Android Clients are still ignored

[mike_here]

DEVS: What needs to be true in order for the Android Apps to get some attention? Android is so far behind it is just sad.

[Morris_Altman]

They had hired an Android developer a while ago and there were some updates. I don't recall seeing her post in a few months.

[GTFan]

Yeah, looks like she got fired/left.

Agree that the state of the Android client is sad, I don't understand why you release an app that is not supported.

[Edwin_Perez]

@GTFan

Agree that the state of the Android client is sad, I don't understand why you release an app that is not supported.

What do you mean not supported if it wasn't for the FireTV/Anfroid app ... I would not even be using Channels DVR ... because no way I will invest in Apple.... Maybe say they are missing features but the APP is supported... as a matter of fact they just released and update ...

[Bobby_Vaughn]

It does everything I need it to do.

[GTFan]

Seriously?? It crashes if you do anything in the guide like scrolling too fast, and it's been this way forever. If it doesn't crash the guide data will be like 2 hours off when you look at an event after scrolling. They might have updated fire TV but they've given short shrift to android. That's just the way it is, the guide is broken and it's been reported multiple times with no fixes.

Use it on your phone, you'll see. These are stupid fixes that should have been implemented long ago but whatever.

[Edwin_Perez]

You said it was not supported so I responded that is not true .. It is being supported ... I do not have the problems you posted above.

[Morris_Altman]

II have no issues with the guide ether speed of access or being up to date. No crashes of any type. The app for the Fire TV which is Android based is the same app used for other Android devices and Google TV devices.

Yes there are fewer features implemented yet I'm very happy with the implementation and the features that are no Apple TV and not Android don't interest me.

[dschaper]

@GTFan

Use it on your phone, you'll see.

Android isn't unified in hardware and software like the walled garden. What model phone are you using? What version of Android is it running?

[babsonnexus]

I can get the app to crash in a variety of ways on CCWGTV and TS4K, more so on the former, so maybe there is a hardware component, too. That said, I can't seem to get it to happen the way @GTFan describes, nor is it necessarily consistent that I can replicate all the time.

There are several Apple features that I'm jealous of and would like (but not enough to introduce an Apple product to my household again), namely:

• Playlists
• Personal Sections
• Stack Franchises
• Downloads

Until they come, I manage as always. And there are occasional useful new updates like this one from last month:

[RELEASE] Stream Link/File Manager for Channels [Streaming Library Manager Extension]

As of this version of the Channels Android/Google app... ... you can now use the intent:// command to launch an app directly. This is very useful for SLM if you have apps that were not made to accept deep links (or do, but messes up the destinations). I've updated the Wiki to describe this situation for Kanopy and Hoopla in particular. [JP_ScreenShot_2025_02_19_12_29_09] Thanks @tmm1 for getting this working, resolves a ton of issues!

Also, there is actually currently a feature that only works on Android/Google TV right now where Apple TV is broken!

[RELEASE] Watch YouTube, Twitch, Daily Motion, News Websites, and more inside your Channels DVR Client Internal Player!

Starting in v2025.03.18.1154 of Streaming Library Manager for Channels, you can now watch internet videos and live streams from places like YouTube, Twitch, Daily Motion, news websites, and perhaps thousands more right in your Channels DVR client internal players! Check out the release video here: [How to watch YouTube, Twitch, Daily Motion, and more all inside one app and on your TV!] Full details are available on the Wiki: Streaming Stations SLM Streams (i.e., static videos) T…

[racameron]

@dschaper

Android isn't unified in hardware and software like the walled garden.

@babsonnexus

I can get the app to crash in a variety of ways on CCWGTV and TS4K, more so on the former, so maybe there is a hardware component, too.

Also to be noted that the TS4K hasn't had an update in quite some time (did it ever get an update to Android TV 12?); the CCWGT only got its needed update to 14 last month.

As far as the Amazon devices go, I believe their Android fork diverged quite a bit ago, so is actually even more different than stock.

(Edit: Just did a quick search, and it looks like Amazon's Fire OS is woefully out of date, too! Fire OS 7 is based from Android 9, and version 8 is based on Android 11.

The problem with Android devices is not only the massive fragmentation that happens because vendors add their own junk on top of it, but also because they don't update the system and just seem to abandon them.)

[babsonnexus]

@racameron

(did it ever get an update to Android TV 12?)

Nope, still on 10!

@racameron

CCWGT only got its needed update to 14 last month.

Actually, this is a slow rollout. Mine are all still on 12 with no offer to 14 yet.

[Jay1987]

Hey, so I've been thinking about getting an Apple TV. My Nvidia Shields are getting old, and they freeze sometimes with different apps – not a Channels problem, I don't think. I'm kinda envious of Apple's Franchise Stacking and Personal section, but my CDVR is fine. I wish the devs would put more into Android, but I get why they don't; Android hardware/software is so inconsistent. Plus, they started with Apple, they're Apple people, I get it.

If you're really unhappy with Android, just grab a used Apple TV on Facebook Marketplace.

Also, I don't have crashing when fast-scrolling the guide, and my guide isn't off by two hours. Not sure about OP. Make sure you update your client regularly; updating the server doesn't update the client.