Android TV Box mode incompatibility

[PeteFive5]

Hello!

I'm all new to Poweramp (and to Android in general). I have installed the Poweramp Trial version to my Android TV Box (Himedia Q10 Pro), and was up to buy it if it works out well, but it didn't. The whole Poweramp user interface is messed up and can't be conrolled, because all of the main icons, menus like Folder, Library, Equlaizer, Volume etc. are missing from the GUI. I can't even simpy navigate and play a simple music file on it, like I should on an Android Tablet or Phone device. The problem is that the Poweramp uses "Tablet" mode, while all of the Android TV Boxes using "TV Box" mode, so it leaves the whole application uncontrollable on these sevices.

I want to ask if there will be any workaround (or fix for the compatibility) in the futher Poweramp release?

 

Thank you for the replies!

[andrewilley]

Nothing I know of at the moment, PA runs on phones and tablets, but not in 'TV Box' mode as far as I'm aware.

Perhaps it might be something to consider for the new v3 interface though? Have you tried the alpha test release from the 'Downloads' tab at the top of the page by the way, in case that behaves differently?

Andre

[PeteFive5]

17 hours ago, andrewilley said:

Nothing I know of at the moment, PA runs on phones and tablets, but not in 'TV Box' mode as far as I'm aware.

Perhaps it might be something to consider for the new v3 interface though? Have you tried the alpha test release from the 'Downloads' tab at the top of the page by the way, in case that behaves differently?

Andre

Thanks!

But since I have seen your warning on the downoad page, that It's essential to backup my system file before I instal this Alpha version, I became apprehensive, recgardning if it would mess up my system. (Unless you would say 100% sure if it won't do any harm on my systemat all.)

Still waiting for a more safer, permanet and all-round solution for this. Hope it will be, cause I wouldn't want to miss the experience that this highly rated music player app would offer. (The internal player of the Box is somewhat, well let's say "leaves some room for Improovement" according music playback...) And as Android TV Boxes came even more popular these times, I gues I'm deffinetly not the only one with this problem. I wish there would be a fix for this in the future.

[andrewilley]

The main warning is more to backup your Poweramp system (if you are a current user who might want to roll back to the older version). Backing up your device is generally good practice of course, but even if the app crashes it really shouldn't do any harm to your device.

Andre

[PeteFive5]

20 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

The main warning is more to backup your Poweramp system (if you are a current user who might want to roll back to the older version). Backing up your device is generally good practice of course, but even if the app crashes it really shouldn't do any harm to your device.

Andre

Thanks! Will have a try then.

Do I need to uninstall the Poweramp Trial, that I've installed a couple of days ago, or can I just run this install over the exiting installation of Poweramp?

[PeteFive5]

I have tried to install the Alpha version you suggested, but after installation and the running of Poweramp it says that my "trial period is over". It's just a second while the main sceen of the GUI flashes up, and from there I've could see for a second , that there are icons, where there were no icons before (4 in the upper right corner and 1 in the upper left corner of the sceen), well that's at least a good sign. Since it said that my Trial is over (tho I just installed the Trial verison 2 days ago), I can't  get any futher insight, if it will work or not. Any way to solve this?  Those Icons were good presumptions, altho I still wouldn't buy it without properly tying it out.

[andrewilley]

Odd, the alpha should allow the same trial period as the regular build.

You could try buying the unlocker key from the Play Store, and then you've got a two-hour window in which you can get a full refund from Google for any reason anyway. The Google Play purchased unlocker will also unlock the alpha version that you've downloaded from here. Would two hours be enough for you to confirm if it's working OK?

Andre

[PeteFive5]

Quote

Odd, the alpha should allow the same trial period as the regular build

->But it didn't.

->Well as I said I have tried but it keeped saying that my Trial is over. Tried uninstall it and reinstall again, but still just the same.

 

Ok, didn't know from this 2 hour window Trial, like I said I'm all new to Android, Play Store etc... Worth a go... Thanks!

[PeteFive5]

Another question: If I purchase the Alpha version, will I be able to use and "overinstall" with this purchase the upcomming final paid version?

[andrewilley]

Yes, you will. You don't purchase the alpha or otherwise, you purchase a key to unlock for Poweramp. The Google-purchased one would be easiest as that will supports automatic updates/etc later.

Andre

[PeteFive5]

Ok, I managed to run Poweramp Alpha at last: the trick was that it somehow requires active internet connection to start, otherwise it will keep warning that my trial period is ower and just offers me the purchase option, but won't start any futher. (I guess it's some kind of bug there, if not intentional.) 

So, after trying it out, these are my experiences with this latest Alpha: The GUI is much better now for Android TV Box, at lest I can see the main icons in the upper left and right corner. But with my Box's stock remote I can only navigete and select them "blindly", cause these Icons won't be highlighted (won't change color, or that little selection squere background) as I try to navigate on them. So i must "count" in my head how many times I pushed "left, right, up or down" on the remote to calculate which menu icon did I just targeted. (I guess this is because it's still designed to touch displays, wheres no such a Icon highlight is needed). So loading an album and navigate/select the desired Folders are still complicated and uncomfortable this way (but mutch better than in the current final Trial version). But at lest theres some sign that it maybe will be inprooved in the upcoming final version. Can I count on this kind of improovement and compatibility fix in the GUI with Android TV Box "mode"? 

And another note: I don't know if it's a bug, or is it intentional, but it seems that I can't close Poweramp entirely. Neighter if I just press the "Back" button all the way, nor with the "Home" button pressed, it seams that the Poweramp is closed and it brings me back to my Android Launcher main screen, but an instance of Poweramp is still running in the background (checked in the Setting->Running apps menu). That causes a big problem: wherever I navigate and whatever application I start afterwards, the remotes "Play/Pause" button is still signed to Poweramp and pressing it will somehow start the last played song in Poweramp. I have checked in all the menus in Poweramp, and even the "Three dot" upper right icon (where it used to be), but I couldn't find any "Quit or Close" menu option, with I could close and exit from Poweramp correctly. I guess this is also a considerable  function to fix.

(I have just tested and briefed my experience here in the hope of a fixed final version, cause the changes in the Apha version's GUI gives a handful of expectation and would be realy desired to have all of the above fixed or solved in the future.)

Thanks!

[andrewilley]

PA will remain in the recent apps list and available to reload quickly (unless Android determines it needs the memory space back). Also, the Service will normally stay running in the background but that can be disabled by unticking Settings > Misc > Tweaks > Keep Service.

Can you repost your comments about the way the alpha UI works for you in the Testing forum please, that way it's more likely to be noticed in connection with the new version.

Andre