Android TV Support

[CrossEyeORG]

Once again I just want to say, what a great app!

I am hoping that Pliable Pixels would be willing to start supporting Android TV. I am currently using a ton of Google Nexus Players around my house and the office and would like to use the displays for zmNinja/ZoneMinder.

Sure I can start compiling the .apt and sideload nmNinja but I would like to start recommending to friends and family to download it through the official channel (Google Play).

Let me know what you guys think and take care all!

[pliablepixels]

Hi, thanks for your appreciation 👍

Android TV - does my regular apk work on Android TV ? I don't have one. If it doesn't and/or Android TV has different guidelines (a quick google search seems to indicate so), then I really don't think I have the ability to add another platform to support - we aren't a team of folks, its just me, and I barely manage to do this part time :-)

If it does work, and you can try it, I'd love to see how it looks and what might need changing.

[CrossEyeORG]

Hey pliablepixels,

The apk does work on Android TV, I have been sideloading it onto the devices. The text is a little hard to read at times because it's so small for a large TV screen but all in all... it works. I don't know the procedure for uploading apps to Google Play but I assume there is a section where you specify which devices the app is compatible with and if you would be so kind as to allow Android TV... I would not have to sideload anymore, plus the devices will start getting updates for the app! ;-)

Thanks once again!!

[pliablepixels]

Ah ok - so here is my issue then - the moment I upload it to the TV and the font is small, I'll get all sorts of folks complaining the app sucks :) (I deal with enough today on just the phones/tablets who like to complain). So I'm going to have to park this @CrossEyeORG till I make sure it looks good...

[CrossEyeORG]

Totally understand @pliablepixels, that's probably a accurate assumption of what would happen! :-(

[CrossEyeORG]

Hey @pliablepixels, can you direct me to where I can get a copy of your latest apk? I would like to try and sideload your app on my various Android TV devices and see how the functionality and performance is. My gut feeling is zmNinja is going to work great!

Not saying they are the same but I have been using the desktop versions (as a stop gap until nmNinja is available for Android TV) and everything resizes very cleaning and looks fantastic!

Thanks again for a great product!! :-D

[pliablepixels]

Can you send me an email? pliablepixels @ gmail

[danaberdeen]

another vote for this!

I have Nvidia shields which run android tv in the house and it would be great to have a slimmed down interface for them, wouldn't need all the bells and whistles, even just the montage page, with perhaps montage review, they're the things I use most,

I know your only one person though so understand! maybe I could grab the apk? try sideloading it

[pliablepixels]

Sure, I can send you the APK - but I can't support this at the moment though. pliablepixels at gmail

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[adamoutler]

I'm sad to see this issue go stale and close.

I tried installing zmNinja on Android TV. It has no support for arrow keys, so it didn't work. It turned on and launched using some trickery. The problem is that there is no touchscreen or mouse natively on Android TV, so keyboard/buttons must be utilized. There are two things required for Android TV support:

1. Support buttons/key navigation.
2. Add an entry to the manifest for Leanback Launcher support.

[pliablepixels]

Let's talk about this a bit.

2 is easy to to.

for 1: what sort of buttons should be mapped? I don't use Android TV and don't know what the norm is.

zmNinja relies heavily on touch - any suggestions on how to map the touch events of every view to keyboard buttons? I have basic questions like:

a) How do you scroll - zmNinja doesn't handle scrolling on its own, the browser does. How do you map this to a button?
b) How do you select a particular montage window in the montage screen?

Seems to be much more work than just keyboard mapping

[adamoutler]

The most basic functionality would be mapping tab and shift tab to left and right arrow keys. Select and back already works properly.

There is discussion here about this topic.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19716840/handle-arrow-keys-from-d-pad-on-webview-google-tv-app

[pliablepixels]

I need specific inputs here.
I just installed an android TV emulator, running Android 7. Navigation works. I don't know if that is because the emulator allows mouse movement

1. I don't plan to support Android TV < 6.0
2. What works in zmNinja and what doesn't on a screen by screen basis?
3. For items that don't work, what key combinations are expected to make it work? What is the norm?

[pliablepixels]

Update:
Okay, so now I am able to trap keyboard and d-pad events.

How do we use them to select different items on different views? Lets take Montage:

a) What will dpad arrows do ?
b) What keypad combos will be used to select top header options?
c) In android TV how does one "focus" on a button to select it?

If I can wrap my head around one view, I can apply similar logic to the others

[adamoutler]

Don't use the mouse. There is no mouse on a typical Android TV. It uses D-pad only. D-pad is the same as arrow keys.

The select and back buttons already work. It's just a matter of getting arrow keys to do something productive.

If you could map it so play/pause or Y goes to settings and X goes to montage review, it would likely fit all needs.

[pliablepixels]

How are you using the select key now?

Lets take the montage screen:
a) What does pressing select do there? (nothing for me)
b) How do you select the menu bar or any of the icons on top now?
c) How are you selecting a single montage window to view ?

[pliablepixels]

I am not going to be supporting this anytime soon.
I have a basic version working which allows you to navigate the menu and select items, but in general, its not as simple as just mapping one or two keys.

Issues I am facing:
a) Android TV seems to have its own logic to use arrow keys to focus on "input" items (items that require a keyboard). This is causing issues when I am handling it myself for other elements and will need more more research

b) I need to figure our how a user can configure the app and all options. Releasing a version that only supports one or two elements and not others will result in support hell, which I have no time for at the moment.

[adamoutler]

I added a line comment. The additional 4 buttons could be used for menu cycling or direct access.

L1: 102,
R1: 103,
L2: 104,
R2: 105,
THUMBL:106,
THUMBR:107,

Eg. R1=next menu option, L1=previous. Or each button can trigger a different menu
pliablepixels@56d4134#commitcomment-28970920

[adamoutler]

Also of note. Forward and rewind are not common keys on Android TV. The typical controller works just like a playstation controller with home, voice, back and play/pause instead of select and play. There is no select.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[asantaga]

hey guys,

Would the Android TV build also work for Amazon Fire TV?

Posted here as I thought it would be same/similar

@pliablepixels : If you have an apk handy I could test it out, not urgent though

thanks

[pliablepixels]

There isn't an android TV build, unfortunately. There were too many issues trying to get remote controls working. See comments above.

[adamoutler]

But you can adb install or use another method to install the apk. It works, it's just a bad user experience. It needs an entire new UI to work properly on TV.

…

On Tue, Apr 23, 2019, 08:55 Pliable Pixels ***@***.***> wrote: There isn't an android TV build, unfortunately. There were too many issues trying to get remote controls working. See comments above. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://github.com/pliablepixels/zmNinja/issues/285#issuecomment-485790550>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAEA4LYVV4BM5K3SKNJLP6LPR4BKTANCNFSM4CKBCR6Q> .

[tvl9ops]

I'm wondering if your sentiment has changed in the meantime. I'm using zmninja pro in all my ipads and android phones, but the Android TV is a no go as I'm reading this thread. I have to use Tiny Cam Monitor instead and direct rtsp connections from the cameras. It's a pity not to have uniform apps/frontends on all my devices.

[pliablepixels]

It's not really a question of sentiment. It is a question of effort and adding a new platform with reasonably different controls (I tried earlier) is not something I have the time for, unfortunately.

[tvl9ops]

Sure, got it. Once we are on the line, I have difficulty displaying a rotated stream in zmninja (1080x1920 potrait, not landscape), in which forum can I raise this?