[New App Shortcut]: Helix TV

[Vincent9993-git]

App Name

Helix|TV

Device Platform

Amazon Fire

App Store Link and/or URL to .apk file if sideloaded

No response

Required Information

adb_response: mSurface=Surface(name=com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.view.BrowseActivity)/@0xd7fe2b4
mInputMethodTarget in display# 0 Window{81da2ac u0 com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.view.BrowseActivity}

Optional Comments

No response

[Vincent9993-git]

As a followup to my request, the adb_response link seems to be generating a java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial.

I used the full dump command:
adb shell pm dump com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot

That reveled that this is the am command that launches the Helix app correctly:
am start -n com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.deeplinkingRestricted

[PRProd]

YOU ARE A HERO! Just curious - Did you just know how to do that, or did you find it in my Wiki article?

[Vincent9993-git]

I came across your post #414 that said to run that command and I started to experiment with various links listed on the dump. The HERO status goes to you for providing all that knowledge.

I'm now on the knowledge hunt for finding a way to auto select a channel within the TV app. If by chance you have a ressource you could point me to, that would be great. What I'm trying to do is:

• Turn on the Fire TV
• Launch the Helix app
• Auto tune to specific live channel

I assume I could try to use a key sequence push but was hoping for some sort of direct command I could send to auto select that channel.

Thanks again for all you do! You rock!

[PRProd]

That process is called "deep linking" in some apps. Others will allow you to send custom intents which basically accomplish the same goal and/or are the same thing depending on who you read.

My skills in that sort of thing are still young and underdeveloped, and I've had more failures than successes, but I'm excited to give it a shot once I get the time to start working on your request. There are a few in line ahead of you right now.

[PRProd]

@Vincent9993-git

If you're on facebook, you can see an example of one that I was able to do for the VLC app
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HomeAssistant/posts/3840817572856251/?comment_id=3840908286180513&reply_comment_id=3841719982766010

[Vincent9993-git]

Thanks again for your help. Judging by the path name for Helix, I suspect that deep linking is not supported... Thanks again.

[PRProd]

Hello again @Vincent9993-git!

I'm just getting to this now, and I've run across a snag. This app isn't available in my region to be downloaded through the Amazon app store or the Google play store for other devices. I have found APKs like this one at APK Pure but they have a different package name: com.videotron.helixtv vs your requested com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot

My best guess here is that the com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot version is special for the Fire TV family, but without that exact package I'm not going to be able to help you with any deep linking or even testing to be sure that it launches properly.

Since you mentioned that you extracted the APK file from your device in discussion #552, could I trouble you to post that file somewhere so I can download it and push it to my device? That would be very helpful!

Thanks in advance!

-Doug

[Vincent9993-git]

Hi Doug,

In the meantime, I can tell you that I was able to identify 3 working commands to jump to that app:

This one launches the app to the entry point (just like when you use remote to launch app)

• am start -n com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.deeplinkingRestricted

This one launches the app and opens up the live channel selection

• am start -n com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.deeplinkingRestricted -d "https://helix.videotron.com/stream/live"

This one launches the app and plays the last selected live channel (as long as one is running from last session)

• am start -n com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.view.PlayerActivity

I'm still on the hunt to find the command to select the channel... I've been running the logcat command in the shell and trying to identify what happens when I select the channel from the remote but nothing's jumping out at me.

Please let me know when you've downloaded the apk, I'll purge it from my server. TIA.

Thanks again for your help!
Vincent

[Vincent9993-git]

Another bit of progress... Helix has a web application to allow viewing on PC. I was able to monitor the link being used to stream live channels...

The bad news is that it looks like I have to pass the /live url a specific show name and number... I can't tell where they are pulling that info from, some sort of webservice I think. It's calling this url just before it launches the stream:
https://xtvapi.cloudtv.comcast.net/tvgrid/listing/2004586711101330109/detail/?channelId=7415425745571492104

So if I call this command, it brings up the show as long as it's still playing. Once the timeslot expire, it won't tune to that channel.
am start -n com.videotron.helixtv.tenfoot/com.xfinity.cloudtvr.deeplinkingRestricted -d "https://helix.videotron.com/stream/live/Watch-Les-aventures-de-lquipe-Roadfish/7779566218840958105/RDSHD"

Also, I can omit the /RDSHD as long as the app is not running, otherwise it just opens up the channel listing.

I'm wondering if there might be a way to send some wild card characters or something and just keep the channel name "RDSHD" at the end. I've tried "", ".", "." Nothing so far.

[PRProd]

@Vincent9993-git ~

Thanks for the file! My TV is happy with that. I sent you a PM on FB, hoping you would see it and not mark it as spam. 😄

[PRProd]

@Vincent9993-git

An update for you: I have just published Firemote version v4.1.3 which contains your app shortcut request. This issue is closed for now since the launcher exists. Let's work out the deep linking aspect over in #552 instead of this thread.

-Doug

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