VUDU App Release Notes

[diamond204]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

New Android update returns Sorting to MY VUDU - AWESOME JOB VUDU!!!

[sirmikael]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

The app is nearly perfect now. I would love it to stay like this for a long, long time.

[jjohns]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

The Android software update is a *****massive***** improvement. Great job by the app development team!

However, I ran into couple of issues/bugs while using it over this past weekend, primarily with a Chromecast (Some of these have already been mentioned in this thread):

1) No movie or TV sorting options under My VUDU. Default sort is always most recently-acquired movie first.
2) Searching under My VUDU searches the store, and not your TV/Movie library.
3) Halfway through the movie, the VUDU app shut down and the Chromecast stream stopped. Phone is Droid TURBO running Android 5.1.
4) I noticed that there is no way to change the streaming quality of a Chromecast stream. For me it was always HQX and I couldn't get it to stream as SD or HQ. I did not try adjusting my default stream settings in the VUDU settings, but even if that worked there should be a toggle while the Chromecast is playing.

First off, I absolutely love the new app. Great job VUDU and thanks for adding the sorting option into My VUDU so quickly after the initial release!

Just a few things more I'd like to see and it'd be perfect:

* I definitely wanted to agree with issue 4 above. Chromecast is using the highest quality stream, no matter what quality you choose in the app.

* On Chromecast, if the stream has to buffer it doesn't resume at the exact same spot; it jumps forward a bit. Buffering is bad enough, when it happens, but missing parts of the content due to it skipping ahead when it resumes is very annoying. Chromecast obeying the chosen stream quality would make this less a problem, since then we could switch to HD or SD if it's buffering a lot.

* When downloading, it would be nice if a notification was added containing the download details and progress bar. Right now, it just pops up a message saying the download has been started and this message disappears after a couple of seconds. You have to know to go to the My Downloads area to see the progress of the download, which is not very intuitive.

Otherwise, the new app is terrific!

[RyRy0787]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

I'm very impressed with the updated Android app; I love it!

One suggestion I would like to throw out there is removing the 3 dots at the bottom of the screen that represent the back, home & recent buttons during playback and only to appear when you touch the screen (similar to the Apple app). Having those 3 dots distorts the black bar ratio on the screen. While watching widescreen movies the black bar beneath the image is far greater than that on top so the movie isn't centered on your screen. Hope this makes sense!

Thanks for an awesome update, Vudu!

[jjohns]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

On Chromecast, if the stream has to buffer it doesn't resume at the exact same spot; it jumps forward a bit. Buffering is bad enough, when it happens, but missing parts of the content due to it skipping ahead when it resumes is very annoying. Chromecast obeying the chosen stream quality would make this less a problem, since then we could switch to HD or SD if it's buffering a lot.

It's possible this wasn't an issue with the new app.

Yesterday, it was happening to me constantly. I even checked on my second Chromecast and it happened there as well.

But today, it seems to be working correctly. I'm not experiencing it skipping ahead a few seconds after buffering, now, and even saw it switch to a lower quality stream automatically at one point. Yesterday, despite frequent buffering it never switched stream quality.

Very odd.

[VegasDave]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

In the new android app, there is currently no way to change the stream quality while Chromecasting.

[Y2Bogus]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

I've been having issues with casting since the new update as well. I cast to a Nexus Player (since there's no android TV app YET), and since the update I notice my videos now buffer a lot, whereas I never saw them buffer before.

Another thing I'm noticing is that sometimes the video will stop for a moment while the audio continues to play. Then the video resumes at a faster pace to catch up with the audio.

And for some reason, I can't cast the first Back to the Future movie at all. This happens both from my Galaxy S5 and my PC using Chrome. It gives me an error on the phone/pc that there was an errror while casting.

And lastly, the first episode of Arrow season 3 doesn't have a play button on it, so I'm not able to play it on my Galaxy S5, but it plays fine on my PC, and my Roku, and my PS3.

[diamond204]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

After some testing it seems the new app has Chromecast buffering/streaming issues.

Chromecast HDX streaming was buffering about every 10 seconds (obviously unacceptable) while playing the same HDX film via Sony Blu Ray Player app was flawless with no buffering ever needed throughout the film.

Both are on the same Wifi signal. I will keep testing to see if it always occurs.

[diamond204]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

Another observation with Chromecast Streaming:

The stream showing appears to be SD quality, even though the screen indicates a HDX stream is being displayed. I did a side by side comparison of streaming the beginning of THE KINGSMAN, and it is very evident. I compared versus an HDX stream coming from the VUDU app from my Sony Blu Ray Player.

The stream coming from the Chromecast had particular trouble with the scene where the camera enters the window and the Kingsmen are surrounding the terrorist in the chair. The rendering of the smoke was blocky and poor with the Chromecast stream. The stream from the BluRay was clearly superior, and had no apparent quality issues.

Again, both are on the same Wifi signal, so it is not an issue of internet speed. Phone was rebooted today, so little chance other apps were causing an issue.

Hope this can be looked into.

[nimmzwei]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

Yeah, I'm having the same casting issues.

[ggaugler]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

Just noticing that nobody is talking about the lack of offline support with the updated VUDU app.

Since the update I no longer have the ability to watch downloaded movies offline, which is very often the case when traveling. I can't access or navigate the app while offline.

[diamond204]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

Just noticing that nobody is talking about the lack of offline support with the updated VUDU app.

Since the update I no longer have the ability to watch downloaded movies offline, which is very often the case when traveling. I can't access or navigate the app while offline.

Responded to your other post on this

[supaet]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

is there a list of hdx supported tablet?
I tried nexus 7 2013 and a more recent lenovo tab 2 A10. both running lolipop with quad core processors, and they're both not supported for hd/hdx playback

[Y2Bogus]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

The casting issues definitely are still in place for me to my nexus player.

[Burstaholic]

Re: VUDU App Release Notes

I also have audio badly desynched with my Chromecast. I checked out the Supergirl and Wicked City pilot episodes; my TV has a "Lip Sync" adjustment option, but that was only able to make it worse. Video quality also seemed poor, so it probably wasn't playing HDX. The Vizio built-in Vudu app had no issues.