Genuine question from Android User re the future

#1

I know it has always been stated that Apple TV was the primary client and would always get updates first but it feels like Android development is getting left a long way behind. While there are new features on the iOS app appearing almost daily including Playlists, Custom Sections etc etc the latest Android has none of these and still crashes often when going in and out of the Guide as it has done for a while. As an Android user it is very frustrating seeing (apparently) all the effort being put into new iOS features while there is still a significant bug in the Android.

Because of all this I have recently bought a single Apple TV. I haven't found the experience great (I'll leave it at that) but if this is the only way to get these new features in a reasonable time frame I will need to suck it up and find work rounds for my issues with it and gradually replace my Shield TVs.

So finally to my question:

Do the team see a future for the Android app where it has all, or nearly all, the same features as iOS or should I bite the bullet and switch over to Apple TVs? That would be very expensive (and time consuming to try to integrate it all with my non-iOS Home Automation system) so I don't want to do it if there is massive upgrade to the Android app in the pipeline.

#2

Nor a dev. Not official answer. I could be incorrect.

They hired another new employee @anizocani whose role it is to help with android development. The crashing when leaving guide. I have not experienced that, i thought that was only a issue on the alpha client. Which android client version are you using (not server version). The complaining about "Custom sections" on android. Dude that JUST dropped for apple, give it some time. But all other major features have been brought over. But you are correct if you want newest features you got to join apple cult. Just buy them used on FB marketplace. Im still content with my shields.

#3

Yes, that is the Plan. At the moment, the big missing feature on Android (which doesn't apply to TVs) is Downloads and as you mentioned, Playlists. Custom Sections are obviously brand new but is also of course on the list, and due to the technical work done as part of the Alpha as well as the work on the Search page, this will likely show up relatively quickly.

I don't want to do it if there is massive upgrade to the Android app in the pipeline.

Again, I wonder what specific features you're looking for here, other than the guide crash, which we are still working on but again is difficult because I still have no reliable repro, despite me making my personal guide page absolutely out-of-pocket by adding hundreds of channels!

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No option to download shows?
#4

I too experience the guide crash too. I am using the beta app on a Shield TV and it seems to happen in the following two instances:

  1. Start a channel > exit to guide > start scrolling on the listings. The app will freeze, sputter and it seems like it is choking on trying to pull the channel logo and thumbnails.

  2. Opening the channels app while it still in Android memory. Sometimes the app has not shutdown and it seems like the guide refresh normally hidden by the loading screen crashes it out.

Things to note, I have several sources with probably over 1000 channels (i really need to pair it down). these include:

  1. TVE through YTTV and Philo
  2. Pluto, Pluto UK, and Pluto CA
  3. Frndly fron the docker
  4. Adbtuner (one for YTTV and one for Philo)
  5. Plex
  6. Tubi
  7. Samsung
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#5

Playlists and deep links I have an immediate use for and I look enviously over the fence at the iOS greener grass about.

It is the Guide bug though that "bugs" (sorry!) me the most - we still regularly get the Guide crash even on the latest beta to the extent where we have now memorised a lot of channel numbers and just go directly to them by keying in the channel number, or just surfing up and down from the existing channel. I have never had the crash using the quick guide btw, it is only ever on the main Guide.

I'm not sure how much the number of channels is a factor, or at least it wasn't when I last tried testing it. I have less than 200 channels in normal use, but I have previously temporarily culled one client down to just 4 FTA channels in one collection and still got the Guide crash happening.

I haven't been testing and submitting any further diagnostics directly recently as I understand the later betas submit crash diagnostics automatically. If you want to look at those, our Shield called "Lounge" had the guide crash again only yesterday when I tried the Guide again for the first time in a while.

I really don't want to be "that guy" and I absolutely love Channels generally, but I just want it to work the very best it can on my Shields, which for my purposes are way better hardware than Apple TV.

#6

I'm using a Chromecast with Google TV and have never seen a crash. I also have a huge number of channels.

#7

It seems that the Guide crash only occurs if you use the remote shortcut feature to enter Guide. It then happens repeatably and apparently regardless of number of channels after 2 or 3 entries/exits from the guide.

If you always use backup to exit Live TV into the Guide, you don't get the crash. I use remote shortcuts all the time to navigate around the system but, judging by the lack of others reporting this issue, it seems most people don't.

#8

@GeoffT @Dxcv Can you update to the latest beta and try to reproduce the crash the next time you get a chance? We've made some changes that may help

#9

Hi Ani. I've just tried to update and it says I'm already running the latest version (I'm on v506072130)

#10

Yep, that should be the correct version! Give it a try

#11

I already tried it over the weekend.

see this post Outstanding bugs on Android Beta - #43 by tmm1

No change I'm afraid

#12

The fast scrolling crash seems to be fixed.

however it still crashed when coming back to the app after it was already in memory.

Progress though!

Thank you!

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#13

Can you give v2024.06.12.1009 a try? (it might take a bit to be released), this is a possible though not guaranteed fix for this scenario. On my device (an nVidia Shield 2019) with this fix I was able to use the Remote Shortcuts feature repeatedly with no issue

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