As far the video often not filling the screen and black borders around the video, I noticed that this happens more when the desktop resolution is less than 1920x1080 and true for both a physical and vm windows machine.
When I increased my vm to 2560x1440 the black borders reduced.
I ran an issue with my resolution on my physical machine which was capped at 1920x1080 until I added a 4k hdmi dummy plug and could increase my resolution to 3840x2160 and then I had nearly zero border (see below)
How does it look on a client?
Using chrome-capture-for-channels v0.1.8 (Win11)
Kudos to the team for bringing this product to life! Quite amazing to be honest.
With the latest version, I'm not having any issues that prevent me from watching various channels. I'm using NBC and Paramount+ websites for content. I was surprised that I can easily get Showtime (via Paramount+).
I always see full screen video, so this is working great for me. NBC briefly shows the web page prior the video starting and Showtime flashes a white screen for about 1/2 a second before the video starts. These are clearly not bugs, but how their sites work.
I could not get Sling and Spectrum websites to work, I believe this is due to how their guides work. It seem they link to a show, not the actual channel, so a link will work until the show ends.
Great job. Can't wait to see the product develop!
This is a very interesting feature. Ive been watching along the sidelines as i ponder to invest in some hdmi capture hardware, or a dedicated machine for chrome. Ive got an ancient mac mini running channels now, but im on high sierra and cant even update to latest version of chrome. It might be time to update this machine anyway.
Of particular interest for me is kox kontore…
@babsonnexus @Flt505 have either of you had any luck finding a workaround to tune these channels?
Thanks in advance
I've found a repeatable pattern in my setup, with tuning into a live stream via the HDMI method vs. the Chrome Capture method. Since I have both projects running, I created a Channel Collection to compare them side-by-side, experiment and optimize.
In this demo video, I'm comparing four different ways for tuning into the SyFy channel. Helpful for comparing picture quality, launch speed and reliability, too.
HDMI via an encoder and AndroidTV device (506)
Chrome Capture via tv.youtube.com (238)
Chrome Capture via NBC.com west coast feed (217)
Chrome Capture via NBC.com east coast feed (216)
The HDMI method is perfectly full screen, every time.
Both the YTTV and NBC methods can go full screen, with a slight border that is perfectly understandable and acceptable IMO, given what we're working with here.
However, every other channel change, results in a TV display that has a significantly larger border. And I think that's because the Chrome tab on my CDVR server, where Chrome Capture for Channels is running, is alternating between "large, full window" and "small, minimized window" as I channel surf.
I screenshared into my CDVR server and put my laptop underneath the TV screen so everyone can see what I mean.
It seems to me that the switching back and forth is triggering "desktop vs. mobile" (adaptive design, or something?) and as a result, the video-playing window that gets cast to the AppleTV has a larger border and lower resolution. And when the next channel is tuned into, or the same channel is tuned into again, that's when the source Chrome window gets a large, full window, which is then maximized on the AppleTV, as well. The pattern on my setup is repeatable. It's every other tune-in.
I'm not sure how to best address this from a programming level as I appreciate the automation and window hiding in place on my CDVR server. It's a Mac mini I do use as a desktop from time to time. But maybe it's the "minimize into small square" step that's causing the larger border?
All that said, I'm in awe that all of this works as well as it does, right out of the gate. Thank you all for the continued collaboration and amazing shares!
I'm using NBC as well, but I don't have the border. Curious to what is causing that.
Have you compared it to the HDMI method? It's all relative of course, but here is what I'm seeing:
HDMI method - zero border
NBC and YTTV via Chrome Capture - alternates between tiny border and larger border, every time.
I'm guessing the difference will come down to the many other variables, like what platform the Chrome tab is playing on, what the TV is capable of, and also, tvOS vs. Android TV, etc.
this makes sense. the code will attempt to make the chrome window slightly bigger than 1920x1080, which would fail if the desktop is limited to that size.
I have two displays on my M1 Mac mini desktop / server:
Both are lower (default) resolutions though:
And yes, results are the same when I'm NOT screenharing the Main display to my MacBook Pro... I tested that too.
I haven't tried the HDMI method. I have a spare machine I loaded Win 11 on for this software. I installed chrome so it should be the latest version. Nothing else is running on the machine as it's a new build. There is no monitor and I'm using RDP to access. Just no black border on the videos.
No dice so far; it feels like the same issue as this:
The only way I can think to work around this is to add some macro movements, but then it is going to get complicated!
I was thinking if I had an always on server with enough horsepower I might just leave maybe 4 chrome windows open all the time with my favorite stations tuned and signed in with Kox. Then pipe them over to channels.
Have you tried leaving the chrome window open for extended period. Do the credentials time out after a while?
I’ve had lots of issues with kox credentials expiring on the NBC app, especially on Apple TV.
I’ve heard good things about “keyboard maestro” haven’t played with it, but I’ve heard it is exceptionally versatile.
Same here, it seems to only be able t go to a "show" not a channel.
I'm finding the same issue here on Philo.
If Amazon can launch a channel, we should be able to do it too.
I'm unsure on how to find the static link.
thanks
Excellent catch @joagomez! I haven't needed to add a monitor to my server (Win11, i5 12th gen), so I never checked the display resolution. When I did and bumped it up to 1920x1080, the cropping on the Golf channel really reduced. I'll have to find one of those 4k HDMI dummy plugs and try that out too. Thank you!
I think some of this might come down to TV calibration too. And not all TV’s handle it the same or even allow the user to adjust the geometry.
The test video above was on the 65” Sony in the bedroom. I just ran through the same tests on the older 78” Samsung in the living room and on that set, full screen works better. Only the alternating larger border via Chome Capture is noticeable. The tiny one I was seeing on those same channels as I alternated between them in the bedroom, isn’t displaying on this TV at all. 
Overall, though not perfect, this does show promise. The biggest issues for me, is the cropped picture and the occasional stutter in the motion especially noticeable in panning scenes or news tickers. Perhaps this will improve with time…
