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[Q] Widi/Miracast working with Note 3?

I was just wondering if anyone used Widi/miracast with Note 3. I have LG TV with built in Widi, and its very neat, works really well with my laptop. I remember reading few months ago that we use that with Galaxy S4. So I assume it should be working with Note 3 but none of the reviews mention that.
Has anyone tried using it with Note 3? Does it work? If yes, how do we set this up?

note3or2 said:
I was just wondering if anyone used Widi/miracast with Note 3. I have LG TV with built in Widi, and its very neat, works really well with my laptop. I remember reading few months ago that we use that with Galaxy S4. So I assume it should be working with Note 3 but none of the reviews mention that.
Has anyone tried using it with Note 3? Does it work? If yes, how do we set this up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If no one else lets you know n the meantime I will have a chance to test this tomorrow.

The builtin screen mirroring in the system setting doesn't work? It needs allshare cast?

In using allShare cast dongle from Sammy and Is Working fine With the screen mirroring
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 4

sohebq said:
The builtin screen mirroring in the system setting doesn't work? It needs allshare cast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last Android phone I used was Galaxy S3 and that was on 4.1 (widi/miracast was included after 4.2 in android) so I personally have not tried it but I saw a video on youtube where he used S4 with netgear dongle and it worked. By that logic it should work with any widi enabled devise, but can't be sure untill someone tries it.

note3or2 said:
Last Android phone I used was Galaxy S3 and that was on 4.1 (widi/miracast was included after 4.2 in android) so I personally have not tried it but I saw a video on youtube where he used S4 with netgear dongle and it worked. By that logic it should work with any widi enabled devise, but can't be sure untill someone tries it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used my Netgear one with my S4, expect it works here, but will confirm when I have a chance.

NZtechfreak said:
If no one else lets you know n the meantime I will have a chance to test this tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks buddy, Waiting for your test result. Hopefully it will work and I wont have to buy Dongle from Samsung.

screencast works perfectly with my note3 and my belkin screencast hdmi-adapter!
the important trick is:
you have to long-click on the screencast device in in the screencast settings, then the option "connect with PIN" appears! with the PIN displayed on the TV you are now able to connect!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

n3 sd800 Works with my p2tv 3000
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

TML1504 said:
screencast works perfectly with my note3 and my belkin screencast hdmi-adapter!
the important trick is:
you have to long-click on the screencast device in in the screencast settings, then the option "connect with PIN" appears! with the PIN displayed on the TV you are now able to connect!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is amazing, this is one killer feature for me. Thank you guys for confirming.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Not working for me.
TML1504 said:
screencast works perfectly with my note3 and my belkin screencast hdmi-adapter!
the important trick is:
you have to long-click on the screencast device in in the screencast settings, then the option "connect with PIN" appears! with the PIN displayed on the TV you are now able to connect!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you list versions for me? I can't seem to get mine working.
I have Note 3 on US Cellular, Belkin Screencast A100 with firmware 3.5.28.0, and I've tried both the updated AllShare Cast Dongle S/W Update v1.2.2829 and the previous version (not sure what number though).
The adapter receives the pin request and displays a pin, and the phone asks for the pin and attempts to connect, but fails every time. I don't want to have to buy a new adapter as I use my Belkin for both my laptops and kinda doubt the Samsung model would be as compatible (although shouldn't they all be if they are all using the same standard? But whatever....). Any thoughts?

I have several miracast devices and receivers and note 3 and S4 and nexus 7 2013 work fine with net gear ptv 3000, lg bdp 3000 bluray player, Panasonic miracast streamer with usb port that supports 1tb hard disk etc. See proof in my YouTube uploads where I have several miracast uploads for note 3, s4, nexus 7, s3, Sony xperia zl, Intel widi laptop etc in my YouTube uploads. See my tag line below for more links than posted here or see some links here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0MikjCGq_I
Miracast works fine with screen mirroring toggle no need for allshare. Works fine in 1080p dolby sound. Works great on the s4 too for everything. See video proof in my YouTube upload called miracast better than chromecast on s4 where I show streaming gaming music etc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxSJ57Q3zak
Widi laptop should work with same dongles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZaDe-P_74s

psp1024 said:
The adapter receives the pin request and displays a pin, and the phone asks for the pin and attempts to connect, but fails every time. I don't want to have to buy a new adapter as I use my Belkin for both my laptops and kinda doubt the Samsung model would be as compatible (although shouldn't they all be if they are all using the same standard? But whatever....). Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a Belkin Screencast about a year ago when I got my Sony Laptop which had Widi. I could make a connection, but it would disconnect every few minutes. It was useless. I ended up buying a long HDMI cable to connect my laptop to my TV. I never knew if the problem was with the Belkin or my Sony.
Forward one year.....
I found my new Nexus 7 has Miracast. Earlier today, I took my Belkin Screencast out of the closet and tried to connect it to my Nexus without any success. I then connected it to my computer and updated it's firmware from 2.9 to 3.5. After the update, my laptop wouldn't connect. It took lots of tries and may reboots until it finally connected. Then I tried my Nexus. Like you, I got to the security screen and entered the code, but it wouldn't go any further. Once again, after many reboots of both the Nexus and the Belkin, I finally connected! Mirroring worked great. I didn't have time to test thoroughly to see if it would disconnect, but it worked flawlessly for 5-10 minutes.
Don't know why making the initial connection was so difficult. I need to do further tests. Not sure if it's just the Belkin that's the problem. Sorry for butting in on this Note3 thread, but just wanted to share my Belkin Screencast experience with you since you have a similar problem.

howardv said:
I bought a Belkin Screencast about a year ago when I got my Sony Laptop which had Widi. I could make a connection, but it would disconnect every few minutes. It was useless. I ended up buying a long HDMI cable to connect my laptop to my TV. I never knew if the problem was with the Belkin or my Sony.
Forward one year.....
I found my new Nexus 7 has Miracast. Earlier today, I took my Belkin Screencast out of the closet and tried to connect it to my Nexus without any success. I then connected it to my computer and updated it's firmware from 2.9 to 3.5. After the update, my laptop wouldn't connect. It took lots of tries and may reboots until it finally connected. Then I tried my Nexus. Like you, I got to the security screen and entered the code, but it wouldn't go any further. Once again, after many reboots of both the Nexus and the Belkin, I finally connected! Mirroring worked great. I didn't have time to test thoroughly to see if it would disconnect, but it worked flawlessly for 5-10 minutes.
Don't know why making the initial connection was so difficult. I need to do further tests. Not sure if it's just the Belkin that's the problem. Sorry for butting in on this Note3 thread, but just wanted to share my Belkin Screencast experience with you since you have a similar problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By all means, just happy to hear more info about the Screencast being used with Miracast. Thanks for the post.

psp1024 said:
By all means, just happy to hear more info about the Screencast being used with Miracast. Thanks for the post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've done some further testing. The Belkin Screencast is going back in the closet as it's very unstable and unusable. Making the initial connection every time takes several attempts and reboots. Once connected, it loses connection every few minutes. It's just not worth it. The firmware upgrade hasn't made it any better. It performed the same with my Nexus 7 (2013) using Miracast and my Sony laptop using Widi.
Over the weekend I went to Best Buy and purchased the Rocketfish Miracast and the Netgear PTV3000. The Rocketfish looks like a Chromecast dongle. Both the Rocketfish and the Netgear performed very well as they would connect at the first attempt and did not lose the signal. Personally, I think the Netgear performed a little better than the Rocketfish and is a few dollars cheaper.
However, both the Rocketfish and the Netgear would stutter for a second or two every few minutes while watching streaming video and listening to audio. I watched a movie on Netflix using the Netgear and just stopped after 30 minutes as the stuttering gets bothersome. Also, after 30 minutes, a lip-synch error had occurred and seemed like it got worse with time. These tests were done with my 2013 Nexus 7. To test further, I used my Sony laptop (widi) to make the connection. The connection was smooth and there was no more stuttering every few minutes. So the stuttering issues may be a Nexus problem and this may perform very well with your Note3.
In my opinion, both the Rocketfish and the Netgear are great for mirroring. It's perfect for showing pictures, presentations, browsing the web, etc. But not the best for streaming audio/video. Of course, nothing is as dependable and reliable as the good old cable (slimport, MHL, or micro HDMI - whichever your device uses), but that means you have to run a cable across the room.
For streaming Netflix, Youtube, Google Music, Pandora, and Hulu, Chromecast leads the way. No stuttering or lip-synch issues at all. It also allows multi-tasking - such as watching a Netflix movie and checking your e-mail on your tablet/phone without interrupting the movie. It also saves the battery life since you can put your phone/tablet in sleep mode and continue to watch the movie. Another plus is how the Chromecast dongle gets the movie directly from your router than your phone/tablet (hence why you can multi-task, save battery life, etc.). In my book, these are a huge plus for Chromecast, even making it better than a direct cable connection. But of course the big downside is that you need specific apps and mirroring is not an option.
It's sad that you really need two devices to become whole! I would keep both the Chromecast and the Netgear to have all bases covered.

howardv said:
I've done some further testing. The Belkin Screencast is going back in the closet as it's very unstable and unusable. Making the initial connection every time takes several attempts and reboots. Once connected, it loses connection every few minutes. It's just not worth it. The firmware upgrade hasn't made it any better. It performed the same with my Nexus 7 (2013) using Miracast and my Sony laptop using Widi.
Over the weekend I went to Best Buy and purchased the Rocketfish Miracast and the Netgear PTV3000. The Rocketfish looks like a Chromecast dongle. Both the Rocketfish and the Netgear performed very well as they would connect at the first attempt and did not lose the signal. Personally, I think the Netgear performed a little better than the Rocketfish and is a few dollars cheaper.
However, both the Rocketfish and the Netgear would stutter for a second or two every few minutes while watching streaming video and listening to audio. I watched a movie on Netflix using the Netgear and just stopped after 30 minutes as the stuttering gets bothersome. Also, after 30 minutes, a lip-synch error had occurred and seemed like it got worse with time. These tests were done with my 2013 Nexus 7. To test further, I used my Sony laptop (widi) to make the connection. The connection was smooth and there was no more stuttering every few minutes. So the stuttering issues may be a Nexus problem and this may perform very well with your Note3.
In my opinion, both the Rocketfish and the Netgear are great for mirroring. It's perfect for showing pictures, presentations, browsing the web, etc. But not the best for streaming audio/video. Of course, nothing is as dependable and reliable as the good old cable (slimport, MHL, or micro HDMI - whichever your device uses), but that means you have to run a cable across the room.
For streaming Netflix, Youtube, Google Music, Pandora, and Hulu, Chromecast leads the way. No stuttering or lip-synch issues at all. It also allows multi-tasking - such as watching a Netflix movie and checking your e-mail on your tablet/phone without interrupting the movie. It also saves the battery life since you can put your phone/tablet in sleep mode and continue to watch the movie. Another plus is how the Chromecast dongle gets the movie directly from your router than your phone/tablet (hence why you can multi-task, save battery life, etc.). In my book, these are a huge plus for Chromecast, even making it better than a direct cable connection. But of course the big downside is that you need specific apps and mirroring is not an option.
It's sad that you really need two devices to become whole! I would keep both the Chromecast and the Netgear to have all bases covered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't aware Chromecast supported Netflix... interesting, I just may have to get that $35 dongle then.
My Belkin Screencast has worked flawlessly with my two Lenovo's, x230t and w530. I can watch full screen youtube/netflix on my computer while running a VM, movie or even some full screen games on my laptop's screen (Doesn't play well with DirectX full screen, or so it seems... I forget the specific name for that....)

psp1024 said:
My Belkin Screencast has worked flawlessly with my two Lenovo's, x230t and w530. I can watch full screen youtube/netflix on my computer while running a VM, movie or even some full screen games on my laptop's screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It could be my Belkin is just a bad unit. But since it's been over a year since my purchase, I'm out of luck.

i have two dongles, Samsung allsharecast dongle and a dongle from Taiwan.
my old S4 i9500 on 4.2.2 connected on both and performance was very smooth on the Taiwanese dongle but there was lag on the Samsung dongle and sometimes audio and video are not in sync (if didn't use the default video player)
after updating to 4.3 performance degraded on both dongles and the phone automatically switches off the power saving mode (which didn't happen on 4.2.2)
i noticed that when you move further away from the dongle or cover the phone with your hand the playback gets choppy and sometimes disconnects (didn't happen on 4.2.2)
with note 3 n9005 i can't connect to the Taiwanese dongle (tried to connect daily for two weeks and only got it to connect 2 or 3 times) . only Samsung's dongle is working and it has the same issues of the s4 running 4.3
friend's s3 i9300 connected to both dongles but didn't have a chance to test performance
"device status has to be official, if you are rooted you can use wanam xposed to fake system status to official"
update:
note 3 connecting after update to 4.4.2, maybe my 4.3 had a bug
samsung allshare cast dongle is laggy
other miracast adaptors are fine
i ordered a measy A2W dongle and it is on the way

Hi all,
I have a Smart TV Panasonic DT60 series, but I'm no able to connect using my Note3.
Any one have successful connected the Panasonic SmartTV with the Note3 and miracast?
Thanks

Samsung All-Share Cast Hub
Just wanted to update everyone that I also tried the OFFICIAL miracast device by Samsung, the All-Share Cast Hub, and it didn't even work well. It did connect I'll give it that, but whenever I tried playing video (via youtube or video player app) it would play the audio but both screens would just be black, and there was an incredibly noticable delay in sound compared to the video stream. Netflix showed the video just fine, but it was out of sync by several seconds.
Needless to say, the hub was returned.

Nvidia Shield TV Console & Router settings?

I got my Shield tv console delivered yesterday, (late as possible damn ups) and love it so far, haven't had enough time to play more, but after work today I will. I have an asus rtac68w, which according to nvidia is a held ready router, but I need to know what and how to set up my router to optimally perform for my shield tv and streaming.
Any help people?

The Shield is like any tablet or smartphone. There is nothing "special" to set up in the router for it
It's just highly recommended to use a wired connection for the Shield but have wifi configured too because they're known bugs with current firmware when the network isn't wifi. So sometimes you need to switch to wifi to do some stuff then back to wired for optimal performance. They'll fix this later I guess.
ps: go there : https://forums.geforce.com/default/board/159/ instead of XDA, you'll find official NVidia reps. XDA is ignoring the Shield Android TV so let's us leave.

Basically, to set it up best; Connect it to ethernet that goes straight into the router. That said, You want to make sure it connects to your 5GHz network, that your 5GHz network does not have legacy support enabled (AC only if possible with no N or A support). WMM and BeamForming is helpful sometimes. Those are the basics.
So, whatever you would do to optimize your WiFi for GameStream or GRID on the Shield Tablet or Shield Portable, you could do the same things here, plus the option of straight gigabit ethernet.
I hadn't heard of the issues with the Wired ethernet personally, hopefully they fix that pretty quickly. It may be specific to certain environments or other issues. Also, I know that the controllers use WiFi-Direct (rather than BT), however anything with that causing part of the networking fails would be pure speculation on my part.

I haven't had any issues with Ethernet

ryocoon said:
Also, I know that the controllers use WiFi-Direct (rather than BT), however anything with that causing part of the networking fails would be pure speculation on my part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually it's the wired connection that 'might' mess with the initial controler pairing:
from a NVidia rep:
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/836884/?comment=4546797
If you are unable to pair your SHIELD Wireless Controller during initial setup and your SHIELD Android TV is connected to your network over ethernet, try temporarily disconnecting your ethernet cable to go into WiFi mode and check if pairing issue is fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I haven't had problems either hardworking the console or using the Shield Tablet in console mode and using a Micro USB ethernet connector to hardwire the tablet. I must say that I get less lag streaming games in 4K from my PC using the console vs the tablet. I just wish I could sideload Amazon Prime Instant Video and M-Go so I could stream whatever 4K video content they offer besides only Netflix and YouTube video in 4K. No studdering, no buffering, just good quality 4K video from this thing. I must say, this console could have a major impact over how games could be delivered in the future. No latency at all except 1st person shooters being streamed via Grid. This is the best device I've bought in a long time.

I had some issues with DHCP when first setting up my unit on a wired connection. It kept disconnecting from the internet even when showing a connection. I set up my IP manually and updated to 1.2 and have had no issues since...it is super fast but may still setup wifi as you said just incase.

Rolldog said:
I haven't had problems either hardworking the console or using the Shield Tablet in console mode and using a Micro USB ethernet connector to hardwire the tablet. I must say that I get less lag streaming games in 4K from my PC using the console vs the tablet. I just wish I could sideload Amazon Prime Instant Video and M-Go so I could stream whatever 4K video content they offer besides only Netflix and YouTube video in 4K. No studdering, no buffering, just good quality 4K video from this thing. I must say, this console could have a major impact over how games could be delivered in the future. No latency at all except 1st person shooters being streamed via Grid. This is the best device I've bought in a long time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happens when you side load Amazon video and M-Go? I was able to side load a bunch of apps (including M-go but didn't run it yet) from my rooted samsung Note 2014 by backing up my apps with Titanium to the micro sd. I then moved the micro sd to the Shield TV and used ES File Explorer to auto open some of the zips that contained the APK and installed from there. From my memory, since I'm not at home to check what else I side loaded, I have the following working so far:
Chrome Browser
Dolphin Browser
Dropbox
Google Drive
Popcorn
Showbox
Helium
Facebook
Hulu Plus
Photo Circle
Speedtest
Ppsspp
And jut tested m-go

I'll add that when I first set up the Pro yesterday on a wired connection, it had all sorts of problems -- including not being able to download the update. Had to go wireless to get the update, but by that point it was acting so strange I did a full factory reset right after. (1.0 seemed quite buggy, but 1.2 feels fantastic so far. HUGE strides!). Haven't had problems since.

kgersen said:
The Shield is like any tablet or smartphone. There is nothing "special" to set up in the router for it
It's just highly recommended to use a wired connection for the Shield but have wifi configured too because they're known bugs with current firmware when the network isn't wifi. So sometimes you need to switch to wifi to do some stuff then back to wired for optimal performance. They'll fix this later I guess.
ps: go there : https://forums.geforce.com/default/board/159/ instead of XDA, you'll find official NVidia reps. XDA is ignoring the Shield Android TV so let's us leave.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only problem I have with the GeForce forum is there is no way to be notified if you get a reply from anyone. Is there any work around for this?

lartomar2002 said:
The only problem I have with the GeForce forum is there is no way to be notified if you get a reply from anyone. Is there any work around for this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not that I know of. The NVidia forum software is very old and bad, everyone agree on that.
I use Feedly and a RSS subscription to monitor the GeForce forum, it's a bit easier.

I have Amazon Prime Video sideloaded, and it works great. Unfortunately, I think a different version utilizes UHD video because I haven't been able to find any 4K content. Netflix and YouTube have some 4K content, and I've been able to stream some games in 4K, but until the UHD content providers start releasing their content to more devices instead of them signing exclusivity contracts (Samsung) to help them offset the royalties on the H.265 content, which is quadruple what H.264 was, I think most people will be limited on 4K content. Sucks.....

Software Updates — Fire TV v51.1.6.0 & Fire TV Stick v54.1.2.0

New software updates for the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick have been rolling out since July 1st. I haven't fully analyzed them yet to uncover all the changes, but we do know that apps and games can now be marked as "Favorites" in order to bring them to the front of your app/game list. Full overview of everything that has changed to come. Let us know if you notice any changes yourself.
Fire TV version 51.1.6.0_user_516009820 - Download Link
Fire TV Stick version 54.1.2.0_user_120060220 - Download Link
Attention @rbox

Could you please check if its possible also to set sideloaded apps as favorite? THX in advance.

Still using Anroid 4.2.2 so the update is a major fail. Any updates for the Fire TV that do not run Android 4.4+ will all be failures. Sure they may fix bugs or simplify the default launcher, but til they upgrade to at least Android 4.4 aall updates wil be worthless. They can add all the featurs to the Fire TV that they want, but it will never be as good as it could be unless they ugrade to a newer version of Android. Compatibiity issues are nonsense this day in ag with Android and I am hving several comptibility issues with the Fire TV all because Amazon refuses to upgrade the Fire TV t at lest Android 4.4. A month ago when the news of fire OS 5.0 came out I predicted that the Fire TV would not be running it in ten months and I hve nine months left to prove everone wrong that said I was wrong. Wait and see, nine months from now the Fire tablets and the Fire Phone will be running FireOS 5.0, but the Fire TV will be running either 4.2.2, 4.3 or if a miracle happens it might be running Android 4.4. I love the Fire TV and I am not jumping ship, but the Fire TV can not do what it should be doing if Amazon is not going to upgrade it to Android 4.4 I do not care about root or mods, but I do care about compatibilty issues, and more and more things are becoming incompatible with Android 4.2.2 and 4.3. Come on amazon, step it up and give us what we should've already had six months ago.

Nice update! Really looking forward to the shopping feature. Wonder if this feature will go live on July 15th with "Prime day"?
Looking forward to a flashable version of this.

Calibaan said:
Could you please check if its possible also to set sideloaded apps as favorite? THX in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, only those downloaded from their App Store can be set as favorite.
You go into either "Games" or "Apps" to pick which ones you want to favorite, which brings them to the front of the Recent list in "Home" or the other mentioned sections.
Another change is they've added in the storage bar in Applications > Manage Installed Apps, now sit at the bottom of the screen.
porkenhimer said:
Still using Anroid 4.2.2 so the update is a major fail. Any updates for the Fire TV that do not run Android 4.4+ will all be failures. <snipped>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems a new Fire TV Stick may be on the way running Lollipop 5.1 - http://liliputing.com/2015/07/amazons-next-gen-fire-tv-stick-may-be-coming-soon.html
This one will likely be left in the dark forever run on 4.2.2

Well, here is something...
For the longest time, when I hooked my Fire TV Box via Optical Audio to my Pioneer Elite VSX-21 (circa 1999-2000), SPMC/Kodi set for pass through did give me Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS (and show icons for each speaker). However, with the box set for Dolby Digital over Optical when playing movies from Amazon Instant, Netflix and Plex my Pioneer would always display only Dolby ProLogic (no speaker icons, indicating 2ch audio).
It looks like the v51.1.6.0 fixed that.
Today, playing a movie via Amazon Instant, I noticed Dolby Digital led on the receiver along with icons for each speaker.. Same with Netflix.
Plex however gives me no audio when playing movies from my server, but did give me stereo audio when playing a TV show via CBS channel in Plex.

Gilly10 said:
No, only those downloaded from their App Store can be set as favorite.
You go into either "Games" or "Apps" to pick which ones you want to favorite, which brings them to the front of the Recent list in "Home" or the other mentioned sections.
Another change is they've added in the storage bar in Applications > Manage Installed Apps, now sit at the bottom of the screen.
Seems a new Fire TV Stick may be on the way running Lollipop 5.1 - http://liliputing.com/2015/07/amazons-next-gen-fire-tv-stick-may-be-coming-soon.html
This one will likely be left in the dark forever run on 4.2.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems like just wild guess, and what spoils it is that there would be zero reason to put and accelerometor in an Android stick, which tells me that its not a new fire TV stick. I am sure there will be a new Fire TV stick at some point, but the page you gave the link to is 100% not a new Fire TV stick. You shold never link people to pages with unconfirmed info.

First up, it features WiFi and Bluetooth, but no GPS, compass, accelerometer, light sensor, camera, or SIM card. You’d expect most phones, tablets or other Android devices to have at least a few of those things.

Gilly10 said:
No, only those downloaded from their App Store can be set as favorite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx, not really what I hoped for.

porkenhimer said:
Seems like just wild guess, and what spoils it is that there would be zero reason to put and accelerometor in an Android stick, which tells me that its not a new fire TV stick. I am sure there will be a new Fire TV stick at some point, but the page you gave the link to is 100% not a new Fire TV stick. You shold never link people to pages with unconfirmed info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what your reading but it states clearly it does NOT have an accelerometer inside, only bluetooth & wifi are ticked, certainly fits the bill of being a Fire TV Stick of some kind going off the other specs (or lack of), guess we'll just have to wait and see...
This is the page the article is about - https://gfxbench.com/device.jsp?benchmark=gfx31&os=Android&api=gl&D=Amazon+AFTS&testgroup=info

Gilly10 said:
Not sure what your reading but it states clearly it does NOT have an accelerometer inside, only bluetooth & wifi are ticked, certainly fits the bill of being a Fire TV Stick of some kind going off the other specs (or lack of), guess we'll just have to wait and see...
This is the page the article is about - https://gfxbench.com/device.jsp?benchmark=gfx31&os=Android&api=gl&D=Amazon+AFTS&testgroup=info
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The specs fit the billing for many devices. Who knows it could be a new type of device, or it could be a tablet. Til there is proof the articles are just people making wild guesses. Like I said, go back and look at all of Amazons tablets and yo will be amazed at the features some of them do not have that almost every tablet mae by other companies do. They even took the gamble of leaving cameras out the first Fire HD tablet. Amazon does strange things with their devices. They have left rear cameras of some of their tablets and said their study shows that people do not use rear cameras on their tablets then released the next tablet with a rear camera. they have left out HDMI ports saying people with tablets barely use them then for some reason released other tabets with HDMI ports. I would not rule out that the device is a tablet at all. Its very likely that it could be a budget tablet. Their newer tablets have been getting more expensive compared to their older ones so it could be a cheap tablet.

jpeg42 said:
First up, it features WiFi and Bluetooth, but no GPS, compass, accelerometer, light sensor, camera, or SIM card. You’d expect most phones, tablets or other Android devices to have at least a few of those things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And what would these sonsors be good for on an mediaplayer device?
GPS? I know where my TV is.
Compass? My TV doesn't change its direction so often.
Accelerometer? I hope it never falls off the wall.
Light Sensor? For a divice without display?
Camera? Would be nice for skype but better use an external one.
SIM card?
So where is the point?
Hmmmm and off topic anyway .. Sorry for that.

Zaaap72 said:
And what would these sonsors be good for on an mediaplayer device?
GPS? I know where my TV is.
Compass? My TV doesn't change its direction so often.
Accelerometer? I hope it never falls off the wall.
Light Sensor? For a divice without display?
Camera? Would be nice for skype but better use an external one.
SIM card?
So where is the point?
Hmmmm and off topic anyway .. Sorry for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, proof that this is likely the next generation FireTV or Stick, and not another phone or tablet from Amazon.

i've been unable to 'adb connect' to my unrooted fire tv box since around the time it received the latest update. i've rebooted several times - computer and fire tv. no luck. can anyone else confirm or deny this with their box? maybe something funky going on with my routers...

Probably you need to re-enable the ADB debugging within the FireTV System > Developer Options.

Calibaan said:
Probably you need to re-enable the ADB debugging within the FireTV System > Developer Options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, but i already checked that. i even tried turning it off, restarting, turning it on, restarting again. still can't adb connect to my box.

Probably the IP changed. Had this one time that my router assigned another IP than the regulary IP to the AFTV.

again, thanks for trying. firetv has a static IP. it has not changed. my router shows that the firetv is connected with the IP it is supposed to have. everything on my firetv works. i can't ping the firetv from my computer but maybe that is normal. i never tried before when adb connect was working. i tried doing a port scan from computer using nmap but it doesn't see the firetv at all. i feel like i'm losing my mind.
---------- Post added at 11:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 AM ----------
well, i've got adb connect working again. i told firetv to forget the network then i re-added it. this time i didn't specify IP/subnet/etc. i let it get it all from DHCP. now adb connect works. weird.

[Official] Fire TV 2 / Fire OS 5 (Fire TV 1) Tips & Complaints Thread

WORK IN PROGRESS: UPDATING
STOP PRESS: FIRESTARTER 3.0 RELEASED. SANITY RESTORED.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/themes-apps/app-root-home-launcher-replacement-app-t3118135
Before sending your Fire TV/Stick back to Amazon in disgust, beware of its limitations, and try these tips.
Bottom line is it's going to be a solid step up from Fire TV 1. But right now, it has a few issues.
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the angry reviews. Almost all the complaints are about the glitchy remote (we have a fix), battery cover (sometimes the customer isn't always right), audio issues (Amazon is patching, stay tuned). No question, it's got some bugs out of the gate, but Amazon has responded and hopefully all will be resolved shortly . Enjoy:
http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-DV83YW-Fire-TV/product-reviews/B00U3FPN4U/
Fire TV 2: hardware shortcomings by design that many regard as substandard.
If these are important, you might need to look elsewhere.
1. USB 2.0 not even USB 3.0. USB-C is the new standard appearing on phones and laptops.
2. Ethernet 10/100 not GB.
3. No optical port. Possible solution: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010JQMHNW/?
4. HDMI 1.4, not HDMI 2.0, limited to 4K at 30fps.
Software bugs and annoyances, most probably due to OS 5, but yet to be confirmed.
Could be fixed either by Amazon or developers.
1. Audio limited to stereo other than for Amazon Prime. Quiet audio.
As promised, Amazon has released a patch (extremely quickly):
“By this coming Monday, October 12th, you will receive an automatic software update that enables Dolby Digital Plus for customers who have a Dolby Digital Plus system (including support for Netflix and Amazon Video). An update for older Dolby Digital systems (not Dolby Digital Plus) will be distributed on November 30th.” -Amazon
Update from AFTVNews:
One of the new device’s largest complaints, a lack of Dolby Digital surround sound support, which has been partially fixed already, stems from changes made to support Netflix. I’m told by my source at Amazon that Netflix gave the Fire TV engineering team a new version of their software at the last minute which required changes to the Fire TV’s software to work correctly. Those changes conflicted with Dolby Digital surround sound support. With not enough time to fix support for both, Amazon was faced with the decision to ship without Netflix or without Dolby Digital surround sound. They chose the latter which, in my opinion, was the right choice.
http://www.aftvnews.com/amazon-is-d...-internal-testing-pool-for-bug-fixing-effort/
2. Fire TV 2 WiFi Remote drops out, glitchy, lags, etc.
Do this when setting up if you're connecting via Ethernet: disconnect your LAN cable, connect to WiFi, reconnect your network cable.
And then do this anytime if your remote becomes laggy: disconnect Ethernet cable, reconnect Ethernet cable.
That should fix it. Really, it's usually that simple.
If not, there could be interference, you could try changing channels or frequency on your router or restrict the available protocols (just N or AC, for example). Let us know if you're still having problems.
3. Highly inconvenient to launch Kodi and other sideloaded apps.
Long story, somewhat shortened: The Fire OS only shows icons for apps obtained from Amazon's App Store. That, unfortunately, doesn't include Kodi, everyone's favourite media player, and about 99% of the reason the AFTV has a cult following. There have been two popular ways to get around Amazon's belligerence: by having Kodi launch as proxy of another app (usually Ikono TV) using Llama; or by employing Firestarter to bind it to the Home button.
Both can be loaded via ADFire.
Unfortunately, Llama no longer works (for this purpose) in OS5/AFTV2, so skip that route and install FireStarter:
ADBFire : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2786505
FireStarter http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/themes-apps/app-root-home-launcher-replacement-app-t3118135
Kodi: http://kodi.tv
I recommend mapping the Home Button single click to Kodi, and the Home button double-click to Amazon Home. Or if you'd prefer to use Firestarter as your home screen, then map it to the double-click. The added bonus to this setup is every time you're in Kodi and hit the Home button inadvertently, instead of losing your **** yet again, it'll just flash in and out of the app and then pause whatever you're watching.
Here's a guide on sideloading to the Fire. Again, I strongly recommend ADBFire:
http://www.aftvnews.com/sideload/
If you have an Android tablet or phone, there are several apps that can push apps across to the Fire, such as Apps2Fire. That way you can download your apps direct from the official Google Play Store. Don't forget they won't automatically update. You'll need to push those updates across as well.
4. Can't connect via ADB to sideload using ADBFire etc since using FireStarter
First up: make sure you have ADB enabled. Settings>System>Developer Options> Both ADB Debugging and Apps from Unknown Sources need to be On.
FireStarter has two methods of intercepting Home button presses: one using ADB, and one not using ADB. The issue that's arisen since the introduction of Fire OS 5 is that the operating system no longer permits parallel ADB connections, so if FireStarter is using it to intercept Home button presses, you won't be able to connect to the Fire TV using ADB, and thus you won't be able to sideload apps and files using ADBFire.
We now have two options:
Option 1 (Firestarter won't use ADB): Open FireStarter, under Settings, uncheck "Home Detection via ADB."
Advantage: You only need ADB enabled to connect with ADBFire. No need to touch FireStarter.
Disadvantage: Only detects your customized Home button choices within the Fire TV's home screen, and not within apps. Pressing Home within Kodi, for example, will return you to the Home screen. Pressing it again will send you back to Kodi (or whatever action you've chosen. A potential advantage is this now gives you three variants of the Home button: a single and double-click from the Home screen; and the traditional Fire TV Home shortcut from within any app.
Option 2: (FireStarter uses ADB): Open FireStarter, check "Home Detection via ADB"
Advantage: FireStarter will now obey your Home button choices (single and double-click) from anywhere.
Disadvantage: You will either need to kill FireStarter (see below) or temporarily revert to Option 1 in order to do your ADB stuff. Note: there's now a handy shortcut direct to the ADB Debugging toggle within FireStarter.
Tip: If you go with Option 2, you can quickly kill FireStarter's grip on ADB by going: Settings>Manage Applications>FireStarter and Force Stop. And then restarting FireStarter or the Device once you've finished your ADB business.
5. External storage limited to disks formatted in FAT32.
There's no reason why Amazon couldn't enable other formats, but there's little incentive to bother. Even Macs don't support NTFS out of the box. Either format your drives in FAT32 (and split larger files if necessary) or move them to a network share. Not hard to work around. Here's a tip:
http://www.aftvnews.com/how-to-play...b-off-the-fire-tvs-fat32-usb-storage-in-kodi/
6. Difficult to remove battery cover?
No it's not. Slide it back then lift it up. Dead easy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3t1GOCzjzY&
7. Can't move Kodi to external storage.
http://www.aftvnews.com/some-apps-like-kodi-cannot-write-to-external-storage-yet-on-fire-os-5/
Upgrade to Jarvis (still in alpha but perfectly acceptable).
8. LED only glowing when it detects a remote button press
Either a bug or a new way of doing things. Either way, it's not ideal.
9. Can't Chromecast from Android device to Fire TV
Yes, you can cast from Youtube, but nothing else (that I can find). Blame Google for that:
http://www.aftvnews.com/google-has-chromecast-receiver-app-pulled-from-fire-tv-appstore/
You can, however, Airplay to it. Via Kodi is one method, that usually works, but can be flaky sometimes. There are a bunch of apps you can try. Some work better than others. I picked up this one when it was free, it works:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/x9F99-x65B9-x513F-AirReceiver/dp/B00L5HQRGS/
And for those of you with other Amazon devices, there's always Fling:
https://developer.amazon.com/public...g/docs/understanding-the-amazon-fling-service

How about Bluetooth controller frequently loses connection to the AFTV? Mine drops it's connection probably 2 or 3 times every hour.

sudman said:
How about Bluetooth controller frequently loses connection to the AFTV? Mine drops it's connection probably 2 or 3 times every hour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't the AFTV2 remote Wi-Fi?

I will be watching this thread closely. Thank you for posting.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

list additions
I would add to the list:
Issues with day 1 software update, (several resets, issues to get working)
Wifi remote constantly cuts on/off (taking out batteries seems like temp fix)
Stutters in apps like WatchESPN
Second the dropping of lama/kodi icon support
Despite better hardware, little change in actual performance (yet to be fully seen)

Claude Koch said:
Isn't the AFTV2 remote Wi-Fi?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression that it was BT same as the original but cant find a definitive answer eitherway. Eitherway the damn thing keeps discontecting!!!! Will be sending mine back if things dont improve fast.

sudman said:
I was under the impression that it was BT same as the original but cant find a definitive answer eitherway. Eitherway the damn thing keeps discontecting!!!! Will be sending mine back if things dont improve fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.aftvnews.com/list-of-all-fire-tv-and-fire-tv-stick-remote-and-game-controller-specs/

Claude Koch said:
About time we compiled a tally of what's broken, missing or just plain annoying on the new Fire TV, and what's (about to be) broken by the official release of OS 5 on the old Fire TV.
4. More to come.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. I was criticized elsewhere for bringing up some shortcomings of 2. I am very interested in the gizmo you linked that breaks off the 5.1 via Optical and 2ch mini-jack from the HDMI stream. The product dates back to 2013 which makes me skeptical. I've bought a few of these that did not work. I have 4 port Monoprice HDMI switch that has the 5.1 and 2ch breakout. It disappoints as it is 5.1 OR 2ch, not both. The one's I have had tried similar to your post would pass sound to all six speakers but it was in reality Stereo which will fool some people. The clue for me is, does the blue Dolby light come on? A quick test for DD Plus handling is "House of Cards". If you get a blue light viewing that, it's good to go. It's been almost a year since I last fooled with them so maybe there is something that is NEW and works.
I am still looking for one that really works. The only thing I know that splits off 5.1, for real, is 1's Optical connector.
What's funny is that I pitched my Roku3 over the DD+ impasse. Now Roku4 is coming out and it HAS an optical connector.
I have an Echo/Alexa too and waiting to see how all that works out with my 1 if it does at all. I'm rooted so unless Rbox comes through, I'm out of luck. Right now my Echo is pretty much a party novelty but it can now control my Nest and Insteon devices. Just found the most useful feature is using it as a meat timer.
It's a shame 2 isn't all of 1 but better and more.

I had problems with the connection with my remote too.
Are you used ethernet at the first start to connect with your router? Never set up wifi connection?
Try this
1. disconnect fire tv from ethernet
2. connect fire tv to wifi
3. reconnect the remote to fire tv
4. connect fire tv to ethernet again
for me i think it works... I am not 100% sure because the connection lost was very rare before. but give it a try.. :laugh:

There are huge issues with the WiFi the gain on the 5GHz 802.11ac is terrible in addition to issues above. I sent two of them back. Returning all of them is the only way Amazon will fix this!

I hate to say it, but it's looking like a lemon.
Edit: things are looking much better today.

What is an "Accessory Port". On my 1 I use a little dongle called Flirc to allow my Logitech Harmony One unified remote to control it. Needed it to feed the "Menu" command to 1. I now have a Harmony Ultimate with Hub and just imported the same settings.
I wonder if 2's "Accessory port" will allow a Flirc dongle to support unified IR remotes. Also wonder if it is even necessary with the 2. The Ultimate remote is still totally IR but the Hub is WiFi allowing it to talk to some smart devices. Guess I could test but hate to fix something that ain't broke. That's the main reason I'm afraid of 2. See no benefit except for 4K and I don't have that. My 1 setup works pretty well.
What I want to do is ditch my $160/mo DirecTV bill and replace it with another DVR option. SBC (aka AT&T) ate them and nothing good will come from that. "Repeating" myself, the Tivo Bolt is intriguing. Would replace FireTV and DirecTV. On the other hand, my rooted 1 with Nova Launcher and a Logitech K400 KB is a pretty nice little big screen Android box.
Nothing is just right.

sudman said:
How about Bluetooth controller frequently loses connection to the AFTV? Mine drops it's connection probably 2 or 3 times every hour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an abomination. Seems like the wifi keeps dropping out.
Edit: fixed.

Claude Koch said:
It's an abomination. Seems like the wifi keeps dropping out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it's ON SALE. hurry while the supply lasts. Pulling 2 1/2 Stars. Not good.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U3FPN4U/?tag=aftvndeal-20

The Main Reason AFTV 2 Is Not For Me
Root and Nova Launcher

Claude Koch said:
It's an abomination. Seems like the wifi keeps dropping out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A page back i posted a method to fix that if you are used ethernet cable at the first start o AFTV2.
Try this
1. disconnect fire tv from ethernet
2. connect fire tv to wifi
3. reconnect the remote to fire tv
4. connect fire tv to ethernet again
For me no connection losts between remote control and AFTV2 after a couple of hours.

I know the Apple TV was looming, but I don't get why Amazon felt the need to rush this out so fast. There just really isn't a reason to refresh a video streaming device annually. I understand they wanted to beat Apple to 4K, but looks like it cost them this time. I am sure updates will make it better, but this box might be the dud when we look back and the history of these things. I just hope it doesn't flop so bad they stop future revisions.

MajorWinters said:
A page back i posted a method to fix that if you are used ethernet cable at the first start o AFTV2.
Try this
1. disconnect fire tv from ethernet
2. connect fire tv to wifi
3. reconnect the remote to fire tv
4. connect fire tv to ethernet again
For me no connection losts between remote control and AFTV2 after a couple of hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip. I'm going to let it be for a couple of days, then try your fix. Otherwise, I won't know it it helped.
Been trying to get it to detect the bluetooth remote from my other Fire TV but not having any luck.
EDIT: Great tip, seems to have done the trick! Added to list.

I sent mine back. I can't believe that the newer Fire TV performs much worse than my 1st Gen Fire TV. Here is what I find annoying.
Remote cover is very hard to open. Broke my nail and it took me nearly a half hour to get it open. Once it is open it is much easier after.
Remote freezes and stops responding. Have to take out batteries and put them back in. At first I though the unit froze but my BT keyboard works fine. Had to use that quite often.
Netflix no 5.1 surround sound. Also it takes much longer to get up to 1080p. On my old Fire TV 1080p instantly and if not just restart the stream. On the 2nd gen Fire TV mud quality sub 480p which can take up to 40 seconds or longer to get to 1080p unless I fast forward and rewind the stream but then it ends up ruining what I am watching when there are spoilers in the beginning of the program.
Other third party apps actually run worse. They stutter and skip frames like trying to watch a HD video on a Celeron PC from 2008.
The external storage option is a joke. First thing is they should have included more than 8gb of internal storage because the external microSD is useless. I moved all the apps and games I can to the external storage however most apps and some games still store at least half the data on internal storage so even then I was already running low on space while my 64gb microSD barely used any space.
Box runs much warmer than before and I have it on a cooling pad.
To me the picture quality seems worse. I don't have a 4k TV just 1080p but the picture is much darker and reds look more pixelated.
That is what I can think of off the bat but in the end I ended up sending it back like many others and I see a recall soon from Amazon. They should have never released this thing as the 1st Gen Fire TV was pretty much perfect. Yes it had issues when it first came out mainly the once outdated Netflix app and having to occasionally clear the Amazon video data app when it would not play but otherwise it performed much better than this new thing does.

It's looking like under OS5, external storage is sandboxed as read-only to Kodi. The same seems true of Android TV (Nvidia Shield), so I suppose it's a Lollipop security issue. If I'm right, this means no moving Kodi data/thumbnails to external storage and using the /sdcard/xbmc_env.properties to redirect. Can anyone confirm/disprove this?

Nexus Player vs Chromecast 2015

Hello
Does the nexus player have all Chromecast features? I mean can i stream my files from my phone to the nexus player? The new Chromecast had improvements in streaming speed, so which device is faster?
Sorry for my english

I've used both. On WiFi they are the same speed, however both work faster when plugged into Ethernet.
For the price, nexus player has many many more features, well worth the additional $15

Markolc said:
I've used both. On WiFi they are the same speed, however both work faster when plugged into Ethernet.
For the price, nexus player has many many more features, well worth the additional $15
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you recommend an ethernet adapter that works well with the NP? TIA!

This will work fine
Can't get much simpler and reviews are good enough.

Get A 5 Port Ethernet Adapter Always
qualitymove13 said:
Can you recommend an ethernet adapter that works well with the NP? TIA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go
guy, the beast, always get a 5 port Ethernet adapter, also you will need a OTG cable http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D8K3GGO?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 !

qualitymove13 said:
Can you recommend an ethernet adapter that works well with the NP? TIA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the one I bought. Works fine for me!
http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Gigabit-Ethernet-Converter-Network/dp/B00IJU0K2Q

I like my NP, but I think it's unfair to simply assert that NP wins because "it does everything that Chromecast does." The NP has great features that the Chromecast doesn't (onscreen UI, remote, gaming, etc.) have; if you want those features, the NP is great (but probably not as good as other products on the market with bigger app ecosystems, like Fire TV or Roku). If casting video content is your top priority, it's worth noting that the NP does not perform as well as Chromecast as a Google Cast device. The two main issues are:
1. My NP (on my main TC) doesn't always show up as a castable device, even when my Chromecast (bedroom TV) appears without issue.
2. It turns out that some Chromecast-compatible apps do NOT support Google Cast on the NP, as was the case with the HBO Now app that was released a couple of months ago. This is pretty rare, and basically every other cast-enabled app I've used seems to support both Chromecast and the NP, but the HBO Now debacle (when combined with #1) clearly suggests that the Google Cast implementation on the NP differs from what we see on Chromecast.
In addition to Cast issues, I've experienced a lot of bugs/crashes/etc. with my NP. Things on my NP seem to be stabilizing, but it's clear to me that Chromecast is a more mature and stable product at the moment. Given that so many more people own Chromecasts than NPs, updating Chromecast will probably remain Google's higher priority.
Overall, I'm still happy with my NP, but it's still a work in progress. I'm not sure that I'd recommend it over Roku or Fire TV (or even Apple TV) for people looking to add smart features/apps to their TV... and if you're looking for a cheap way to watch Netflix on your TV, you can't really beat Chromecast.

whmaurer said:
I like my NP, but I think it's unfair to simply assert that NP wins because "it does everything that Chromecast does." The NP has great features that the Chromecast doesn't (onscreen UI, remote, gaming, etc.) have; if you want those features, the NP is great (but probably not as good as other products on the market with bigger app ecosystems, like Fire TV or Roku). If casting video content is your top priority, it's worth noting that the NP does not perform as well as Chromecast as a Google Cast device. The two main issues are:
1. My NP (on my main TC) doesn't always show up as a castable device, even when my Chromecast (bedroom TV) appears without issue.
2. It turns out that some Chromecast-compatible apps do NOT support Google Cast on the NP, as was the case with the HBO Now app that was released a couple of months ago. This is pretty rare, and basically every other cast-enabled app I've used seems to support both Chromecast and the NP, but the HBO Now debacle (when combined with #1) clearly suggests that the Google Cast implementation on the NP differs from what we see on Chromecast.
In addition to Cast issues, I've experienced a lot of bugs/crashes/etc. with my NP. Things on my NP seem to be stabilizing, but it's clear to me that Chromecast is a more mature and stable product at the moment. Given that so many more people own Chromecasts than NPs, updating Chromecast will probably remain Google's higher priority.
Overall, I'm still happy with my NP, but it's still a work in progress. I'm not sure that I'd recommend it over Roku or Fire TV (or even Apple TV) for people looking to add smart features/apps to their TV... and if you're looking for a cheap way to watch Netflix on your TV, you can't really beat Chromecast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing about it is, a new Chromecast is $35, though I've seen it for $30 on sale recently. I've seen the nexus player on sale for $40 at a few places. For the extra $10, the nexus player does much more than the Chromecast, and can function essentially the same as a Chromecast, save for the HBO now app.
Also I perceive casting to the NP is much quicker than my Chromecast on wifi. It's a stronger machine.

For those of you suggesting the RJ45 + USB3.0 hubs, isnt the microUSB port on the back of the NP just a usb2.0 connection? Does adding a USB3.0 hub for expanded memory actually do anything since it should be throttled down to 2.0 speeds at the back of the NP? Or should we just look at getting a 2.0 hub and save a few extra $$$?
Im asking because Im currently looking into my options to expand my memory now that Android6.0 has hit our devices.

Correct, its only 2.0 speed. Save some money. No reason the adapter should cost more than the NP.

whmaurer said:
I like my NP, but I think it's unfair to simply assert that NP wins because "it does everything that Chromecast does." The NP has great features that the Chromecast doesn't (onscreen UI, remote, gaming, etc.) have; if you want those features, the NP is great (but probably not as good as other products on the market with bigger app ecosystems, like Fire TV or Roku). If casting video content is your top priority, it's worth noting that the NP does not perform as well as Chromecast as a Google Cast device. The two main issues are:
1. My NP (on my main TC) doesn't always show up as a castable device, even when my Chromecast (bedroom TV) appears without issue.
2. It turns out that some Chromecast-compatible apps do NOT support Google Cast on the NP, as was the case with the HBO Now app that was released a couple of months ago. This is pretty rare, and basically every other cast-enabled app I've used seems to support both Chromecast and the NP, but the HBO Now debacle (when combined with #1) clearly suggests that the Google Cast implementation on the NP differs from what we see on Chromecast.
In addition to Cast issues, I've experienced a lot of bugs/crashes/etc. with my NP. Things on my NP seem to be stabilizing, but it's clear to me that Chromecast is a more mature and stable product at the moment. Given that so many more people own Chromecasts than NPs, updating Chromecast will probably remain Google's higher priority.
Overall, I'm still happy with my NP, but it's still a work in progress. I'm not sure that I'd recommend it over Roku or Fire TV (or even Apple TV) for people looking to add smart features/apps to their TV... and if you're looking for a cheap way to watch Netflix on your TV, you can't really beat Chromecast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would've said the same, prior to the Marshmallow upgrade; whether the Cast icon would appear in Cast enabled apps was a matter of pure luck, as well as the "cast screen to" feature on Android devices. I got a lot of Cast connection losses as well, while the content was then still playing on the TV, without any possibility to control it (other than stopping it via the Nexus Player remote).
But all of those issues are fixed now with the Marshmallow upgrade (and I guess the various Google Cast Receiver app updates, that have been released since then).
The one thing that I find absolutely unacceptable is the following fact which you have mentioned as well: That the Nexus Player seems to be a 2nd class Google Cast device, which is e.g. not supported by Spotify, while working perfectly fine on Chromecasts. Google is allowing fragmentation of their Cast ecosystem because of this and this might be the beginning of the end of its acceptance, especially when it comes to Smart TVs that are shipped with Android TV and for which all companies involved are especially advertising the Cast functionality.
To the user who mentioned that both, the Nexus Player and the Chromecast are loading/streaming faster over Ethernet than over Wi-Fi: I strongly doubt that this is the case, especially since, as mentioned above, the available Ethernet adapters are only USB 2.0 capable. If you're talking about an Nvidia Shield TV I'd believe you, since that one supports Gigabit Ethernet natively, but regarding Chromecasts and Nexus Players... maybe if your wi-fi is horrible or you're using 2.4GHz wi-fi only... otherwise...no, not at all.
Anyway, since the original question was something like "Chromecast vs. Nexus Player": I have both, and I fully replaced my Chromecast with my Nexus Player since I have found that it makes the Chromecast redundant.
Some advantages of the Chromecast that should be considered:
-It's perfectly suited for taking it with you when traveling, while the Nexus Player is more of a fixed device that you set up once, connect it to your TV and leave it there.
- The Chromecast might reboot a couple of seconds faster than the Nexus Player, in case you shut off your devices often.
- The Chromecast allows you to adjust the backdrop e.g. with weather data and specific background images; the similar looking stock-backdrop of the Nexus Player cannot be modified at all.
- The Nexus Player wants you to sign into a specific Google account, whereas the Chromecast only requires you to set up a wi-fi.
- Chromecast doesn't need a wall socket and can be powered by your TV's USB port (even though using a real power adapter is recommended due to stability reasons).
- As mentioned, Chromecast isn't treated as a 2nd class Cast device by e.g. HBO (lol) and Spotify.
- You won't have to deal with yet another remote control in addition to your TV's, your audio system's and what-not remote controls, if using a Chromecast
- Google so far hasn't dared to release a firmware upgrade for the Chromecast which increases the brightness to a bazillion % and causes all blacks to look washed-out as hell.
I'm not gonna mention any advantages of the Nexus Player here as I've already said that I, personally, prefer the Nexus Player; I think it comes down to personal preferences regarding the above-points. Some things might be more important to some people, while others aren't, the same goes for what compromises are acceptable to the specific user.

Markolc said:
Correct, its only 2.0 speed. Save some money. No reason the adapter should cost more than the NP.
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Only problem is there are no USB 2.0 ethernet adapters that also have USB passthrough.

priddyma said:
Only problem is there are no USB 2.0 ethernet adapters that also have USB passthrough.
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I don't quite know what you mean? I have a 2.0 USB hub\ethernet hybrid plugged into my nexus players. It gives me 3 full size USB ports and Ethernet.

Anywhere I have searched didn't have a plethora of USB 2.0 hubs with ethernet that were that much cheaper than the 3.0 models.
I don't see the point of an ethernet adapter for the Nexus Player any way, the theoretical speed limit of USB 2.0 is 480mbps which equal 60MBps meaning that you are throttling yourself compared to your WiFi speed.

priddyma said:
Anywhere I have searched didn't have a plethora of USB 2.0 hubs with ethernet that were that much cheaper than the 3.0 models.
I don't see the point of an ethernet adapter for the Nexus Player any way, the theoretical speed limit of USB 2.0 is 480mbps which equal 60MBps meaning that you are throttling yourself compared to your WiFi speed.
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And realistically you would be lucky to get even half that 60 MBps speeds on the 2.0 port. Chances are your only seeing about 25-30, and a Ethernet port adapter has to share the data with all the other devices you may have plugged into the hub as well. The WiFi AC is every bit 5-10 faster than the USB port on this device. The Ethernet adapter idea is only reasonable if that is all you have for a connection. Otherwise your 5ghz N or AC will blow away the USB port, depending on your network and internet speeds of course.

SkOrPn said:
And realistically you would be lucky to get even half that 60 MBps speeds on the 2.0 port. Chances are your only seeing about 25-30, and a Ethernet port adapter has to share the data with all the other devices you may have plugged into the hub as well. The WiFi AC is every bit 5-10 faster than the USB port on this device. The Ethernet adapter idea is only reasonable if that is all you have for a connection. Otherwise your 5ghz N or AC will blow away the USB port, depending on your network and internet speeds of course.
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All I can tell you is this. On my 5ghz WiFi, nighthawk ac1900 router, I will get occasional drops and hiccups streaming my uncompressed bluray rips, and on occasion streaming from my HDHomerun Prime. When over WiFi, I get none of those issues ever. It's just a more reliable connection. Downloading from the Play store, the WiFi wins, however streaming a 2 hour movie (30gigs), the hard wire connection will give me a flawless performance. It just takes a few seconds of WiFi interference to interrupt a movie or good football game on TV.

Markolc said:
All I can tell you is this. On my 5ghz WiFi, nighthawk ac1900 router, I will get occasional drops and hiccups streaming my uncompressed bluray rips, and on occasion streaming from my HDHomerun Prime. When over WiFi, I get none of those issues ever. It's just a more reliable connection. Downloading from the Play store, the WiFi wins, however streaming a 2 hour movie (30gigs), the hard wire connection will give me a flawless performance. It just takes a few seconds of WiFi interference to interrupt a movie or good football game on TV.
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Your WiFi should have big enough buffer to handle a few seconds of WiFi interference... Never had a single problem on a Chromecast wireless in a highly congested 2.4GHz area....

The Chromecast app from Google in the Google PlayStore doesn't even detect my Google Nexus Player (on the same wifi network).
The "Video & TV Cast | Nexus Player" app does. The developer for that app has a separate version for Nexus Player, Chromecast device, Samsung TV, etc.

Nate2 said:
The Chromecast app from Google in the Google PlayStore doesn't even detect my Google Nexus Player (on the same wifi network).
The "Video & TV Cast | Nexus Player" app does. The developer for that app has a separate version for Nexus Player, Chromecast device, Samsung TV, etc.
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I'm not sure why the Chromecast app would ever need to detect your NP. It's not like you could use that app to configure it.

Maybe it was just my assumption that the Google Nexus Player (which supports casting) would use the Chromecast protocol(?) from Google.
Apparently, there is also a Googlecast protocol that is different from Chromecast?
My Samsung phone has it's own casting protocol that works great with my Samsung HDTV.
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