Best way to see Android TV Integration Sources?

Configuration
1

What is the best way to list all sources when using the Android TV Integration? I just hooked up my Nvidia Shield via the Android TV Integration. I have it installed and working, but determining sources isn’t really obvious. I can look at the sources list but not everything seems to be listed and what is listed isn’t always obvious.

I managed to get Netflix working vi a script by using the example in the Android TV Integration web page → source: "com.netflix.ninja" (which does work to launch Netflix) but it isn’t even listed when I select sources and try to find it manually.

I’ve figured out a few by selecting the source via the remote control and then waiting for the device entity to update with whatever it is currently selected. But the listings that shows up are not always straight forward and what I was expecting to see based on the com.. names.

Examples:

com.cbs.ott = Parmouint TV +

com.apple.atve.androidtv.appletv = Apple TV

com.hulu.livingroomplus = Hulu

These show up under the sources list and work. Odd names but at least they are listed and you can find them via some named part of what they really are.

But how do get things like youtube, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ show show it’s source?
These all show up as a name in the Device (after selecting them via the remote and waiting for the device to update). However they list as just their actual name. No com.* for any of them.

Disney plus = Disney+

Amazon Prime Video = Prime Video

youtube = YouTube

How do you actually find the source name as it is listed (somewhere)?
(I haven’t tried just listing these in a script to see if they work, maybe I need to do that.)

2 Likes
2

I would also like to know if there is an easy way to find out any apps

I see there is a post from Feb 2021 which somebody has at least listed some apps in the config.yaml

but of course, if there is a way to find out some other apps, that would be good.

3

If anyone actually cares… calling the services by their actual name (That shows up in source from the main device entity), does work. So in the case of above:

Disney plus = Disney+

Amazon Prime Video = Prime Video

youtube = YouTube

Does call those streaming services.

And as stated previously, they didn’t show up via the device in HA until I had selected them via the remote control.

So I guess the answer to this question is to select them all via the remote control and then look for them to be listed via the entity.

4

I had to go through much the same method to find out the apps for Australian TV channels - and a lot of trial and error.

I came across https://gist.github.com/mcfrojd/9e6875e1db5c089b1e3ddeb7dba0f304 which listed many of the popular apps and useful information.

Alas there is no standard on how to send commands to an app, so we are stuck with sending simulated remote control keypresses :frowning:

1 Like
5

Hello, I managed to get the source names of some of the apps in my Android TV:
com.crunchyroll.crunchyroid
com.valvesoftware.steamlink
com.disney.disneyplus
tv.twitch.android.app
ar.onvideo
com.disney.starplus

This is what I did:

  • First you need to install ADB. ADB is a tool that let you send commandos to an android device.
  • Then you need to connect to your tv using adb and run logcat. Logcat is the loggin tool that Android uses. When you are connected you are going to receive the logs in the terminal. Here is how to do that: Sony Bravia Android TV - How to enable/retrieve adb logcat logs - Stack Overflow
  • Finally navigate to the app you want and search the source name in the log. For example: open Disney+ and search diseny in the log. You are going to find something like this: pkg=com.disney.disneyplus
1 Like
6

Hello! I’m new to all of this. I want to create a shortcut to go directly to the app such as Disney + or netflix. Is that something you did and if so how did you set it up? Also some of my sources keep disappearing, is that something you experienced also?

7

There is an easy way:
Go to:

  • parameters
  • applications
  • select the application you want (ie Prime video)
  • and you will see the app name, bellow the version number and bellow something like “com.****”
    For Prime video it is “com.amazon.amazonvideo.livingroom”
    This is what you need to trigger the application in home assistant
8

I had a script running that used to work to turn on my Bravia TV and then select the source and then it stopped working recently. I have now sorted it. Previously, within the script, I was using “media_player.select_source” and directly had Prime Video or Disney+. I have tried all the solutions above and they did not work. However, I stumbled across a guide (Sony Bravia TV - Home Assistant) that helped. Instead of selecting source, I am now using “media_player.play_media” and putting the Content ID as “Prime Video” or “Disney+” with the Content Type as “app”. I’ll leave a sample script code below:

'1646952999999':
  alias: Amazon Prime Time
  sequence:
  - service: media_player.turn_on
    data: {}
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.tv_lounge
  - service: media_player.play_media
    data:
      media_content_id: Prime Video
      media_content_type: app
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.tv_lounge
  mode: single
9

Hi there! You can use https://app.urlgeni.us/

Simply input the link to the service you want to open, and it provides a good output for example, I asked it for a specific twitch streamer’s page

input: Twitch
output: twitch://stream/pointcrow

which works great on my nvidia shield using this service call:

          - type: button
            icon: mdi:twitch
            tap_action:
              action: call-service
              service: remote.turn_on
              data:
                activity: twitch://stream/pointcrow
              target:
                entity_id: remote.shield_android_tv
            hold_action:
              action: none
10

More of an FYI - I was trying to find the source for the steaming service Max. (“Max” alone did not work.)
As it turns out its:

com.wbd.stream

(Warner Bros. Discovery)

11

I am new to HA and set up the scripts and all my apps work like a charm i even added alexa routines to voice command to open said apps like
Tivimate
Plex
Bbc iplayer
Youtube

Only 1 small iasue how do i go about getting to the main screen of the nvidia shield like i do with the above via a script
I did try android tv launcher in the source but witth no luck

Thanks