Database Users

Amazon announces the Fire TV Stick

Amazon has announced the Fire TV Stick this morning. It is capable of the full Fire TV experience. It's $39, but for 2 days only Prime members can pre-order it for $19. It has 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, a dual-core processor, and dual band MIMO wifi.
It comes with a basic remote that doesn't support voice search, although it is compatible with both the voice remote and game controller. There is no ethernet or optical audio. It cannot be powered through HDMI, so it needs external power.
Here is a comparison chart.

Since xmas is coming...
This could be a too much of a wish, but I was wondering sth:
I have a Motorola Lapdock and I see people use that device with the andorid TV sticks together as a portable laptop/tablet kinda device. I was looking for those sticks but most of them have bad reviews and outdated hardware for today. Amazon's fire stick make me excited, because the very first thing come to my mind, hacking this stick, install an android OS and use with Motorola Lapdock as a portable laptop.
I wonder such thing would be possible with this device. I ordered 2 with this great introduction price, and I am waiting to hear from you if such wish would become true?!?!?!
(santa hear me!)

What's the chance of being able to sideload apps, install Google Play Store, root it, etc?

I ordered one and may order more (even at $40) to replace a couple of ATV2s around the house which are running XBMC. My main hope is for MHL/HDMI-CEC control allowing for at least basic control through the TV remote... otherwise I won't be buying more than the one because I use Harmony remotes in pretty much every room in the house and won't allow the addition of something like LIRC or other IR receivers like the full Fire TV does. Even if I can't sideload full XBMC, I'll be fine running SPMC which is already free in the Fire TV section of the Amazon App Store, or even PLEX as a worst-case as it's already confirmed for the Fire TV Stick.

Would live something like this where i can simply install openelec and boot straight into xbmc.
Also looks like this is only for USA members which sucks lol. I have amazon prime but UK

Pre-ordered. I hope I can get XBMC on it

just ordered 2, $40 is a steal for two of them!! This will look good right next to my FireTv, Ouya, Mojo, chromecast and nexus player.....wait how many ports does my TV have?!?! lol

I would order a few of these if they would ship to Canada but unfortunately they don't. I even have a US prime membership. If anyone would be willing to ship me a couple please PM me. I'll pay for shipping, etc. no problem. I would really like to get in on the 19$ deal they have on right now.

For what its worth, it does run on android. Exactly the same as the Fire TV does apparently.
This is from their Dev Channel: https://developer.amazon.com/public...-in-the-Living-Room-with-Amazon-Fire-TV-Stick

Can this mirror my android screen without wifi present? or with a wifi router that has no internet?
I work at a fire station which has no internet, i have a data signal on my cell phone, but im not leaving my cell phone there when im not there. So can you connect an android device directly or if I have a spare router plugged in but not connected to anything? Or send videos from my GS5 to it?
Thanks!

I don't see it say that you have access to the App Store...do we have any confirmation that you can download/sideload apps to it? That one feature will make this either a great deal or just a good one.

I don't see it say that you have access to the App Store...do we have any confirmation that you can download/sideload apps to it? That one feature will make this either a great deal or just a good one.
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Id imagine it has some sort of app store as they mention gaming (200ish games) and i cant imagine they preloaded 200 games onto it with 8GB storage total.
I just ordered 2 @ $40 as well. Might even replace my Vizio Co-Star with one if it works well. Ashame the remote doesnt allow voice control but at $20 for the device and remote i wont complain. Also impressed this is stand alone unlike the Chromecast. Looks like my expected delivery isnt until Dec 10th though, almost a month after release

I just ordered one. Probably end up being a waste of money, I'm hopeful that Google Android TV will be better than FireTV in which case I'll swap out my current Roku/FTV boxes for GATV boxes, but for $20 I figured why not...
edit: My assumption is they are the same OS/functionality as the original Fire TV boxes, just lower hardware specs. If you can run something on the FTV you should be able to run it on the FTV streamer, possible performance issues aside. If you can side-load it on the FTV, you should be able to side-load it on the FTV steamer.

Maybe they add usb mass storage support to the fire tv now as there are not a lot of reasons to buy the fire tv instead of the new stick...

Eat it iPhone said:
Id imagine it has some sort of app store as they mention gaming (200ish games) and i cant imagine they preloaded 200 games onto it with 8GB storage total.
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200 games isn't a lot. It sounds like a reduced library App store.
I guess my line in the sand is whether we can get XBMC/SPMC on it, or not. I tried streaming from my desktop to the Chromecast before, and the latency was no bueno. I couldn't even watch it. Adb/sideloading function would make this thing scream.

My mother in law just picked up 1 for herself and one for me. Can't beat $20 a piece. Hopefully XBMC won't be a problem on the latest firmware.

BonezMontana said:
My mother in law just picked up 1 for herself and one for me. Can't beat $20 a piece. Hopefully XBMC won't be a problem on the latest firmware.
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Yeah, no kidding. I wish that we knew this before I plunked down my $20 though.

spyder3 said:
Yeah, no kidding. I wish that we knew this before I plunked down my $20 though.
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I bought it even tho I don't need it. $20 isn't anything tbh

spyder3 said:
Yeah, no kidding. I wish that we knew this before I plunked down my $20 though.
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I'll take my chances anyways though because I don't watch tv in the bedroom anyways unless I'm sick lol. I was gonna get the playstation tv until i heard the ps4 streaming sucks. So the roku stick was an alternative, since I have 2 of them in my kids rooms. I just wish I had the knowledge to unlock this thing lol. In regards to XBMC though I'm getting confused as I see that some users were able to get it to work by disabling some setting.

superkoal said:
Maybe they add usb mass storage support to the fire tv now as there are not a lot of reasons to buy the fire tv instead of the new stick...
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Would be nice if they add usb storage to the FTV, that's my number one complaint. However, think of the FTV streaming stick like the Roku streaming stick. Cheaper, smaller, lower power cpu, no lan, and in the case of FTV no optical out. If our (my) assumptions about the FTV stick are correct, it will be a better option for a lot of people.

nexus player

There has to be more coming in development for the nexus player. I have the Chromecast. Does what I need. Just looking for more of a reason to keep a $150 investment with the Asus controller. Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm looking for other users to help me find a reason to keep the nexus player and controller! Thanks in advance!

Showme1 said:
There has to be more coming in development for the nexus player. I have the Chromecast. Does what I need. Just looking for more of a reason to keep a $150 investment with the Asus controller. Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm looking for other users to help me find a reason to keep the nexus player and controller! Thanks in advance!
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What did you want to use it for?
More development is coming, but not as fast as we'd want to see. Sony,Sharp, and Philips seem to be putting ATV into their new 2015 TVs. Samsung, LG, and Panasonic are going with non-Android options. Since Samsung is the biggest TV seller, that hurts. It'll be up to Google and Android devs to push their options. It will take time for apps to be developed, too. We're only 2-3 months into commercially available Android TV.
You can easily sell that Chromecast dongle and recoup at least $20. You also should ditch the controller. I think you overpayed for it, especially since the Gamestop Samurai $12.99 controller is awesome.

Using mine as a retro gaming machine via emulators, and eventually will have a fully working 5.0 experience.

IBNobody said:
You can easily sell that Chromecast dongle and recoup at least $20. You also should ditch the controller. I think you overpayed for it, especially since the Gamestop Samurai $12.99 controller is awesome.
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Yeah, I get more development will come.. I jump the gun on that. Can u personally verify that samurai controller works as well as I read from some people on here? I'm still in my window to return the Asus one. Thanks...

Showme1 said:
Yeah, I get more development will come.. I jump the gun on that. Can u personally verify that samurai controller works as well as I read from some people on here? I'm still in my window to return the Asus one. Thanks...
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It works great. I honestly can't believe I payed $13 bucks for it. It has just the right amount of button and d-pad tension for me.

Showme1 said:
There has to be more coming in development for the nexus player. I have the Chromecast. Does what I need. Just looking for more of a reason to keep a $150 investment with the Asus controller. Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm looking for other users to help me find a reason to keep the nexus player and controller! Thanks in advance!
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Click to collapse
I just recently started looking at the nexus player and currently have a chromecast and a WDTV so i figured the nexus player combined both? the WDTV is very slow but works well with streaming MKV's for what the chromecast does not do but am looking for more info on this too!

I am looking or thinking of purchasing the Nexus Player. Is it worth the $99? I didn't like the Roku. I am not saying that the Roku was a bad device, just not what i wanted, not for me. Is the Nexus Player any better? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Waynehead69 said:
I am looking or thinking of purchasing the Nexus Player. Is it worth the $99? I didn't like the Roku. I am not saying that the Roku was a bad device, just not what i wanted, not for me. Is the Nexus Player any better? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
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If I were you I'd save my money, and possibly buy the Razer box when it comes out. In it's current state Android TV doesn't have much to offer over a chromecast, except bugs.
I own 2x ADT-1's, and a Nexus Player... and I've gone back to chromecasts in my bedroom. There's just too many issues right now for them to be everyday devices.

Thanks, I really appreciate your feedback as most of the reviews that I've read about the Nexus player have been somewhat mediocre.

Waynehead69 said:
Thanks, I really appreciate your feedback as most of the reviews that I've read about the Nexus player have been somewhat mediocre.
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It all depends on what you didn't like about the Roku and what you are looking for.
For me this is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a chromecast with a dedicated remote and a user interface.
I used the ChromeCast on my small TV downstairs and the NP upstairs on the Big TV.
Exactly what I wanted then add in some games for fun and it is perfect for me.
The only issue that I have had is that I don't like the Plex layout. I just sideloaded the non pass version and I like it now

I'm trying to replace my 3 WDTV boxes and purchased a Android TV to test out. Kodi is light years ahead of WDTV in most areas.
No more network connectivity issues.
The UI is much much MUCH better than WDTV.
Kodi has terrific plugin support. WDTV has none.
Android TV is FASSST! No more spinning circle.
Where Android TV falls down is video playback. It still suffers from drops frames, which is a big deal.
I don't game so I can't speak about that.
Would I buy another? Right now, there is nothing better.
PS. I need a unit that does native streaming from a NAS and also supports DLNA (PLEX)

Just wondering if there is autoplay when casting from hulu/Netflix. Only reason why I returned my Chromecast a long time ago. It was a pain to have to go back and cast the next episode of something.

Playable On Mojo?

So I was shopping for games this morning and I realized just how far microconsole gaming has to go. Honestly at this point how many games can you play on Shield that you can't already play on your Mojo? I like everyone am holding on to my wallet just biting at the bit to lay down my 199.00 for my new shield console This as I am staring at a Fire Tv, Adt1,Ouya that are not even plugged in I hate to admit it but Ouya is still ahead of the game when it comes to controller based games on Android. Downloading from Google Play is a crap shoot in many cases? They also have the storage issue down pat which many of its newer Android Tv bretherin are yet to accomplish. The stupid part is, When I think about Ouya I get pissed because they just keep doing stupid sh?t:silly: Maybe it's the idea I am in love with?
So how many more boxes will I buy before I get a clue?:cyclops:

I really wonder when the Shield console will release? No pre orders are available yet, and I'm not sure what they are waiting for. The demand must be high or something. I wouldn't buy a fire TV or OUYA because the new shield will destroy those two products combined!

disorder78 said:
I really wonder when the Shield console will release? No pre orders are available yet, and I'm not sure what they are waiting for. The demand must be high or something. I wouldn't buy a fire TV or OUYA because the new shield will destroy those two products combined!
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The Shield is supposed to be in May. I wonder if Google plans to step up the content on Android TV around the same time? The Razor Forge should also be along shortly. I just want one Android microconsole that does it all

Yea and I'm tired of spending $100 dollars for ****ty micro consoles. The Shield console should definitely change that.

disorder78 said:
Yea and I'm tired of spending $100 dollars for ****ty micro consoles. The Shield console should definitely change that.
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I can bet you that the new shield will not be 100% working.. there'll be issues with AndroidTV, limited onboard storage, etc etc.
The trick is to enjoy what works and work around what doesn't.
It's early days in the 'micro console' days.
I wouldn't be surprised if new TV's come out with AndroidTV pre-installed on cheap dual core SoC's. :good:

gwaldo said:
I can bet you that the new shield will not be 100% working.. there'll be issues with AndroidTV, limited onboard storage, etc etc.
The trick is to enjoy what works and work around what doesn't.
It's early days in the 'micro console' days.
I wouldn't be surprised if new TV's come out with AndroidTV pre-installed on cheap dual core SoC's. :good:
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Tell you what I refuse to buy another box that is strapped for storage space. I will keep my Mojo and Draco until then. Do you think NVidia would be stupid enough to release the console with a major flaw like that? I know Shield is supposed to be about game streaming but what of Google Play support? I own games on Fire TV, AndroidTV, Ouya I would love to get them all on one box but I know that's never going to happen
Do any of you own and play Ouya Games? I have been trying to decide if spending money on the Ouya platform is a losing battle? They are still adding games all the time many are good ones. They have the partnership with Playcast Media which is awesome by the way. They have the largest library of Controller based Android games that I know of. My opinion is there is a Bigboy other than just the China partners that is keeping them going maybe as a test bed of some kind. How else could they still be here? They already have a tie with NVidia? To me the whole microconsole industry is very interesting to see how this will all play out. What's your guess?
well the Shield just got much more interesting offering a 500gb console......OUYA!!!

wastate2014 said:
well the Shield just got much more interesting offering a 500gb console......OUYA!!!
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Where did you get the 500gb on the shield from?
I can't see nvidia doing so, not for 199USD.
The obox has a harddisk but it's not X1.
The future is Android :good:

gwaldo said:
Where did you get the 500gb on the shield from?
I can't see nvidia doing so, not for 199USD.
The obox has a harddisk but it's not X1.
The future is Android :good:
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NVidia for a short time had a 299.00 option with 500gb. I have since read a retraction on Android Police.

wastate2014 said:
Do any of you own and play Ouya Games? I have been trying to decide if spending money on the Ouya platform is a losing battle? They are still adding games all the time many are good ones. They have the partnership with Playcast Media which is awesome by the way. They have the largest library of Controller based Android games that I know of. My opinion is there is a Bigboy other than just the China partners that is keeping them going maybe as a test bed of some kind. How else could they still be here? They already have a tie with NVidia? To me the whole microconsole industry is very interesting to see how this will all play out. What's your guess?
well the Shield just got much more interesting offering a 500gb console......OUYA!!!
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Ouya seeks quick sale as debts mount
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-04-29-ouya-seeks-quick-sale-as-debts-mount
I never did get the ouya, the sorry dev kits said it all really.
TegraZone have a good controller game library and google play last year introduced the controller friendly icon, so that should be even better.
And now nvidia up'ing it's game.. yeah Ouya was an interesting experiment.. like GameStick
But, your right.. Ouya's worth something.. someone will buy it cheap.. and maybe make their own microconsole.. Ouya II :laugh:

wastate2014 said:
NVidia for a short time had a 299.00 option with 500gb. I have since read a retraction on Android Police.
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Looks like that option is back:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XO7AK1U/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
To bad the 16GB $199 version has no SATA port.. it has the 2.5' drive bay tho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFZfCBXw6K4
I hope someone hacks it.
A 1TB drive and the $199 option would have sold better then a $299 IMO.

gwaldo said:
Looks like that option is back:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XO7AK1U/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
To bad the 16GB $199 version has no SATA port.. it has the 2.5' drive bay tho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFZfCBXw6K4
I hope someone hacks it.
A 1TB drive and the $199 option would have sold better then a $299 IMO.
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LOL You caught me in the middle of a cluster f**k. I have waited and now I can't make up my mind ? At $300 that's getting awful close to my PS4 so then I start asking myself what the Shield will offer me that my Ps4 can't? I have to wonder at this point if they should not have added the 8gig of ram and made it a true console?
To me if the 16GB version is expandable you are right it would be better to just add a 1TB hard-drive for the extra money ? . So it does have a 2.5 internal HD bay? Then I am curious if a external HD via USB will work ?
Speaking of cluster f**ks , recent reviews of Android TV have not been the greatest . Serious lack of programs and games . The Forge TV looks to be a big disaster , no Netflix or external drive support , controller issues they must have taken a course from the Ouya school of Business ?
I may be waiting awhile with my Mojo and Ouya to see how this pans out.

I think game consoles are old fashioned.... Like wearing a watch.
Yeah android TV will take a lot of time to mature.
Because it has no touch screen ... Lol remember when the mojo came out lol
But it has to done that way..
Eventually it will gain more support and apps.
There's always sideloading
I'd rather android over Sony's or Microsoft's platform.
Same, plan on sticking with mojo at least till the end of the year.
Android M External Storage Can Be 'Adopted' As True Internal Storage Or Accessed Normally With No Additional Apps:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/0...or-accessed-normally-with-no-additional-apps/

It looks like the Shield 16gb has done everything right (+external storage) based off of the reviews I've seen. At least better than this sh** product called the MOJO. Nvidia has saved Android TV and I hope they are happy because their product rocks!
Who is buying one? Anyone?

disorder78 said:
It looks like the Shield 16gb has done everything right (+external storage) based off of the reviews I've seen. At least better than this sh** product called the MOJO. Nvidia has saved Android TV and I hope they are happy because their product rocks!
Who is buying one? Anyone?
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+external storage? you mean having NTFS and xfat?
Let us know if you find people adding a SATA drive as native storage to shield 16g. :good:

Ok here is what I actually found out. I have been told that you cannot move games to a USB HDD. : ( You are allowed to move games to a SD card up to 128 GB. I also heard you cannot add your own SATA drive to the empty drive bay because there is no SATA port inside of the Shield Android TV. I'm a little disappointing with this news, but I still believe the Shield is a great product.
Android M should fix this problem if the software ever comes to Shield Android TV.

wastate2014 said:
So I was shopping for games this morning and I realized just how far microconsole gaming has to go. Honestly at this point how many games can you play on Shield that you can't already play on your Mojo? I like everyone am holding on to my wallet just biting at the bit to lay down my 199.00 for my new shield console This as I am staring at a Fire Tv, Adt1,Ouya that are not even plugged in I hate to admit it but Ouya is still ahead of the game when it comes to controller based games on Android. Downloading from Google Play is a crap shoot in many cases? They also have the storage issue down pat which many of its newer Android Tv bretherin are yet to accomplish. The stupid part is, When I think about Ouya I get pissed because they just keep doing stupid sh?t:silly: Maybe it's the idea I am in love with?
So how many more boxes will I buy before I get a clue?:cyclops:
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Click to collapse
IF ouya would of used a tegra 4 and had 2 gigs of ram, they would have done really really well. It was just to underpowered to impress. I think shield tv is going to own the living room. Mojo could stay around if they update to android tv and drop the price to $99.99

subcreep said:
IF ouya would of used a tegra 4 and had 2 gigs of ram, they would have done really really well. It was just to underpowered to impress. I think shield tv is going to own the living room. Mojo could stay around if they update to android tv and drop the price to $99.99
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The Madcatz store has the Mojo down to $103.99. I am pretty sure they are phasing out the Mojo as there is no reference at all on there homepage. The sad thing is Mojo at 2years old still outpowers allot of the current boxes. I looked at the benchmarks of Forge Tv, and the Mojo is neck and neck. Madcatz just dropped the ball with software and seems to have lost interest in any further development . With Razer buying out Ouya I am going to keep the Mojo and see how the new boxes come together after the bugs get worked out.

Mojo and shield
Hi all yeah bought my mojo here in UK for £89. Gotta admit the was some problems at first, but eventually have mine running sweet as a nut. Given the fact that android gaming is on the rise surely makes larger companies like nvidia to push this forward. But scince the release of ouya there has always been a common problem, the issus of compatible Google play store, even the powerful nvidia shield has its problems with that. I use my nexus 7 for gaming with my madcatz mojo controller and play store on here is vastly more. Even looking at the new shield TV console which dam looks good, still is going to have the same problem we all get. Looks to me the new shield has focused more on a device to be a PC streamer from there servers. I am for one not entirely comfortable with That. Rather use my Pc.

KMAXLEE1983 said:
But scince the release of ouya there has always been a common problem, the issus of compatible Google play store, even the powerful nvidia shield has its problems with that.
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Game compatibility on Android is often just an arbitrary lock that can by fixed by device spoofing or sideloading apps extracted from other devices (for example your Nexus 7). And if Market Helper fails in some cases or the target device hasn't been rooted I recommend installing Android X86 on a virtual machine where it's irrelevant if you damage that system when editing the build.prop file.

Mojo and shield
Yeah Google play store checks your device then shows compatible apps based on build prop. I've been modding files for long time and certainly when it came to my mojo, the only way for me which worked best was to modify the build prop. Mojo is stock ROM running moddaco mod, which rooted gave me some more access to apps, 2nd by looking at list from nexus 7 still found lack of apps mainly Gameloft. So I decided to edit build prop file, tricky and bricked device few times, but after days of tinkering and going back and forth to get the file abbreviations put correctly. Build prop file is now running as nvidia shield. With some performance tweaks to cut cpu lag out, Market compatibility is now a lot better. Now I did try out the cm12 on the mojo, liked it and although play store did show more high end games mainly some of the regular games did not show as compatible. Ie- dead trigger. Tried the modacco mod. But it didn't like that. Tonight next move I will try would be cm12, root with towelroot, then apply nvidia build prop. See how it goes, but given the fact play store on shield still suffers I might compile the build prop up from the nexus 7 or looking at the jxd line from there gaming tablets. In all like to see company's working on the goal of compiling the code right for the device to be fully compatible based on spec rather than device model and with the right integration of software for full controller support, seems its all left to us to pick up the pieces to get things to work properly. Lol

Nexus Player Still Worth It?

Hello,
I am interested in getting a Nexus Player. I love all of the customizations that can be done with it. I especially like the fact that you can install an internet browser and use a Logitech K400 with it. (with some mods and adapters I know) Only thing I am wondering is if this fall there will be a Gen 2 released along side the new Nexus 5 and 6? I would hate to buy one now and two months later, boom heres gen 2. Anyone have any input on this?
Also, I like the Forge TV but i don't believe it is nearly as customizable as the Nexus is it?

I haven't heard any rumors about a new Android TV device from Google. Even the Chromecast hasn't had a hardware update yet and that's been out for a lot longer than the Nexus Player. If there's a retailer near you that offers an extended return policy on a product like this, maybe that's something to consider if you're concerned about a new hardware announcement. I haven't used a Razer Forge TV but with the Nexus Player being so affordable and customizable, Google's current Android TV hardware is still a good choice and is worth buying.

Thank you for your response. I have looked all over for info on a Nexus Player Gen 2 and have found nothing myself. I just figured this was a good place to ask. I will go for the nexus player then. This helps making my new TV purchase a lot easier as well. No smart tv needed, just a tv with a Nice display panel.

I have both a Nexus Player and Forge TV. If you use Netflix, don't buy the Forge because after months it still doesn't have Netflix. Nexus Player works great. Hopefully one day the Forge TV will get Netflix because I would rather use it with its built in Ethernet port.
Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

If you can get it for about $50 its absolutely worth it.

i regret my purchase. my netflix app barely ever works, and not that many major apps support it, like hbo, sling tv or amazon instant. you would be much better off with fire tv IMO, especially now cause you can sideload kodi and im pretty sure its easily rootable and you can get google services and play store installed now. it has a better remote and more conectivity too
not to mention that the fire tv 2 is rumored to being released soon

OP, I think it will depend on what use you will give the device you end up getting.
I'm running mine with the latest M Preview build and it works great.
I was able to load Kodi straight from the Play Store (thru the web version to be specific), as well as other apps (e.g. ES File Explorer, few emulators, etc.).
I have an 3-way splitter OTG cable for my Rii K12 Ultra Slim keyboard/mousepad and a 32GB flash drive.
Again, it will depend on your use....

thecrunked said:
i regret my purchase. my netflix app barely ever works, and not that many major apps support it, like hbo, sling tv or amazon instant. you would be much better off with fire tv IMO, especially now cause you can sideload kodi and im pretty sure its easily rootable and you can get google services and play store installed now. it has a better remote and more conectivity too
not to mention that the fire tv 2 is rumored to being released soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To counter this, the Fire TV is NOT easily rootable; you have to either have a very old firmware from a US only model, or be willing to solder parts to it. Google Play Services don't work well on it, and its still on 4.2.2 so a lot of apps from outside the Amazon store don't work. The new developer software is 5.1, but that makes accessing Kodi difficult as sideloaded apps remain hidden in a submenu of settings.
I'm trying to replace mine now, as I'm sick of working around Amazon's arbitrary limitations.

Thank you all for your input. I ended up getting a Nvidia Shield Console. I love it! The main reason I went with the Shield is because I currently have/use a 42" 4K TV. So it just made the most sense to me to get. I know a lot of content isnt broadcasted in 4K yet but some is with more to come. I have already watched some Netflix stuff in 4K. Looks awesome!!! The free Grid games are a nice touch as well. I have 100mbps net so Grid games run great! (I use wired connection, not WiFi)

I know you went another route. I bought the Nexus Player because I wanted to stop renting a cable box. I bought an HD HOMERUN PRIME and only rent a cable card from the cable company now. I found out the hard way that I can only watch "unprotected/ non DRM channels" on my computer. After searching a lot, I found that the HD HOMERUN VIEW app on android allows me to watch these channels (which is most of the channels worth watching). The Nexus Player utilizes this app and now I can watch all my channels with this on my big screen. Just thought I'd throw this in for those considering buying a Nexus Player.
Rektifying said:
Hello,
I am interested in getting a Nexus Player. I love all of the customizations that can be done with it. I especially like the fact that you can install an internet browser and use a Logitech K400 with it. (with some mods and adapters I know) Only thing I am wondering is if this fall there will be a Gen 2 released along side the new Nexus 5 and 6? I would hate to buy one now and two months later, boom heres gen 2. Anyone have any input on this?
Also, I like the Forge TV but i don't believe it is nearly as customizable as the Nexus is it?
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Hell no
I spent about 80$ on mine and it was completely worthless. The app ecosystem is almost dead, the user interface is limited, no okay google all the time, nothing special at all. The only thing you can do is stream limited media. Just get a chromecast.

Twitchyleftarm said:
I spent about 80$ on mine and it was completely worthless. The app ecosystem is almost dead, the user interface is limited, no okay google all the time, nothing special at all. The only thing you can do is stream limited media. Just get a chromecast.
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you must not know what kodi is. do some googling.

I have a variety of streaming devices. But family acceptance is important. So Roku connected directly to the TV which is great for family. The Nexus Player rooted with custom ROM. Tvmb is the main application. It is connected to the home theater. For movies and live TV it is quite useful. But not as easy to use. So mostly I set it up.
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---------- Post added at 01:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:45 PM ----------
bradwatson said:
I have both a Nexus Player and Forge TV. If you use Netflix, don't buy the Forge because after months it still doesn't have Netflix. Nexus Player works great. Hopefully one day the Forge TV will get Netflix because I would rather use it with its built in Ethernet port.
Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk
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There is a way with a custom ROM to use the USB port as an Ethernet connection with the Nexus Player.
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[Deal Alert] Get A Nexus Player For Under $50 On Groupon (Down From $99.99)
A good deal. Worth it .

So I ended up buying a Nexus player for my 32" 1080P TV in my bedroom. I still have my Shield on my 4K in the living room, loving that! Just waiting for the new nexus phones to release so I can replace my iPhone, then I will be done with Apple. (I had an Apple TV that I sold and I currently have an iPhone 6 which is going to be replaced with the New Nexus 5 upon release)
Anyways, I loved the Nexus Player at first! I think it is pretty awesome! One issue, it will NOT wake from sleep. I tried everything! Clearing cache, factory reset after update. Anyone running CM12.1 on their Nexus player? How is that and will it fix sleep issue? Thanks!

Google has the factory images on their website. On my phone right now or I'd posta link. It's pretty easy though does everything for you. If that doesn't fix it then you've got a bad device and should exchange it.

Rektifying said:
So I ended up buying a Nexus player for my 32" 1080P TV in my bedroom. I still have my Shield on my 4K in the living room, loving that! Just waiting for the new nexus phones to release so I can replace my iPhone, then I will be done with Apple. (I had an Apple TV that I sold and I currently have an iPhone 6 which is going to be replaced with the New Nexus 5 upon release)
Anyways, I loved the Nexus Player at first! I think it is pretty awesome! One issue, it will NOT wake from sleep. I tried everything! Clearing cache, factory reset after update. Anyone running CM12.1 on their Nexus player? How is that and will it fix sleep issue? Thanks!
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Glad you're enjoying your NP. I'm not sure if it is the CM12.1 ROM or not, but on the Android M Preview build I get a delay wake from sleep. The device takes a tad longer than the original firmware. Try reverting back to stock or using the Android M Preview build.

These are seeing pretty good price drops in the States. Walmart cleared these out for $39.99. Best Buy and others have them for $49.99.
I have Roku 1, 2, 3, Fire Stick, Ouya, Chromecast, RaspPi 2, Android PC Sticks, etc. The Ouya is my main gaming unit. But I like to buy these for traveling and toying with. Having the wife and kid used to the Rokus, I can see them easily picking this up and working with it.
If you are seriously looking for a TV Streamer box, you may want to wait. The Roku 4 and the new Nexus TV is coming out soon (October). The Roku has always been my fav for home use. It is simple and doesn't bombard you with Amazon or Google ads. It just works. The Nexus TV is pretty good too, although I plan to use it for personal uses such as emulation and a traveling companion.
I think for $50, it is awesome. Plus it is getting Android Marshmallow once the new one hits, so they will effectively run the same. The new one will just have a longer life. So it might be worth spending $99 on the new one and having a few more years of life on it.

I ended up returning my Nexus Player. I paid $69.99 +tax at Best Buy. About a week later I seen it at Walmart for $39.99. I did not re-purchase it yet though! The price drop tells me that a new one is on the way. So I am going to wait for the Nexus event on Tuesday (9/29) before I do anything. If there is a new one announced, I would guess that it would only receive a performance boost and 4k Support. If that is the case, I will just re-purchase the one I had. I only need it for the bedroom, and I do not see myself buying a 4K for my bedroom for a very long time, if ever.
I did unroot, lock the bootloader, and factory reset before I returned though. I'm sure they just threw it back on the shelf as an open box item.

I want to buy Shield TV but

Guys I want to buy shield tv but a few question before I do
is it worth it ?
Also does buying it from UK have any difference than buying it from U.S ? or it's all the same and it depends on the country I login from or the kind of account I use on it ?
Do I have to pay for GeForce Now to Stream my games from a gaming PC ? if not what am I paying for in Geforce now ?
I read I can install apk sideload stuff but do apps like popcorn work on it ?
and if I do get it should I update it or not ?
Can I mirror windows on the Shield ?

For me the purchase was totally worth the price. I opted for the pro bundle with the remote control and stand. Even with the add-ons, for me, the cost was still acceptable. With the new Marshmallow update, it makes it easier to format a micro SD card for internal storage, so you can get the less expensive 16gb version and just drop in a 128GB micro SD.
There is no real difference if you are using it in the UK. If you plan to subscribe to GeForce Now, there is not difference in content from the US.
You do not need to pay for a GeForce Now account to stream your PC games. You will just need to have a compatible Nvidia graphics card on your PC.
I don't have popcorn installed, so I am unable to comment on it.
If you do get it...consider updating if only for the ability to format a micro SD for internal storage.
Shield TV has Chrome cast built in so you can "Mirror" your desktop by casting it from the Chrome browser via a chrome extension.
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reply!
But so I have to " Pay " 8 Dollars For me to stream my games from my Gaming PC to the Shield TV? I remember having the shield handheld and I didn't pay for streaming my games from PC to Shield .
Now I have to pay for it x.X that's a huge let down

No, you only have to pay if you want to stream games from Nvidia's cloud gaming service. Streaming from your own PC is free, but your PC must have an Nvidia graphics card.
If you want to remotely control your PC from your Shield then Teamviewer should work, but I haven't tried it.

Mogster2K said:
No, you only have to pay if you want to stream games from Nvidia's cloud gaming service. Streaming from your own PC is free, but your PC must have an Nvidia graphics card.
If you want to remotely control your PC from your Shield then Teamviewer should work, but I haven't tried it.
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Worth it.
I would go with the 16GB version and get a 128 or 200GB SD Card. It takes less time to change firmwares if you are into that. I have the 500GB and just to root it you need to unlock it. This process takes about 2 hours. But on the 16GB it takes a lot less time. Around 5 mins. Huge difference. Plus with Android 6.0 and adoptive storage the 16GB +128GB is a lot better managed since essentially you have more space locally to add games. Some of my games are about 2GB. They add up quick.
That being said, I wish I went with the 16 GB.
As for for the HUB. It is nice for $8 a month(3 month free trial).
The reviewers say "It is like having Netflix for games". Kind of true. True you do have many free games to choose from but there are many that cost big money. Some games are PC games and some are Android(Google Play).
Take for instance LEGO Jurassic park. It is $40 on the game HUB. And $5 in the Market. The HUB version is CO-OP and the Market version is not. I have not done much streaming to local PC but found it for $12 online. If you do not have an nVidia card there alternatives. I just have not took the time to experiment. I do know the alternatives do work. Sometimes just as good as the nVidia solution.
Another is Star Wars: Knight of the Republic Through HUB/Google Market $9.99 or get it for $0 through Amazon Under Ground.
Keep in mind a lot of games on Amazon Underground that are free mean they are free. That means the in-game items are free as well if noted. E.g. Sonic Dash and Beach Buggy Racing. Just look for the Actually Free banner on the game icon. The Actually Free means you can level up or get better gear and not have to pay for it. One caveat. You may be saving online to the Amazon Eco system instead the Amazon Eco sytem. No biggie if you know this ahead of time.
And as for connecting to the shield remotely some good choices are:
1. As said before TeamViewer. This is good if you get it to work. I had it working on Stock and StockRestyle but something happened and I no longer can get it to work. It does work on Full Android 1.2. Image quality is pretty good.
2. Droidmote works too but use an earlier version. The newer version will not see your mouse or keyboard actions. Image quality is so so(for me).
3. Vysor works pretty good but you will need ADB on and your Shield connected via the USB cable to your PC with the correct drivers loaded. You can also share a web link to a system outside of your network and connect that way. This seems like a temporary connection. Image quality is pretty good.
4. RemoDroid works too. As far as I can tell you need to be on the same network. You can connect to shield form another Droid of with a PC using the IP or the recommended JavaClient.
The Shield TV is great.
But take these in consideration
1. Do I want to plug and play? This works for that but you will find out that the options may be limited for you if you you like to time.
2. This is a powerful little box and if you want to go further than stock and are willing to try things the playing field will get bigger.
Research. Then research some more.
Check out Stock Restyle and Full android Marshmallow. Read everything. Some things are easy to do, some things are spread out and others impossible to know about if you have not read every post. This is just the nature of a message board. I am sure someone will put all the tips and tricks in a #1 post or sticky somewhere.
These of course is my opinions. Any products and prices are my experience. I do not want to push anyone in to any direction not of their choosing.