With the new Android TV app, we rebuilt the First Screen. Since then we have been rolling out the new experience step by step across all platforms. The first releases are out, more are on the way. WebTV has probably undergone the biggest transformation. Here is what’s new.
Netstream TV runs on the TV, in the browser and on smartphones and tablets. By First Screen we mean our Android TV app as the primary screen. And that is exactly where we started. Since then we have been gradually bringing all platforms up to the same level.
Consistent design and navigation
WebTV now follows the same design principle as the First Screen. One sidebar, a clear navigation system, no more parallel menu structures. On top of that there is a Light/Dark Mode toggle right in the sidebar. The chosen preference is saved and the accent colour is retained in both modes.
More content, more control
The home screen has been fundamentally reworked. There are now many more lanes: Tonight, Last night, Radio and more. Which of them are shown and in what order can be set up individually. Everyone sees what is relevant to them.
Replay TV has also been given its own page as a complete gallery, filterable by channel, genre and date.
WebTV now works directly in the browser, on tablets and on smartphones too – decide for yourself at any time whether the web or the native app is easier.
A look under the hood { dev_mode: true }
If you can picture what a codebase looks like after being touched by an estimated 30 to 50 different developers over the years, you’re already close. Sprawl in every direction. The strings alone had more than 600 dead entries. Functions that were never called anywhere. Mobile code leading a life of its own alongside the desktop app, with its own controller, its own templates and an entire directory of around 40 partials. Well, it worked!
That is also why, for a long time, nobody really dared to touch it.
While cleaning up, we came across what you keep finding in old codebases: the legacy of earlier developers. My personal favourites from the comments:
<!--Final commit: Bye bye WebApp, bye bye Netstream :) --> Byeeee, it was lovely having you!<!--I have no idea why this works. Don't touch it. --> Well… touched it anyway.
We wouldn’t call the code tidy yet – but swept clean. Dark Mode now runs on CSS custom properties instead of build-time compilation, the global search is cleanly wired up and the dead mobile code path is history. The rest will follow step by step.
What this means for whitelabel customers
Anyone using Netstream TV as a whitelabel solution benefits directly from the cross-platform refresh. A consistent design means end users find their way around better on every platform. Thanks to the aligned design, we can now also apply your branding more consistently.
Interested in Netstream TV as a whitelabel solution? Book a meeting about TVaaS.
