[Wego]

RE Whitelisting:

Been fiddling about with some APKs and I can tell that FiiO's right in being .. careful in the whitelisting. Some apps are quite complex and might really bring the performance down (I even have that feeling about ES File Explorer, you know).
VLC is the one which worked quite fine so far, even chromecast did work (not perfectly; the very chromecast implementation is sometimes problematic). It's nice to be able to pick up my files from a NAS/sAmbA share. Hey even the video bit worked (streamed over to a TV with chromecast). But it was choppy if you messed around. This kind of thing will surely work perfectly in the M11, I start to see a market for that device (not only music but also video streaming with HQ). VLC being a free app, helps. BubbleUPNP and YTVanced did work fine in short tests, but again - I would probably not mess much with video, it can be power consuming. BubbleUPNP without a license ain't much of a contender so did not much.

USB Audio Player Pro is a more complex app (with some price) but it seems to do it all, so I agree with others that it would be a nice whitelist if it can run acceptably, no doubt.

Finally if FiiO wants to promote their app (which is decent, needs more work only) some bells and whistles like SMB/NAS source play is a great addition. NASes are all the rage for us stay-at-home-audiophiles

Does changing the APK Filename do the Trick or the more cumbersome way to change the package Name?

 

[AndySocial]

RE Whitelisting:

Been fiddling about with some APKs and I can tell that FiiO's right in being .. careful in the whitelisting. Some apps are quite complex and might really bring the performance down (I even have that feeling about ES File Explorer, you know).
VLC is the one which worked quite fine so far, even chromecast did work (not perfectly; the very chromecast implementation is sometimes problematic). It's nice to be able to pick up my files from a NAS/sAmbA share. Hey even the video bit worked (streamed over to a TV with chromecast). But it was choppy if you messed around. This kind of thing will surely work perfectly in the M11, I start to see a market for that device (not only music but also video streaming with HQ). VLC being a free app, helps. BubbleUPNP and YTVanced did work fine in short tests, but again - I would probably not mess much with video, it can be power consuming. BubbleUPNP without a license ain't much of a contender so did not much.

USB Audio Player Pro is a more complex app (with some price) but it seems to do it all, so I agree with others that it would be a nice whitelist if it can run acceptably, no doubt.

Finally if FiiO wants to promote their app (which is decent, needs more work only) some bells and whistles like SMB/NAS source play is a great addition. NASes are all the rage for us stay-at-home-audiophiles

You make a good argument for either not using Android as a basis for players, and making software that is closer to the hardware, or for creating much more powerful Android players. The problem with the latter approach is they get so expensive. I'm sure I am not alone in remembering the vibrant market from the Creative/iRiver/Sandisk/Rio days, when there were a great variety of portable music players that didn't cost as much as a small motorcycle.

 

[greenflash]

You make a good argument for either not using Android as a basis for players, and making software that is closer to the hardware, or for creating much more powerful Android players. The problem with the latter approach is they get so expensive. I'm sure I am not alone in remembering the vibrant market from the Creative/iRiver/Sandisk/Rio days, when there were a great variety of portable music players that didn't cost as much as a small motorcycle.

Hi Andy! I don't know .. When Phone OSes started to appear I was very happy and my old iRiver felt anachronistic with its simplistic software.. The App Era had begun. But well, the thing is a general purpose OS won't be as efficient as a propietary one, but the tradeoff works anyway when you can add a lot of very good apps. And you free your team from some work too, prolly.

And the cost factor is undeniable - I can't REALLY buy anything beyond $150 with the extra costs involved. So its a give and take. But I do believe in Android, or in slimmer future versions of it (Android One! and then Fuchsia..) The key is JEOS (just enough OS) build it like blocks from the linux (or whatever) kernel and then start to add functions.. Just a little brainstorming..

 

[greenflash]

Sorry what are you testing these apps on?
Steve

M6

Does changing the APK Filename do the Trick or the more cumbersome way to change the package Name?

Nope it doesn't, it's a little more involved and most of the times, it doesn't work.. I think FiiO should open a Beta tester program for this, maybe with a few apps involved, so we'd do the work for them But I guess there are business motives too for not opening this too much; I can't blame them for that. They have a great line (product in this case) and a new one coming on so.. Maybe later they'll do it.

 

[dharmasteve]

M6




Nope it doesn't, it's a little more involved and most of the times, it doesn't work.. I think FiiO should open a Beta tester program for this, maybe with a few apps involved, so we'd do the work for them But I guess there are business motives too for not opening this too much; I can't blame them for that. They have a great line (product in this case) and a new one coming on so.. Maybe later they'll do it.

If you are up for it could you check just one app to see how it runs. The HiFi-Cast app. It's like Bubble UPnP but free. It enables casting to DLNA enabled WiFi receivers and Airplay enabled WiFi receivers and other types of casting.
Appreciation Steve

 

[greenflash]

If you are up for it could you check just one app to see how it runs. The HiFi-Cast app. It's like Bubble UPnP but free. It enables casting to DLNA enabled WiFi receivers and Airplay enabled WiFi receivers and other types of casting.
Appreciation Steve

Unfortunately it seems to rely on Google Play Services, so it's a no go unless a major change in the firmware (or some advanced trick I'm not aware of).. It's a really nice app, HiFi Cast.

 

[abitdeef]

You make a good argument for either not using Android as a basis for players, and making software that is closer to the hardware, or for creating much more powerful Android players. The problem with the latter approach is they get so expensive. I'm sure I am not alone in remembering the vibrant market from the Creative/iRiver/Sandisk/Rio days, when there were a great variety of portable music players that didn't cost as much as a small motorcycle.

I have found memories of all of those, I loved the Rio Carbon back in the day.

 

[AndySocial]

I have found memories of all of those, I loved the Rio Carbon back in the day.

The Rio Carbon was good, but the Rio Karma was brilliant. Well, except for the janky wheel that broke easily, and the mechanical hard drive that overheated...but that UI!

 

[salla45]

@greenflash

would it be possible to advise how you are testing un-whitelisted app specifically on the M6? what procedure have you followed to effectively unlock the ability? I understood that it was impossible to run un-white listed apps on the M6

thanks

 

[mono-type]

@greenflash

would it be possible to advise how you are testing un-whitelisted app specifically on the M6? what procedure have you followed to effectively unlock the ability? I understood that it was impossible to run un-white listed apps on the M6

thanks

I would like to know as well.

Also @greenflash, have you tried HibyMusic on your tests?

 

[greenflash]

It's impossible to run them as they are. Somebody here done this at the beginning I think (for some comment I read): it is a little complicated process that involves decompiling the apk (some won't work), modifying the sources, recompiling, quite cumbersome... You end up with some non working apps, even some that will blank your screen and you'll need a full reboot, others have Google Play dependencies. I don't recommend it for normal use.

The ones that worked the best (or at all) for me are VLC (the audio part at least), YTVanced (limited testing, but no login, that would require another apk). BubbleUPNp is a little complicated app, and it's paid, not sure about this one. SambaPlayer: very good, very simple app. Oh and HibyMusic didn't work at all, stays there with its splash forever.

I think what FiiO is doing so far is a good idea: whitelist the free apps related to services (Spotify, Tidal etc), but they do need to add some free, simple and robust apps. VLC had some minor quirks but in general it's great (unless they worry about the video part). SamblaPlayer is another one that fits the bill for me. And fercrissake add a podcast/audiobook free app 2 out of 3 users here want one

PS: What we probably need is a separate thread with suggestions for whitelisting instead of having them here disperse, maybe a poll if such thing is supported by the site.

 

[dharmasteve]

It's impossible to run them as they are. Somebody here done this at the beginning I think (for some comment I read): it is a little complicated process that involves decompiling the apk (some won't work), modifying the sources, recompiling, quite cumbersome... You end up with some non working apps, even some that will blank your screen and you'll need a full reboot, others have Google Play dependencies. I don't recommend it for normal use.

The ones that worked the best (or at all) for me are VLC (the audio part at least), YTVanced (limited testing, but no login, that would require another apk). BubbleUPNp is a little complicated app, and it's paid, not sure about this one. SambaPlayer: very good, very simple app. Oh and HibyMusic didn't work at all, stays there with its splash forever.

I think what FiiO is doing so far is a good idea: whitelist the free apps related to services (Spotify, Tidal etc), but they do need to add some free, simple and robust apps. VLC had some minor quirks but in general it's great (unless they worry about the video part). SamblaPlayer is another one that fits the bill for me. And fercrissake add a podcast/audiobook free app 2 out of 3 users here want one

PS: What we probably need is a separate thread with suggestions for whitelisting instead of having them here disperse, maybe a poll if such thing is supported by the site.

It's clear that many apps will not work well on the M6 but some will. It's all about how much time and resources FiiO are willing to put up. You are right a user group could test out certain Apps. Sure FiiO are a business and want to make money, but they could have a more active relationship with customers and Headfiers. "Business is Business" is the usual line spouted by companies, but it's more about linking with customers to give them what they need. So for me 10/10 for FiiO hardware, 6/10 for how they work with customers.

 

[greenflash]

It's clear that many apps will not work well on the M6 but some will. It's all about how much time and resources FiiO are willing to put up. You are right a user group could test out certain Apps. Sure FiiO are a business and want to make money, but they could have a more active relationship with customers and Headfiers. "Business is Business" is the usual line spouted by companies, but it's more about linking with customers to give them what they need. So for me 10/10 for FiiO hardware, 6/10 for how they work with customers.

Yep I think it can be benefitial for FiiO - also, thinking legal here, if it's done under some king of beta agreement ("see, dude, you're testing these apps but I'm not saying they will work, they might work or not") they'd be also free from that.
And you're right about active relationship with the customer base, since they're a small group (and I like it that way, so they sell cheaper! ) we can help out for sure.

 

[mono-type]

It's impossible to run them as they are. Somebody here done this at the beginning I think (for some comment I read): it is a little complicated process that involves decompiling the apk (some won't work), modifying the sources, recompiling, quite cumbersome... You end up with some non working apps, even some that will blank your screen and you'll need a full reboot, others have Google Play dependencies. I don't recommend it for normal use.

The ones that worked the best (or at all) for me are VLC (the audio part at least), YTVanced (limited testing, but no login, that would require another apk). BubbleUPNp is a little complicated app, and it's paid, not sure about this one. SambaPlayer: very good, very simple app. Oh and HibyMusic didn't work at all, stays there with its splash forever.

I think what FiiO is doing so far is a good idea: whitelist the free apps related to services (Spotify, Tidal etc), but they do need to add some free, simple and robust apps. VLC had some minor quirks but in general it's great (unless they worry about the video part). SamblaPlayer is another one that fits the bill for me. And fercrissake add a podcast/audiobook free app 2 out of 3 users here want one

PS: What we probably need is a separate thread with suggestions for whitelisting instead of having them here disperse, maybe a poll if such thing is supported by the site.

So like you've said earlier, FiiO has a good reason in not whitelisting apps haphazardly. I thought of modifying/editing the APKs too, but I never knew that it would be that convoluted like you did. Regarding HibyMusic, that's sad to know it didn't run properly. Maybe it got corrupted with the recompiling, or maybe the M6 isn't powerful enough (CPU- and RAM-wise; it's basically akin to a smartwatch after all) to run it, but those are just my guesses.

 

[Wego]

Could someone Test one or two Audiobook Apps and Share them. That would be awesome as @FiiO keeps ignoring the Audiobook lovers!