Volumio @ Android TV - best workaround (so far...)

Diy and Tweaks
1

Fact: There is NO Volumio client app for AndroidTV, and maybe not in development path.

Workaround:

  1. The Original
  • sideload your Launcher of preference, that can “see” sideloaded apps
  • sideload the regular Volumio apk (for mobile)
    Notes:
  • it should work, but…
  • only using WiFi, no LAN/ethernet (due to mobile app restrictions)
  • no “easy” remote control (again, limitations of mobile app as been developed for touch screen phones)
  1. Best Approach - so far…
  • sideload your Launcher of preference, that can “see” sideloaded apps
  • install Firefox for AndroidTV
  • sideload “TV App Repo”
  • from TV App Repo, create an URL/IP shortcut pointing to your local Volumio (using IP; http://volumio.local does not work) to AndroidTV HomeScreen (https://youtu.be/tYye9VQ-0PQ)
  • give proper permissions and upon pop-up, allow shortcut to “install” as a regular apk app
  • upon clicking on newly created shortcut, select Firefox to open shortcut “always”
    Notes:
  • differently than original approach, this workaround works on both WiFi and LAN/Ethernet
  • also, Firefox provides an “on-screen” mouse for Volumio control… using your regular AndroidTV remote control

Xant

1 Like
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My approach was just to use the pi hdmi output and run the native interface on the TV. Since there is no mouse, I run a script to read HDMI-CEC controls and convert to mouse movements. There are also other clients. If I’m watching TV on Android TV then I’m not using volumio and vice versa, so having a client on the TV side seems redundant

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Evan

Bravo! And I’m glad you sharing your experience as it might be other ways to address this “conundrum”.

I do not consider myself an “Audiophile” per se, but trying to get the best sound quality possible (at a reasonable cost). That said, HDMI might not be the best output option for Audio (as in my case, RPi4 with Volumio and Allo Digione HAT).

Having a AndroidTV client is not redundant, but to have a HDMI-CEC script to convert to mouse movements might be of interest to others (if you don’t mind to share).

Xant

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I dont use the hdmi output for audio, just video. My AVR lets me pair any HDMI video input with any audio input, so the HDMI video is paired with the analog from my USB DAC.

As for the CEC script, I just googled it and used one someone else wrote rather than reinventing the wheel. The only tough part is some of the dependencies. You’ll need to use a different repository from the volumio one to install the cec binary, then switch back the repository line for proper updates.

An AndroidTV client would be no different than running the Pi HDMI output into the TV. You might be able to sideload the official android client if you really want to go that route.

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Note of recent discovery: PeppyMeter