Database Users

HDMI Output Discovery!

As many know, the HDMI output for the EVO currently only seems to work with the Gallery and youtube apps. I just happened to find out that The Mother TED app on the market also outputs through the HDMI connection. I have noticed though that video's aren't scaled to 720p as I was assuming they would be, so outputting seems to be kind of hit-or-miss with anything less than 720p native resolution, depending on the TV you're using. So, I'm thinking that any app that uses the android streaming player to play .mp4 will output to HDMI, in addition to the other known apps.

Doesn't the browser use HTC streaming player to though

Yeah, this was covered in the Sprint dev guide. Any VideoView in any app will be redirected to HDMI when it is plugged in, unless the app asserts a permission to explicitly block this.
As for how things are scaled, it's determined based on the native resolution and what the TV supports. Here is the chart of what maps to what:
https://docs.google.com/View?id=dhtsnvs6_57d2hpqtgr#4_3_How_HTC_EVO_Projects_Video

Interesting. Haven't thought of looking through any of the dev documents. Though after looking through it, it would definitely be nice if they would implement some kind of advanced settings panel to control the output resolution regardless of the played video's resolution. For me, half of the videos that I've tried to output through HDMI give me a "mode not supported" error. I'm assuming from the automatic scaling.
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Sent from my EVO via Tapatalk

Slingbox vs Vulkano

For anyone who is interested, I have both a Slingbox Pro & a Hava/Monsoon/Vulkano Pro.
Both of these devices have Android players available to stream live TV to your phone although the Vulkano app is a free DL & the Sling app is $30 (it should be free)
These two devices are completely different & each has distinct advantages over the other. The Vulkano records to a 1 TB hard drive so it works as a DVR but only at 720p resolution & if you want to watch it on your phone you need to record at an even lower resolution.
The Slingbox has two tuners in it, which is really handy as I can hook my High Def cable box to one tuner & basic cable to the other. I can then watch a different channel on the phone than the home TV is set on. The Slingbox will work fine with no TV connection at all, which is a HUGE advantage over the Vulkano which has no internal tuner at all.
The Vulcano HAS to be hooked to a TV & then it only provides a 720p signal to the TV which is a noticeable downgrade in picture quality on my 50" LCD TV. It does provide really good quality streaming video quality however, better than the Slingbox on the phone.
So basically, the Vulkano gives a better image on your phone, but degrades the image on the TV it's hooked to. The Slingbox doesn't need a TV connection at all, but doesn't record & charges for the software app.

there is a way to get free app for sling, sorta if you subscribe to dish i believe their dish app connects to their sling adapter and you can sling for free as long as you are subscribed to their satellite service, one thing i am sure of they have an android app because i have seen it in the market and its free.

Which one will let you burn the show to a disc from your laptop? Or add items already on your dvr to the device to take and watch?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

'Taint bad, better than a dingbox pro
btucker2003 said:
Which one will let you burn the show to a disc from your laptop? Or add items already on your dvr to the device to take and watch?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
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You can do both with the Vulkano.
I also had the slingbox pro and it was giving me a jacked up pic on Win 7, tried everything (some posts said to change win themes, etc.- none of it worked, which is why I got a Vulkano).
The only real drawbacks to the Vulkano are that it doesn't record to your PC in HD and only passes 720p resolution to the TV (from what I've read- not a big deal if you have an HDMI cable running to your TV and component running to the Vulkano, which I do), and it only has capability for one video input at a time (so no hooking up your DVD player and TV at the same time).
One of the cool features of the Vulkano is that you can record whatever program you're watching directly onto the laptop you're watching it on, or you can record it to an external hard drive connected to the Vulkano- you choose. Plus you can program remote signals into the vulkano (I haven't done it yet, so I don't know how well it works). It also records into mp4 format (H.264).
I bought a component switch ($26) that works by remote and plan on hooking up my blue ray that does streaming netflix so I can get whatever I want streaming from netflix onto my HTC HD2 (with dual boot to android- vulkano doesn't have an ap for windows based phones as of yet, I know, it's supposed to- but they can still play the mp4s).
I can let you know how it works out once it arrives if you like.

TestTube / Havafun
This is for anyone stuck with an older tv-box like the Hava Player [myhava.com/havamobileplayer.html] (Monsoon's predecessor to it's Vulkano products) i have. Check out [sites.google.com/site/overvoltagesoft/home/testtube] Over Voltage Soft's TestTube (avail. in market). TestTube is an:
Application for Android powered devices that allows owners of Hava place-shifter devices to watch and control their TV.
TestTube doesn't work like the commercial Hava Software that you've probably downloaded directly from Moonson Media. Instead of requiring a Username and Password to connect to your Hava, TestTube requires only the IP address of the device. Since this is a homebrew project that is unaffiliated with Monsoon Media, TestTube does not have access to the login servers which normally redirect you to your device.
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Being that I run Ubuntu and there is no native client support I have to manually watch through the crappy RTSP stream and use just-barely-working scripts (see below) to channel change and all that. See: [sourceforge.net/projects/havafun] Havafun - A package of shell binaries that talk directly to the Hava video streaming device, control key features from the command line (particularly on linux), grab high quality "local" video stream (particularly on linux) for eventual inclusion into MythTV. I imagine almost the same thing could be done from an android box if anyone was interested and proficient enough.
Hope these links helped someone out heh look at me blatantly spamming some guy's app i'll be expecting my check in the mail, overvolatesoft developer guy.

[Q] Resolution Change on HDMI

I got an HDMI cable for my tablet, and I hooked it up to my monitor. My monitor does 1080p, but I can't seem to get the tablet to change from its native resolution.
It's alright as-is, but it looks poor, as it's all stretched(and hides the menu bar at the bottom), does anyone know how to change the res on it when HDMI is connected? I'm not too worried about losing the display on the unit, I'd just start up a movie and plug it in and watch.

Currently we are limited to 720p output, 1080p is promised in a futute update (June I believe).

Ah, okay.
Is there any way to change the resolution, though? I'd like it to run at the tablets native resolution(and not chop off the menu bar) if possible. Hard to read notifications when you get an e-mail or something when it's not there.

netham45 said:
Ah, okay.
Is there any way to change the resolution, though? I'd like it to run at the tablets native resolution(and not chop off the menu bar) if possible. Hard to read notifications when you get an e-mail or something when it's not there.
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No, you'd need a 16:10 monitor to do that. Your monitor is 16:9, while your tablet is 16:10
Sent from my Asus Decepticon using Tapatalk

I've got another screen that's 1680x1050 natively, does the same thing still.

My other complaint is that video output through HDMI is quite choppy and not quite sure what the cause is. My Atrix plays video through HDMI flawlessly. Any reasons as to why that may be?

I've got a similar issue with my 32" lg and my asus transformer, is there an app to "resize" the hdmi output ?
can't understand why but while handling hdmi connection my LG TV won't let me resize the image

Anyone find a solution? I just connected mine to my TV and its cutting off the edges and seems like it has a slight lag.

hdmi out perfect
I have used the HDMI out several times to both our Sanyo and Samsung LCD TVs.they scan and auto set tobthe correct resolution.
Watching movies to there work awesome butbsuck batter dead super quick.if hounding not plug your tablet in while watching on big screen it will be jerky and unreliable. Well it is for me anyway.
If im wrong sorry.

On my 40" Bravia, I can tweak the screen so that everything is visible. I haven't noticed any choppiness playing 720p... Haven't attempted anything 1080p yet. I'm using the Lightspeed rom with Richard's kernel, and I use Aimersoft Video Converter for my video files. Aimersoft has an Acer A500 profile that makes videos play flawlessly.

phillymatt said:
On my 40" Bravia, I can tweak the screen so that everything is visible. I haven't noticed any choppiness playing 720p... Haven't attempted anything 1080p yet. I'm using the Lightspeed rom with Richard's kernel, and I use Aimersoft Video Converter for my video files. Aimersoft has an Acer A500 profile that makes videos play flawlessly.
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Can you see the menu bar at the bottom?

The menu bar is hidden from the TV screen always.

Yeah I can't see the menu bar, but I'm using the Xoom bluetooth keyboard which has the back, home and menu keys on it.

Guys the hdmi output is 1080p....(if you are on 4.010.40 or some simillar build..)....if you play a 1080p video...the resolution automatically changes from 720p to 1080p...
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App

kekinash said:
The menu bar is hidden from the TV screen always.
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Is there hotkeys for various functions? I discovered escape is back. I am using a standard keyboard.

tried on a TV 40", hd ready
I noticed that the output was centered and cropped....
weird...

mr_malina said:
Is there hotkeys for various functions? I discovered escape is back. I am using a standard keyboard.
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I'm not sure about the shortcuts on a standard keyboard. Why don't you play around with it and see if there are any? Then report back and let us know what they are

phillymatt said:
I'm not sure about the shortcuts on a standard keyboard. Why don't you play around with it and see if there are any? Then report back and let us know what they are
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I got too used to Android x86.

shortcuts
Not exactly what we are looking for for the standard keyboard shortcuts but worth a share http://www.cnet.com.au/android-honeycomb-keyboard-shortcuts-339314015.htm

changing resolution on hdmi connection
When connecting my asus a500 to a HDMI MATRIX SWITCH I receive the android app with it saying 720p? how coul-d I use my 1080I panasonic 40 inch monitor as a connection for the asus a500.

[Q] Output Android Screen to PS3

I've been searching for a long time and haven't been able to come up with anything. I'm basically looking for a way to display the screen on my nook color via DLNA to the PS3. I know its possible, because i already have the capability to stream video and music from my phone, and with imediashare i can stream from websites too (basically turns nook into a mini roku box without transcoding). Is there an app that replicates the hdmi out found on some phones, but over wifi? I don't want anything for the pc, nor do i want any way to control it remotely. I just want to stream my screen capture to either a PS3 or XBOX 360.
EDIT
I just found an app called Picme that has a live streaming functionality that could be used on the PS3. Unfortunately for me, it also serves to control the android phone remotely, so the FPS is extremely low. I'm looking for something like this that is only one way: phone to ps3 (like a fake HDMI output through DLNA)

Did you try skifta?
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reply. That app looks cool, but I don't want to just stream my media. I want to see EVERYTHING that is going on on my screen. Including games, app drawers, etc. I basically want to mirror the screen on my nook and stream it over dlna to a ps3 or xbox 360.

emerald181 said:
Thanks for the reply. That app looks cool, but I don't want to just stream my media. I want to see EVERYTHING that is going on on my screen. Including games, app drawers, etc. I basically want to mirror the screen on my nook and stream it over dlna to a ps3 or xbox 360.
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I'm extremely interested in this as well. HELP!!

Did you ever find out if or how that is possible? I can stream media to my ps3 just fine, but live sreen streaming is eluding me. If anyone knows of an app which would do that please share

beliali said:
Did you ever find out if or how that is possible? I can stream media to my ps3 just fine, but live sreen streaming is eluding me. If anyone knows of an app which would do that please share
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did you tried zappotv app for xbox 360, btw screen streaming is not possible as xbox 360 is a restricted box. anyways if you people come across something please update me in pm as well.

Andriod to ps3 screenstream we need this asap this is old tech not activated yet wtf guys this should have been done 3 years ago please help anon

[Q] Can I create a video playlist on the A500?

I'm new to the world of Android, but I've had my eye on the Acer Iconia A500 for a while. After getting my hands on one recently for a few minutes in a store, I'm pretty sure this is the tab I want. The feature set is excellent, the form factor is really nice, and the price is right too!
But before I buy, there's something I need to know (which I was not able to learn after searching this forum extensively). I want to use my A500 for video playback -- specifically, for playing a playlist of short videos, in sequence. This is for performances that I do which include video projections.
Are there video players available for the A500 that can use playlists? And if so, what are the transitions between videos in a playlist like? What I'd prefer would be just a seamless jump from one video to the next. A delay of up to a few seconds would be OK, but I would want to see only a black screen during that time. I don't want to see the video player controls, the tablet home screen, or anything else appearing in between videos.
If you smart people here can put my mind at rest that this is possible, it will move me one step closer to becoming an Iconia A500 owner. Thanks in advance...

If you get the Act1 video player you can create playlists. You can even have them play randomly through the settings. Act1 combined with the hdmi out means music videos on autopilot when I have people over.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

projectdownset: Cool, thanks... I figured there must be video players that would do this, but wanted to know for sure. You mention that random play is possible with Act1, but I assume I could also play in a defined order as well... is that correct?
Also, what are the transitions between videos like?

P.S. Apologies if my questions seem dumb... I have ZERO experience with Android. I'm guessing there are probably video player apps that will do what I want, but I can't afford to invest in a tablet without knowing whether it can do what I need.
Again, I just need to know if there's a video player that will play a playlist of videos in sequence, with seamless (invisible) transitions between videos.
Set my mind at ease and help me join the ranks of A500 owners!

projectdownset: Do you use Act1 with an external monitor or projector? Because I see this on the Act1 FAQ page:
My phone has an HDMI output port. Will it work with Act 1?
No, Act 1 can't access the HDMI output port of Android devices. Manufacturers of Android devices with HDMI output (such as the Droid X and HTC Evo) are using their own applications and interfaces to access the HDMI port. This functionality is not made available to third party applications, unfortunately.
The more general problem is that Android doesn't have a concept of external display devices. That is to say, no one can write a general application that can access a monitor that is not the device's builtin screen. Some day Google may expand Android to generally support external displays, but today it's not possible.
Click to expand...
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I created a shortcut for my playlist and played it right on my tv. The acer and xoom mirror the tab unlike other phomes that have a seperate interface for their hdmi.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

Update: I have gotten a little more info elsewhere. An Asus Transformer owner was nice enough to test video playback for me in the Dice, MX, and Mobo players.
Here's what they found:
Dice player : No playlists but it can be set to play all the files in a specific folder sequentially. The player controls do pop up for a few seconds between each file and I couldn't see any way to disable this.
MX Player : No playlists or whole folder support that I could find. Each file needs to be started manually.
Moboplayer : Playlist support, but as far as I can tell, no auto-advance to next file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still hoping to find a player that fully meets my needs.

projectdownset said:
I created a shortcut for my playlist and played it right on my tv. The acer and xoom mirror the tab unlike other phomes that have a seperate interface for their hdmi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, cool. Thanks for the info.
Any other Act1 users out there know what the transitions between videos in a playlist look like?

Fast transitions. Hard to change the video. I hide the onscreen controls so I have to press next on the screen four or five times to fast forward through the video. I'm sure there's an easier way I just have to mess with it. You should just try it and if you don't like it get a refund.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

projectdownset: Thanks again. Elsewhere on the internets, I got a response from a Galaxy S user who tried Act1 with a playlist, and said there were no transitions between videos other than about 0.25 seconds of black. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear.
I think I will go ahead and get the A500 and see how it works out!

Video editor
If these are videos that have a predefined order.and always the same videos.edit them on your PC into one segment you can then control every aspect of transition and so on.you can then play it with most players.
Goodluck

Hi Erica,
They do not always have the same order. I sometimes want to add or remove videos, or change the order.
I used to use a portable DVD player... but of course that required me to burn a DVD every time. I wanted a solution that would allow me more flexibility. I've been using my laptop recently (with the VLC player, which has nice playlists and clean transitions).
But it would be great to use a tablet instead -- much more portable. From what I'm hearing about Act 1, I think I could run it on the A500 and get good results.