With the new Android TV app, we've redesigned the First Screen. Since then, we've been rolling out the new experience step by step to all platforms. The first releases are out, and more are coming. Web TV has probably undergone the biggest transformation. Here's what's new.
Netstream TV runs on televisions, in browsers, and on smartphones and tablets. By "First Screen," we mean our Android TV app as the primary screen. And that's exactly where we started. Since then, we've been gradually bringing all platforms up to the same standard.
Unified design and navigation
WebTV now follows the same design principle as the First Screen: a sidebar, a clear navigation system, and no more parallel menu structures. A Light/Dark Mode toggle is also integrated directly into the sidebar. The selected preference is saved, and the accent color remains consistent across both modes.
More content, more control
The home screen has been completely redesigned. There are now significantly more sections: Tonight, Last Night, Radio, and more. Which sections are displayed and in what order can be customized. Each user sees what's relevant to them.
Replay TV also has its own page as a complete gallery, filterable by channel, genre and date.
WebTV now works directly in the browser, tablet and also on the smartphone – you can decide at any time whether web or native app is easier.
A look under the hood { dev_mode: true }
Anyone who can imagine what a codebase looks like that's been touched by an estimated 30 to 50 different developers over the years is pretty close. A chaotic mess in every direction. The strings alone had over 600 dead entries. Functions that were never called. Mobile code that ran parallel to the desktop app, leading a life of its own, with its own controller, its own templates, and an entire directory containing around 40 partials. Well, it worked!
That is also the reason why no one really dared to do it for a long time.
While cleaning up, we stumbled upon something you often find in old codebases: the remnants left behind by previous developers. My personal favorites from the comments:
<!--Final commit: Bye bye WebApp, bye bye Netstream :) --> Netstream<!--I have no idea why this works. Don't touch it. --> But... I touched it.
We wouldn't call the code perfectly clean yet – but it's spotless. Dark mode now works via CSS custom properties instead of build-time compilation, global search is properly wired, and the dead mobile code path is a thing of the past. The rest will be added gradually.
What this means for white-label customers
Those who use Netstream TV as a white-label solution benefit directly from the cross-platform refresh. A consistent design means that end users can navigate more easily on every platform. Thanks to the harmonized design, we can also implement your branding more consistently.
Interested in Netstream TV as a white-label solution? Get in touch with us.
