I have Lightbox and a Sony Bravia. I'd very much like to be able to do this direct to the TV via the Ethernet connection. 

However, at the moment I'm stuck with hooking the HDMI output of my computer (browsing to Lightbox) up to one of the HDMI inputs of the TV.

Brumfondl:

 

Is there a way to get this working or does anyone know if they are working on an app specifically for Sony TVs?

 

I use a Chromecast and the Lighbox app on my Android phone. 

It works: Lightbox on my SONY TV. 

The Chromecast becomes - effectively - the "smart" in my smart TV...because my TV isn't smart enough, but Android is.  

Linuxluver:

 

Brumfondl:

 

Is there a way to get this working or does anyone know if they are working on an app specifically for Sony TVs?

 

 

I use a Chromecast and the Lighbox app on my Android phone. 

 

It works: Lightbox on my SONY TV. 

 

The Chromecast becomes - effectively - the "smart" in my smart TV...because my TV isn't smart enough, but Android is.  

 

I've never seen the Chromecast as an attractive option. I often want to watch TV and surf the internet via my phone / tablet at the same time.

ghettomaster: 

 

I've never seen the Chromecast as an attractive option. I often want to watch TV and surf the internet via my phone / tablet at the same time.

 

You can. 

You kick off the cast to the TV / Chromecast...and it owns the datastream. You can carry on using your phone for whatever you like. Nothing to do with the TV / Chromecast once you've "cast". 

The phone is basically the start and stop button for the casting process. But once you start the cast you can turn your phone off and put in a box and bury it in the ground for all the difference it makes......the cast continues until it stops (content complete). 

It's not screen sharing.  

ghettomaster:

Linuxluver:

Brumfondl:

Is there a way to get this working or does anyone know if they are working on an app specifically for Sony TVs?

I use a Chromecast and the Lighbox app on my Android phone. 

It works: Lightbox on my SONY TV. 

The Chromecast becomes - effectively - the "smart" in my smart TV...because my TV isn't smart enough, but Android is.  

 

I've never seen the Chromecast as an attractive option. I often want to watch TV and surf the internet via my phone / tablet at the same time.

Has anyone tried sideloading this for the Android TVs? I've never bothered as I just cast it from the app, but I should check.

As above, Lightbox is one of the great apps that supports Google Cast, excellent with Android TVs or by adding a cheap Chromecast to your setup!

NzBeagle:

 

Has anyone tried sideloading this for the Android TVs? I've never bothered as I just cast it from the app, but I should check. As above, Lightbox is one of the great apps that supports Google Cast, excellent with Android TVs or by adding a cheap Chromecast to your setup!

 

@NzBeagle.  I have a 2015 Sony Android TV and don't really want to use Chromecast for Lightbox. 

I sideloaded Lightbox for Android v1.2.2.  Since the app is not designed to work with the Android TV Launcher it doesn't show alongside other apps.  When starting it from Settings > Apps it launched ok but in portrait mode (not very useful!).  I installed HALauncher - you can see Android TV and sideloaded apps in this launcher but unfortunately it is not possible to replace the standard launcher with another launcher like this anymore. But there is an option in this launcher to force landscape mode.  After selecting this option, now when I start Lightbox from within HALauncher it is in landscape mode.  Surprisingly I was able to use my regular TV remote to control Lightbox.

The bonus good news was that after installing HALauncher, I found that the Featured Apps panel on my homescreen now contained a Lightbox tile.  This tile only shows if I keep the HALauncher app installed.  Starting Lightbox from here works fine for me with app in landscape and controlled via standard TV remote.

So now I have Lightbox working ok on the Sony Android TV - the only issue is that the icon to start it is only in the Featured Apps panel not alongside other apps.  It might stop appearing in that panel one day (thats a Sony app panel) but hopefully Lightbox will release a proper Android TV version before then. alternatively I would have to start HALauncher just to be able to get to icon to start Lightbox (nested launchers is not ideal).

Since the Lightbox app runs ok once loaded it would not be a big task for Lightbox to repackage the app to support the Android TV leanback launcher.  However I guess it then opens them up to having to support their app on all Android TV platforms which they might not want to do without lots of testing etc.

I just noticed this morning a Lightbox app has shown up on my Sony Android TV, they kept that quiet!

Ah chaps you beat me to it! :)

@DjShadow is right: we soft-launched the Sony Android app this week.

@toii it's also coming soon for older Sony Bravias (the Linux based ones). Keep your eyes peeled.

GeorgefromLightbox:

 

Ah chaps you beat me to it! :)

 

@DjShadow is right: we soft-launched the Sony Android app this week.

 

@toii it's also coming soon for older Sony Bravias (the Linux based ones). Keep your eyes peeled.

 

I think this links to another conversation, but I'll drop it here, does the app support 5.1 out from the TV where the media is available as such?

@NzBeagle keep an eye on the other thread for that one - in progress...http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=171&topicid=198502

Look what I found in the wild...

Sony Android:

Sony Bravia:

GeorgefromLightbox:

 

Ah chaps you beat me to it! :)

 

@DjShadow is right: we soft-launched the Sony Android app this week.

 

@toii it's also coming soon for older Sony Bravias (the Linux based ones). Keep your eyes peeled.

 

Ah so it looks like my success in getting the non-android tv version working might be placebo - it wasnt working at all, it just looked like it was due to conincdental timing of release of the real app - the app in the Featured Apps section is actually the real Lightbox for Android TV!  Strangely though it dissapears from there if I uninstall HALauncher.  The real android TV app is not showing in Google Play Store for me yet.  @GeorgefromLightbox, will it be avaialable in Play Store soon or will it only be available on Sony Android TVs in the Featured Apps section?

It still says unsupported on Google Play. Is it 'coming soon', or hidden somewhere for Beta testers?