Database Users

Google Movies won't work on rooted XOOM's

I've been emailing with someone at Google's Movie support and am being told that the reason my XOOM can't download or stream movies from their new service is because it's rooted.
Is anyone else out there having similar issues? IMO, this sucks. Hoping for a swift resolution.

I think I may have the same issue. My xoom is unlocked and rooted and I get a license error (error 49) whenever I try to download a movie.

tr3v1n said:
I think I may have the same issue. My xoom is unlocked and rooted and I get a license error (error 49) whenever I try to download a movie.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not surprising. The first thing that I'd try to do if I had "pinned" a movie for offline viewing and I had root would be to look for the decryption key and the encrypted local file. HD movies on the cheap. Root and DRM just aren't compatible.

jdclucidly said:
Not surprising. The first thing that I'd try to do if I had "pinned" a movie for offline viewing and I had root would be to look for the decryption key and the encrypted local file. HD movies on the cheap. Root and DRM just aren't compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My HTC Incredible is rooted and I just installed the new Netflix streaming app and it works. So I don't think that rooting and DRM must be mutually exclusive.

What if you have a movie pinned for offline viewing, then root I wonder?
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

davidsos said:
My HTC Incredible is rooted and I just installed the new Netflix streaming app and it works. So I don't think that rooting and DRM must be mutually exclusive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Netflix doesn't let you download movies like Google Movies does. Netflix also isn't doing HD. The DRM requirements for HD are a *lot* tighter and more restrictive than they are for SD content.
RadDudeTommy said:
What if you have a movie pinned for offline viewing, then root I wonder?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"fastboot oem unlock" (aka, rooting the Xoom) wipes your device.

kllrnohj said:
"fastboot oem unlock" (aka, rooting the Xoom) wipes your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, unlocking isn't the same as rooting. You can unlock and not root. (Unlocking only enables fastboot's ability to flash unsigned partition images)
I wonder what happens in that case, where you unlock and not root? It might be an interesting -- and potentially expensive -- exercise to see under what conditions exactly does this error trigger.

Rooted users are actually seeing the movies listed in the market, but just can't play them right?
I got 3.1 on my non-rooted wifi version this morning and the market has no movies tab at all.

I just tried, I can rent and its in my rentals but won't play.
Edit: I'm rooted
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

Found the answer to my question.
Google said:
Hi horatiopositronic,
Sorry for the confusion. An update bringing the Videos app and Movies tab
in Android Market is currently being rolled out to Verizon XOOM customers.
Wi-Fi Xoom devices will begin receiving this update (separate from 3.1
update) in the coming weeks. When the update becomes available for Wi-Fi
Xoom users like yourself, your Xoom will automatically receive the Videos
application, and your Android Market will display the Movies tab. Look
out for notifications updates in the coming weeks (bottom right corner
near your time).
Regards,
Kevin
The Android Market Support Team
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I read from Droid Life that if you delete Superuser.apk and su that Movies will start working. Hence root is the issue.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

I have a UK wifi xoom which I unlocked, and played around with a while back, including rooting it and installing Tiamat. I've since returned it to stock US software (just so i can get updates more quickly), and no longer have root access. However, I still get the error 49 if i try to play a movie from the market. Surely they don't block movies from devices that were rooted once upon a time!?

I have a rooted Thunderbolt and receive the same error. It has to do with su and root. I don't think this exclusive to the xoom.
(I'm posting here because i just bought a xoom and will be rooting as soon as i do the knowledge on it.)
Thanks

system less xposed/root pokemongo.

So I know more s7 owners than I play Pokémon go. Hell, half of the world plays. Do we have any way of running system less xposed yet to get the app to work? Play store hasn't updated yet, but I want a play before it does...

doubtful. from what i understand magic mask needs an unlocked bootloader. and im pretty sure we need a custom SU and xposed just to run the phone with the ENGboot. i could be way off the mark though lol

I'm wondering if suhide can do the same thing...

not sure. i know rootcloak doesnt work which hides root. from what i understand the SafetyNet checks if anything even the slightest changes are in the /system area every 30 mins. even the slightest variation to system is counted as root and kicks you off. i dont know anything about SUhide but if its in system i doubt it will work at all. i did read that if you run cyanogenmod13 rename the su to .bin i believe and toggle off root in the options you can play. i dont think the att version has CM13 unfortunately. ATT and Samsung hate us root users lol so doubt we ever will. isnt ENGboot still the only way to root the s7?

Yes... I unrooted, but quickly rerooted after a day without adaway and xposed. It's terrible that when purchasing a new device you need to consider it's unlock ability as a factor... back to the nexus I go I suppose

twizt3d said:
Yes... I unrooted, but quickly rerooted after a day without adaway and xposed. It's terrible that when purchasing a new device you need to consider it's unlock ability as a factor... back to the nexus I go I suppose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right? For the past couple months I've pondered if I should sell my S7 for an unlockable device. I thought about maybe a OnePlus but really don't know. I like Samsung devices because they're always packed full of features compared to others in the same price range, from my experience anyways

Blocking Ads Without Root? Will ZTE Ever Step Up?

Long story short I haven't unlocked my bootloader to root my phone yet, since ZTE are offering virtually zero support and haven't even supplied a factory image (WTF!), so I don't have a properly working method to block ads.
This makes YouTube absolutely worthless to me, I'm not going to watch a 30 second ad about something I probably hate with a fiery passion in order to watch a 2 minute video. Just simply browsing the web has become painful and indescribably annoying.
So is there any (actually effective) method out there which I can use to block the cancer of the internet known as advertisements without having root? Will ZTE ever do what every other company does and offer some bare minimum support for the community? If I knew ZTE were going to be this horrible about support I wouldn't have even bought the phone to begin with.

Cyrus D. said:
Long story short I haven't unlocked my bootloader to root my phone yet, since ZTE are offering virtually zero support and haven't even supplied a factory image (WTF!), so I don't have a properly working method to block ads.
This makes YouTube absolutely worthless to me, I'm not going to watch a 30 second ad about something I probably hate with a fiery passion in order to watch a 2 minute video. Just simply browsing the web has become painful and indescribably annoying.
So is there any (actually effective) method out there which I can use to block the cancer of the internet known as advertisements without having root? Will ZTE ever do what every other company does and offer some bare minimum support for the community? If I knew ZTE were going to be this horrible about support I wouldn't have even bought the phone to begin with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try Adguard, works like a charm

Gachmuret said:
Try Adguard, works like a charm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it won't steal my info????

Cyrus D. said:
Long story short I haven't unlocked my bootloader to root my phone yet, since ZTE are offering virtually zero support and haven't even supplied a factory image (WTF!), so I don't have a properly working method to block ads.
This makes YouTube absolutely worthless to me, I'm not going to watch a 30 second ad about something I probably hate with a fiery passion in order to watch a 2 minute video. Just simply browsing the web has become painful and indescribably annoying.
So is there any (actually effective) method out there which I can use to block the cancer of the internet known as advertisements without having root? Will ZTE ever do what every other company does and offer some bare minimum support for the community? If I knew ZTE were going to be this horrible about support I wouldn't have even bought the phone to begin with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had my Axon 7 rooted and xposed working perfectly WAYYYYYYY before I unlocked it. And I am willing to bet that if you look in the rest of this wonderful XDA section you will find a posting or two about root without bootloader unlock, and the first step is making a backup so if something does go wrong you can use your backup!

Gachmuret said:
Try Adguard, works like a charm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's paid only in order to block ads in apps and it's not even a one time purchase, it's an annual license. I won't purchase licenses which expire for Android apps. For now I have the free version installed, but the fact that it gives a warning stating that it's reported battery or data usage will be false (other application's stats will supposedly be recorded as AdGuard's) makes it suspicious to even begin with.
tabletalker7 said:
I had my Axon 7 rooted and xposed working perfectly WAYYYYYYY before I unlocked it. And I am willing to bet that if you look in the rest of this wonderful XDA section you will find a posting or two about root without bootloader unlock, and the first step is making a backup so if something does go wrong you can use your backup!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The last time I checked on rooting without unlocking it was super convoluted and there were reports of people left and right bricking things.
- What do I even backup with and can it even be done fully without having root in the first place?
- Can it use ZTE's OTA updates without bricking if that's done?
- Is it actually a full proper root?

Cyrus D. said:
It's paid only in order to block ads in apps and it's not even a one time purchase, it's an annual license. I won't purchase licenses which expire for Android apps. For now I have the free version installed, but the fact that it gives a warning stating that it's reported battery or data usage will be false (other application's stats will supposedly be recorded as AdGuard's) makes it suspicious to even begin with.
The last time I checked on rooting without unlocking it was super convoluted and there were reports of people left and right bricking things.
- What do I even backup with and can it even be done fully without having root in the first place?
- Can it use ZTE's OTA updates without bricking if that's done?
- Is it actually a full proper root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It worked for me. On the forum for Axon 7 root without unlock the first thing you do is make a backup of the boot and recovery. You can flash those with the same program used to root it and install TWRP. After that we also have a forum here with full stock roms that you can flash with TWRP just to unbrick and they work.

I live in Spain, have a Play Music subscription (YouTube RED isn't available here... *sigh*) and have installed AdGuard two days ago to get rid of those stupid, stupid commercials, but it seriously messed up my battery info.
I would reach around 20% battery and the phone would just turn off. Completely drained. Kaput. Happened twice with full charge with original charger and cable (I thought my Moto X's QC2 had broken something, but it's the app after all).
I have it set up on manual mode now, so that I can activate it outside home and avoid YouTube's commercials and consequent date plan limit (even if I'm a paying customer! Dang it Google!!!).

The non-Play Store versions of Lightning Browser (free) have built-in adblock. You can get it from the developer's github or from F-Droid. It also has a dark theme that's perfect for AMOLED screens like the Axon 7's.

*** Thread Cleaned ***
Let's keep the comments respectful, and on-topic. If you think a comment falls outside of XDA Rules, simply hit the REPORT icon.

Cyrus D. said:
Long story short I haven't unlocked my bootloader to root my phone yet, since ZTE are offering virtually zero support and haven't even supplied a factory image (WTF!), so I don't have a properly working method to block ads.
This makes YouTube absolutely worthless to me, I'm not going to watch a 30 second ad about something I probably hate with a fiery passion in order to watch a 2 minute video. Just simply browsing the web has become painful and indescribably annoying.
So is there any (actually effective) method out there which I can use to block the cancer of the internet known as advertisements without having root? Will ZTE ever do what every other company does and offer some bare minimum support for the community? If I knew ZTE were going to be this horrible about support I wouldn't have even bought the phone to begin with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really cannot fathom why you're equating "ZTE stepping up" with "root". Because AFAIK, no OEM actively supports rooting their phones.
So what it comes down to is your unwillingness to root your phone using the proven method available here on XDA. It sounds like you're afraid for some reason, which I don't understand because it's virtually impossible to hard brick your phone at this point, assuming you can follow simple instructions.
AdAway works just fine on my A2017U running B27 and was the single biggest reason I rooted my phone in the first place. My bootloader is still locked, as well.

rczrider said:
I really cannot fathom why you're equating "ZTE stepping up" with "root". Because AFAIK, no OEM actively supports rooting their phones.
So what it comes down to is your unwillingness to root your phone using the proven method available here on XDA. It sounds like you're afraid for some reason, which I don't understand because it's virtually impossible to hard brick your phone at this point, assuming you can follow simple instructions.
AdAway works just fine on my A2017U running B27 and was the single biggest reason I rooted my phone in the first place. My bootloader is still locked, as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotta ask, adaway fails with my axon, I figured it was since we have the systemless root, how did you get it to work?

It's not ZTE's job to block ads for you. Most vendor-specific flavors of android don't offer built-in ad blocking. If you want to complain to anyone, complain to Google for not allowing extensions in Chrome. They're lagging behind IOS there.
Use adguard like others have suggested, or root your phone if you want deeper ad blocking.

Ruttix said:
Gotta ask, adaway fails with my axon, I figured it was since we have the systemless root, how did you get it to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adaway works with systemless root.
If you turn off /system write protection, you can use adaway fine, but it modifies /system.
If you want to do it without modifying system, you'll probably need to use magisk.

I don't know how it's mistaken for anything else but I guess I have to clarify. By ZTE steping up, I didn't mean that they should provide us with direct root or adblock or anything like that. I meant they should have offered the basics everyone does, like a freakin' factory image and clear info so those who brick their phones can figure out how to fix it without praying someone on some forums can save them.
As for no company supporting root, even if they don't directly state it, that's pretty much OnePlus's thing, the direct competitor to ZTE right now.

Ruttix said:
Gotta ask, adaway fails with my axon, I figured it was since we have the systemless root, how did you get it to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Type this in terminal:
Code:
reboot disemmcwp

AdGuard lifetime license is cheap. Especially because you can switch currencies when you add it to your cart, and then switch it back to your currency when you enter your credit card. I got 3 lifetime licenses for like 8 bucks apiece just last week.
I got a refund, though, because I had too many questions that it didn't answer. I think it's a legit product but I've gotten used to NetGuard's logging functions whereas AdGuard is kinda "set it and forget it" but their advanced functions feel clunky.

Cyrus D. said:
It's paid only in order to block ads in apps and it's not even a one time purchase, it's an annual license. I won't purchase licenses which expire for Android apps. For now I have the free version installed, but the fact that it gives a warning stating that it's reported battery or data usage will be false (other application's stats will supposedly be recorded as AdGuard's) makes it suspicious to even begin with.
root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are wrong,
There's life time subscription.
I've bought 4 licenses for using it at 2 Windows and 2 android device.
No impact on battery life over 6 months I'm using on 2 smartphone and 2 windows(surface pro 4 and thinkpad 8)
I'm also using at my iPad as free safari extension and battery life is once again rock solid.
And is doing very very good job indeed blocking not only ads but other on line threads too.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

paatha13 said:
You are wrong,
There's life time subscription.
I've bought 4 licenses for using it at 2 Windows and 2 android device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was only one purchase link, and it took me to a page which was offering annual licenses. That's it.

I don't understand why this thread is still going strong.
It's virtually impossible to brick your phone (the U variant, anyway) just by rooting.
AdGuard sucks, rooting is easy, and AdAway is free.

rczrider said:
I don't understand why this thread is still going strong.
It's virtually impossible to brick your phone (the U variant, anyway) just by rooting.
AdGuard sucks, rooting is easy, and AdAway is free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@rczrider: I want to do what you have described, i.e. root to get AdAway installed. I understand about rooting, but what OTAs from ZTA? Do they still work without problem or does one have to unroot (and perhaps even undo AdAway) first?
I know that that info exists somewhere in the the thread about rooting, but that is now very long and that info is not easy to find.
Thanks

Anyone feel the need to root anymore?

I've rooted just about every phone I've owned (sans the AT&T Note 5 never again a carrier phone for me after that).
I bought the OnePlus unlocked direct (vs trade in) so I'd have the easy "option" down the road versus playing the SIM unlock and bootloader bin file rodeo.
With that said, I've set up the entire phone and shockingly...I'm happy.
I've got iYTBP without root. I've got legitimate adblocking on a per-app base without root. Most importantly, I've retained L1 Windvine provision for DRM content (e.g. Netflix and YouTube TV) which you lose once the bootloader is unlocked. I enjoyed flashing the 9.0.4 update as an incremdental OTA with no drama. Rooted you have to take the full, then reflash TWRP, then flash Magisk, etc. etc. etc.
All I'm missing is Titanium Backup. Substratum I've enjoyed but can live without. Occasional app updates and you have force closed apps until the theme is either updated or reapplied.
I dunno maybe I'm getting old, but I don't miss the constant tinkering. The 6T is blistering fast, bloat-free, and "works." First phone I'm honestly happy to not root.
Who else feels the same? :good:

I haven't rooted a phone since my Nexus 6. 6P went unrooted, Pixel XL, and Pixel XL2 went unrooted and no bootloader locked.
I don't feel the need to do so on my 6T BUT here are some things that might make me reconsider
Always on Display.
Audio enhancements for BT 5.0 similar to that of the moto x4 where you could connect multiple BT speakers and play to them simultaneously.
USB-C enhancements like video out (highly doubt the hardware is even there to support it)
the key to happiness

Nosferatu. said:
I've rooted just about every phone I've owned (sans the AT&T Note 5 never again a carrier phone for me after that).
I bought the OnePlus unlocked direct (vs trade in) so I'd have the easy "option" down the road versus playing the SIM unlock and bootloader bin file rodeo.
With that said, I've set up the entire phone and shockingly...I'm happy.
I've got iYTBP without root. I've got legitimate adblocking on a per-app base without root. Most importantly, I've retained L1 Windvine provision for DRM content (e.g. Netflix and YouTube TV) which you lose once the bootloader is unlocked. I enjoyed flashing the 9.0.4 update as an incremdental OTA with no drama. Rooted you have to take the full, then reflash TWRP, then flash Magisk, etc. etc. etc.
All I'm missing is Titanium Backup. Substratum I've enjoyed but can live without. Occasional app updates and you have force closed apps until the theme is either updated or reapplied.
I dunno maybe I'm getting old, but I don't miss the constant tinkering. The 6T is blistering fast, bloat-free, and "works." First phone I'm honestly happy to not root.
Who else feels the same? :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I ask what Adblocker you use? I used AdHell3 on my Galaxy S9 and absolutely loved it, using Blockada now but it doesn't block ads nearly as much as Adhell did.

I've only owned nexus and pixel phones and rooted every single one. Never even had a second thought to root my 6t. I probably would have been happy without root but I'm happier with it.
I love having substratum, adaway and viper4android. I agree it is quite tedious to update but I can live with it for the added benefit of the 3 apps I listed. Haven't even updated to oos 9.0.5 yet.

Does anyone of these roots make it faster and more clean guis?
GeekMcLeod said:
I've only owned nexus and pixel phones and rooted every single one. Never even had a second thought to root my 6t. I probably would have been happy without root but I'm happier with it.
I love having substratum, adaway and viper4android. I agree it is quite tedious to update but I can live with it for the added benefit of the 3 apps I listed. Haven't even updated to oos 9.0.5 yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

coolguy said:
Does anyone of these roots make it faster and more clean guis?
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't make it any faster, but I don't feel the need for it to be any faster. Looks cleaner, to me, with substratum because everything is dark.

The theme dark mode is already all dark right?
GeekMcLeod said:
They don't make it any faster, but I don't feel the need for it to be any faster. Looks cleaner, to me, with substratum because everything is dark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

TheKnux said:
Can I ask what Adblocker you use? I used AdHell3 on my Galaxy S9 and absolutely loved it, using Blockada now but it doesn't block ads nearly as much as Adhell did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Blockada. I also have NordVPN which can block adds for me as well but that's a paid service. I use it for when travelling. I like that the "key" icon for the VPN running is hidden thanks to the notch. Coming from a 5T where there was no notch I had to have root to remove that icon as it's non-removable from the stock settings control panel.

Only 2 reasons I still root.
Making backups with titanium backups on a schedule (don't want to lose my google authenticator and its billion codes), and adaway.

I rooted just so I could black out my theme. Since Google felt the need to lock down themeing in Pie.

Having root or no root is subjective and depends on what you do. Me personally I have more than 11 apps that needs root, TiB, V4A, AdBlocker kernel management are some that I use. The phone is fast and clean, with root it can be faster and cleaner.

coolguy said:
The theme dark mode is already all dark right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't use it but I doubt it themes as much as substratum does.

Nosferatu. said:
I use Blockada. I also have NordVPN which can block adds for me as well but that's a paid service. I use it for when travelling. I like that the "key" icon for the VPN running is hidden thanks to the notch. Coming from a 5T where there was no notch I had to have root to remove that icon as it's non-removable from the stock settings control panel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only see Blockada DNS changer in the play store. Is there another app named Blockada that does AdBlocking? The only reason I root at this point is for AdAway. I'd like to have a solid alternative.

Yea I don't see a huge importance anymore on rooting my phone. I used to root my phones to get rid of bloat and have that pure android experience. OP already gives you that.

Nosferatu. said:
I've rooted just about every phone I've owned (sans the AT&T Note 5 never again a carrier phone for me after that).
I bought the OnePlus unlocked direct (vs trade in) so I'd have the easy "option" down the road versus playing the SIM unlock and bootloader bin file rodeo.
With that said, I've set up the entire phone and shockingly...I'm happy.
I've got iYTBP without root. I've got legitimate adblocking on a per-app base without root. Most importantly, I've retained L1 Windvine provision for DRM content (e.g. Netflix and YouTube TV) which you lose once the bootloader is unlocked. I enjoyed flashing the 9.0.4 update as an incremdental OTA with no drama. Rooted you have to take the full, then reflash TWRP, then flash Magisk, etc. etc. etc.
All I'm missing is Titanium Backup. Substratum I've enjoyed but can live without. Occasional app updates and you have force closed apps until the theme is either updated or reapplied.
I dunno maybe I'm getting old, but I don't miss the constant tinkering. The 6T is blistering fast, bloat-free, and "works." First phone I'm honestly happy to not root.
Who else feels the same? :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I root so I can backup and restore data via Titanium.
Also I want to use a system wide ad blocker.

tk8lm6 said:
I only see Blockada DNS changer in the play store. Is there another app named Blockada that does AdBlocking? The only reason I root at this point is for AdAway. I'd like to have a solid alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have to get it through their website :good:
https://blokada.org/index.html

tk8lm6 said:
I only see Blockada DNS changer in the play store. Is there another app named Blockada that does AdBlocking? The only reason I root at this point is for AdAway. I'd like to have a solid alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://energized.pro/
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...energized-protection-ad-porn-malware-t3803773
The energized site is down for the next day or so but look up Energized on XDA. You can get Blokada on F-Droid. You're not going to find it in the Play Store. I found Blokada worked better than the DNSFilter app in said thread. System-wide ad blocking with either that or my paid VPN = no need to root for me.
The neat thing about Blokada vs the version of Adaway I used when on root is that I can whitelist particular apps that require a stock host file. Titanium Backup is nice and missed but I rarely used it. Plus if there's issues I prefer a clean install rather than injecting data. I prefer TWRP's backups over Titanium but that's a different topic of discussion.

To install Stereo Speaker mod..

Thanks. I guess I didn't realize that if you want to use this or Adguard DNS based as blocking, you can't easily use your third party VPN app (in my case ProtonVPN)
I guess I need to do some more homework.

I recieved my OP6t today and the first thing i did was unlock the BL and root it. After that i thought why. And the only thing worth rooting and losing L1 Widevine is AdAway.
5 min later, i flashed stock recovery and locked the bootloader so i can watch Netflix in HD ?
I only used Magisk and TWRP on my 5t for
- Stereo Speaker Mod (6t Speaker are awesome without Mod)
- AdAway (Just use a VPN service if you want or just use an ad block browser if the websites you use bombs you with ads, in app ads are more or less ok for me)
- Nandroid Backups (What should happen if you have everything stock ?)
- Youtube Vanced (just use the non-root Version with the right MicroG Apk)
- Viper4Android (i didn't used it anyway)
So, now full stock, always up to date without reflashing Magisk and so on. ?

To root or not to root

Hi All
I will be receiving my OnePlus 6T (in thunder purple) this week and wanted to know if there is any benefit to rooting anymore, having read posts about widevine L1-L3 etc
I'd like to install the notification mod, speaker mod and the google camera app, (or anything else that is recommended) however i'm not sure if i can do these without root
I like to tinker with my phones and im pretty clued up with this sort of thing, ive just been out of the scene for a couple of years!
Looking forward to peoples views and comments.
Thanks all

I root just for the speaker mod alone. :good:
GCam doesn't require root.

tengtengvn said:
I root just for the speaker mod alone. :good:
GCam doesn't require root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, how big is the widevine issue once unlocked and rooted?

I use to root, but haven't in the last 3-4 years. The Huawei Mate phones I've used, really didn't need it. Pretty clean, and nothing I really needed to root anyway. Plus, unless you tweak them, I wouldn't be able to use Google pay.

Well, I was happy without root since the Note 5 but since Google is eager to slowly kill off various important apps that used to work without root on Oreo then I was forced to root this 6T since it's running on Pie. I think it's worth it now. I have call recording natively baked into the phone app, I can use Swift once more and I forgot how useful Titanium Backup is. I'm getting ready to try the speaker mod, as well.

Speaker mod seems useless. I root for adblocking without VPN (AdAway), root firewall (AFWall), and themes (Substratum).

I was a crack-flasher from way back and I don't find the need to unlock/root. I'd like Adaway but DNS66 pulls some of it's host files from Adaway.

I stopped rooting about a year or 2 ago with the note 4 and had no plans on it for the 6t but viper4android works perfectly so I rooted just for that. I have adguard for adblocker. As time goes on I might add some modules from magisk but as for now it's great. Titanium back up is always super useful as well.
MarylandCookie said:
Hi All
I will be receiving my OnePlus 6T (in thunder purple) this week and wanted to know if there is any benefit to rooting anymore, having read posts about widevine L1-L3 etc
I'd like to install the notification mod, speaker mod and the google camera app, (or anything else that is recommended) however i'm not sure if i can do these without root
I like to tinker with my phones and im pretty clued up with this sort of thing, ive just been out of the scene for a couple of years!
Looking forward to peoples views and comments.
Thanks all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks guys,
Some mixed feelings there. I’m guessing the speaker mod is not worth the hassle and the ad blocking can be achieved without root (looking at you blokada)
Not read up much on sunstratum, that’ll be my next to do...
Hmmm... decisions, decisions as I don’t want to decide to root 6 months down the line and find out I have to format my device (unlock bootloader)

MarylandCookie said:
Thanks guys,
Some mixed feelings there. I’m guessing the speaker mod is not worth the hassle and the ad blocking can be achieved without root (looking at you blokada)
Not read up much on sunstratum, that’ll be my next to do...
Hmmm... decisions, decisions as I don’t want to decide to root 6 months down the line and find out I have to format my device (unlock bootloader)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally love my 6t being rooted... I use adaway with Magisk v 18 which now has a Systemless host support in its (magisk)settings for ad blocking.. Substratum engine also works in magisk v 18 mod section. Swift black substratum theme works flawlessly.
Ex Kernel manager is great too.
I'm running ElementalX kernel 3.0.9. which is very smooth.
I updated to OOS 9.0.7. using TWRP fajita 3.2.3-8.
I have the stereo speaker mod also. It's not that impressive, but ok.
Well that's my 2 cents. personally I love this phone so much more now that it's rooted..
Hope this helps your decision.

So is the Widevine such a big issue with root?

MarylandCookie said:
So is the Widevine such a big issue with root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you watch netflix or something else that is using Widevine then yes! this is a big issue. You can always experiment with root and check it yourself. If you will not be happy with root you can always unroot + lock bootloader so all will return to normal.

meciu99 said:
If you watch netflix or something else that is using Widevine then yes! this is a big issue. You can always experiment with root and check it yourself. If you will not be happy with root you can always unroot + lock bootloader so all will return to normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will I still be able to use my banking app? Also is there a site that lists what is reliant on widevine?

MarylandCookie said:
Thanks guys,
Some mixed feelings there. I’m guessing the speaker mod is not worth the hassle and the ad blocking can be achieved without root (looking at you blokada)
Not read up much on sunstratum, that’ll be my next to do...
Hmmm... decisions, decisions as I don’t want to decide to root 6 months down the line and find out I have to format my device (unlock bootloader)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not a hassle at all. So easy on this phone.
Speaker mod is great. I love it.

MarylandCookie said:
Thanks guys,
Some mixed feelings there. I’m guessing the speaker mod is not worth the hassle and the ad blocking can be achieved without root (looking at you blokada)
Not read up much on sunstratum, that’ll be my next to do...
Hmmm... decisions, decisions as I don’t want to decide to root 6 months down the line and find out I have to format my device (unlock bootloader)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlock the BL and install Magisk.
No real hassle. You can take update locally and reroot.
The very first thing out of the box for my device was unlock the BL and root.

MarylandCookie said:
So is the Widevine such a big issue with root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Widevine is not directly related to root but with unlocked bootloader.
No issue with magisk and banking apps except a few that I don't remember of. Google pay works well

sounds like someone reading my threads...there's nothing here that wasn't mentioned in countless other threads. Weigh the pros and cons and make a decision...first time I've gone rootless in years.

OK.. got my handset.. its a beauty
1st thing i have done is Unlocked the bootloader.. so simple!
Will install magisk over the weekend and set phone up properly then. Have other family priorites that have come up to deal with at the moment.
Thanks all. Need to start reading, dont want to flash wrong recovery.

MarylandCookie said:
the ad blocking can be achieved without root (looking at you blokada)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For apps like Blokada, it's always running in the background and uses a VPN. If you use an actual VPN, this means you can't use Blokada while your VPN is running. AdAway just edits the host file. No app running in background, no VPN.

MarylandCookie said:
Will I still be able to use my banking app? Also is there a site that lists what is reliant on widevine?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm rooted and use BB&T banking app and Google pay +PayPal..