Few questions relating to interface and playback (Android Mobile and Fire TV)

[zaggles 0]

TLDR:  Is there a way to get the same interface options that appear in the Emby Android Mobile app to appear in the Emby Fire TV app?

 

More detailed:  I have a desktop PC running the Emby server with local storage and ethernet connection to router. I am primarily using the app to watch and record live OTA TV that is received through an HDHomerun Connect.   My TV is connected to the Emby server via an Amazon Fire Stick (2nd gen), and I also have the Emby Android Mobile app installed on my phone (Galaxy S7 Edge).

 

After having a lot of playback issues with Kodi and NextPVR, I came across Emby.  So far, the Fire Stick app seems to be working pretty well, and the only complaints are (1) the lack of customization in the Fire Stick app; (2) a weird/clunky interface for playback of recorded TV that won't let me easily delete things, continues to display items that were deleted, and displays the same recordings in multiple locations.

 

Other minor issues are (1) the OTA channels seem to take a long time to load (at least on initial startup) and (2) the EPG guide (data received through Schedules Direct) very annoyingly only displays 9 hours at a time before prompting me whether I want to load the next 9 hours.

 

I've noticed in the Android Mobile app that there are a lot more options for controlling the interface, which allows me to delete a lot of the redundant (imo) recorded media viewing options (i.e. My Media, Continue Watching, Latest Recordings, Next Up - all are getting me to the same place and just clutter things).  

 

Actual question - My question is whether there is a way to access or get the same interface options that appear in the Android Mobile app to appear in Fire Stick app?  

 

Maybe they are there and I'm just not seeing them?  Or is it just a matter of those options not being built into the Fire Stick app?  If the latter, anybody know if there are plans to implement these options?

 

FWIW - I tried sideloading the Android TV (both arm7 and x86) onto the Fire Stick without any success.  Briefly tried getting the Android Mobile app to sideload, but couldn't find a direct link to the .apk at that time (although I found it this morning).  Anybody else tried sideloading the Android Mobile app onto Fire Stick?

 

 

Bonus questions!

(1)  Has anybody encountered or know how to fix the above issue with easily deleting recordings on Fire Stick and deleted recordings still appearing as options for playback?  When I deleted the recordings, which I may have done through the Android Mobile app, I did receive the warning that they would be deleted from the server file location.

 

(2)  I noticed in the live TV and/or recording playback options that there is an option for attempting to use VLC to playback that was checked by default.  I've unchecked this, but was wondering if attempting to use VLC offers some advantage over whatever native player Emby uses.  I don't have VLC installed on the host machine, but have the KLite codec pack installed there.

 

Sorry for lengthy post.  Thanks in advance for your help!

[ebr 14924]

Can you please be more specific about this:

 

a weird/clunky interface for playback of recorded TV that won't let me easily delete things, continues to display items that were deleted, 

[zaggles 0]

Can you please be more specific about this:

 

Not at home, so I can't provide as much detail.  But basically, the left hand side of the screen has several options that all essentially point to the same folder of DVR recordings (My Media, Continue Watching, Latest Recordings, Next Up, Recorded TV).  I have not been able to find a way to hide these options on the Fire TV app, but I do see that the option exists on the Android Mobile app.

 

Additionally, on the Fire TV app, when I select a recorded program and then view the additional options for that program, it displays options like "Mark as Viewed" and others I don't recall.  However, "Delete recording" does not seem to always be an option and I believe the only way to delete the recordings was by going through one of the specific left-hand menu listings.  For example, I cannot just see something under the "Recent Recordings" or "Continue Watching" listing and delete a recording.  Rather, to delete a recording I would need to go to left-hand menu option for say "Recorded TV", then select another sub-listing like "Series Recordings" (this is not the accurate wording for the menu options, but just example because I'm not home to get exact wording) to view a listing of the recordings - and only then could I delete something.  Even after that, the deleted items still seem to show up in other places.  

 

That explanation probably wasn't as helpful as you or I would hope, so if it doesn't make sense, then I will reply later when I get home with more accurate details.

[ebr 14924]

The delete option is on the detail screen for each item and how you arrive at that detail screen should make no difference.

 

So, when you get a chance, I'm going to need to see some screen shots or something of what you are looking at.  Thanks.

[zaggles 0]

Ok, so I went home last night and took some pictures.  Apologies in advance for potato quality because I had to use my phone to take a pictures of the TV (didn't feel like setting up the whole admin/debugging thing to take screenshots with Firestick).

 

http://imgur.com/a/7Wz37  

 

The first picture shows the only place where I can delete things.  This requires going to Recordings - select show - select season - select episode - then selecting "more options".

 

Conversely, when I view the options for an episode on the home screen, I'm not seeing any way to delete it.

 

I've also included screenshots of what I considered to be the "weird/clunky" interface meaning that the same things appear under Library, Continue Watching, Recordings, Next Up TV, Latest Shows.  I get that if I had a lot more content then perhaps the same things wouldn't be displayed under these options; however, I don't have a massive media library and think it would be nicer if I could remove some of those things (like Next Up TV and Latest Shows) in the same way that I can on Emby Android Mobile.

 

Note - the pictures uploaded mostly in reverse, so viewing the album may make more sense starting from the bottom and scrolling up.

 

Thanks again for your hard work and help!

[ebr 14924]

The delete option should appear in that menu too - I'll look at that.

 

However, if you simply click "ok" on one of those items (instead of the menu button) don't you end up at the first detail screen where you can delete it?

[zaggles 0]

The delete option should appear in that menu too - I'll look at that.

 

However, if you simply click "ok" on one of those items (instead of the menu button) don't you end up at the first detail screen where you can delete it?

 

Derp.  You are probably right!  That does seem rather obvious and I should have checked that first.  I just assumed selecting the episode would start playing it rather than taking me to a different screen.

 

 

Any advice / recommendations on the home screen / left side menu customization?  The options to edit that appear on the Emby Server and Android Mobile app.  Not sure if I'm just missing it somewhere in this app or if its not an feature/option for the Fire TV app.

[CBers 6771]

Any advice / recommendations on the home screen / left side menu customization?  The options to edit that appear on the Emby Server and Android Mobile app.  Not sure if I'm just missing it somewhere in this app or if its not an feature/option for the Fire TV app.

 

I like it the way it is

[ebr 14924]

The TV app does not have the ability to customize the home screen at this time.  Perhaps in the future.

[CBers 6771]

@@zaggles, what's your issue with "sideloading" the app?

[zaggles 0]

The TV app does not have the ability to customize the home screen at this time.  Perhaps in the future.

 

Ok.  Thank you for the clarification and help!

 

 

@@zaggles, what's your issue with "sideloading" the app?

 

I can download the Fire TV version of the app without any problem through the Amazon app store.  Since my understanding is that the Fire Stick is essentially Android OS based, I attempted to sideload the Android TV and Android Mobile versions of the app onto the Firestick (2nd gen) using the Downloader app.  The Android arm7 versions would install; however, after attempt to run the app I would just get black screen with some different colored text on the left side.  The x86 versions of the app wouldn't install or run.  Fwiw, I did not attempt to uninstall the official Fire TV version of the app before installing/running either, so I'm not sure if that would have made a difference.

[CBers 6771]

I can download the Fire TV version of the app without any problem through the Amazon app store. Since my understanding is that the Fire Stick is essentially Android OS based, I attempted to sideload the Android TV and Android Mobile versions of the app onto the Firestick (2nd gen) using the Downloader app.

Does the Amazon app store say the Fire Stick is incompatible or something, as it should install it the same was as the FTV?

[ebr 14924]

Does the Amazon app store say the Fire Stick is incompatible or something, as it should install it the same was as the FTV?

 

The mobile app should not show up in the store for the Fire TV to avoid confusion.

 

zaggles - if you tried to side-load a Google version of the app that would not work on a Fire.

[Iristejada 0]

Hi i don't know how put the server address

[ebr 14924]

Hi i don't know how put the server address

 

Hi.  Please start your own topic with details for whatever issue you are having.  Thanks!

 

How to Report a Problem

[ameraj 0]

I have the idea you can log in from a different browser or delete the account and return it