTV I only saw it on the NBC Philly Sports channel. On Sling, I didn't have a lot of successful recordings, but I did see it on MSNBC.
I have Sling through the end of the month, I'll continue testing now that I know about starting a recording early. I have it working with the stable version, using
"global_options": {
"wait_for_video_playback_detection": false,
"use_fixed_delay": true,
"fixed_delay_seconds": 0,
"check_for_and_clear_whos_watching_prompts": false
},
"pre_tune_commands": [
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP"
],
"tune_commands": [
"am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d '||TARGET_URL_OR_IDENTIFIER||' '||TARGET_PACKAGE_NAME||'",
"sleep 3",
"sleep 3",
"sleep 3",
"sleep 3",
"sleep 3"
],
"post_tune_commands": [
"am force-stop '||TARGET_PACKAGE_NAME||'",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP",
"input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME"
]
}
edit: With the stable version, it seems to work without any sleep commands.
I swear I had this container working before, but I just tried reinstalling it and for whatever reason it will not connect to my chromecast. It sees the HDMI encoder, the chromecast does have developer mode enabled, and the synology nas that it is running on can ping the chromecast, but ADB tuner won't get past android connection failed.
