What's the latest version of the Spark Sport app you have loaded to your Nvidia Shield? After the constant stuttering of the cricket coverage the past few days I finally got frustrated enough to try and side load the latest version off my phone to see if there was any improvement, but this failed to install. I was running v1.3.7 recommended here.
With the recent upgrade of the Shield from Android 9 to 11, I'm not sure where the problem lies or if it has been a streaming issue at Spark's end.
While I'm thinking about it, does anyone have issues getting highlights packages on Spark Sport to play? It's an intermittent issue for me, some will run while others with become stuck trying to play the advert before the actual highlight package and never begin.
I've had the same issue with the ads stuck not playing before highlights with my Shield after the latest Android 11 update, completely breaking all highlights. Frustrating how forced ads breaks a paid subscription...
I'm working around the issue by playing the highlights on my phone and using chromecast to the TV.
Thanks for your replies guys. As neither of you mentioned it, I'm assuming you've had no long term issues with stuttering in the live streams? I've got a Spark fibre connection with the Shield hard-wired to the router, so it's hard to believe it's a lack of bandwidth causing my issue. Aside from the app itself, I've got the Spark Sport Kodi plug-in from Matt Huismann. That was also doing the same stuttering thing, though seemingly not as bad.
Good to know I'm not alone with the highlights/non-live stream issue. I've got the Chromecast ability to get those running using the work-around I suppose, I'm just being stubborn more than anything. Would be nice to think in this day and age that Spark and their developers could offer a fully functional app to us. I guess this is a by-product of the Nvidia Shield not being officially supported by the app.
You'd think with the Shield going from Android 9 to 11 that there would be more likelihood of better compatibility between the device and the app, but apparently not. I've seen a bunch of apk's older than the most recent one available and the working v1.3.7 so I might try those and see what happens.
I will report back if I get something newer to load and run. Thanks again guys. 😊
Hi Pete, thanks for that. You must have the pro version Shield, I've got the one shaped like a tube. I've had no problem with the video and audio losing sync as you've experienced, but I wonder if we're not both experiencing the same issue in a different way? Your unit is losing sync, mine is dropping frames to cope. I think my unit has less ram than yours so maybe that's the outcome.
To your question about the Shield updates, I put both onto my unit. Spark Sport has worked, notwithstanding the issues I've already mentioned. The stuttering developed before I applied the second recent update so I can't say it was as a result of that. This is all using v1.3.7 of the app.
I've also been trying different versions of the apk, from v1.24.0 through to the latest v1.28.0. Some have loaded into the Shield and some haven't. I wasn't able to get any to work. Several of the newer ones do open and I get to the log in screen but the app doesn't load as a full screen to the tv, rather as a phone-style resolution in the middle of the screen. It seems like we will have to make do with 1.3.7 for now.
v1.28? My Sony Android TV and Shield 2017 are running APK version 1.3.7 with the software version at 1.24.3. The Sony TV is officially supported so gets the latest versions and there are no updates so I'm wondering where you got 1.28 from. The Shield was sideloaded from the extracted apk from the TV and dpoens't have issues with audio sync or playback on highlights or live tv.
Sony is running Android 9 and Shield is running Android 11.
Hi all. The stuttering that you’re all referring to on the cricket was acknowledged by Spark as a problem. There was even an on-screen message that the ‘Team are working on it’. I had the same stuttering on my AppleTV4K which is usually perfection! The problem occurred over a three day period.
v1.28? My Sony Android TV and Shield 2017 are running APK version 1.3.7 with the software version at 1.24.3. The Sony TV is officially supported so gets the latest versions and there are no updates so I'm wondering where you got 1.28 from.
Thanks Benoire, I got the v1.28.1 from my android phone app. It would seem there is a different version for compatible big screens versus that for phones. The 1.3.7 apk runs to 3mb whereas the 1.28.1 is 27mb. As I'm no expert whatsoever I assumed all android devices ran, or could run, the same apk file. Thanks for setting me straight.
Hi all. The stuttering that you’re all referring to on the cricket was acknowledged by Spark as a problem. There was even an on-screen message that the ‘Team are working on it’. I had the same stuttering on my AppleTV4K which is usually perfection! The problem occurred over a three day period.
Cheers Changeover, must have been at the fridge when they threw up the on-screen message. I'll reinstall the 1.3.7 apk per Pete and Benoire's advice and look forward to Friday! 😊
Damn that's annoying. Fortunately with F1 on a break and premier league on Sky I don't need to use Spark for a month as I'm away from my Sony Bravia... Though that means I can't extract the APK either from a supported device. PureAPK should have the latest version I guess?
SparkSport strikes again - Shield is asking for update - does anyone have a working APK?
Pete
I believe the page on Matt Huisman's website with Android TV apps is regularly updated. I do not know if the link is allowed, but if you Google "New Zealand APKs" you will find it.
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