Smart TVs running Android - about time.

[jonnyscot]

I'll be the first one to confess to being a dumb purchaser of a smart tv, went and bought a samsung 7000 model expecting or assuming I could simply install similar apps as available on android for streaming, looks like I can't install a chrome cast or similar to watch UK or us channels or sporting events, I have managed to change location settings and add a VPN to my router to view some UK stuff and better app selection on the tv, but the bbc I player is a waste of space and has too much buffering via the wifi anyway, I'll try and reroute my Ethernet cable directly to the tv to see if that helps

[LivinLOS]

Integrated is usually a good thing, though it turns out not so good when marrying a TV Display and a Internet Media System (the smart or the smart-tv combo).

Android OS, abilities, and its requirements change every year. While most people have android or iOS on their SmartPhone they immediately recognize the vast improvements when they get a new device 2-3 years later. TV's usually last a LOT longer, but it the smart electronics are integrated there is no method of upgrading or swapping it out. People end up adding an external media player device and ignore the one built-in once it's exhausted it's usefulness. Better to get an add-on device, swap it out as needed.

There is the allure to have one remote to control them all but at what cost, Mr Baggins?

Not completely accurate. Samsung Smart TV's have an upgrade module you can purchase and LG does OTA Updates that keep your TV up to date.

Most people are familiar with Android, but LG's WebOS is a much faster and easier to use. The downside is LG does not have as many available Apps as Android.

Keep in mind, apps need to be designed for large TV's or they don't look good.

Really tho theres simply no media platform as powerful and extendable as kodi.. Once you start to get used to that level of integration, home / hosted media, categorized and metadata'd.. Acestream and IPTV.. tablet remote control.. whole house pause resume features.. etc etc..

How can you go back to other interfaces ??

Sure plex etc is ok, its just so much less extendable...

Suggesting webOS, when theres no kodi client, total nonstarter if you want top tier 'smart' functions.

[rambling]

^^

What sort of hardware are you using for Kodi?

[LivinLOS]

^^

What sort of hardware are you using for Kodi?

I bought a whole batch of amazon fireTVs on discount, great balance of ease of use, good remote, etc etc that some of the android boxes fail at.

Also helps that amazon is subsidizing (I guess) the hardware to make it back in prime.. I have literally never used the fire box as anything other than kodi clients.

EDIT :: words of advice if going whole home system.. Buy one extra box or have a sacrificial 'test bed' box for an unimportant bedroom.. I have one box I sort of use as a testbed in my office, once I am fully happy with how the testbed functions as I tweak it I then just use adbfire app from my office desktop to backup that setup and restore the tweaked / customized kodi build to all the other boxes through the house over the network. No setting up each box in turn, and a totally uniform experience in each of the smart 'nodes' on the home.

Edited January 24, 2015 by LivinLOS

[rambling]

^^

What sort of hardware are you using for Kodi?

I bought a whole batch of amazon fireTVs on discount, great balance of ease of use, good remote, etc etc that some of the android boxes fail at.

Also helps that amazon is subsidizing (I guess) the hardware to make it back in prime.. I have literally never used the fire box as anything other than kodi clients.

Got one for sale by any chance? :-)

It does look like a pretty powerful box, higher specs than most of the other boxes/sticks I've seen.

[LivinLOS]

55 no sorry but they are cheap.. Just ebay new sealed ones..

Before I used HTPCs and xbmc on openelec.. But android kodi is the way to go.. Small silent low power draw and powerful enough for 1080 video codecs.

[Benjie]

The Newest Raspberry Pi looks like it will work well for Kodi, You can power it over the USB Port of your TV as well (I think).

[Chicog]

Your Samsung Smart TVs are listening to you....

Let's go to another room so the TV can't hear us! Samsung's smart TVs don't just respond to your commands now – they also tell a third party what you're saying while you sit in from of them.

Sharp-eyed folks have spotted Samsung's confession to that this effect in the UK privacy policy for its SmartTV range. The section on voice recognition kicks off with the anodyne: “To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service that converts speech to text or to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you.”

[Streamtopia]

^^

What sort of hardware are you using for Kodi?

I bought a whole batch of amazon fireTVs on discount, great balance of ease of use, good remote, etc etc that some of the android boxes fail at.

Also helps that amazon is subsidizing (I guess) the hardware to make it back in prime.. I have literally never used the fire box as anything other than kodi clients.

Got one for sale by any chance? :-)

It does look like a pretty powerful box, higher specs than most of the other boxes/sticks I've seen.

Hi rambling,

We provide Amazon Fire TV with XBMC preinstalled. For more information, please visit our website or our post on this forum.

Happy Streaming

[rambling]

^^

What sort of hardware are you using for Kodi?

I bought a whole batch of amazon fireTVs on discount, great balance of ease of use, good remote, etc etc that some of the android boxes fail at.

Also helps that amazon is subsidizing (I guess) the hardware to make it back in prime.. I have literally never used the fire box as anything other than kodi clients.

Got one for sale by any chance? :-)

It does look like a pretty powerful box, higher specs than most of the other boxes/sticks I've seen.

Hi rambling,

We provide Amazon Fire TV with XBMC preinstalled. For more information, please visit our website or our post on this forum.

Happy Streaming

Hi, thanks but I already bought one from the US. Cost $125 after shipping and taxes, or about 4,000 THB.