For anyone who is interested, I have both a Slingbox Pro & a Hava/Monsoon/Vulkano Pro.
Both of these devices have Android players available to stream live TV to your phone although the Vulkano app is a free DL & the Sling app is $30 (it should be free)
These two devices are completely different & each has distinct advantages over the other. The Vulkano records to a 1 TB hard drive so it works as a DVR but only at 720p resolution & if you want to watch it on your phone you need to record at an even lower resolution.
The Slingbox has two tuners in it, which is really handy as I can hook my High Def cable box to one tuner & basic cable to the other. I can then watch a different channel on the phone than the home TV is set on. The Slingbox will work fine with no TV connection at all, which is a HUGE advantage over the Vulkano which has no internal tuner at all.
The Vulcano HAS to be hooked to a TV & then it only provides a 720p signal to the TV which is a noticeable downgrade in picture quality on my 50" LCD TV. It does provide really good quality streaming video quality however, better than the Slingbox on the phone.
So basically, the Vulkano gives a better image on your phone, but degrades the image on the TV it's hooked to. The Slingbox doesn't need a TV connection at all, but doesn't record & charges for the software app.
there is a way to get free app for sling, sorta if you subscribe to dish i believe their dish app connects to their sling adapter and you can sling for free as long as you are subscribed to their satellite service, one thing i am sure of they have an android app because i have seen it in the market and its free.
Which one will let you burn the show to a disc from your laptop? Or add items already on your dvr to the device to take and watch?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
'Taint bad, better than a dingbox pro
btucker2003 said:
Which one will let you burn the show to a disc from your laptop? Or add items already on your dvr to the device to take and watch?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do both with the Vulkano.
I also had the slingbox pro and it was giving me a jacked up pic on Win 7, tried everything (some posts said to change win themes, etc.- none of it worked, which is why I got a Vulkano).
The only real drawbacks to the Vulkano are that it doesn't record to your PC in HD and only passes 720p resolution to the TV (from what I've read- not a big deal if you have an HDMI cable running to your TV and component running to the Vulkano, which I do), and it only has capability for one video input at a time (so no hooking up your DVD player and TV at the same time).
One of the cool features of the Vulkano is that you can record whatever program you're watching directly onto the laptop you're watching it on, or you can record it to an external hard drive connected to the Vulkano- you choose. Plus you can program remote signals into the vulkano (I haven't done it yet, so I don't know how well it works). It also records into mp4 format (H.264).
I bought a component switch ($26) that works by remote and plan on hooking up my blue ray that does streaming netflix so I can get whatever I want streaming from netflix onto my HTC HD2 (with dual boot to android- vulkano doesn't have an ap for windows based phones as of yet, I know, it's supposed to- but they can still play the mp4s).
I can let you know how it works out once it arrives if you like.
TestTube / Havafun
This is for anyone stuck with an older tv-box like the Hava Player [myhava.com/havamobileplayer.html] (Monsoon's predecessor to it's Vulkano products) i have. Check out [sites.google.com/site/overvoltagesoft/home/testtube] Over Voltage Soft's TestTube (avail. in market). TestTube is an:
Application for Android powered devices that allows owners of Hava place-shifter devices to watch and control their TV.
TestTube doesn't work like the commercial Hava Software that you've probably downloaded directly from Moonson Media. Instead of requiring a Username and Password to connect to your Hava, TestTube requires only the IP address of the device. Since this is a homebrew project that is unaffiliated with Monsoon Media, TestTube does not have access to the login servers which normally redirect you to your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being that I run Ubuntu and there is no native client support I have to manually watch through the crappy RTSP stream and use just-barely-working scripts (see below) to channel change and all that. See: [sourceforge.net/projects/havafun] Havafun - A package of shell binaries that talk directly to the Hava video streaming device, control key features from the command line (particularly on linux), grab high quality "local" video stream (particularly on linux) for eventual inclusion into MythTV. I imagine almost the same thing could be done from an android box if anyone was interested and proficient enough.
Hope these links helped someone out heh look at me blatantly spamming some guy's app i'll be expecting my check in the mail, overvolatesoft developer guy.
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Yes you can side load it with sideload launcher. But as far as the sexiness I would imagine its less than stellar. I've noticed most apps run great that are side loaded but the screen resolution for the apps are not optimized for the player. Meaning some apps will cut off the sides or top of the screen.
However on the plus side...
The plexpass app for the player looks and functions beautifully.
Super easy and fast to navigate.
I was very impressed with the plexpass app.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he said. The sideload version *works*, but the official version is so much better. SIdeload one doesn't show on homescreen, no 5.1 surround, no display of movies on home screen, no searchability. Official does 5.1 passthrough, can be searched from the menu, and is aesthetically perfect for the Nexus Player.
Historically, plex pass-only features make their way to the regular app after a month or two. In this case, at least for me, I am absolutely fine with paying $4 or $8 for such an amazing UI. Oh, and it does all kinds of neat category sections when browsing - "Top movies by Ivan Reitman" or "Top unwatched Comedy" if you watch a lot of comedies. It's almost netflix-like...but even better looking.
Also, if you're gonna use it...get a USB NIC adapter. Even over AC, HD streaming is laggy. Having a solid LAN connection will always trump wifi in my mind.
digitalhigh said:
What he said. The sideload version *works*, but the official version is so much better. SIdeload one doesn't show on homescreen, no 5.1 surround, no display of movies on home screen, no searchability. Official does 5.1 passthrough, can be searched from the menu, and is aesthetically perfect for the Nexus Player.
Historically, plex pass-only features make their way to the regular app after a month or two. In this case, at least for me, I am absolutely fine with paying $4 or $8 for such an amazing UI. Oh, and it does all kinds of neat category sections when browsing - "Top movies by Ivan Reitman" or "Top unwatched Comedy" if you watch a lot of comedies. It's almost netflix-like...but even better looking.
Also, if you're gonna use it...get a USB NIC adapter. Even over AC, HD streaming is laggy. Having a solid LAN connection will always trump wifi in my mind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you recommend a NIC adapter? I bought one on Amazon and it doesn't work with the Nexus Player. It's supposed to be pretty much automatic once connected, right?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBZF20W/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree with the others... I sideloaded and bought the plex pass.. IMHO, not worth the extra money... Sideloaded version works just fine.. I personally dont need the bells and whistles of searching for movies or seeing suggestions from the home screen.
You can easily see the app via Sideload Launcher... Plex works perfectly on both the sideloaded and the plex pass version.
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I side loaded Plex for android but it pretty much unusable for me. Any of my files with DTS audio will not play with sound when forcing direct play (no transcoding). Basically audio pass through for all 5.1 formats is broke.
Kodi/xbmc works as it supposed to but that is not how I want my player to function I feel like I'm booting into another os to play my media. I want the full integration with the launcher and search. Kodi does not do this.
Lastly I have a HD homerun prime that will stream my Comcast cable to my network devices. They are working on a app but from what I have been reading there is no MPEG2 hardware decoding. Seems Asus or google didn't license the codec. Huge fail for me and has got me contemplating on retuning it. A question for you could this codec be added with a custom kernel or rom? Or is this entirely at the mercy of Asus or google? If this won't be implemented im sending it back.
I love the player interface because of it simplicity my family immediately picked it up and figured it out unlike my kodi/xbmc setups. So if I can get the updated interface Plex app with out paying a monthly subscription and mpeg2 hardware decoding support I will purchase one for every TV. Until then this device isn't cutting it for me.
Guys with Plex pass....is direct play and audio pass through for DTS working for you?
WhiteWidows said:
I side loaded Plex for android but it pretty much unusable for me. Any of my files with DTS audio will not play with sound when forcing direct play (no transcoding). Basically audio pass through for all 5.1 formats is broke.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you install Plex For Android, I recommend changing the layout to tv rather than mobile, then set the Device Media Profile to "External Player." If you pair that with a good video player app, you can play almost anything (even with dts) stutter-free without needing to transcode. I use MX Player with the x86 version of DTS custom codec, and all hardware decoding options enabled; works perfectly so far. Hopefully the officially supported Plex app will re-add some of these features in time; I don't understand why the ui was completely changed and most of the advanced features/options removed to "best support" the Nexus Player, when the ui of Plex For Android is working lightning fast with no major issues so far.
Ok audio passthrough works for both dts and dd?
What about direct playable video codecs? Is it like chromecast x264 only or does it support other codecs as well. I wish it played video as good as on my Samsung. Then it's a good option to our bedroom TV.
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MX Player? I have it working, but no 5.1 options.. I used the custom codec, and can play DTS, etc - but its all 2.0 - Are there no 5.1 pass through options that work? Does anything besides Netflix and Google Play even have any kind of 5.1 support?
biosystemics said:
If you install Plex For Android, I recommend changing the layout to tv rather than mobile, then set the Device Media Profile to "External Player." If you pair that with a good video player app, you can play almost anything (even with dts) stutter-free without needing to transcode. I use MX Player with the x86 version of DTS custom codec, and all hardware decoding options enabled; works perfectly so far. Hopefully the officially supported Plex app will re-add some of these features in time; I don't understand why the ui was completely changed and most of the advanced features/options removed to "best support" the Nexus Player, when the ui of Plex For Android is working lightning fast with no major issues so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didnt know the tv layout setting existed, thanks for that suggestion!
I have a plex server and I havent been able to get 5.1 to work with plex on the NP at all yet. Things I have tried:
-Plex for Android app
-Plex for Android app + MX Player as external player, with the custom codec pack
-Plex for PlexPass Users
XBMC Gotham does work like a charm for 5.1 audio. I connected it up to my media share, enabled Passthrough and Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver (Settings -Advanced Settings Level- > System > Audio)
I was not using any addons, btw.
I still have not tried XBMC Helix.
I prefer Plex's Interface and the Plex Server over XBMC's setup... So has anyone else figured out 5.1 audio for Plex on the Nexus Player? For me it really is not that big of an issue, the NP will be the entertainment box for the kid's tv (no surround system) upstairs, so I dont really require 5.1 audio... but I would still like it to work, and would consider it for my main system if it did.
---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 AM ----------
d2globalinc said:
MX Player? I have it working, but no 5.1 options.. I used the custom codec, and can play DTS, etc - but its all 2.0 - Are there no 5.1 pass through options that work? Does anything besides Netflix and Google Play even have any kind of 5.1 support?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sideloaded XBMC, with passthrough enabled in settings
ok just got the NP all hooked up, its badass, much better than roku/samsung smart bluray, I sideloaded plex but pulled the trigger on one month of plexpass, I hope they make it free/integrate it into the android app but I have a feeling they will change for the nexus player app seperately or require plexpass for good... Its really nice for now though. Sideloaded Kodi and that works great too.
Does sideload launcher show the sideloaded Plex app?
For some reason that is the only app that doesnt show in the sideload launcher for me.
psychicsword said:
Does sideload launcher show the sideloaded Plex app?
For some reason that is the only app that doesnt show in the sideload launcher for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope gotta launch it from app settings
defconoi said:
ok just got the NP all hooked up, its badass, much better than roku/samsung smart bluray, I sideloaded plex but pulled the trigger on one month of plexpass, I hope they make it free/integrate it into the android app but I have a feeling they will change for the nexus player app seperately or require plexpass for good... Its really nice for now though. Sideloaded Kodi and that works great too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you like it, as do I, I love the interface and voice search capabilities, but as everyone is saying its not a finished product. All I want to work right now is Plex 5.1 audio with no trans-coding, and MPEG2 hardware decoding. Then it will be perfect for my living room.
I see you said your a kernel dev, well im looking for some collaborators to get mpeg2 hw decoding working on this device. I opened a dev thread and have been trying to build ffmpeg into android x86 hoping this will enable it. So far my builds have been failing. If you can help me out drop me a pm.
Ive been going off this documentation.
https://software.intel.com/en-us/android/blogs/2013/12/06/building-ffmpeg-for-android-on-x86
Also have you herd any chatter on anyone working on a custom recover for the NP?
I have been using Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) and it works like a charm. I'm running the latest beta 2 version, so I experience a crash or two from time to time, but other than that it works wonderfully. 720p content scales up very nicely to my hd screen (even 480p). I have no issues streaming 1080p content from my NAS to the box. I have a 802.11ac network, and I have not tested it with a n network, though.
Hi fellows,
I currently own an Xbox 360 and a Rasperry Pi running OpenElec. The Xbox 360 is used for games and Netflix while OpenElec is running Kodi to play the local media on my NAS. I am looking to replace my RPi with a device that will be able to have the following features :
- Kodi. I tried Plex and didn't like it.
- Netflix (Because my X360 is really noisy and pisses me off)
- Google Play Music
- Google Play Movies (for Renting and already owned)
- Spotify
- Small mobile games
- Can use my phone to remote control
- Chromecast feature to cast my computer screen
I think that the Nexus Player can handle all that, however I wonder how good and stable is the NP at accomplishing these tasks. I am very familiar with Android (been using it for over 4 years on my phones) and I am tech-savvy. I would like however a simple and stable solution where my wife and kids can play with the device easily. I was able to achieve that easiness and stability with OpenElec, but I am looking for a device that will be able to be much more than just a Kodi player.
I think the direct competitor to the NP is the Roku. Roku cannot run Kodi, but has the Google Play Music and Movies available. However, I have seen numerous issues about renting movies through Google Movies not working on Roku. Has anyone ever rented a movie on Google Play Movies on the NP and had issues ? Is this service stable ? Renting through Google Play Movies is cheaper than my local TV provider, so I'm thinking about making the switch to Google. Or any other suggestions than Google Play Movies ? Netflix Canada selection really sucks.
I'm not looking to spend more money than a Nexus Player. The NVidia Shield TV is out of the question and the Amazon Fire TV does not seem to be available in Canada. The Roku and the NP are my 2 viable options as far as I know. I like Android, so the NP looks very interesting. However I wouldn't want to buy the NP to find out that it cannot do everything I want it to do.
Thanks for any input !
Neo.
The Nexus Player will handle almost everything in your list.
* Kodi works quite well on the Nexus Player. It can be downloaded directly from Google Play which means it will automatically update and won't require sideloading APKs.
* Netflix comes preinstalled on this device and generally works fine as long as your Nexus Player has Android v5.1.1 build LMY48J installed. You might want to adjust your TV's aspect ratio modes while watching movies if the black bars from widescreen content bother you. I don't use the app very often so perhaps other users can comment on things like surround sound support.
* Google Play Music comes preinstalled on this device and is linked to your account like the rest of the apps from Google. The only issue I see with it is that the on-screen album cover doesn't move around like it does when you cast from the app but the Nexus Player's "Daydream" screen saver mode cycles through different images after a few minutes without user interaction. Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) will support Bluetooth audio streaming which means you can pair the Nexus Player with a sound bar and play music that way.
* Google Play Movies comes preinstalled and seems to work fine. It probably is the most convenient option to rent or purchase movies or TV shows on this device. I don't use this service enough to say much about it but the free movies I have in my account are synced and easily accessible. As with Netflix, you may want to adjust your TV's aspect ratio during playback.
* Spotify is the only thing in your list that doesn't work well on the Nexus Player. You can try sideloading the app but it may not be easy to use with a remote. The developers of Spotify don't support casting either, as far as I'm aware.
* You can download Android TV games from the Google Play Store and some of them will be playable with the remote but others will require a gamepad. You can either use a separate Bluetooth gamepad or root your Nexus Player and pair a PS3 or PS4 controller with it using the paid Sixaxis Controller app.
* Yes, you can use your phone to control the Nexus Player with the free Android TV Remote Control app from Google. It is rather basic, though, compared to a paid root app combination like DroidMote Server & Droidmote Client which is definitely more versatile. If you're willing to buy a Flirc infrared USB dongle for about $24 USD, you can even use a universal remote to control the Nexus Player. I have one and it works very well after being programmed for convenient usage with my Philips SRP5107 universal remote.
* Casting to the Nexus Player generally works well but there may be a few apps which work better with an actual Chromecast. I prefer casting to the Nexus Player because it supports 5 GHz wireless AC while the Chromecast only supports 2.4 GHz wireless N.
I've never used a Roku device but the Nexus Player provides great value for the price and you can do a lot with it (especially if it's rooted). As for the limited content selection of Netflix Canada, you can use a smart DNS service such as UnoTelly to "change your region" and access content that's licensed for other countries. UnoTelly even offers a free trial and up to 3 free months of service if you mention them positively on social media. In conclusion, let's answer your question. Is the Nexus Player right for you? I certainly think so.
spookyneo said:
Hi fellows,
I currently own an Xbox 360 and a Rasperry Pi running OpenElec. The Xbox 360 is used for games and Netflix while OpenElec is running Kodi to play the local media on my NAS. I am looking to replace my RPi with a device that will be able to have the following features :
- Kodi. I tried Plex and didn't like it.
- Netflix (Because my X360 is really noisy and pisses me off)
- Google Play Music
- Google Play Movies (for Renting and already owned)
- Spotify
- Small mobile games
- Can use my phone to remote control
- Chromecast feature to cast my computer screen
I think that the Nexus Player can handle all that, however I wonder how good and stable is the NP at accomplishing these tasks. I am very familiar with Android (been using it for over 4 years on my phones) and I am tech-savvy. I would like however a simple and stable solution where my wife and kids can play with the device easily. I was able to achieve that easiness and stability with OpenElec, but I am looking for a device that will be able to be much more than just a Kodi player.
I think the direct competitor to the NP is the Roku. Roku cannot run Kodi, but has the Google Play Music and Movies available. However, I have seen numerous issues about renting movies through Google Movies not working on Roku. Has anyone ever rented a movie on Google Play Movies on the NP and had issues ? Is this service stable ? Renting through Google Play Movies is cheaper than my local TV provider, so I'm thinking about making the switch to Google. Or any other suggestions than Google Play Movies ? Netflix Canada selection really sucks.
I'm not looking to spend more money than a Nexus Player. The NVidia Shield TV is out of the question and the Amazon Fire TV does not seem to be available in Canada. The Roku and the NP are my 2 viable options as far as I know. I like Android, so the NP looks very interesting. However I wouldn't want to buy the NP to find out that it cannot do everything I want it to do.
Thanks for any input !
Neo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would agree with all answers above, only thing that I'll add is that its a shame the community isn't larger or more active.
BUt with the addition of a couple of additional peripherals can also be considerably more user friendly.
(I looked for this but search seems to be busted)
Anyone know the situation with getting live TV on the Shield? I bought one to replace the Android TV function of my POS Philips 4K TV, which is so full of bugs as to be unusable and no fix coming from Philips. So far everything is great - fast, remote works all the time, stable - but no TV. I'd like to get my channels working with Live Channels because of the superior UI and the ability to record in the future. Don't want to use kodi or any other third-party TV apps.
I set up a dvblogic server on my NAS and using their beta dvblogic Live app am able to see the guide and switch channels in Live Channels but it doesn't correctly identify language tracks and subtitles don't work at all, and dvblogic have announced that they are abandoning the app's development to concentrate on their own fugly, proprietary app.
I saw that someone has released a hacked kernel with support for USB tuners, though it's for making Kodi work; in theory from what I've read about live channels it ought to just sort of work with supported tuners. Has anyone tried this?
Aside from the hacked kernel are there any other options? I have both DVB-T and IPTV available to me, and while I'd prefer IPTV I'll take whatever I can get. I was sort of hoping that when I connected the Shield to my router it would just find the IPTV channels and put them in the guide. Silly me.
Why dont you just IPTV Pro, there is a free version on Google Play Store. Im using it and its works perfectly with no problems...
Sent from my SM-G935F using XDA-Developers mobile app
I think the best solution with a NAS is :
- tvheadend server on the NAS with a tuner
- tvheadend client on the shield : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ie.macinnes.tvheadend
But if you have IPTV, it's the easiest solution
You can use Cumulus TV to add m3u8 files in Android Live Channels : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.felkertech.n.cumulustv
Hauppauge
hi
I am trying to get my usb Hauppauge DVB-T2 working on my NVIDIA shield. I have been looking how to do this for several days and cant find any answers that work for me.
I have installed HDHomerun so i can see the live channels app. I also have a VPN and have set it to the USA. I dont want to pay plex.
If anyone can give me a step by step on how to get this working would be great?
Do you want to watch live TV on your phone? It turns out that you have a wide range of options to choose from, with the majority of them being reasonably priced. We looked at a variety of live TV apps, going over listings and other people's recommendations before trying them out and selecting the ones we thought were good enough to recommend.
I own a CHANNEL MASTER Android set top box. I bought the thing so that I can continue to enjoy Over The Air free ATSC broadcast tv. The CHANNEL MASTER via GOOGLE's LIVE CHANNELS app lets me view,schedule and DVR.
I buy an ANDROID Tv with the hope to plug in my antenna and a formatted USB harddrive and use LIVE CHANNELS app to do the same. I read somewhere that some European models (Phillips) allow OTA, dvr and provide EPG. LIVE CHANNELS app on my HISENSE 43A6G (a native GOOGLE app) does nothing !! No EPG No DVR option !!
Can someone here point me to how to MOD the LIVE CHANNELS app to enable these options. Has anyone even considered this ? I seems obvious that an ANTENNA tv should at least provide EPG.
It's next to unbelievable that any ANDROID smart tv with LIVE CHANNELS app lacks OTA dvr and EPG capabilities !!
Android TV puts a focus on helping you discover the content you can enjoy on your TV, whether it's through one of your subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Google Play Music, or from your own personal media collection via media center software like Plex.
?????
Not an answer to my question.
Find a copy of the app from the euro TV and install it.