Community OUYA API server

A replacement API server for the OUYA gaming console that still lets you sign in and install games, despite the official OUYA server shutdown in 2019. It brings the "DISCOVER" store back.

This is a static dummy server. It will not store any user data. Your votes and likes will not influence anything.

Have a look a the OUYA games list!

The Mad Catz M.O.J.O with its OUYA everywhere installer can use this server, too!

How to use

If you boot up your OUYA and see the main menu (not the language setup), then all you need is to point your OUYA to this server:

  1. Power the OUYA on
  2. Attach the OUYA via USB (Micro USB cable) to your computer
  3. Create a text file ouya_config.properties in the OUYA's top-level directory with the following content: 
    OUYA_SERVER_URL=http://ouya.cweiske.de
OUYA_STATUS_SERVER_URL=http://ouya.cweiske.de/api/v1/status
    (If you do that via adb shell or directly on the OUYA, then the file path must be /sdcard/ouya_config.properties.)

The changes should take effect immediately (except in the OUYA setup). If they do not, reboot the OUYA once.

Hints

  1. Do not try to use HTTPS because the OUYA does not support SNI.
  2. The OUYA connects to your PC in MTP mode
  3. If your PC does not see the OUYA, use a data transfer micro USB cable with 4 wires instead of a charging-only cable with 2 wires
  4. If your OUYA has a firmware before 1.0.138, you need to upgrade manually to a 1.0.138 or later.
  5. If you use Windows, the ConnectYA script is able to setup everything automatically. See How to setup an OUYA the easy way (video) and the source code.

Factory reset

The config file alone does not help on a factory-reset OUYA gaming console, because OUYA's setup ("OOBE") does not use it for its network connectivity check. You will be stuck at the "network selection" screen with one of the following error messages:

It seems we're unable to connect to the OUYA servers at the moment. We'd recommend confirming your Ethernet and Wi-Fi settings before trying again.

or

Cannot establish a connection with the OUYA Servers. To turn on Wi-Fi, unplug your Ethernet cable and proceed. To retry ethernet, please check your connection and then unplug and re-plug your cable.

There are multiple ways to get over the connectivity check, all involve changing some DNS-related things. The most simple option is to modify your internet router's DNS server setting:

  1. Open your internet router's web interface and change the DNS server temporarily to 178.254.13.17.
  2. Finish the OUYA setup including registration.
  3. Change the router's DNS server setting back to the previous setting or the one provided by the ISP - otherwise you cannot open most web pages anymore.

If you cannot do that, have a look at the other options. Note that you still need the ouya_config.properties file. DNS changes alone don't work.

If you use Windows, the ConnectYA script is able to help here, too. See How to setup an OUYA the easy way (video).

Registration

You can "register" a factory-reset OUYA by simply logging in:

  1. User registration: "Existing account"
  2. Enter any username you like, leave password empty. Continue.
  3. Skip credit card registration

The username will be used on your main ouya screen, and in some games.

Screenshots

An OUYA running in November 2019:

About

This OUYA API server was written by Christian Weiske. The stouyapi code is open source: git.cweiske.de/stouyapi.git (github mirror). It was built with the help of the OUYA store API documentation and uses the OUYA game data repository.

If you want to say "thanks", send a postcard to the address shown at my "about me" page.

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