LG App Observations

[CBers 6942]

Further to my thread here about pre-selection of subtitles crashing the app, I thought I'd add a few other observations I have made in comparison to the Android TV app.

 

I have been using the Android TV app on my Shield TV's since it was released, but as I have purchased a 4K LG TV, I have made myself use the LG app to see how it performs.

 

The UI

 

First off, I dislike the whole ET UI, as it has been ripped off from the old Xbox UI and is now very dated.

 

The SPOTLIGHT area is completely redundant in this day and age, as it just doesn't add anything to the user experience.

 

For instance, I just opened the app and it presented me with a TV show that is completely watched.

 

Open the Movie page, and I get a movie which I have also watched.

 

The while left hand side of the screen needs sorting out, as the small icons at the bottom need moving elsewhere.

 

I understand vertical scrolling is available in the next release, so hopefully this will address most of this. 

 

Playback

 

The best thing about playback, is the Stats For Nerds option - been waiting ages for this to be added to the Android TV app.

 

As stated above, pre-selection of subtitles before playback crashes the app. Hopefully the new version fixes this.

 

When watching a video, when you stop during playback, you are returned to the details page, but there is no RESUME icon, until you back out and re-enter.

 

When here is a RESUME icon, there is not resume time information like there is in the Android TV app.

 

If you press PLAY, I would have expected it to offer the option to RESUME or start from the beginning, but no.

 

During playback, there is no way of displaying the synopsis, like there is in the Android TV app.

 

There is no way of closing the OSD, so you have to wait for 5 seconds for it to close. In the Android TV app, you just press back and it closes it.

 

SUBRIP/PGS subtitles have to be transcoded, which is a pain, but that seems to be a limitation of the TV.

 

Settings

 

There aren't any settings in the app that you can change, apart from which server to connect to, sign out or exit, which doesn't really do anything.

 

Again, these are my observations and opinions (based on v1.0.4 of the app), but hopefully this might produce others to comment.

 

Thanks.

 

[CBers 6942]

Just found that external SRT subtitles don't display either, where they do in the Android TV app.

[CBers 6942]

If you allow the next episode to play, there are no controls or OSD available.

 

You can only back out and then start again, which allows the controls and OSD to be available.

[Luke 38557]

Just found that external SRT subtitles don't display either, where they do in the Android TV app.

 

This is resolved for the next release of the app, thanks.

[Luke 38557]

If you allow the next episode to play, there are no controls or OSD available.

 

You can only back out and then start again, which allows the controls and OSD to be available.

This is resolved for the next release of the app, thanks.

[Luke 38557]

 

There aren't any settings in the app that you can change, apart from which server to connect to, sign out or exit, which doesn't really do anything.

 

Again, these are my observations and opinions (based on v1.0.4 of the app), but hopefully this might produce others to comment.

 

We've had to hide them for now in order to prevent further delays with the LG review process. Just like Tizen, we will gradually begin to expose settings with new releases.

[Luke 38557]

 

As stated above, pre-selection of subtitles before playback crashes the app. Hopefully the new version fixes this.

 

This is resolved for the next release of the app, thanks.

[Luke 38557]

 

SUBRIP/PGS subtitles have to be transcoded, which is a pain, but that seems to be a limitation of the TV.

 

The TV does not support these subtitle formats. For best performance consider external srt subtitles.

[CBers 6942]

Thanks for the replies Luke.

 

Any idea when the next release will be available please?

 

I know we're at the whim of the TV makers as to when a release is made available, but have you and Eric thought about supporting download and installation direct from the Emby website somehow, even if only for the advanced users??

 

It might also allow for a better beta experience.

[andyblac644 69]

Thanks for the replies Luke.

 

Any idea when the next release will be available please?

 

I know we're at the whim of the TV makers as to when a release is made available, but have you and Eric thought about supporting download and installation direct from the Emby website somehow, even if only for the advanced users??

 

It might also allow for a better beta experience.

 

 

LG don't support USB app's anymore

[CBers 6942]

LG don't support USB app's anymore

That wasn't what I was asking, but thanks for the effort

[andyblac644 69]

That wasn't what I was asking, but thanks for the effort

ok sorry. not sure how else you can install to tv without going through LG ?, there is no other way to access the flash, without going through the LG APP store. This is why the devs have simulators, but they don't often work the same way real tv does.

Edited February 1, 2018 by andyblac644

[CBers 6942]

ok sorry. not sure how else you can install to tv without going through LG ?

 

If that's the only way, then so be it, but on the Samsung Smart TVs, you can point it at your own local webserver, or Emby's.

[andyblac644 69]

If that's the only way, then so be it, but on the Samsung Smart TVs, you can point it at your own local webserver, or Emby's.

LG doesn't support that, as far i know anyway, thats probably how Samsung tv's get hacked so easily.

Edited February 1, 2018 by andyblac644

[ebr 15379]

LG is incredibly slow with app reviews.  The last two times we've asked them about ours (over a two month period), we've gotten the same canned response that they are in the middle of an internal migration of some sort which is slowing down the review process.

[CBers 6942]

When selecting an episode from the library, there's no way of marking an item as watched/unwatched.

 

In fact, you can't do anything, as as soon as you press select, it starts playing instead of opening the details page.

[Luke 38557]

Thanks @@CBers.

[IamMrZ 1]

LG is incredibly slow with app reviews.  The last two times we've asked them about ours (over a two month period), we've gotten the same canned response that they are in the middle of an internal migration of some sort which is slowing down the review process.

 

Seems to me that we should be doing the asking (complaining, really). I bought a very expensive LG, and then a premiere subscription to take advantage of it. The app is the weakest link (no offense Luke!). But I really don't want to go back to my wetek box.

 

So when I call LG to complain about the slow review, what do I reference?

[Luke 38557]

You could just mention the emby app. They did respond to us today to let us know they'd review the app mid next week.

[strugglez 8]

The UI

 

First off, I dislike the whole ET UI, as it has been ripped off from the old Xbox UI and is now very dated.

 

The SPOTLIGHT area is completely redundant in this day and age, as it just doesn't add anything to the user experience.

 

For instance, I just opened the app and it presented me with a TV show that is completely watched.

 

Open the Movie page, and I get a movie which I have also watched.

 

The while left hand side of the screen needs sorting out, as the small icons at the bottom need moving elsewhere.

 

I understand vertical scrolling is available in the next release, so hopefully this will address most of this. 

 

 

If it's the same App I am using on my brand new 4k LG TV, I fully disagree here and love the user interface. Obviously as Luke has mentioned further down though that some of the customization features have been disabled for the initial App release which hasn't bothered me all so much yet. In regards to watched TV Shows and Movies etc, I use the tick boxes to label it watched or not. I haven't tested this indepth or paid much attention to this but do they not disappear from the list?

 

 

Seems to me that we should be doing the asking (complaining, really). I bought a very expensive LG, and then a premiere subscription to take advantage of it. The app is the weakest link (no offense Luke!). But I really don't want to go back to my wetek box.

 

So when I call LG to complain about the slow review, what do I reference?

It it helps keep LG on their toes, I can add to being another user who can attribute to complaints if they aren't addressing things in a timely manner for fix releases etc. The LG TV is pretty sick with the pointing remote. I love it. They've upped their game IMO.

[CBers 6942]

If it's the same App I am using on my brand new 4k LG TV, I fully disagree here and love the user interface.

Each to their own

[CBers 6942]

When using shuffle play, or automatic start of the next episode, you lose all control functionality.

 

You can't FF/RW, bring up the OSD or anything.

 

The only thing that works is the back button, to stop playback.

[CBers 6942]

Playing a video with DTS track, it gets remuxed, but the dashboard is saying Direct Streaming, as does Stats for Nerds.

 

Not sure why, as the TV and soundbar support DTS.

 

The same video in the ATV app Direct Streams quite happily without any remuxing, all connected to the same TV and soundbar.

[Luke 38557]

Probably because the video has to be converted for some reason, and then at that point you lose the DTS audio.

[adwuk 3]

I have v1.0.4 of the app installed on the TV and it doesn't show additional parts of a multipart movie.  I believe I have the naming correct as the additional parts show up on my iPad.