Help forming library collections

Channels DVR Server
#1

I read and followed the guide for making a library collection. As a test, I made one for the Star Wars movies I have. Everything seems to be in place and I made sure that I have "Enhanced Library" on. I don't find my Star Wars collection anywhere - not on the server or on the TV itself.

I have looked in the Movies and Library section. In the Library, all I see is a section for New Releases, Recently Added, Top Rated and Recently Watched.

What am I missing? Where will the Star Wars Collection appear?

I am using an Amazon Fire Stick. Could it be that this feature is not recognized on the Fire Stick app?

Help and advise appreciated!

#2

Collection are only available on iOS and tvOS at this time.

#3

To be clear, I do love Channels DVR and what it has to offer. However, what I don't understand is why it takes so long to get the updated features into the Android build. I understand it takes time and you may want to work out any bugs, but this feature specifically has been around quite some time for the Apple folks.
It would also be nice if there were a list of all features only available for Apple users and it would great to get an idea of when those features will get put into the Android versions.
Sorry for complaining.

#4

We’re a small team. They don’t come to tvOS/iOS fast either. There’s just no reference as they come there first.

#5

Because programs for the Apple clients are written in either Objective C or Swift, and Android programs are written in Java or Kotlin. While OOP concepts are generally similar, language differences abound.

Also, I imagine testing against the myriad Android devices and all of their idiosyncrasies is a royal PITA, while Apple targets are fairly consistent.

(Or would you rather they take the SiliconDust approach, and rewrite everything in React, thus ensuring the parity of substandard features, at the cost of frequent broken updates and needing an active internet connection to even load the program's UI?)

#6

racameron,
The question wasn't directed to you but it appears that they only work on the Apple features. They may be working on them but they never say one way or the other. It is very confusing/annoying to see a new feature, like library collections offered several months ago for Apple but no timeline for Android. I don't want a sub par feature but I would like to know what is going on with the development for Android.

Thanks for your reply,
Chuck

1 Like
#7

As has been stated numerous times, new features are developed first for Apple devices. After they have been promoted to stable/release status, then porting of the features progresses to Android clients. This has been the nature of Channels from the very beginning. (Especially considering that originally there was no Android client.)

There has never been full feature parity, and this fact has never been hidden. If you want the newest features, then you need an Apple device. Android clients deliver a great experience; however the best experience is found on Apple devices.

(The "better on Apple" experience is not limited to only Channels. I have found since switching to an Apple TV for our main TV in the household that there is not one application that is not superior on Apple TV compared to its Android TV counterpart—if one exists. Of course, this is my subjective assessment, and you may feel differently.)

#8

Agreed. I started out with channels about a year and a half ago. I was NOT going to use any apple devices because I am an android guy. I bought a shield for my main TV and then 2 firesticks for my other TV's. There is a hardware ota bug in the shield that makes my ABC affiliate look like garbage, plus the interface is crap. You can't have it automatch framerate without toggling a beta feature each time? Come on.... The firesticks... Well both firesticks went in the trash. If the shield was cheap it would be in the trash too. I should sell it but right now it's just a dust magnet.
Appletv is simply the best out there.

#9

Thanks for the info. I do have an appleTV device. I don't care much for the apple remote and find the fire remote easier to use. Trade-offs!

Thanks again!

#10

FWIW, the latest gen AppleTV remote is much, much better. I'm loving it. It ships with the newest model of AppleTV but can be purchased separately and works on any AppleTV 4K or HD. If you find it too sensitive you can set the Clickpad to "Click Only" (instead of "Click and Touch") so it works more like the Fire and other remotes. But I left it as Click and Touch, as I find the touchpad control to be very intuitive, accurate and fast. Especially when jumping around in a video timeline or other content.

1 Like