What's New in Kiosk Satellite 2026.9.21
This release adds an optional update helper for devices that require installation confirmation (like Meta Portal and FireHD devices), new gestures for opening Now Playing and Music Assistant and a setting to open Music Assistant directly to its full-screen player. It also reduces processing overhead for wake word detection, media views and photo screensavers.
New Feature: Optional Update Helper
- Updates Without a Confirmation Tap: Meta Portals, Amazon Fire tablets and other devices that require confirmation can now use a helper bundled in the APK to install Kiosk Satellite updates silently.
- One ADB Command: Start the helper with
adb shell "content read --uri content://me.jxl.kiosk_satellite.update-helper/start | sh". The computer can disconnect afterward. The helper survives app restarts and self-updates but must be started again through ADB after each device reboot. - Helper Status and Setup: An Optional update helper subpage appears under Device settings when native silent installation is unavailable. It shows the helper status, startup command and setup guide on the device and in the remote admin.
- Automatic Installation Selection: Devices that already support native silent updates continue using Android's normal installation path. When confirmation is required, KS uses the helper if it is running.
New Feature: Music Assistant and Now Playing Shortcuts
- Open Music Assistant Directly to Now Playing: A new Open directly to Now Playing toggle under Media Player > Music Assistant, below Show in the kiosk menu, opens Music Assistant's full-screen player when the drawer shortcut is tapped. The toggle is off by default.
- Open Music Assistant Gesture: A new gesture action opens Music Assistant using the same preference, player selection and automatic sign-in as the drawer shortcut. It works even when the drawer shortcut is hidden.
- Show Now Playing Gesture: A separate gesture action opens Kiosk Satellite's own full-screen Now Playing view for the selected media player, including a paused track. Now Playing must be enabled with a track loaded. Both new actions are available in the device and remote admin gesture editors.
New Feature: Pause Dashboard Camera Streams
- Pause Hidden Camera Streams: A new Pause HA dashboard camera streams during screensaver switch under Home Assistant > Optimizations, enabled by default, releases supported muted streams in Home Assistant's standard dashboard camera component while an opaque screensaver covers it. Streams reconnect when the screensaver closes.
- Preserve Visible Video and Audio: The Dim screensaver keeps dashboard cameras playing, as do unmuted streams. Custom camera components, the device camera and the app's Camera Streams feature keep their existing behavior.
Performance Improvements
- Wake Word Detection: The wake word engines reuse audio and inference buffers and reduce repeated copying and diagnostic messages while listening.
- Now Playing: The view avoids rebuilding unchanged content as playback advances. Artwork downloads and cached covers are shared between player surfaces and the remote admin.
- Photo Screensavers: Photos decode at the size needed for the display, blurred backdrops use smaller images and upcoming slides are prepared before they appear. Immich requests are shared when multiple parts of the slideshow need the same image.