Other frontends for HDHRDVR?

[mattyinden]

What (if any) alternative front ends (on Android) are able to support the HDHR DVR and Tuner combos?
I love the functionality, but the UI of the Guide/Live TV in the HDHomeRun app is kind of klunky and my housemates get lost all the time.

[nickk]

We are constantly making improvements to the user experience... if there is any specific part you find clunky or if you can describe how/where you roommates sometimes get lost I can do something about it...

[mattyinden]

Sure. Here's my setup:
-HDHomerunDuo
-Docker version of the DVR running on a local machine
-Google TV streamer 4k
- I'm running the beta software

The side bar channel listing on the right while watching live TV is tricky to navigate and constantly trips us up. For example, if you hit Up or Down on the remote/keyboard while watching live video, it brings up the right sidebar of channels/whats on. If press "right" the card expands to show the current program on the selected channel. Now, if hit left twice (to collapse the guide data) I end up on the "X" of the Video controls. Now, if I hit "Right" again, I'm on the "Search" icon. No amount of left or right buttons gets me back to the guide cards again. I have to push up or down. The whole logic of where you end up on-screen with different commands is real tricky and the highlight showing which icon you're hovering on (blue) isn't visible enough to orient yourself.

TBH, if there was a way to turn that sidebar channel and program listing, I'd be all over it.

[nickk]

I see what you mean.

I wonder if we should split the overlay into two modes... if you press up/down it brings up the channel list (and top area) and if you press select it brings up the OSD bar (without the channel list).

We will talk it through internally.

[signcarver]

Many people don't realize that right from the menu bar goes to the top items for the guide... in a sense if it wasn't for the clock, you could easily move what is on top to the bottom of the slice and I think more would understand such movement though I think we are very used to seeing the current layout... regardless of moving such (search, favorites, "back" (recent channels), news, sports, movies) from top to bottom and be a logical continuation of the menu bar, personally I would like left from slice guide (when no episode data is showing) to go to search first then another left to go to the "X" (both if such remains at the top or if moved to bottom to be one bar still go to search, though it may not be as logical as if they were all in a line one might expect "movies" since that is furthest right)... one just has to realize slice channels is up and down. My other preference is first press up/down (from no menu showing), remains on current channel to see info about what is currently playing and see what is on next on the same channel (I actually loved the very old way that the next was shown on the tile but understand that really confused people as the words were what were next and current was the poster image)

One other thing I don't like, is if on one of those reduced listings you have to turn it off to get to a channel not in that set. For instance on a device I recently used the recent channels list, I type in a channel number and since it isn't in the currently displayed slice (when one types the number) it won't tune to the channel... I would prefer if I am on recent I can type in a few channel numbers. and keep adding to that list or at least tune the channel I entered.

The only other thing I really miss from other platforms and my cable box is keeping the channel playing (i.e. top right corner, or even in background) when grid guide is accessed as I really would like to keep that buffer going.

[nickk]

We had a good internal discussion on this and we will be changing the live TV UI so it makes more sense.

[Rabbit1543]

I have been using HDHR units for quite a while now. Started out with the OG dual units and windows media center, though now I have migrated to two prime units and android TV. I do not have any STBs from the providers and have been using android tv units throughout the house since DRM was enabled for android. Most units are Nvidia shields, google devices and a Sony tv with android tv built in. I opted for the google branded live channels app. It seemed to perform better and was easier to navigate with a remote than the HDHR app. For DVR purposes I run the DVR app on my Synology and the HDHR app suffices for managing and viewing recordings. While the HDHR app seemed to work quite well on all my mobile devices, while the UI on android tv was lacking and sluggish in my experiences. There were difficulties navigating and the keyboard would pop up when entering in numbers. Recently I have also been wondering about alternates and thought why not try the native app again and see. It does look like the UI performance has been greatly improved as well as navigation. I no longer get the annoying keyboard popup when entering numbers. I am glad to hear that there has been discussion to make improvements to the 10foot experience. If there are improvements to be made in the UI I would like to be able to at least see what I'm watching while the grid guide is up. I really liked the way this was handled in WMC and the mini guide was a sweet option. I look forward to the upcoming improvements, I keep the option for latest UI enabled on all my devices

[Thunderthud]

Please give us back the option to use the guide centric option only, as you offered for a short while.

Thanks!

[signcarver]

Please give us back the option to use the guide centric option only, as you offered for a short while.

Thanks!

What do you mean by that as the current one is what they are calling guide centric

I think you are referring to the ability of disabling the slice guide but that wouldn't really do anything with the current guide centric ui except be a disaster for those who want to check guide and still have a buffer available. Now if they put back the guide button and overlay the guide rather than back into it so the buffer stays, that could work out for some that don't want to see slice.

Personally I prefer guide and slice and nearly 100% away from the tv and use a tablet or phone to control the app other than up/down/and number entry but that would never happen.

[Thunderthud]

Want the ability to disable slice guide, that we had for a while. Slice guide comes up if you hit up or down instead of on the grid guide. Find it clumsy and quirky. Only use it on my tablet.