The Droid TV thread

My main box atm is a Geniatech produced ATV1800e. Its a S802 box that runs Kitkat with 2 gb of ram, mali 450 gpu, I use it for downloading and watching content. Netflix is in SD due to Drm but i have several signed versions that I can share if you want to test on your devices. I enjoy mashup etc. I also run Sickbeard etc.
 
@JvanD: When you have some free time can you stream these two clips on your version of Netflix to see what maximum bitrates you can achieve. El Fuente 60MP10 and Test Pattern: Downscaling 2997fps 10Min. You should be able to find them both on the US Netflix website. They show the current bitrate in yellow on your screen as the stream ramps up. Some of the Amlogic android machines can reach 1750kbps (720X480) but most of the devices will only achieve 1350kbps (640X480). If your version can reach 1750kbps then I think many of us will be interested.

Lots of people have been asking about using Sickbeard and Couch Potato on these android boxes so we would all be very interested in a short guide on how to use these products on an android media player. Any tips, tricks problem workarounds etc. would also be very useful? Do you have a hard drive connected directly to the ATV1800e or are the downloads being sent elsewhere for storage such as a NAS?

Have you found any decent flash enabled web browsers for the ATV1800e? Most of us are using this Dolphin enabled workaround which can be very unstable.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/help/guide-how-to-play-flash-video-android-4-t2548001

We would also be interested if you are using something better. There are still many good flash based streaming sites like www.shush.se and www.usdrama.net where a decent flash based browser would be very useful. There is also a free version of Hulu for android if you aren't already using it.
 
I am aware of the El Fuente clips that that Netflix has released. The were released to show 4K display and to render different video bit rates on offer. Netflix means business as not many content providers will or can go 4K display. The bit rate on the the devices are part of the DRM and if the Android device vendor is not a GMS certified device they will not be able to obtain HD quality. I have several signed apk's that I can upload and I think its best that each try it on their Android player of choice and check if the results differ as Android OS versions differ. I had better experiences on Netflix on my M3, IMHO, similar to XBOX 360 quality however that was on Android Ice cream sandwich and the media box is almost 4 years old :wtf: My AMlogic device reaches 1350Kpbs in 640x480 which is not good at all. I think it down to the developers however the apk's I have in question have all been "adjusted".

Coach potato or equivalent has not been implemented on Android yet as far as I know.

**Sickbeard does the "searching" for tor and nzb files.

To install Sickbeard on Android you need the following:

1. A properly rooted Android box (Install SuperSU or use alternative method to obtain this)
2. Install SDFIX from the Google Play store (this is to get past the SD card restrictions imposed by Google in Kitkat)
3. Reboot the box after installation.
4. Install Sickbeard for Android in the Google Play store.
5. Follow the prompts and continue with the installation
6. Sickbeard will mention that it needs the Sickbeard runner to be downloaded and also Python to be installed and extracted (continue with the installation steps)
8. Click on Start Sickbeard and the API key will be generated.
9. Sickbeard can be opened by click the browser window.

The setup of Sickbeard is the same as on a personal computer. I can elborate more if you need assistance here with the configuration, but it pretty straight forward where it comes to adding your shows
and selecting the quality that you want. You can use Sickbeard with either tor or usenet files. I use it with a news server intergration as its the fastest and beats BT hands down. If you don't have a news server provider, you can use the normal BT route by setting up incomming folders to "watch" for new content. Sickbeard also has a configurational option where you can specify where it needs
to store the downloaded tor or nzb files for automation.

You can check out http://sickbeard.com/config.html for more configuration information.

** On the downloading side I use NZBGet mobile and Ttorrent that I bought for roughly R30 on Google Play.

Nzbgetmobile is the best native Android usenet downloader out there IMHO. I have 2x 2 terabyte NTFS external hard drives on my ATV 1800e.I also use the 2 flash sites as mentioned, howerver I wish we could get Netflix working as it should.

Has anyone tried XBMCflix or is it no longer supported?
 
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Ah man, I was pretty much ready to place an order for an MXIII, with my only question being about the main differences between the 1GB and 2GB models (I.e. Confirm if the latter has dual band wifi, and if the extra 1GB RAM is pretty much just useful for games and not needed for media playback).

I want it to replace a busted Roku3, and have XBMC so I could check out NTV to test the quality of the sports channel streams (compared with DSTV, which I'd like to be able to get rid of).

But then I saw the comments about Netflix streaming limitations on Android, which I wasn't aware of previously. I tested that Fuentes clip through Netflix on my Samsung TV Smart Hub (peaked at 1980 x 1080), Roku2 (peaked at 1280 x 720), Xperia Z1 (peaked at 720 x 480) and iPad4 (peaked at 640 x 480).

I'm using a 6Mbps connection through a WISP. The Netflix stream seemed to be jumping up and down quite a bit on each device though. All these tests were done within the last hour, and I can't be certain those max resolutions are the general norm or just my results for tonight... I've never tested Netflix resolution in this way previously (I.e. Seeing actual resolution displayed on screen with the video); it's always just been visual perception of quality in the past which always looked "fairly HD" at least.

So now I'm not so sure what to expect from the MXIII... Can anyone with a connection capable of full HD streaming quality who uses Netflix on a DroidTV please confirm for me what resolution they are able to achieve? I saw the comment about the DroidTV spoofing the firmware of a Nexus, but there wasn't confirmation of whether or not this did the trick. (And any feedback about NTV quality of sports streams compared with DSTV would be great too, if anyone pays for and has tested the service). Thanks!
 
@Abzolute: The resolution limitations in android are imposed by Netflix in order to reduce the load on cell networks in the US. The Netflix app gets updated several times a month so they may remove the current limitations in the future. Personally I think that the quality at the highest resolution on the MXIII is quite acceptable. The S802 is one of the best media player processors on the market currently. It definitely has the best picture quality that I've ever experienced from such a device. The Antutu scores are very close to those of the top of the range Qualcomm and Nvidia processors used in the latest cell phones. Most i7 laptops would struggle with 4K video playback. I have sent you a file via PM of different screenshots which I captured from my MXIII.

There is much more recent high quality content available from XBMC and other web based sources that I think you may find yourself using Netflix less and less. I am sure that you will find that this media player will open up a whole lot of new streaming possibilities that you never knew existed!

@JvanD: Many thanks for that very useful guide to Sickbeard. Can you leave the unit downloading 24/7 without any lockups or crashes? Do you get similar download speeds to a PC doing the same function?
 
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Abzolute said:
Ah man, I was pretty much ready to place an order for an MXIII, with my only question being about the main differences between the 1GB and 2GB models (I.e. Confirm if the latter has dual band wifi, and if the extra 1GB RAM is pretty much just useful for games and not needed for media playback).

But then I saw the comments about Netflix streaming limitations on Android, which I wasn't aware of previously. I tested that Fuentes clip through Netflix on my Samsung TV Smart Hub (peaked at 1980 x 1080), Roku2 (peaked at 1280 x 720), Xperia Z1 (peaked at 720 x 480) and iPad4 (peaked at 640 x 480).
I'm using a 6Mbps connection through a WISP.
Click to expand...
My personal opinion is go for the 2GB option, if only for future proofing. New services are popping up (like vidi) and maybe their apps may be able to make use of the extra ram. I read somewhere that due to DRM, Netflix has limited the speed of it's Android app, and there is a chance that they will increase it in the future.

If you don't mind me asking, which WISP are you using and how much does it cost? My Telkom ADSL line has not been very stable.
 
Just to add to the mix, if all you're wanting is streaming, I understand, but any Android box will beat the competition hands down on what it's capable of (short of an expensive Windows box). So many more options.
@JvanD, do you mind if I add your instructions for Sickbeard to the OP?
 
@Yotch: Thanks for the feedback and screenshots! I actually tried running those 4k Youtube clips on my laptop which has an i7 processor... the video froze and I only got audio, so it's impressive that the MXIII would be able to handle that.

Considering I currently use Netflix, it would be great if they removed that bandwidth limitation. I'm interested to check out those other sources via XBMC and others though - I'll check back through this thread and another on mybb about streaming tv where I spotted some mentioned.

@balky: That's actually the exact thinking I had as well; spend the extra R300 now for the 2GB model (which I understand does have some other hardware advantages over and above the specifically stated extra RAM and bluetooth support). So I'm in agreement there.

My WISP is Level-7, who are really great! They only cover the Centurion area, however. I currently pay R900 a month for 6Mpbs down / 1Mbps up.

@Arietans: I hear you, and it's exactly the reason I'm seriously considering the Android box - for the extra options.
 
@Yotch, my unit runs 24/7 and I never experience lock ups or temp issues. I'm saving hundreds of rands on electricity by not using a traditional PC. I am on a business package and I get full speed similar to PC.

@Arietans, you are welcome to do so.

Amlogic devices are better than Rockchip devices and SDK are released more frequently. As for the memory, there is no speed boost, you can just run more applications at the same time without a problem on Android. As for gaming and future proofing I would say get a 2 GIG unit. I watch a BD50 video with DTS HD master audio enabled while downloading at full speed and scraping with Sickbeard, no lag, no fuss.

I wanted something more versatile than Roku 3 and these units do offer it. I have learnt a great deal from these units and I'm moving away from traditional PC as I don't believe it belongs in a living room.
 
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If I'm honest, my streaming usage is actually rather limited (Netflix included, though my wife uses it more, and Hulu Plus is pretty much unused, with the ads just too annoying). So a good, capable and versatile media center would actually be much more useful for me.

@JvanD: From your description of your usage, it sounds like you're saying you use a unit with 1GB RAM, running those apps / functions simultaneously with no issues? I agree on the future proofing suggestion though.

Your point about running your unit 24/7, and not needing to use a traditional PC setup is very appealing... I've got a PC running and used solely as a Plex media server for the rest of the house. I've never used XBMC before, because at the time I looked into Plex vs XBMC, it seemed that though XBMC was more versatile and customisable, it was more of a single viewing environment solution. I liked that Plex was fairly simple in allowing direct or transcoded streaming to other devices around the house over the wifi network.

So it's pretty obvious what my next question is ;)... Is there either a way of running a Plex media server on Android, or can XBMC perform similar media server streaming functions that Plex can (which I'd assume you'd then need to access via DLNA from other devices, or is there something else similar to the Plex client app)?

BTW, I don't know that I'm sold on using a NAS instead of the current PC... I think it would take quite a long time to save the cost of a decent NAS (that can support transcoding) in electricity used on the PC.
 
@Abzolute My unit was 1 gig as it was a prototype, but I managed to change the resistance of the Mbox board to allow for 2 Gig memory. I love tinkering with theses devices, I could'nt see a change in Antutu scoring or any other scoring. I am able to run more background processes more fluently with the additional gig of memory. Google TV is in its infancy with Google only sending development boxes to the community within the last month or so.

Plex media server cannot be run on these devices as Plex thinks that all media boxes are the same. This might change in the near future. Transcoding can be done IMHO on these devices as they are powerful enough but no source code exists for the public and Plex needs to release it, but I think at this stage they wont. I would certainly buy a PlexPass if this became a reality and have everything running on a 5 watt media box instead of a 600 watt power hungry PC. Only Plex client client currently exists on Android.

XBMC has DLNA when you enable it, to use with your smart TV or similar device, but it doesn't have the "tagging" information that you'd get from running a plex media server on NAS or PC. Its pretty much folder based and I need the extra "bells and whistles" to make it look good and of course it needs to perform well. I'm also interested in buying a NAS but then again if I can stream it, why should I download it? Space constraints are always and issue for me and I would like to go "green" so to speak and ensure that I save some power in the process without the need for a PC. I work with PC's and servers everyday so a change is welcome in my living room. With the new versions of Android coming out we should see some changes as how NTV and IPTV are implemented. Google doesn't have all of the answers yet and it can be seen how they implement changes to their DRM and GMS policies.
 
@JvanD: You raise some very interesting points! Right now, I'd be getting an Android box more out of interest than necessity. That's a big reason to get one in itself though ;) And I'm fully with you about the "bells and whistles"... I want it to look good and perform well, and also not be a mission for others in the house to use for media playback.

I did come across some article about Google TV being on the horizon, and what it may bring to the media box landscape. That sounds like it's in line with what you mention about the new Android versions coming out, so it's an interesting space to watch. I'd like to think this latest MXIII box has the hardware to support what's coming up and hopefully beyond for a while too, so I guess there's no time like the present to start getting involved!
 
@ Yotch, I've found some good news. I can play fullscreen flash based streams again with Dolphin browser on my M8 player.
Original problem was that flash not working on Kitkat, solved this by installing altered flash with Dolphin browser. Then the fullscreen problem came up. As soon as you entered fullscreen on the M8 based boxes with a Flash stream it would hang.

The problem it seems was related to Adobe Flash wants to hide statusbar(but it's already hidden via the Mbox settings in Display). The moment I disabled the auto hide setting of Statusbar" and used Dolphin browser, the webstreams played just fine in fullscreen.
So for now I'm happy and it works for me on Dolphin and altered Adobe flash
Tutorial on this thread(new link to altered flash on page 81):http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/help/guide-how-to-play-flash-video-android-4-t2548001
Now just to find a quick way of enabling/disabling of hide of statusbar;)

Ok and here is some worrying news for future Netflix-android:http://help.unotelly.com/support/solutions/articles/199318-netflix-3-7-2-not-working-on
 
@Phrozin, Unotelly works fine with Netflix on Android. I foresee no problems and I am currently on the 3.7.2 release on my Android box. Thanks for the heads up, always good to know these things.
 
JvanD said:
@Phrozin, Unotelly works fine with Netflix on Android. I foresee no problems and I am currently on the 3.7.2 release on my Android box. Thanks for the heads up, always good to know these things.
Click to expand...
Aah, cool then,I'm running older version on my M8,so me still happy. Thought there would be problem upgrading the android app in future. Thanks for feedback;)
 
Yotch said:
@imranpanji: Enjoy the new machine! When you've had some time to learn how to use it, maybe you can sideload the Antutu Video Tester app and let us know what formats it can play? I used the second link to download the Video Tester from the Google Play Store in case you haven't installed it yet.
https://www.sendspace.com/file/1850ud
http://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
Click to expand...

@Yotch, just managed to fix my TV. My tod had poured the contents of his water bottle into it :mad: so too late to start playing with FireTV.

My question would be, does it lock into a particular location. I am subscribed to Hulu US, but don't wanna loss my BBC iPlayer. Do I set this up as UK or US?
 
@imranpanji: If you bought the FTV from the US then I think it will only have the US apps like Hulu Plus installed. You will either need to sideload the two BBC iPlayer apps or access iPlayer from XBMC. There is now also a UK version of the Fire TV. Once the apps are installed you should be able to access the content using a DNS service with a UK IP address such as Unotelly.

You usually have to install two apps - The BBC Media Player app as well as the BBC iPlayer app. You may need to search for a working pair as the latest versions sometimes don't work together on some hardware. The Minix forums recommend this version of Media Player 2.1.1 (second red link) together with the latest 4.2.0.100 BBC iPlayer app
http://www.minixforum.com/threads/major-apps-tested-on-x8-x8h.926/
Latest iPlayer 4.2.0.100 app
https://www.sendspace.com/file/kt25e4

You could also look at this thread for some other options ...
http://www.reddit.com/r/fireTV/comments/2fj9ou/bbc_iplayer_anyone/
iPlayer confirmed to be working on FTV using an additional input device (wireless mouse etc.) ...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2715584

This Amazon reviewer has written a good guide to getting your FTV running, sideloading apps etc. ...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member..._pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview
 
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@Yotch, thanks for the info. Will install some time this week and post results
 
Hi all, Some of the streams in Buzzy Sports on Mashup addon Like LFCTV & MUTV seems to have stopped working recently. Has anyone else experienced this. TIA
 
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