Hello guys
EDIT: I have to mention that for some reason it seems Amazon has managed to bypass whatever cleverness Genesis Addon uses to give access to all the movies you want to see... so for people wanting to use FireTV as an XBMC box to watch movies (illegally) you will have big challenges. They have locked it down... so you'd have to try use proxy servers, virtual networks etc to get around that... but it is nowhere near as easy to use as a good Android TV box like the Tronsmart s89.
Having used it for about two hours, I've concluded the device is great if all you want to do is to watch Amazon prime video or netflix... but to run most other android apps, it is simply an awful experience. , these are a few of my least favourite things:
1/ Apps you sideload are not visible on the home screen. It takes you 19 (NINETEEN!!!) clicks to get from HOME to the list of apps you can "manage". From there you click more to scroll down to your app of choice and click to select it then click to load it.
2/ you cannot use the remote for inputting text via voice within an app, so in XBMC if you want to enter "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", you cannot do a voice search, so all input is very clunky.
3/ if you use a usb wireless keyboard/trackpad like the Logitech k400r (superb on an android box) you are limited to what keyboard commands the amazon stranglehold will allow
4/ xbmc is not listed as a recent app. If you press HOME by mistake, it is approximately 35 (THIRTY FIVE) clicks to get back to xbmc (more if you have sideloaded more than 13 apps... which makes me hesitant to sideload any more!) Alt-TAB works on the wireless keyboard to get back to the last app, but XBMC is not listed there - as it is on generic android tv boxes.
5/ on spotify, you cannot use just the remote, pressing Down does not take you to the next song, left and right do not navigate menus etc... so you have to use another device... the Logitech k400r is great, but again, you cannot do everything with that even... down arrow does not move to next songs, there are no keyboard shortcuts to move to the next song etc.
6/ TennisTV android app does not work at all... works on all my android phones, devices, tablets. This seems to be a common theme, extremely poor app support.
7/ apps added to your apps on Amazon.co.uk online do not (mostly) show up on your device after you have "synced amazon content" . Looking for apps on the device in the amazon store is a mystery, voice search does not work... so is one expected to BROWSE the whole library with the remote to find apps you want? Wow.
7/ Go online to get apps for Fire TV and Amazon says: no TED no IMDB no Wikipedia no ES File explorer no Facebook no Ebay no Google apps of any kind, no Dolphin or Chrome, no Box, no Dropbox, no Evernote no BBC Sport, no TVCatchup... the list goes on and on... pretty dismal IMO.
There is probably a LOT more, but Amazon have successfully strangled and suffocated a very nice bit of hardware. The interface is good, the fluidity is excellent... and for xbmc it is great but also censored by Amazon... but if you are used to a generic android tv box like the tronsmart vega s89, the FireTV does not come close, because what you can do with it is extremely limited. The cheap chinese android tv boxes in my lounge and bedroom are going to stay put, I cannot live with this FireTV. Buy this unit if you want a very good Amazon Prime Video / netflix box for £80... but if you want more than that, stay away.
Mark.
fredphoesh said:
Hello guys
Having used it for about two hours, I've concluded the device is great as an XBMC-only box an/or if you watch Amazon prime video or netflix... but to run most other android apps, it is simply an awful experience. , these are a few of my least favourite things:
1/ Apps you sideload are not visible on the home screen. It takes you 19 (NINETEEN!!!) clicks to get from HOME to the list of apps you can "manage". From there you click more to scroll down to your app of choice and click to select it then click to load it.
2/ you cannot use the remote for inputting text via voice within an app, so in XBMC if you want to enter "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", you cannot do a voice search, so all input is very clunky.
3/ if you use a usb wireless keyboard/trackpad like the Logitech k400r (superb on an android box) you are limited to what keyboard commands the amazon stranglehold will allow
4/ xbmc is not listed as a recent app. If you press HOME by mistake, it is approximately 35 (THIRTY FIVE) clicks to get back to xbmc (more if you have sideloaded more than 13 apps... which makes me hesitant to sideload any more!) Alt-TAB works on the wireless keyboard to get back to the last app, but XBMC is not listed there - as it is on generic android tv boxes.
5/ on spotify, you cannot use just the remote, pressing Down does not take you to the next song, left and right do not navigate menus etc... so you have to use another device... the Logitech k400r is great, but again, you cannot do everything with that even... down arrow does not move to next songs, there are no keyboard shortcuts to move to the next song etc.
6/ TennisTV android app does not work at all... works on all my android phones, devices, tablets. This seems to be a common theme, extremely poor app support.
7/ apps added to your apps on Amazon.co.uk online do not (mostly) show up on your device after you have "synced amazon content" . Looking for apps on the device in the amazon store is a mystery, voice search does not work... so is one expected to BROWSE the whole library with the remote to find apps you want? Wow.
7/ Go online to get apps for Fire TV and Amazon says: no TED no IMDB no Wikipedia no ES File explorer no Facebook no Ebay no Google apps of any kind, no Dolphin or Chrome, no Box, no Dropbox, no Evernote no BBC Sport, no TVCatchup... the list goes on and on... pretty dismal IMO.
There is probably a LOT more, but Amazon have successfully strangled and suffocated a very nice bit of hardware. The interface is good, the fluidity is excellent... and for xbmc it is great... but if you are used to a generic android tv box like the tronsmart vega s89, this does not come close, because what you can do with it is extremely limited. The cheap chinese android tv boxes in my lounge and bedroom are going to stay put, I cannot live with this FireTV. Buy this unit if you want a very good xbmc box for £80... but if you want more than that, stay away.
Mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i picked one up last night, my impressions:
the UI is horrendous. ever review i read complimented the UI, but, nothing i want to use (plex) is easy to get to from the homescreen. have to scroll down, then over, etc. finding new apps, movies and tv shows is also difficult. i wish amazon allowed us to alter the homescreen to customize it to how we want it.
plex on firetv, again, the ui is just... just... i don't know, i don't use on deck, or que, or whatever. i have to scroll over, then down to get to what i want. again, i wish plex gave us more opportunity to customize how our splash screen is setup.
otherwise, i like the prime video on demand. this is the first time we have subscribed to an on demand stream service, having the content there, my kids like that there's spongebob and other nick shows. otherwise, our last 3 years of cord cutting has been handled through a rather extensive HTPC that i built running XBMC, sickbeard, couch potato and plex. i picked up the firetv to replace this unit because i'm tired of maintaining it.
fredphoesh said:
Hello guys
Having used it for about two hours, I've concluded the device is great as an XBMC-only box an/or if you watch Amazon prime video or netflix... but to run most other android apps, it is simply an awful experience. , these are a few of my least favourite things:
1/ Apps you sideload are not visible on the home screen. It takes you 19 (NINETEEN!!!) clicks to get from HOME to the list of apps you can "manage". From there you click more to scroll down to your app of choice and click to select it then click to load it.
2/ you cannot use the remote for inputting text via voice within an app, so in XBMC if you want to enter "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", you cannot do a voice search, so all input is very clunky.
3/ if you use a usb wireless keyboard/trackpad like the Logitech k400r (superb on an android box) you are limited to what keyboard commands the amazon stranglehold will allow
4/ xbmc is not listed as a recent app. If you press HOME by mistake, it is approximately 35 (THIRTY FIVE) clicks to get back to xbmc (more if you have sideloaded more than 13 apps... which makes me hesitant to sideload any more!) Alt-TAB works on the wireless keyboard to get back to the last app, but XBMC is not listed there - as it is on generic android tv boxes.
5/ on spotify, you cannot use just the remote, pressing Down does not take you to the next song, left and right do not navigate menus etc... so you have to use another device... the Logitech k400r is great, but again, you cannot do everything with that even... down arrow does not move to next songs, there are no keyboard shortcuts to move to the next song etc.
6/ TennisTV android app does not work at all... works on all my android phones, devices, tablets. This seems to be a common theme, extremely poor app support.
7/ apps added to your apps on Amazon.co.uk online do not (mostly) show up on your device after you have "synced amazon content" . Looking for apps on the device in the amazon store is a mystery, voice search does not work... so is one expected to BROWSE the whole library with the remote to find apps you want? Wow.
7/ Go online to get apps for Fire TV and Amazon says: no TED no IMDB no Wikipedia no ES File explorer no Facebook no Ebay no Google apps of any kind, no Dolphin or Chrome, no Box, no Dropbox, no Evernote no BBC Sport, no TVCatchup... the list goes on and on... pretty dismal IMO.
There is probably a LOT more, but Amazon have successfully strangled and suffocated a very nice bit of hardware. The interface is good, the fluidity is excellent... and for xbmc it is great... but if you are used to a generic android tv box like the tronsmart vega s89, this does not come close, because what you can do with it is extremely limited. The cheap chinese android tv boxes in my lounge and bedroom are going to stay put, I cannot live with this FireTV. Buy this unit if you want a very good xbmc box for £80... but if you want more than that, stay away.
Mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use something called llama to create a shortcut to the homescreen (so to speak) of all side loaded apps and this is well documented on these forums.
Got my FTV at work so will give it a go when I get home to see if the list of apps is as bad as you say and if so will just use an amazon USA account.
Has anyone tried sideloading the prime video app on one of the tron boxes? They're interesting looking boxes.
As far as the UI goes: if you're able to root your system, you can set it to use xbmc as the launcher and only drop into the Amazon side when you want to watch prime video.
I don't mind the UI too much, either in xbmc or from Amazon, as I have low expectations for what a UI for a TV should be.
It's nice to see that if this dies, there may be other fairly competitive boxes which I can get Netflix and Prime on as well as xbmc.
roustabout said:
Has anyone tried sideloading the prime video app on one of the tron boxes? They're interesting looking boxes..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Actually there was a recent change by Amazon, making the Prime Video app (supposedly) work with Android, but AFAIK it has not been achieved yet. When I tried last a couple of months ago, it would look like it was going to play, then crash. See the thread on Freaktab:
http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?17026-Amazon-Instant-Video
Mark.
fredphoesh said:
Hi
Actually there was a recent change by Amazon, making the Prime Video app (supposedly) work with Android, but AFAIK it has not been achieved yet. When I tried last a couple of months ago, it would look like it was going to play, then crash. See the thread on Freaktab:
http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?17026-Amazon-Instant-Video
Mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazon video works on my phone and tablet pretty well. I did need to sideload the app from my phone to my tablet, but once I did so it was good.
I wonder if some of the issue being described in the thread above is like the one that some folks have with xbmc on the fire: XBMC won't 'let go' of the video hardware easily, so launching a video app from within the Android Apps menu of XBMC results in video not playing. I deal with it by killing XBMC once firetv launcher or netflix are running.
fredphoesh couldn*t summarize it any better. The hardware is great but the software does indeed cripple and limit the use beyong anything. This device is entirely made to only exist in the Amazon world and makes you buy Apps from their own App store and pay for instant video. Nothing else should and could be done with it flawless. See how hard the locked it. Unfortunately there are some more examples of locked down hardware in past time: Apple TV 3rd gen, Surface RT & 2 etc.
Thats why I put this useless brick on ebay as long as people go crazy for it - for whatever reason I don't know. For the same money you can get a very decent Android Box without and restrictions and full root access!
sebr said:
Thats why I put this useless brick on ebay as long as people go crazy for it - for whatever reason I don't know. For the same money you can get a very decent Android Box without and restrictions and full root access!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem that a decent Android box alternative, with the possible exception being the new Android TV, is they do not get Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu type apps to go along with XBMC. This is the very reason why people are going crazy for it. It is nice to have everything I need and that Amazon provides it all in one OTT box.
Might take a bit of effort but if you set it up right the fire TV can work very well. Mine is being used not only as an XBMC box but also as my download center and NAS. Couldn't be happier with it.
Nedle said:
Might take a bit of effort but if you set it up right the fire TV can work very well. Mine is being used not only as an XBMC box but also as my download center and NAS. Couldn't be happier with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am guessing rooted. The problems is that the folks doing the reviews now have never had the option to root. UK & GER shipped with rooting blocked.
Clearly out of the box the AFTV is not the most open/flexible experience. It is really easy to mod though. Root, install custom recovery, flash latest rooted rom, install Xposed (Fire TV Mods), alternate launcher, Google framework/play store and it's a completely different experience.
It is fine to complain, or give a bad review about a stock interface, but not here. XDA is a modding/tweaking community, I don't know why you are giving a review on a stock rom's nearly out of the box interface. A bit of work and most (if not all) of your complains are moot.
At least look around first to see if there are solutions to your complaints before just whining about them. :laugh:
Don't count this box out yet...now that someone has the ability to write custom kernels and we have a custom recovery I can only hope someone brings out an amazing AOSP build for the box or someone is quick to port over Android TV to it. Unfortunately I am not one of those capable of but would donate
goggles99 said:
Clearly out of the box the AFTV is not the most open/flexible experience. It is really easy to mod though. Root, install custom recovery, flash latest rooted rom, install Xposed (Fire TV Mods), alternate launcher, Google framework/play store and it's a completely different experience.
It is fine to complain, or give a bad review about a stock interface, but not here. XDA is a modding/tweaking community, I don't know why you are giving a review on a stock rom's nearly out of the box interface. A bit of work and most (if not all) of your complains are moot.
At least look around first to see if there are solutions to your complaints before just whining about them. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps you have not read much of what's being said about the newest Firetv boxes... Unrootable and heavily censored blocking movie streaming sites on xbmc, and dismally poor app support too.
As it is now, it is useful for two things only, Amazon prime video and netflix... Neither of which I want or need.
fredphoesh said:
Perhaps you have not read much of what's being said about the newest Firetv boxes... Unrootable and heavily censored blocking movie streaming sites on xbmc, and dismally poor app support too.
As it is now, it is useful for two things only, Amazon prime video and netflix... Neither of which I want or need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was this confirmed outside of just one person's experience?
Also, devices get updates that prevent root all the time. Often, the devs figure out a way to root them. I'm waiting on my Fire TV I ordered from eBay, hoping it's rootable. But even if not XBMC and Netflix is all I really wanted it for anyway (and not to use the crappy streaming add-ons but my own collection)
If Android TV is somehow ported to the Fire, then this box will become a great device. Right now it's worth the 100 bux alone just to play around with imo.
fredphoesh said:
Perhaps you have not read much of what's being said about the newest Firetv boxes... Unrootable and heavily censored blocking movie streaming sites on xbmc, and dismally poor app support too.
As it is now, it is useful for two things only, Amazon prime video and netflix... Neither of which I want or need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think your having more of an "operator error" than anything.. amazon isnt messing with xbmc. The fireTV has been working fine for everyone else for like 6 months now. if you dont like it send it backm sucks theres no root for UK people yet.. but no need to whine about it on here..
From a new UK Fire TV user - I totally agree "DISMAL EXPERIANCE" :¬(
Spent a lot of money on Plex only to find it has to use fire tv sdk and so no 5.1 DD surround sound over HDMI - if you have MKV content :¬(
I can sideload xbmc which works! and is the reason why it cant be on the amazon store - But I cant find a skin that is nearly as nice as plex)
Blocking root is way annoying too
I sideload'ed chrome and firefox and they seem to have patched it so that the remote does not work - nice one fire tv peeps (the browser in ES file manager works better - grr)
Sometimes I think they try to PISS people off on purpose
guess it makes them chuckle all the way to bank
at least it only cost 49£ so im going to ritually destroy it and jump up and down on it till I get blisters
AND also bye bye amazon prime!
Did anybody do any research before pre-ordering & before & after the German launch (around 9/16/2014) to know what to expect. The majority if not all of this "issues" where known weeks or a month ago.... And some of this are not real issues at all. Like demanding not promise features. Or "operator error" issues... There is usually a FW update shortly after a launch to deal with true issues that arise from it. So be on the lookout for one.
fredphoesh said:
Perhaps you have not read much of what's being said about the newest Firetv boxes... Unrootable and heavily censored blocking movie streaming sites on xbmc, and dismally poor app support too.
As it is now, it is useful for two things only, Amazon prime video and netflix... Neither of which I want or need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I can see, you are the only one to have experienced this. Perhaps the dns servers for these sites are being recently blocked by your UK ISP (Your other devices may have the dns entries cached for a while). In any case, one person having this problem is not much proof of this, thus is hearsay.
Why go on a long tirade when your real complaint is that you cannot obtain root? Why post a non-modded devices shortcomings on a modding site that has solutions to all but one of your problems? join one of the other "rant because I can't root" threads.
goggles99 said:
Why go on a long tirade when your real complaint is that you cannot obtain root? Why post a non-modded devices shortcomings on a modding site that has solutions to all but one of your problems? join one of the other "rant because I can't root" threads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually i dont care about root
i want to have the apps I can have on my android tv working on this box.
they dont
it is a giant fail largely due to facist isp's in the UK and control freakery by amazon.
fredphoesh said:
actually i dont care about root
i want to have the apps I can have on my android tv working on this box.
they dont.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They do for me
fredphoesh said:
it is a giant fail largely due to facist isp's in the UK and control freakery by amazon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong forum/web site then. This is what I have been saying all along.
I always try on not to be a party p**per but also would like to make this debate as civilized as possible so no need to bash me if you found my doubts in a negative way.
But after spending all this time with the Nexus Player of Google, I found myself with the conclusion, why is worthy my time for any root for the device.
At least I have a goal on showing my step-dad that paying DirecTV (Nothing against DirecTV BTW, just want to save money) is not 24/7 cost-effective versus Google Play Service and popular streaming services.
Heck, I didn't even felt left out in terms that versus Apple TV, the Nexus Player is still short without service like WWE, Amazon, NFL, etc. I was happy with the service available as of the writing of this.
To tell you the truth, the exact moment when I read all the possibility for free TV and streaming needs with Kodi (XBMC), I realized that was exactly why I bought the Google Nexus Player on the first place, beside having an alternate set-top box instead of my lovely Playstation 3 and except for improvement on hardware level for Android TV (reboot capacity WILL BE so WELCOMED!) I don't see how rooting the device can be compared as rooting a Smartphone.
Also some needs that we find regularly on Android Smartphone can be requested to Google either by AOSP or direct feedback (I realize that Google might just ignore anyways) and I am pretty sure that future Android 5.0.x or 5.x version will be synonymous of improvements.
No, this is not ignorance and definitely not naive-ness, perhaps I need another point of view to better understand or see more benefits for rooting the device.
Again, please I created this thread as a informative and debatable spot for this topic, do not flame me and not flame each other if you don't agree with an specific opinion.
TheGeeZus said:
I always try on not to be a party p**per but also would like to make this debate as civilized as possible so no need to bash me if you found my doubts in a negative way.
But after spending all this time with the Nexus Player of Google, I found myself with the conclusion, why is worthy my time for any root for the device.
At least I have a goal on showing my step-dad that paying DirecTV (Nothing against DirecTV BTW, just want to save money) is not 24/7 cost-effective versus Google Play Service and popular streaming services.
Heck, I didn't even felt left out in terms that versus Apple TV, the Nexus Player is still short without service like WWE, Amazon, NFL, etc. I was happy with the service available as of the writing of this.
To tell you the truth, the exact moment when I read all the possibility for free TV and streaming needs with Kodi (XBMC), I realized that was exactly why I bought the Google Nexus Player on the first place, beside having an alternate set-top box instead of my lovely Playstation 3 and except for improvement on hardware level for Android TV (reboot capacity WILL BE so WELCOMED!) I don't see how rooting the device can be compared as rooting a Smartphone.
Also some needs that we find regularly on Android Smartphone can be requested to Google either by AOSP or direct feedback (I realize that Google might just ignore anyways) and I am pretty sure that future Android 5.0.x or 5.x version will be synonymous of improvements.
No, this is not ignorance and definitely not naive-ness, perhaps I need another point of view to better understand or see more benefits for rooting the device.
Again, please I created this thread as a informative and debatable spot for this topic, do not flame me and not flame each other if you don't agree with an specific opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dunno, i rooted mine because i really needed to have expandable storage. So i rooted for chainfires stickmount. So i could have all my movies on my external hard drive run through xbmc natively.
↑This!↑
I have not rooted mine but if i do it will be for the ex-storage as well.. i am at the point of not storing a lot of movies because they are almost all online for a fee or free if you go that way.. We watch a movie once or twice and that is the end of it.. So to add to your debate i don't at this point see why you would root this device.
Would like a reboot function..
Im sure someone will come up with some nice ways to use root.. give them a week or so lol..
The main current use for rooting in my home is support for PS3 & 4 controllers wirelessly, using stick mount & folder mount to store game data and kodi data on an external drive and the ability to modify xml to re-arrange the order of programs in the NP's leanback interface (kodi gets top billing). My daughters now have immediate access to over twenty very large installed games so far thanks to folder mount. I also store all my kodi fanart, cover art, cd art, etc on the external as it takes up so much space internally for my large media collection that kodi accesses from my nas.
There will be future uses for root as well, of course (there always is), but these were my immediate needs.
Elrondolio said:
The main current use for rooting in my home is support for PS3 & 4 controllers wirelessly, using stick mount & folder mount to store game data and kodi data on an external drive and the ability to modify xml to re-arrange the order of programs in the NP's leanback interface (kodi gets top billing).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently rooted my NP, and I'm completely new to android and rooting. My main desire is to be able to get all of my sideloaded apps into the leanback interface, and to be able to rearrange the order and hide app icons I don't use. I've noticed by default Kodi RC2 appears in the leanback interface.
Do you have any tips for modifying the leanback interface in the way I've described?
kaess said:
I recently rooted my NP, and I'm completely new to android and rooting. My main desire is to be able to get all of my sideloaded apps into the leanback interface, and to be able to rearrange the order and hide app icons I don't use. I've noticed by default Kodi RC2 appears in the leanback interface.
Do you have any tips for modifying the leanback interface in the way I've described?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since things are so new with the leanback launcher there hasn't been much time for any semi-automated tools/apps to be coded to accomplish what you want. Manually, however, is very doable depending on your desired time investment.
You can modify select sideloaded apps to make them show up on the leanback interface by uncompressing its apk, editing its manifest then re-compressing and re-sideloading. See this post: How to sideload XBMC/Kodi on Nexus Player. See also this helpful post from @zlexy : [Q] Launching Netflix From Within Kodi.
You can re-arrange the order of apps listed in the leanback interface by editing leanback launcher's database. See this post by @ariful : [Q] Rearranging Apps on Android TV Nexus Player.
Again, these methods are a bit labour intensive... it'll have to be that way until more devs start/finish coding for this brand new interface/device and/or for Google to release more customizable updates. Good luck.
Elrondolio said:
Since things are so new with the leanback launcher there hasn't been much time for any semi-automated tools/apps to be coded to accomplish what you want. Manually, however, is very doable depending on your desired time investment.
You can modify select sideloaded apps to make them show up on the leanback interface by uncompressing its apk, editing its manifest then re-compressing and re-sideloading. See this post: How to sideload XBMC/Kodi on Nexus Player. See also this helpful post from @zlexy : [Q] Launching Netflix From Within Kodi.
You can re-arrange the order of apps listed in the leanback interface by editing leanback launcher's database. See this post by @ariful : [Q] Rearranging Apps on Android TV Nexus Player.
Again, these methods are a bit labour intensive... it'll have to be that way until more devs start/finish coding for this brand new interface/device and/or for Google to release more customizable updates. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The last thing you said is exactly why I am resisting the temptation.
I am being fair with the fact that this is the first face of Android Tv and there is yet more to see and I am faithful that most feature that needs root for now, Google might have something on their sleeves, but they are waiting to see how many Nexus Player gets sold, specially after the holidays.
My mom and my step-dad were impressed with the Nexus Player so great, that my step-dad sold me the Google Chromecast as he wanted to have an experience on his own and he really didn't find the Cast environment hard but he liked the more controlled environment of the Nexus Player, so we are buying a second one for me and I will let him take the first one after the second arrives.
I think that is another example that rooting (again, my exception is that a proven restart method gets developed) for now is not needed in base of a normal usage and still haven't got the problem of storage (yet, I know the day will come).
Hi you all,
this is probably not the right forum for this request (I don't have a Shield TV, but a Sony 4K TV with built in Android TV).
But I didn't find a better suitable Forum than this one.
I'm new here and generally relatively new with Android. I only got two Android devices at home:
- an Amazon Fire TV in my office and
- a Sony KD 55x8505c 4K Android TV in the living room.
My Smartphones and Tablets all run on iOS - but I realize more and more that it might be helpful to get a small Android Tablet in the near future to benefit from all possibilities Android offers.
Now to my problem:
I wanna use the German Sky Go App on my Android TV. The current version 1.4.3 is installed an it works. However, it's far from perfect because the menus are out of alignments, you can't see episode numbers and if you click anywhere else than the PLAY button, the app crashes.
I had exactly the same issue on the Amazon Fire TV - but there I found a solution. You simply needed to change the display density by typing "am display-density 280" before starting the app and it works perfect. You can automate that by using the app Tasker. So on Fire TV in the office - everything's perfect.
Now I wanted to achieve the same on my Android TV - and therefore I need your help. The command "am display-density 280" doesn't work an the Android TV. I tried entering it directly through a Shell / Terminal. When I started the Tasker App I couldn't get past the Disclaimer. There was no Accept button to be found. In a different forum I found a possible way for tasker by extracting an already activated tasker version from a different Android Device and installing this version on the Android TV. However, I only got the Fire TV as a different device and I have no idea how to extract the app from the Fire TV including the necessary data. But without knowing the right command to actually change the display-density, Tasker wouldn't help me anyway.
So the most important thing is to find a way to change the display-density to 280 first. Afterwards I need to find a way to automate that when the App is launched. Can you please help me?
Greets
z0dac
Hi,
I'm trying to do the same as you. I also read the Fire TV thread and tried Tasker on my Shield TV, which didn't work.
So i guess i'll set up tasker on my phone to change density to 280 when starting SkyGo and back to standard when leaving the app.
Then i have to backup the app+data - either with Helium (no root) or if that fails (which is likely) with Titanium (root, my Shield TV isn't rooted... yet ).
If i succeed, i could share the Tasker backup with you, if you're interested. I'm busy this week, but i might give it a try next week / weekend.
so here´s what i did:
i changed the display density with the adb command "adb shell wm density 280 %% adb reboot"
i could watch a trailer in sky go, but no luck with live streams or movies. so for now no solution from my side
Thank you!
I finally did it!
I installed Android Studio on my Mac including all SDKs. Then I turned Developer Mode on on my Android TV and connected through adb. With your command I was able to switch the display density to 280 and now finally Sky Go looks and works as it should.
However - now the whole Android TV OS is in density 280. I already noticed that the screen keyboard looks a bit odd.
Now the only thing I miss is the possibility to switch the density only for the Sky Go App. On Fire TV I can do that with Tasker, but on Android TV Tasked doesn't work. If anybody could help me with that...?
Thanks again and
Greets
z0dac
Currently it's kinda hard to navigate because it's not possible to type with joycons. Apps like YouTube are also impossible to use in docked mode. Does anyone already experimented a bit and got a better experience?
You could try to remote control your switch with your smartphone.
Something like DroidMote should work. I might try DroidMote myself but the Server app is paid and I don't really want to add my Google account to the switch (I am not using GAPPS on switch). Maybe buying it on my phone, backing up with Titanium Backup and restoring it on the switch will do the trick.
You *may* be able to get an android tv bluetooth remote and connect it. I have not tried.
Kodi can give you a great dashboard for an htpc setup with a custom theme. You can even have it auto launch when you boot into android so you never see the android interface just a nice tv setup. That's how I have my Android tv boxes. I use one of these style remotes as well for the keyboard:
https://www.amazon.com/ILEBYGO-Back...e+tv+keyboard&qid=1564503866&s=gateway&sr=8-4
You will want to use Android TV apps for landscape apps like youtube etc.
I use one of these when it's in docked mode. Just have the dongle plugged into the dock and you have an easy to use mouse and keyboard.
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Rii-Wireless-Keyboard-Raspberry/dp/B00Z81U3YY
Try hal launcher and the leakback keyboard.
sorry for kidnapping your thread, but when you use docked mode, does it go to fullscreen? Mine stays with black bars up and down... would say that it's not outputting the correct resolution...
Just want to recommend airscreen so you can use it as a Chromecast.
Replace the default launcher with TV Launcher or HALauncher. Use a blue tooth or wireless keyboard until the soft keyboard get fix. The current Amazon Fire TV remote can be paired using blue tooth and works with this android build.
I think would be great if someone with more experience could port this solution https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByIKEmoQi-hpYXBpbV9Sb3JFeVk
It is way to convert Shield Tablet into Android TV Shield. I've found this pdf with guide and files in zips folder. It obviously doesn't flash because Lineage has different file structure, but maybe it doesn't require much tweaking. It would be great, because it comes with Chromecast support and there are plenty Android TV apps which require full Android TV structure.
The scripts itself seems compatable, the only thing that needs proper porting would be TV Gapps. If anyone can port these successfully let me know.
Think it shouldn't be to hard to transform the OS into a Android TV. Just don't have a Switch to play with it, but i really like the Idea... Think i will grab a Switch around Christmas and make it happen...
is it technically possible to implement framerate switching and widevine level 1 support for drm protected content playback in hd in the switch android port?
see my questions here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ni...wers/to-change-tv-refreshrate-docked-t3992615
i'm really curious about that.
would be awesome to watch stuff with the proper refreshrate for smooth playback and the drm protected content in hd in docked mode