General : TV Anywhere Android App

[jamiefrost]

Does the US Tivo app stream video looking at the info on Google Play it doesn't so this would be a massive difference? The iOS app recently got the ability but requires a specific type of Tivo and I think it streams from the box itself.

I'm frustrated around not supporting 4.4 but I understand that you have to build to a software version otherwise you end up with a moving target.

J

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

Does the US Tivo app stream video looking at the info on Google Play it doesn't so this would be a massive difference?

Nope

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

Does the US Tivo app stream video looking at the info on Google Play it doesn't so this would be a massive difference? The iOS app recently got the ability but requires a specific type of Tivo and I think it streams from the box itself.

I'm frustrated around not supporting 4.4 but I understand that you have to build to a software version otherwise you end up with a moving target.

J

One that would take 2 years to resolve? That, after all, was my question.

[Mad Bee]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

The app is compatible with 2.2 - 4.3 so covers most versions.

I'm running 4.2 on my HTC One X+ and in Google Play it tells me that my device isn't supported.

Doesn't look compatible to me.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Mad Bee

I'm running 4.2 on my HTC One X+ and in Google Play it tells me that my device isn't supported.

Doesn't look compatible to me.

That's a different thing. The app is compatible with the version of Android on your phone, but VM haven't yet added the device itself to the list of allowed devices.

[Joedm45]

To throw a spanner in the works, I tried to download the app on my cheap and cheerful tablet (Sumvision Cyclone or something), it appeared on play search, I downloaded it and to my surprise it worked!

Didn't get much time to test it this morning but it connected to my TiVo and I could view my recorded show list along with the menu that was on the same screen. Didn't get round to testing the remote control function or if it will stream tv so that's a job for tonight. Not holding much hope on streaming but at least it's better than nothing

[jamiefrost]

Originally Posted by andy_m

One that would take 2 years to resolve? That, after all, was my question.

Don't know if it was 2 years, VM announced a year ago that that the app would ready 2013.

Don't know when the first announcement was that they were going to do a Android App.

J

[BenMcr]

Android app was confirmed as coming in 2013 when the iOS app launched in November 2012

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/new...obile-app.html

initially on Apple iOS but with Android to follow in 2013.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by andy_m

I think it's a good little app, but I'm really disappointed by the whole process. Firstly I've been over a year without Virgin Player, which allowed me to watch over 3g. Now the gap has been filled I still can't watch over 3g, so I'm worse off. That's not progress.

Secondly I find the protestations that this was difficult to implement, that it wasn't simply a case of taking a red crayon to the US version, that some of the delay was to achieve work arounds for home networking issues, and that it was important to launch before support for the latest version of the operating system was implemented to be so blatantly untrue that actually it borders on being offensive. What is so different from the US version, an app that looks and feels the same, and acts as a network remote whilst allowing you to watch TV on the move either streaming our downloaded, that it took two years to resolve? Genuinely, I'd love to know.

Thirdly, two devices at any one time is very limiting-we don't have loads of devices in our house, but two top end smart phones, a tablet and a laptop means we have 200% of the allowed devices. I suspect there are many reading this who are in a much more limited position.

All I can say is I really hope this is a work in progress-despite the wait being partly down to an apparent desire to launch a finished product. To launch an android app that is immediately unavailable to the very people who've chosen a vanilla android experience is just a joke and there is simply no way to justify it.

Sorry but from someone that knows a lot about the app you haven't a clue what went on behind closed doors and what was involved in getting the app to release.

[Mad Bee]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

That's a different thing. The app is compatible with the version of Android on your phone, but VM haven't yet added the device itself to the list of allowed devices.

OK thanks.

Is it likely to get added to the list?

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Sorry but from someone that knows a lot about the app you haven't a clue what went on behind closed doors and what was involved in getting the app to release.

Agreed. Which is why I posed a question. So tell me.

---------- Post added at 12:35 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

Don't know if it was 2 years, VM announced a year ago that that the app would ready 2013.

Don't know when the first announcement was that they were going to do a Android App.

J

My question was what is so different between the US app and the Virgin app that it's taken 2 years to resolve? It is two years since the US android app launched.

If you'd like me to rephrase, what has taken 1 year from the Virgin announcement to resolve?

Not aimed directly at you now, but It's all very well for people things like you don't know what you're talking about, or there are big differences that take time to sort out, but if you don't answer when you're asked for specifics what conclusion are we supposed to draw?

This past week has seen a TiVo update which has reduced recorded suggestions from unlimited to 50 (answer-I don't know, I don't like it either), an app launched after a silly amount of time to develop (answer-you don't know what you're talking about) which still doesn't allow me to stream over 3g despite the fact that I used to be able to do this before they got rid of player (answer-none, yet). Oh yeah, and a price rise.

Perhaps rather than suggesting things without actually ever saying them, those that know the answer to my genuine questions - what has taken so long, why, and can we expect the functionality to ever improve to the point where it matches the obsolete app it has at long last replaced - could provide them?

[bayonet]

Don't know if anyone can help on this

If I factory reset my NEXUS 7 will it go back to the original Android which was 4.2 I think?

I read somewhere it wasn't possible to do this but with all the knowledge on here thought I'd check in case someone might know

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by bayonet

Don't know if anyone can help on this

If I factory reset my NEXUS 7 will it go back to the original Android which was 4.2 I think?

I read somewhere it wasn't possible to do this but with all the knowledge on here thought I'd check in case someone might know

No it won't go back. A factory reset will revert your user settings and any apps you've downloaded, but not your system stuff.

[jamiefrost]

Originally Posted by andy_m

Agreed. Which is why I posed a question. So tell me.

---------- Post added at 12:35 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------



My question was what is so different between the US app and the Virgin app that it's taken 2 years to resolve? It is two years since the US android app launched.

If you'd like me to rephrase, what has taken 1 year from the Virgin announcement to resolve?

Perhaps rather than suggesting things without actually ever saying them, those that know the answer to my genuine questions - what has taken so long, why, and can we expect the functionality to ever improve to the point where it matches the obsolete app it has at long last replaced - could provide them?

The release in the US has no impact on when the VM would be released, your assumption is that they began working on it then.

No one outside VM management and the team working on the app knows when work started or how much effort was involved.

VM decided that the iOS app had priority (understandable at that point) then priorities may have changed from the Android app. We don't know if they started 1 year ago or last week.

Would going into the details of Java programming, DRM and streaming video really help

With regards to functionality, yes you are missing a piece of functionality previously available on a different app.

A functional specification and brief were created for the new app during which streaming over 3g was given a lower priority or it was decided that it is not required at this point.

Personally I think it should have been given a higher priority, 12 months to add streaming seems a little excessive, I don't do any video work in android apps at all but from what I have read I know it can be complicated, though later android release were supposed to help solve the complexity.

J

[Mad Bee]

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

A functional specification and brief were created for the new app during which streaming over 3g was given a lower priority or it was decided that it is not required at this point.

Personally I think it should have been given a higher priority

J

I'm pretty sure everyone on here would agree with you. For an app to be called 'anywhere', not being able to use it anywhere is quite remarkable.