General TV Anywhere Android App - Page 17

andy_m · 29-11-2013, 16:00

So after all that we agree that 12 months seems excessive!

Out of interest, why do you think it's understandable that ios was given priority? Virgin themselves didn't sell any ios devices and so were effectively affording lower priority to those of us who were Virgin quad play customers. Personally, I think it follows that the US releases did impact on the release of the Virgin versions-the types of devices owned by the customers who also took Virgin's mobile services certainly didn't!

bayonet · 29-11-2013, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

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.

Thanks Andy

Ah well shouldn't have updated to KitKat before the app came out, still next year maybe? My S2 works ok with the app on Android 4.1.2

BenMcr · 29-11-2013, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

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).

As far as I know Player allowed for a selection of pre-recorded shows to be accessed over 3G. It didn't have live TV streaming, and also you only had 1 hour a day free via a mobile if you had TV XL, Broadband and a Virgin Mobile.

Otherwise there were additional costs involved above your TV subscription

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/softw...n-media-player
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/09...player-review/

toady · 29-11-2013, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

Out of interest, why do you think it's understandable that ios was given priority?

Its quicker to write an app for an iOS device, you only to worry about a tablet or phone with a 3.5" or 4" display. Android is a nightmare with so many variations of screen size and resolution

BenMcr · 29-11-2013, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

Out of interest, why do you think it's understandable that ios was given priority?

TiVo released their iOS app first, which is what TV Anywhere is based on.

steveh · 29-11-2013, 17:10

Works nicely installing the .apk on my two unsupported devices - hopefully they'll be clearing more models soon.

The icons for the options when you press the menu button look greyed out even though they're not and it's a bit annoying that you can't use the back button to dismiss dialogs.

jamiefrost · 29-11-2013, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

So after all that we agree that 12 months seems excessive!

Out of interest, why do you think it's understandable that ios was given priority? Virgin themselves didn't sell any ios devices and so were effectively affording lower priority to those of us who were Virgin quad play customers. Personally, I think it follows that the US releases did impact on the release of the Virgin versions-the types of devices owned by the customers who also took Virgin's mobile services certainly didn't!

12 months may seem excessive if the started development 12 months but I have no insight into the potential issues and problems that could occur.

From experience I know how difficult it can be accurately estimate the amount of effort required to program some thing. You could spend days getting something working and end up with a fundamental block that needs a different approach.

I think iOS devices were the right as the majority of the tablet devices in the market were iOS. Quad play customers who wanted the ability to stream over 3g were probably thought to be a smaller percentage than TV customers that want to stream locally over wifi on the iOS device.

J

mikcoles · 29-11-2013, 19:30

Quote:

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.

I agree with Andy so tell us what went on to get this app live in 12 months and then we might have a better understanding of the situation

andy_m · 29-11-2013, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by toady

Its quicker to write an app for an iOS device, you only to worry about a tablet or phone with a 3.5" or 4" display. Android is a nightmare with so many variations of screen size and resolution

Ok, that's fair enough.

---------- Post added at 18:43 ---------- Previous post was at 18:40 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

12 months may seem excessive if the started development 12 months but I have no insight into the potential issues and problems that could occur.

From experience I know how difficult it can be accurately estimate the amount of effort required to program some thing. You could spend days getting something working and end up with a fundamental block that needs a different approach.

I think iOS devices were the right as the majority of the tablet devices in the market were iOS. Quad play customers who wanted the ability to stream over 3g were probably thought to be a smaller percentage than TV customers that want to stream locally over wifi on the iOS device.

J

I do understand all of this, although if development didn't start either before or very soon after the announcement then I'd again like to know why.

However, whilst I'm sure it's difficult to estimate how long something like this might take, they've basically lifted an app that had already existed and worked for a year, and added a feature that they already knew how to offer.

kgollop · 29-11-2013, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

However, whilst I'm sure it's difficult to estimate how long something like this might take, they've basically lifted an app that had already existed and worked for a year, and added a feature that they already knew how to offer.

If adding streaming is a reason for the delay then surely they'd have been better off releasing a version without streaming and then adding the feature later. This would have at least seen us through from the period they blocked TIVO Commander to now.

kgollop · 29-11-2013, 22:12

Cripes, I hadn't realised the two device limit included web streaming from laptop too! We have two laptops, two phones and a tablet in our household and there is only two of us. I also had a work machine registered to save me carrying a laptop into the office when I work the weekend shift.

Stephen · 29-11-2013, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgollop

If adding streaming is a reason for the delay then surely they'd have been better off releasing a version without streaming and then adding the feature later. This would have at least seen us through from the period they blocked TIVO Commander to now.

But then people would have moaned that the app was too basic and was missing streaming. VM can't win.

kgollop · 30-11-2013, 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

But then people would have moaned that the app was too basic and was missing streaming. VM can't win.

I am not so sure. People were happy with TIVO Commander and the US Tivo app didn't have streaming apparently so not sure why people would complain? Well maybe if they called it TV Anywhere but there wasn't a need to release it under that name. TIVO Commander was essentially what we have now minus the streaming and we had that in 2011 (albeit the new app is properly integrated and doesn't require manual setup etc), it was a big loss to some of us to lose it.

harry_hitch · 30-11-2013, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

As far as I know Player allowed for a selection of pre-recorded shows to be accessed over 3G. It didn't have live TV streaming, and also you only had 1 hour a day free via a mobile if you had TV XL, Broadband and a Virgin Mobile.

Otherwise there were additional costs involved above your TV subscription

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/softw...n-media-player
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/09...player-review/

The old app may not have streamed live TV, and it may have cost people more money if they exceeded a certain limit, but at least people had the option to use 3G.

You are doing a grand job in answering various peoples questions and gripes, but this still does not explain why VM did not add the option for 3G on this app. I do not know if you have the answer or not, but it is a seriously bad oversight from VM. If it could be used before, why not now?

I only use the app to record programs and as such the lack of 3G does not bother me, but it has clearly upset some people.

BenMcr · 30-11-2013, 00:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry_hitch

but at least people had the option to use 3G.

The VM Player app only worked on 3G. If you were connected to WiFi (or on an iPad) then the content wasn't available. Out of the two, I'd much prefer it to be WiFi only rather than 3G only!

Quote:

If it could be used before, why not now?

My own guess? Different technology

It's a completely different proposition to offer a range of pre-encoded programmes for 3G than it is to have a plaform stream live TV to both WiFi and 3G.