Im wondering about how sideloading the tvnz on demand app or three apps works

xyf:

 

Im wondering about how sideloading the tvnz on demand app or three apps works

 

Last time I checked, TVNZ does not allow playback over HDMI or external screens due to 'licensing conditions'

Think 3Now did the same.

xyf: Can you use the website?

never tried, not enough content for me to bother, and have the app on my bedroom TV.

I suppose it would work, it's html5 right?

Appears to work fine in chrome on my phone (once I requested desktop site - mobile site only allows launching & downloading the app)

You'd need a mouse to go full screen on the mibox though? or one of those bluetooth keyboard / touchpad remotes.

The problem I've had with side-loading apps onto the MiBox 4K are two fold: -

1) Apps don't necessarily take the correct shape/orientation e.g. you get a phone shaped app in the middle of the screen. 

2) Some apps require touch to activate controls (e.g. chrome), and even connecting a mouse doesn't work.

I'm yet to find browser that works well on MiBox 4K.  We only use it for streaming content and playing  content from external memory. 

Spotify: I find rather annoying because there appears to be no way to stop or exit the app.  As far as I can tell, you can pause but not  stop.  Even shutting down doesn't seem to work - playback resumes on start-up.   It seem you have to reboot the MiBox or force stop the app.  Silly.

MikeAqua:

 

The problem I've had with side-loading apps onto the MiBox 4K are two fold: -

 

1) Apps don't necessarily take the correct shape/orientation e.g. you get a phone shaped app in the middle of the screen. 

 

2) Some apps require touch to activate controls (e.g. chrome), and even connecting a mouse doesn't work.

 

I'm yet to find browser that works well on MiBox 4K.  We only use it for streaming content and playing  content from external memory. 

 

Spotify: I find rather annoying because there appears to be no way to stop or exit the app.  As far as I can tell, you can pause but not  stop.  Even shutting down doesn't seem to work - playback resumes on start-up.   It seem you have to reboot the MiBox or force stop the app.  Silly.

 

 

 

 

 

There is an app that can correct shape/orientation for side loaded apps on Android TV - I came across it a few weeks ago, will see if I can find it later at home (having said that I didn't test it so who knows how good it is).

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

vevo is worse on it. I had it suspend and then when powering the box back up was trying to play many different music videos in the background at the same time. Ended up sounding aweful and making the box a complete laggy mess till I force stopped it.

kingjj:

 

 

 

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

 

I tried that using the official android TV remote app.  Set-Up ad connection worked.   I tried it in chrome, but couldn't get a mouse cursor at all.

Going to try a wired USB mouse today to see if that works.

MikeAqua:

 

......

 

 

 

Spotify: I find rather annoying because there appears to be no way to stop or exit the app.  As far as I can tell, you can pause but not  stop.  Even shutting down doesn't seem to work - playback resumes on start-up.   It seem you have to reboot the MiBox or force stop the app.  Silly.

 

 

 

 

 

I read somewhere that Android Nought (or v7) has new functionaliuty to allow you to stop an app from the Main Launcher screen.

But who knows how long for MiBox to release their version of Nought (v7)

kingjj:

 

 

 

.......

 

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

 

I will be keen to try this in the weekend.

Do I understand what you wrote correctly  .. the app turns the MiBox supplied remote into functioning like a mouse? I guess it uses the 'wheel' buttons (up, down, left, right) to mimic mouse movements.

Have I understood that correctly?

Thanks

steve2222:

 

kingjj:

 

 

 

.......

 

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

 

 

 

 

I will be keen to try this in the weekend.

 

 

 

Do I understand what you wrote correctly  .. the app turns the MiBox supplied remote into functioning like a mouse? I guess it uses the 'wheel' buttons (up, down, left, right) to mimic mouse movements.

 

 

 

Have I understood that correctly?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Correct. You push a button combo at anytime on any app (Volume up + down in quick succession) and a cursor appears. You than control that using the wheel buttons, the centre button acts as the left click. Once you're done you push the home button once to close out of the cursor overlay and you're back to normal. Works a treat with SkyGo although doesn't avoid the annoyance of it not wanting to scroll through the different channels properly.

kingjj:

 

steve2222:

 

kingjj:

 

 

 

.......

 

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

 

 

 

 

I will be keen to try this in the weekend.

 

 

 

Do I understand what you wrote correctly  .. the app turns the MiBox supplied remote into functioning like a mouse? I guess it uses the 'wheel' buttons (up, down, left, right) to mimic mouse movements.

 

 

 

Have I understood that correctly?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Correct. You push a button combo at anytime on any app (Volume up + down in quick succession) and a cursor appears. You than control that using the wheel buttons, the centre button acts as the left click. Once you're done you push the home button once to close out of the cursor overlay and you're back to normal. Works a treat with SkyGo although doesn't avoid the annoyance of it not wanting to scroll through the different channels properly.

 

Okay so loads fine and works, however I can't figure out how to get it to scroll past the edge of the screen ie the mouse moves around fine inside the boarders of the screen and I can click select (left mouse click) just fine.

But if the app has say movie thumbnails positioned out past the right hand edge of the screen I cannot figure out how to scroll the screen. Tried to emulate holding down the mouse left click and dragging the mouse, but holding down select button and clicking the right arrow does nothing.

Lightbox was one app with this problem (also BBC iPlayer)

Any ideas?

Thanks

steve2222:

 

kingjj:

 

steve2222:

 

kingjj:

 

 

 

.......

 

I've used a Virtual Mouse app available on the Play Store (Mouse Toggle for Android TV - $3.19) that has done the trick with any app that needed touch input (used it with SkyGo, Hulu for standard Android). It turns the remote into a mouse surprisingly well. I haven't tried it with a browser though.

 

 

 

 

I will be keen to try this in the weekend.

 

 

 

Do I understand what you wrote correctly  .. the app turns the MiBox supplied remote into functioning like a mouse? I guess it uses the 'wheel' buttons (up, down, left, right) to mimic mouse movements.

 

 

 

Have I understood that correctly?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Correct. You push a button combo at anytime on any app (Volume up + down in quick succession) and a cursor appears. You than control that using the wheel buttons, the centre button acts as the left click. Once you're done you push the home button once to close out of the cursor overlay and you're back to normal. Works a treat with SkyGo although doesn't avoid the annoyance of it not wanting to scroll through the different channels properly.

 

 

Okay so loads fine and works, however I can't figure out how to get it to scroll past the edge of the screen ie the mouse moves around fine inside the boarders of the screen and I can click select (left mouse click) just fine.

 

 

 

But if the app has say movie thumbnails positioned out past the right hand edge of the screen I cannot figure out how to scroll the screen. Tried to emulate holding down the mouse left click and dragging the mouse, but holding down select button and clicking the right arrow does nothing.

 

 

 

Lightbox was one app with this problem (also BBC iPlayer)

 

 

 

Any ideas?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

As far as I'm aware the app only works with what is on the screen at the time. You could always ask the developer? 

xyf: True. So if you have a keyboard/ trackpad USB jobbie you get a mouse cursor always or just sometimes?

I've got a mini keyboard with trackpad around here somewhere (BT) so will pair with the mibox and see how it works for sky go, and sideload chrome.

(Ive got a usb mouse connected currently, and whenever I move it I get a cursor, skygo doesn't work that well, to scroll through the channels for some reason)