Lower API version support

[tsdaemon]

Hey! I stumble upon your repo when I was looking for a free video capture solution: I wanted to make my old lenovo tablet into a screen for a crashpad. But I wasn't able to install your app: the minimal Android version is 15, and I have 12.

So I forked, and with very little changes made a test build for Android 12: https://github.com/tsdaemon/consolation-android I tested it on my device, it worked well. Would you be interested if I open a PR to expand the list of supported versions?

UPD: And thank you for the app, it works great as a crash-pad screen!

[jranson]

@tsdaemon 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 I'm glad the app is useful. We're faced with one challenge regarding this request: effective 31 August 2026, the Google Play Store's minimum allowed Android version is 16 (API 36). So the next version we publish actually requires increasing the minimum API version. I know this is not ideal for older tablets, so I will take a look at creating a separate branch for legacy devices (automated sync + downgrade of main) that still publishes signed APK's here on GitHub but not to the Play Store. Give me a few days and I should be able to work that out for you.

[tsdaemon]

effective 31 August 2026, the Google Play Store's minimum allowed Android version is 16 (API 36).

I was surpised by this, because it would effectively deny any new app on older Android versions. I think the actual restriction is about the target version, not min:

New apps and app updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher to be submitted to Google Play;

Configuring your app to target a recent API level ensures that users benefit from security, privacy, and performance improvements, while still allowing an app to run on older Android versions (down to the specified minSdkVersion).

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878?hl=en&utm_source=chatgpt.com

[NonRidiculousAdjective]

I just discovered your app too. It runs very well on my phone, but my true intention is repurposing my old ARMv7 Android 9 tablet into a second screen. All the other apps prioritize using UVC for camera playback and so there is usually no fullscreen option.

I'd definitely be up for a legacy device branch! You can still put it on Fdroid if you're worried that the reach might be too small if it's just on github.

[jranson]

Thanks folks - #6 will reduce the minimum API to 28 (Android 9) while keeping the target API at 36 (Android 16). I do not have a pre-Android 16 device to test with, so help testing would be appreciated when the release lands. I need to add in the features requested in #4 and then we'll merge + cut release later today (U.S. time zones)

[NonRidiculousAdjective]

Thanks a lot. I'd be happy to test it!

[tsdaemon]

@jranson thank you! I verified #6 on lenovotab with android 12, it works well!

[jranson]

Hey folks - v1.8.0 is now live here on github and pending approval in the Play Store. Enjoy!

[NonRidiculousAdjective]

Managed to play around with it. It installs and runs, here are my results:
https://imgur.com/a/nhll11Z
(I dont think there is a way to post video on github, apologies for that.)

• When running 20fps low resolution preset on the secondary format, the stream runs pretty well, tho with a slight noticeable delay.

• Increasing the resolution to a little less than tablet's native resolution results in lower framerate than the one set. That seems to also be reported by the application itself. (seems that the secondary format is the limit here, which seems to be known as it is only suggested at low resolutions and framerate presets)

• MJPEG seems to run without or with minimal framedropping on the native resolution all the way up to 50-60Hz with minimal lag, which is amazing but the output is also green and sort of shifted? Not sure how to describe it, the video of the phenomenon is among the others in the imgur link.