New Android TV Box and Lightbox

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steve2222

498 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1799232 13-Jun-2017 11:58

steve2222:

Bazil:

Using Lightbox on the Xiaomi Mi Box successfully, both via casting and via the app.

@Bazil

Just got my Mi Box and I can't get Lightbox to cast to it, even though Lightbox will cast to a normal Google Chromecast.

Can I just compare my setup with yours:

Android TV 6.0.1

Cast Receiver version 1.23.86325

Latest version of Lightbox app on iPhone 4s and Damsung Galaxy 3 (Lightbox does not cast to the MiBox from either device).

I have tried both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wifi on the Mi Box

I have tried Location On and Off on the Mi Box

The only thing I have not tried is an ethernet adaptor to the Mi Box

What I do get is all the control tools, program name and episode details at the bottom of the screen, but it will not play the video.

Any idea what you did differentley? And indeed is Lightbox casting still working for you - if so what version numbers are you using?

Thanks

@GeorgefromLightbox

Not sure if you are aware but users of the Mi Box which runs Android TV and has an in-built Googlecast Receiver are not able to cast LB from any device (Android, iOS or MS) to the MiBox although I can cast to a standalone Google Chromecast.

I have checked the DRM settings and can see nothing obvious (what are the specific DRM requirements LB looks for?).

All other TV/Movie apps I have tried to cast to the MiBox work fine (eg BBC, Netflix, ABC and SBS).

The symptoms are above: on the TV screen I get a spinning wheel in bottom LHS, above that is a thumbnail picture of the program, to the right of that is the program name and episode description and below that is the time progress bar - but no video or sound plays.

Is there some log or some such thing I could send you that might help you isolate why only LB won't cast?

Thanks

Junta

270 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1799239 13-Jun-2017 12:08

Hey @steve2222 - my guess is that it's probably relating to the cast SDK they've used in the box, but I don't know why it'd work for @Bazil and not you. Could be they've used a different (more/less up-to-date) SDK in one but not the other? Hard to tell, and since unfortunately it's not a supported device, we can't troubleshoot it.

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1799270 13-Jun-2017 12:47

GeorgefromLightbox:

Hey @steve2222 - my guess is that it's probably relating to the cast SDK they've used in the box, but I don't know why it'd work for @Bazil and not you. Could be they've used a different (more/less up-to-date) SDK in one but not the other? Hard to tell, and since unfortunately it's not a supported device, we can't troubleshoot it.

I'm not sure if it's relevant but @Bazil has noted he also has a version of the Lightbox App installed on his MiBox device.

My memory (somewhat vague) is that Lightbox was at some stage working on the MiBox but after an update to the light box app on my phone it simply stopped working.

I'll re-test tonight and I'll check for a firmware update for the MiBox as well.

Mike

openmedia

3324 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1802347 16-Jun-2017 19:11

Hi @GeorgefromLightbox I've managed to sideload the APK onto my Amazon FireTV.

Here is a screen shot showing I can navigate up/down, but left/right down work and I can't use "Enter" to select a show.

LightBox Firetv

There is an additional problem where I also can't navigate the settings view.

Lightbox Settings

If you can get a refresh of the apk with some basic keyboard support then I'd hope it would work with a remote as well. Happy to help with testing as we really want to want A Handmaid's Tale.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

steve2222

498 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1802483 17-Jun-2017 08:16

GeorgefromLightbox:

Hey @steve2222 - my guess is that it's probably relating to the cast SDK they've used in the box, but I don't know why it'd work for @Bazil and not you. Could be they've used a different (more/less up-to-date) SDK in one but not the other? Hard to tell, and since unfortunately it's not a supported device, we can't troubleshoot it.

Hi @GeorgefromLightbox

Just looked up what an 'SDK' is

I am not sure the issue would be with Mi Box. In built casting is a baked in feature of Android TV and it uses an app called Google Cast Receiver which is written by Google and is in the Play Store. So being a Google app it is able to be kept up to date. In fact when I updated that app to the latest version (1.23.86325) the casting of LB did improve to the point described in an earlier post of mine above - but still the actual video does not appear or play. So surely one would assume Google themselves would have used the correct SDK?

Getting out of my depth here technically, so given it is a Google app baked into Android TV and I am using the latest version, could the issue therefore be with what SDK LB have used when they have written their Android and iOS apps?

As said in an earlier post LB won't cast from either an Android or iOS phone both running latest versions of the apps - but other on demand sites like Nteflix, BBC iPlayer, ABC and SBS all do.

Oh, and thanks for the APK which I sideloaded onto the Mi Box, but I too have exactly the same problems as @Openmedia posted in the post immediately prior to this one.

So right now LB is the only 'entertainment' app I cannot use on the Mi Box, neither as an installed app or via Casting. Such a shame as all my other entertainment applications either run as Andorid TV apps or via Casting.

Dratsab

3946 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1802488 17-Jun-2017 09:02

openmedia: (snip) I can navigate up/down, but left/right down work and I can't use "Enter" to select a show.

(snip) There is an additional problem where I also can't navigate the settings view.

A stop-gap solution in the meantime could be what I listed here. It's a touch fiddly but it all works.

steve2222

498 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1826815 21-Jul-2017 20:32

steve2222:

GeorgefromLightbox:

Hey @steve2222 - my guess is that it's probably relating to the cast SDK they've used in the box, but I don't know why it'd work for @Bazil and not you. Could be they've used a different (more/less up-to-date) SDK in one but not the other? Hard to tell, and since unfortunately it's not a supported device, we can't troubleshoot it.

Hi @GeorgefromLightbox

Just looked up what an 'SDK' is

I am not sure the issue would be with Mi Box. In built casting is a baked in feature of Android TV and it uses an app called Google Cast Receiver which is written by Google and is in the Play Store. So being a Google app it is able to be kept up to date. In fact when I updated that app to the latest version (1.23.86325) the casting of LB did improve to the point described in an earlier post of mine above - but still the actual video does not appear or play. So surely one would assume Google themselves would have used the correct SDK?

Getting out of my depth here technically, so given it is a Google app baked into Android TV and I am using the latest version, could the issue therefore be with what SDK LB have used when they have written their Android and iOS apps?

As said in an earlier post LB won't cast from either an Android or iOS phone both running latest versions of the apps - but other on demand sites like Nteflix, BBC iPlayer, ABC and SBS all do.

Oh, and thanks for the APK which I sideloaded onto the Mi Box, but I too have exactly the same problems as @Openmedia posted in the post immediately prior to this one.

So right now LB is the only 'entertainment' app I cannot use on the Mi Box, neither as an installed app or via Casting. Such a shame as all my other entertainment applications either run as Andorid TV apps or via Casting.

Hi @GeorgefromLightbox

Just an update for you George. I am yet to be convinced that this is an SDK issue with MiBox/Android TV v6.

Reason I am coming to this view: you maybe aware that TVNZ and Three (Mediaworks) both released new apps this week that now support Chromecast.

Both these apps cast just fine to Android TV with inbuilt Google Cast Receiver.

So why can Lightbox not get this working? It seems strange to think everyone else is using the 'wrong' SDK and they work, yet LB is using the 'right' SDK and it doesn't work.

I now have no apps that will not cast to the Google Cast Receiver - except LB.

Thanks

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steve2222

498 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1832069 27-Jul-2017 09:43

HI @GeorgefromLightbox

Google are looking for Beta testers for their Google Cast Receiver app/product:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/07/26/google-introduces-beta-program-cast-android-tv/

Maybe an opportunity for LB/you to join to try to find out why LB wont cast to Google Cast Receiver yet it will cast to a Google Chromecast just fine.

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