[Looking for Help] "Best" Android (TV) hardware - Android TV General

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for some suggestions on hardware for a little project of mine.
I recently got my hands on a few Dynalink TV Boxes after discovering the great support of LineageOS on them here in the forum. Sadly, after some testing with the hardware I got, they seem to be off the market - out of stock everywhere since new year...
So, I'm looking for an alternative. Preferably in the same price range (30-40 bucks) and form factor and able to be flashed with Lineage or another clean ROM.
FireTV Stick Lite seemed promising, same price and decent performance out of the box. Sadly Amazon locked those very hard lately so there is currently no use for them.
I got a "Q96 Stick" of AliExpress but that thing is shady, lacks of performance and there seems to be no custom roms available soon.
So is there anything you could suggest?
Small, price around 30-40, Custom Rom available (Android 10+) or has clean stock OS, no need to be Android TV. No need for Netflix and other DRM stuff.
The project is a small digital signage, I just need to figure the hardware since the Dynalink boxes seems decommissioned.
PS: Idk if I got the right section of the forum, please be gentle.

Well I can't recommend one in that price range BUT be very careful, there's a huge thread on here about cheap android boxes that have built-in bot nets so be wary. They might even live in the system after flashing idk just be careful getting cheap android boxes

spart0n said:
be very careful, there's a huge thread on here about cheap android boxes that have built-in bot nets so be wary
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I've heard that and that's why I'm very suspicious about this q96 Stick, stock OS is rooted, adb is active and don't ask for permission on new connections, it lies about it's specs and so on, so there is definitely something baked in deep.
On the Dynalink Box I don't sense a thread and idk I such would survive the flashing?
FireTV would be the best option, but not with the lockdown...

R1N4x said:
I'm looking for some suggestions on hardware for a little project of mine.
Dynalink TV Boxes after discovering the great support of LineageOS on them here in the forum.
The project is a small digital signage, I just need to figure the hardware since the Dynalink boxes seems decommissioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The tv box devices for which there are lineage builds are listed in the lineage thread. Most of those devices are dated, eol, or discontinued.
Why is lineage support important for your digital signage project? There are other similar S905Y2 and S905Y4 certified tv box devices that can be bootloader unlocked and rooted, but there are not lineage builds for these devices. Is root not enough? Your digital signage project also requires lineage?

Functioner said:
Why is lineage support important for your digital signage project? There are other similar S905Y2 and S905Y4 certified tv box devices that can be bootloader unlocked and rooted, but there are not lineage builds for these devices. Is root not enough? Your digital signage project also requires lineage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, Lineage is not required, a clean OS is. It has not to be Lineage. It would be a "nice to have".
If the stock one is clean or can be cleaned I'll be happy.
Clean is maybe the wrong term, more like trustable and somewhat up to date.
Root is also not required but would be nice.
What boxes are you talking about?

R1N4x said:
It has not to be Lineage. It would be a "nice to have".
If the stock one is clean or can be cleaned I'll be happy.
Clean is maybe the wrong term, more like trustable and somewhat up to date.
Root is also not required but would be nice.
What boxes are you talking about?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way to get a clean build is to stay away from the generic boxes that have hobbled together mobile builds, and instead choose a certified device. In the tv box world, this means a device for which the ultimate oem is one of a few chinese manufacturers; sei, askey, or sdmc.
The nebula 4k streaming dongle (amazon B098BFDB41) has the same specs as the dynalink, but it is 49.99 US. It also uses the s905y2, which is on its way out. The nebula device runs android 10 and is made by sdmc.
The homatics lite 4k (amazon B0BNL1YS7V) has a s905y4 and 16gb storage, but it is 59.99 US. This device runs android 11 and is made by sei. In some ways the s905y4 is not quite as powerful as the s905y2 that it replaces, but the y4 does support av1.
The hako mini (amazon B0BFW3MMKJ) is the sdmc version of the homatics device. It is also 59.99 US.
The above devices often go on sale on amazon.

Okay that's a guideline.
If the SoC are on their way out that could mean there might be a successor for it and therefore for the Dynalink box (wich is made by Askey)
So I'll be patient and look at upcoming devices and also wait for an update on the locked FireTVs.
I still wonder, and don't meant to be rude or offensive, the marked is flooded with those cheap Allwinner based boxes and sticks but there is rarely an interest in this community on them? Why is that? Sure they're probably spiced with malware and what not but the hardware is cheap and available.

I don't know. I think the allwinner 616 is a junky cpu. Some of the others might be better. They aren't all that cheap.
Someone got most of the malware out of the 616 based t95. https://github.com/DesktopECHO/T95-H616-Malware

Functioner said:
Someone got most of the malware out of the 616 based t95. https://github.com/DesktopECHO/T95-H616-Malware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I looked into that and was already monitoring the stick I got - nothing weird so far, at least on the network.
But still weird behavior with ADB and the fact it came rooted. Also spoofed specs like ram and storage.

Related

[Q] Sourcing from China (with Android)

I want to source an Android smart watch from China for a project am working on. I want to change the menu interface it comes with and replace with a custom interface specific for my purpose (means no custom control to intended audience).
Thoughts Needed
Does anyone here have a similar experience?
Are they good at customizing ROMs and interfaces according to requirements?
If not, how easy is it to hire somebody to build a custom ROM with custom interface (for say MTK6572)?
Any recommended suppliers you know?
Phase 1 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements - 100 Units Order
Android OS
GSM/GPS
Touch screen
Mic/Speaker
Charging points on the back side (no micro-usb slot on the side)
Shortlisted AK-S5 or AK-S7
Phase 2 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements
All from Phase 1
IP67 or IP68
Magnetic based charger point on the backside
Heart rate sensor at the backside
Shortlisted - None available yet
abuduri said:
I want to source an Android smart watch from China for a project am working on. I want to change the menu interface it comes with and replace with a custom interface specific for my purpose (means no custom control to intended audience).
Thoughts Needed
Does anyone here have a similar experience?
Are they good at customizing ROMs and interfaces according to requirements?
If not, how easy is it to hire somebody to build a custom ROM with custom interface (for say MTK6572)?
Any recommended suppliers you know?
Phase 1 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements - 100 Units Order
Android OS
GSM/GPS
Touch screen
Mic/Speaker
Charging points on the back side (no micro-usb slot on the side)
Shortlisted AK-S5 or AK-S7
Phase 2 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements
All from Phase 1
IP67 or IP68
Magnetic based charger point on the backside
Heart rate sensor at the backside
Shortlisted - None available yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please note: to date no Chinese Android watches are IP67, even the ones that provide proof of IP certification, I've learned that the hard way
AK-55 is the Z01
The AK-S7 is or looks like ZGPAX S7
I'm sure you have experience dealing with Chinese sellers, but if you don't . .. . be extremely careful, even using Paypal, trust no one!
simple1i said:
Please note: to date no Chinese Android watches are IP67, even the ones that provide proof of IP certification, I've learned that the hard way
AK-55 is the Z01
The AK-S7 is or looks like ZGPAX S7
I'm sure you have experience dealing with Chinese sellers, but if you don't . .. . be extremely careful, even using Paypal, trust no one!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot @simple1i.
I have a chicken-egg question ... Which came first - AK-S5 or Z01? Which of these (or among numerous others on Alibaba) is "original" (designed first)? If there is no traceback and everyone is using the same reference design, as long as it works as intended, does it matter? I did get this supplier to show me the watch on skype video (though it doesn't prove anything).
My main question is - if the supplier really has a "fully working version" of S5 or Z01, and is ready to supply - they also say they will do ODM - any experience on their skills to make a custom ROM and change the menu interface to my needs? If not, anyone here willing to build the ROM and interface (paid)?
x201 model
abuduri said:
Thanks a lot @simple1i.
I have a chicken-egg question ... Which came first - AK-S5 or Z01? Which of these (or among numerous others on Alibaba) is "original" (designed first)? If there is no traceback and everyone is using the same reference design, as long as it works as intended, does it matter? I did get this supplier to show me the watch on skype video (though it doesn't prove anything).
My main question is - if the supplier really has a "fully working version" of S5 or Z01, and is ready to supply - they also say they will do ODM - any experience on their skills to make a custom ROM and change the menu interface to my needs? If not, anyone here willing to build the ROM and interface (paid)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I started looking into smartwatches on XDA from Mar 2014, so my history before then is limited. For me it started with the Omate TrueSmart, their Kickstarter campaign that promised it all and delivered a lie. I could be wrong, but Omate made the watch first (x201) and the rest copied (or someShenzhen firm made it first and Omate copied ) @pizzaman77 - knows the full history of Omate clones x201. But yes, now it does not matter as long as it works.
As for the development, you might get lucky and find that someone is already doing what you want or similar on the Omate forum - search on the Android development threads. I'm not a dev, so I don't if the Chineses sellers have the skills, doubt it. But the Devs on XDA will have. Look at this Omate thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/oma...rom-omate-truesmart-ironman-firmware-t2998434 - lots of dev going on on the Omate and its clones.
@kuronosan - is a key dev, still active, he might be able to help with paid work. You should start with making a new thread in the Omate Dev forum with your request.
@Lokifish Marz - knows a loooot but is not too actives these days
Please keep me informed on your dev plans (if its not top secret ) - i really really want to also buy a bulk order (maybe only 5 to start with) from China and sell them in the UK, but i need to join someone who is ordering in bulk so that i CAN only buy 5 units to start with. The other issue is i would need to fix any software issues first then sell them and if they sell then buy more. Can PM me if you wish. Thanks.
simple1i said:
I started looking into smartwatches on XDA from Mar 2014, so my history before then is limited. For me it started with the Omate TrueSmart, their Kickstarter campaign that promised it all and delivered a lie. I could be wrong, but Omate made the watch first (x201) and the rest copied (or someShenzhen firm made it first and Omate copied ) @pizzaman77 - knows the full history of Omate clones x201. But yes, now it does not matter as long as it works.
As for the development, you might get lucky and find that someone is already doing what you want or similar on the Omate forum - search on the Android development threads. I'm not a dev, so I don't if the Chineses sellers have the skills, doubt it. But the Devs on XDA will have. Look at this Omate thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/oma...rom-omate-truesmart-ironman-firmware-t2998434 - lots of dev going on on the Omate and its clones.
@kuronosan - is a key dev, still active, he might be able to help with paid work. You should start with making a new thread in the Omate Dev forum with your request.
@Lokifish Marz - knows a loooot but is not too actives these days
Please keep me informed on your dev plans (if its not top secret ) - i really really want to also buy a bulk order (maybe only 5 to start with) from China and sell them in the UK, but i need to join someone who is ordering in bulk so that i CAN only buy 5 units to start with. The other issue is i would need to fix any software issues first then sell them and if they sell then buy more. Can PM me if you wish. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a ton @simple1i. I will start a thread there.
Do you know any Android watches that fit my Phase 2 requirements (couldn't find any on Alibaba or similar sites)?
I did find a few watches fitting my spec without Android (either Nucleus or similar). Is it advisable to build on those platforms given that Android is now into wearables Reason I chose Android is because I want to be able to easily change supplier and/or watch hardware (looks) later easily and just port the code/functionality rather than getting locked. Else it will become an EXPENSIVE affair later. Am I right in thinking so?
abuduri said:
Thanks a ton @simple1i. I will start a thread there.
Do you know any Android watches that fit my Phase 2 requirements (couldn't find any on Alibaba or similar sites)?
I did find a few watches fitting my spec without Android (either Nucleus or similar). Is it advisable to build on those platforms given that Android is now into wearables Reason I chose Android is because I want to be able to easily change supplier and/or watch hardware (looks) later easily and just port the code/functionality rather than getting locked. Else it will become an EXPENSIVE affair later. Am I right in thinking so?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And yes @simple1i, I will definitely keep you in the loop on the bulk ordering.
abuduri said:
Thanks a ton @simple1i. I will start a thread there.
Do you know any Android watches that fit my Phase 2 requirements (couldn't find any on Alibaba or similar sites)?
I did find a few watches fitting my spec without Android (either Nucleus or similar). Is it advisable to build on those platforms given that Android is now into wearables Reason I chose Android is because I want to be able to easily change supplier and/or watch hardware (looks) later easily and just port the code/functionality rather than getting locked. Else it will become an EXPENSIVE affair later. Am I right in thinking so?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I'd stick with Android, lots of resources available, gives more flexibility. I don't think Nucleus OS is a viable option yet, it would be too expensive.
I take it SIM is a requirement too? I'll look around, the IP67 is not available yet, maybe the Ironman 3rd generation might be IP67, but the company (Unova) is full of liars, I was ripped off with the 2nd generation, I proved it's not IP67. Other then the IP67 the rest might be available, you'll need to search for it on AliExpress.
What country are you from?
simple1i said:
Yes I'd stick with Android, lots of resources available, gives more flexibility. I don't think Nucleus OS is a viable option yet, it would be too expensive.
I take it SIM is a requirement too? I'll look around, the IP67 is not available yet, maybe the Ironman 3rd generation might be IP67, but the company (Unova) is full of liars, I was ripped off with the 2nd generation, I proved it's not IP67. Other then the IP67 the rest might be available, you'll need to search for it on AliExpress.
What country are you from?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, with 2G. 3G really not needed but if it comes with it, cool. Couldn't find any with android and heart rate on back side, keeping IP67 on the side.
Am currently in Boston (originally from India).
simple1i said:
Yes I'd stick with Android, lots of resources available, gives more flexibility. I don't think Nucleus OS is a viable option yet, it would be too expensive.
I take it SIM is a requirement too? I'll look around, the IP67 is not available yet, maybe the Ironman 3rd generation might be IP67, but the company (Unova) is full of liars, I was ripped off with the 2nd generation, I proved it's not IP67. Other then the IP67 the rest might be available, you'll need to search for it on AliExpress.
What country are you from?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@simple1i ... is Android Wear OS same as Android 4.4 etc running on Z01 (and others) etc?
abuduri said:
@simple1i ... is Android Wear OS same as Android 4.4 etc running on Z01 (and others) etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found the answer ... http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/what-operating-systems-do-wearable-devices-run-on/
Looks like Android Wear needs a compatible Android phone for it to work.
So, I'll stick with just Android.
General rules with Chinese Android smartwatches
Broken firmware
Major security holes
Little to no official support (this includes the phone side app)
English (or any other language other than Chinese) for the phone app is very rare
Incomplete source code (when you can even get it) that is a generic build pulled from a phone
Inconsistent battery life due to broken firmware
IP67 is more like IP54 if lucky
Poor build quality and QC by western standards
Not Lokifish supported (I've walked away from the industry as a whole until they get their collective heads out of their butts)
kuronosan's time is limited so fixes may be slow
Depending on your needs and goals. Talk to Ingenic. The HW is a little slow on the Newton (SmartQ Z uses it), not sure about the Newton 2. Either way they have source (Linux, Android, etc). The package is small enough that you could design and build a smartwatch that's about the same size as a real watch, but the display will need a new "crystal" to pull it off nicely. Find a compatible round display, and you should be able to use off the shelf watch cases with minor modifications giving you a 200m diver's smartwatch if you do it right.
*Side note
Even with a 1/2 million buy in for 3000 units we designed ourselves, Umeox still would not have provided source code, and little to no support. That's what the Chinese ODM's are like. kuronosan can verify this.
@abuduri - I'm not sure if my reply to your PM went thru? I can't see it in my sent folder. Did you get it?
I'm still working on stuff for the Omate. I just haven't actually had any free time as of late. I can't just take off of work to put work into a device that's difficult to troubleshoot. If I can be of any help let me know.
I've just started working with smartwatches, but I'm happy to help however I can. I'll be attempting some work on the s8, and I know my way around Android pretty well.
kuronosan said:
I'm still working on stuff for the Omate. I just haven't actually had any free time as of late. I can't just take off of work to put work into a device that's difficult to troubleshoot. If I can be of any help let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@kuronosan @chainsol - thanks guys.
The thread for the new smartwatch is here, we have 5 people so far: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3115221 - including an electronic engineering. [emoji818]
firmware files of z01
abuduri said:
I want to source an Android smart watch from China for a project am working on. I want to change the menu interface it comes with and replace with a custom interface specific for my purpose (means no custom control to intended audience).
Thoughts Needed
Does anyone here have a similar experience?
Are they good at customizing ROMs and interfaces according to requirements?
If not, how easy is it to hire somebody to build a custom ROM with custom interface (for say MTK6572)?
Any recommended suppliers you know?
Phase 1 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements - 100 Units Order
Android OS
GSM/GPS
Touch screen
Mic/Speaker
Charging points on the back side (no micro-usb slot on the side)
Shortlisted AK-S5 or AK-S7
Phase 2 MUST HAVE Minimum Requirements
All from Phase 1
IP67 or IP68
Magnetic based charger point on the backside
Heart rate sensor at the backside
Shortlisted - None available yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
need firmware files for z01 (android 5.1)

REMIX OS for shield TV?

I just found the shield TV was an officially supported device by Remix os.
there is the ROM http://www.jide.com/remixos/devices/shieldtv
it seems it is lollipop based and have no hardware acceleration yet.
did someone tried it and is willing to give a feedback?
EDIT: I didn't read the post properly, response removed.
deedscreen said:
EDIT: I didn't read the post properly, response removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it is OK,i t was entertaining still
what type to use ,16G? 500G HDD?
leasing said:
what type to use ,16G? 500G HDD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same image for both.but 500gb shield will be a lots slower to install.
(formating)
This remix os version is for the Shield Pro, it's lollipop based so if anyone's on marshmallow and want to try it, you will have to downgrade in order to install
It would be amazing if we could dual boot this ROM (on Lollipop) and the stock Android TV on Marshmallow.maybe with AROMA and
Sent from my S7 Edge using XDA Labs
deedscreen said:
It would be amazing if we could dual boot this ROM (on Lollipop) and the stock Android TV on Marshmallow.maybe with AROMA and
Sent from my S7 Edge using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so true,to bad twrp does not support multiple rom on this device.
that suck.
in the other hand jide just leaked some info about remix 3.0 marshmallow.
that will be released very soon.
Remix is still a little glitchy & controller does not work wirelessly. Every other time Play Store is opened one must uninstall Play update, can be solved by installing the latest Play Store apk
techjunky90 said:
Remix is still a little glitchy & controller does not work wirelessly. Every other time Play Store is opened one must uninstall Play update, can be solved by installing the latest Play Store apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ho OK thx. Yes the controller and play store was expected.it is not the first that have this problem (Zulu roms)
Nvidia need to release the driver,they will make less holding back the controller wifi driver,as all it seems is a vain attempt to promote geforce now sales and percentage earnings via play store etc on shield tv.The chances are the units would fly off the shelves far faster than they ever would make more selling the games in a cloud subscription gaming service by miles,I'd see it as it would gain us notoriety for the hardware if I were a boss there,and that's everything brand recognition trumps trying to sell subscriptions to a sparse game library,and android tv os is just so young and uninteresting to some developers I am picturing it,this is why they are not rebuilding or porting current libraries of apps and games to the os.They probably see it more rewarding to keep with the standard os than plug money into an unknown variable,unless of course the fault lies with googles turn around on verifying the allready ported apps and games,this confuses me why is android tv os so sparse on apps and games and where does the blame lie in versions of apps and games for the android tv os lie anyway google and or the developer can someone elaborate where the blame goes please as I am confused what the problem is?
PHYSC-1 said:
Nvidia need to release the driver,they will make less holding back the controller wifi driver,as all it seems is a vain attempt to promote geforce now sales and percentage earnings via play store etc on shield tv.The chances are the units would fly off the shelves far faster than they ever would make more selling the games in a cloud subscription gaming service by miles,I'd see it as it would gain us notoriety for the hardware if I were a boss there,and that's everything brand recognition trumps trying to sell subscriptions to a sparse game library,and android tv os is just so young and uninteresting to some developers I am picturing it,this is why they are not rebuilding or porting current libraries of apps and games to the os.They probably see it more rewarding to keep with the standard os than plug money into an unknown variable,unless of course the fault lies with googles turn around on verifying the allready ported apps and games,this confuses me why is android tv os so sparse on apps and games and where does the blame lie in versions of apps and games for the android tv os lie anyway google and or the developer can someone elaborate where the blame goes please as I am confused what the problem is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume for the play store the problem is from Google..
they offer different licencing for basically the same thing as Android..
but they have split Android and Android TV only because they wanted to earn more money.
splitting the licencing mean 2 time the money for them...
protecting a different experiences for living rooms.
for streaming stuff and controller you can blame nvidia for promoting their proprietary services and technology.
the cloud,the streaming and their "high "bandwidth "controllers.
Ah now I get it it's due to greed,make money by calling the same thing a different thing by slapping a launcher in it and saying yeah you can list your game in android tv os as well,but you know it's a different thing to normal android os because it's tv os! But actually it's android with a different shell they charge you again for just to list in the same play store for it,that's what people where i live call pure skank lol :good: thumbs up goolge no wonder everyone isn't jumping on the development side of this cash cow all at once lmfao,why the heck would you discourage before encourage if the aim is profit here???But thanks for this insight I never realized they'd do such a thing,it's theoretically a bit unbecoming of a open source os owner to start cashing in twice a time in my opinion it's a little bit cruel,maybe if they'd say earn your 1st year before paying a fee that would be better for anyone coming in as a first time publisher of apps or games,instead of being told give me your money then I'll list your game or app,who cares if it's not affordable because all your time and effort is spent making the app or game come to fruition for the purpose of then publishing it.Or even better incentives is 1 years free publishing and then a fee is paid regardless if you take it down or not,it gives a push to put good stuff up and not lowsy stuff otherwise you make nothing to pay with in the first year,why not work it door swings both ways like that,or a 2 year grace period is even better,it would mean better quality product is likely made,and money for the developer to afford to pay is highly likely at that stage.
I almost made a new topic for this, but decided to revive this one instead. Jide just released v3 of Remix OS for the Google Pixel C...... which has the same CPU/GPU as the Shield TV does, so theoretically this should make it a hell of a lot easier to get it working on the Shield.
I've been using it on my Pixel for about the past 48 hours and I absolutely love it. I'm trying to re-arrange my PCs in my apartment and I'm looking for a high performance, low power PC to put in my bedroom as a replacement for my Steam Machine (currently streaming stuff from it to the Shield in the living room), and the Shield with Remix would be the perfect candidate since I already know it suits my needs and is really snappy.
The question is, who's up to the challenge to get it to work? I know nothing about Android development, but I'm more than willing to help with development and provide anything necessary off of the Pixel, which shouldn't be a problem since I have Remix OS currently rooted
brando56894 said:
The question is, who's up to the challenge to get it to work? I know nothing about Android development, but I'm more than willing to help with development and provide anything necessary off of the Pixel, which shouldn't be a problem since I have Remix OS currently rooted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess they will release a V3 to Shield TV soon, so I dont think thats neccessary.
---------- Post added at 09:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:30 AM ----------
tailslol said:
I assume for the play store the problem is from Google..
they offer different licencing for basically the same thing as Android..
but they have split Android and Android TV only because they wanted to earn more money.
splitting the licencing mean 2 time the money for them...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont understand? All my apps that I bought originally for standard Android devices work fine without having to rerpurchase. This even goes for apps I bought a few years back. I dont see Google splittimg licencing between devices, rather the opposite. And thats why Im perfectly happy with my Shield TV. If you look at Apple, they did what you talk about, releasing phone / tablet and I guess ATV versions of apps making customers have to repurchase.
Remix os uses a different license than android
They still have to release the source code, the kernel is Linux and the OS is Android, both are open source and licensed under the GPL so by law they have to release the source code of at least that, which is the major part we need. Also Nvidias drivers and source code are released so what are we really missing? I just read the article on XDA and its talking about Android-X86, but this is Android ARM, which is a different beast. Jide mentioned that they hosted their code on github, but surprise, surprise its empty https://github.com/jide-opensource. This seems to be their real repository: https://github.com/JideTechnology
Also I wouldn't be too sure of them releasing it for the shield since they already sell their own desktop/media center device.
Edit: looks like I was wrong Android is licensed under the Apache license, which means that a company can take the source code, modify it and change the license but the still have to release the code for the unmodified parts
Still me thinks it shouldn't be too difficult since they're using the same CPU and GPU, but the pixel is essentially a Chromebook and the shield has no screen or touch input, just an HDMI port, so it may be way more difficult than I think.
bingoking said:
I guess they will release a V3 to Shield TV soon, so I dont think thats neccessary.
---------- Post added at 09:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:30 AM ----------
I dont understand? All my apps that I bought originally for standard Android devices work fine without having to rerpurchase. This even goes for apps I bought a few years back. I dont see Google splittimg licencing between devices, rather the opposite. And thats why Im perfectly happy with my Shield TV. If you look at Apple, they did what you talk about, releasing phone / tablet and I guess ATV versions of apps making customers have to repurchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The licensing is on dev side.not on customer side.
this would be amazing

Razer Phone 2 Audio Source Now Available + Developer Feedback Request

Hello developers of XDA!
I'm Rox, a Razer Vanguard and i'm here to let you know that the Audio Source is now available for the Razer Phone 2! You can now find the complete source code on the Razer Developers website here
I'm glad you all now have access to the full open source material and we can finally see some movement on the custom development we all know from Android
I would also like to take this opportunity to ask the developers of XDA for some feedback. Is there anything stopping people in particular supporting the device in the community with custom ROM's and Kernels? And is there anything that Razer could do to help?
This is by no means any assurance but I will gather all your feedback and pass it on.
The community is the most important thing to a product and I will continue to raise the communities voice as much as possible.
Thank you so much for the time!
Rox - Razer Vanguard.
Roxas598 said:
Hello developers of XDA!
I'm Rox, a Razer Vanguard and i'm here to let you know that the Audio Source is now available for the Razer Phone 2! You can now find the complete source code on the Razer Developers website here
I'm glad you all now have access to the full open source material and we can finally see some movement on the custom development we all know from Android
I would also like to take this opportunity to ask the developers of XDA for some feedback. Is there anything stopping people in particular supporting the device in the community with custom ROM's and Kernels? And is there anything that Razer could do to help?
This is by no means any assurance but I will gather all your feedback and pass it on.
The community is the most important thing to a product and I will continue to raise the communities voice as much as possible.
Thank you so much for the time!
Rox - Razer Vanguard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, I'm waiting for my phone to arrive. I hope to start playing with the ROM very soon.
What's a Razer Vanguard?
It's like their tech support reps, except they're a little more involved. Already dealt with one on their site, and he was very helpful and responsive. Most replies were within just a couple hours. Seems like these guys actually use the hardware they support, and don't treat the users like idiots. Nice to see this, especially since they just laid off most of their phone division. Hopefully this is a sign of better things to come. This phone is a beast.
jonchance_84 said:
It's like their tech support reps, except they're a little more involved. Already dealt with one on their site, and he was very helpful and responsive. Most replies were within just a couple hours. Seems like these guys actually use the hardware they support, and don't treat the users like idiots. Nice to see this, especially since they just laid off most of their phone division. Hopefully this is a sign of better things to come. This phone is a beast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is essentially it! Thank you for the kind words, I'll be sure to pass it on to the team. We definitely do use the hardware we help with and for me personally the Razer Phone is my specialty but we all have experience with most Razer products.
I think there are two main things I would like to see:
1. Earlier factory images and the release of ota updates. It would be nice for those who have yet to get pie, for example.
2. Though I realize it's unlikely, the release of the device tree would really be a big boost to rom and kennel development
I second earlier factory image and source releases.
On another note. The sources we have currently had a lot of header/build issues. As other Devs have pointed out(elsewhere) this was probably due to the sources being built out of the device tree but they still seemed weird as I've never seen that before and can't make out how a device tree would have changed that. Would it be too much to ask that some time be taken to scrub the sources better and maybe even have some basic build scripts or instructions? I realize this is contrary to my first point but it's the next best thing to a device tree.
It would be nice to get full android 9 images the same as android 8.1
I still do not understand - why there is no support for aptx, aptx hd, ldac?!!!
And you can't even install it like on most other phones, maby razer developers know how fix it?
Also, due to a strange signature system, most gsi roms do not work.
How about Razer Phone 1?
Now I'm not a gamer, just got a used RP1 from a moderator on the Swedroid forum quite by accident, as it were.
I really quite like it, the Sharp IGZO screen especially, same as on my Xiaomi Mi Mix1, which was the main reason I got it.
I have had zero problems with it so far.
ROM for Andorid 9
GoomerHD said:
It would be nice to get full android 9 images the same as android 8.1
I still do not understand - why there is no support for aptx, aptx hd, ldac?!!!
And you can't even install it like on most other phones, maby razer developers know how fix it?
Also, due to a strange signature system, most gsi roms do not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 having the full image will save us a lot of time and will expedite the creation of mod ROM.
CurtisMJ said:
I second earlier factory image and source releases.
On another note. The sources we have currently had a lot of header/build issues. As other Devs have pointed out(elsewhere) this was probably due to the sources being built out of the device tree but they still seemed weird as I've never seen that before and can't make out how a device tree would have changed that. Would it be too much to ask that some time be taken to scrub the sources better and maybe even have some basic build scripts or instructions? I realize this is contrary to my first point but it's the next best thing to a device tree.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was informed this is how all new MSM kernels are - they don't build properly out of the AOSP tree (it looks like Android's build system supplies some additional flags to the kernel make system to make it use some prebuilts and AOSP headers over the kernel-provided ones). I don't think this is unique to Razer, since it's a Qualcomm thing.
I've got build instructions for the kernel in my thread too if you need them.
Of course, I could be relaying incorrect information but this does seem like it's typical of Google/Qualcomm to be changing Open Source projects to fit their internal needs...
Rox598 said:
Rox - Razer Vanguard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you guys get in contact with CurtisMJ on this forum and see about implementing his amazing Chroma logo alternative app, integrating features of it with the current Chroma logo app, or otherwise allowing us non-root users to systemize it?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/razer-phone-2/themes/beta-logo-oss-implementation-lighting-t3893981
It has a lot of features I want from the Chroma app, but I'm weary of rooting, especially now that Android 9 Pie has come out and no factory images for 9 Pie are on the Razer dev site. If you even wanted to put it in the next update and give users the option of which Chroma app they wanted to use, I'm sure CurtisMJ would think that was pretty neat, though you'd have to ask him. I mean, I'd personally pay to use it if it meant I didn't have to root. Maybe integrate it with the stock Chroma app, and charge $5 to upgrade to CurtisMJ's features, and then split the cash with him. Idk.
AbsoluteContingency said:
Maybe integrate it with the stock Chroma app,.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder lol.
Interestingly I did see some code in the Chroma app which can grant use of the service to unprivileged apps. I think it was used to whitelist some other Razer component. Just opening up that functionality to users so they can "grant" Chroma access to apps of their choosing might be enough. Otherwise, if I could get a signed stub in the next OTA that'd be cool (and ridiculously unlikely, just to be clear)
Great comments everyone keep them coming!
GoomerHD said:
It would be nice to get full android 9 images the same as android 8.1
I still do not understand - why there is no support for aptx, aptx hd, ldac?!!!
And you can't even install it like on most other phones, maby razer developers know how fix it?
Also, due to a strange signature system, most gsi roms do not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, coming from my Samsung S8+, LDAC is the thing I'm missing the most.
I would just like to say thanks to Razer for listening to their customers and trying to be helpful, so: Thank you! :good: :victory:
I'm not a developer, but whatever these other guys need to get TWRP working, I'm all for
Pete450 said:
I would just like to say thanks to Razer for listening to their customers and trying to be helpful, so: Thank you! :good: :victory:
I'm not a developer, but whatever these other guys need to get TWRP working, I'm all for
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's my goal atm to get the developers points of view and requests I'm proud of the community helping each other out so this is my next focus.
So far my feedback list has faster Factory images, and source code, device tree, more Audio Codec (APT-X AND LDAC) and a couple of other things I can't get into.
If anyone else thinks of anything lmk and I'll add it to my list to send on. I hope the right person sees it but again there is zero assurances that any of it will happen but this is where the voices matter.
Thanks again everyone!
Might be a little off topic, but since this is a gaming phone, why can't I pair my old ps3 controller? I even tried an old usb Xbox 360 controller, which a usb host test app successfully found the device. I would have hoped this would have been built in, being a gaming phone and all. I'm on pie and rooted, even when trying multiple previous methods of trying to get something the work, all the phone wants to do is charge the connected device.
jonchance_84 said:
Might be a little off topic, but since this is a gaming phone, why can't I pair my old ps3 controller? I even tried an old usb Xbox 360 controller, which a usb host test app successfully found the device. I would have hoped this would have been built in, being a gaming phone and all. I'm on pie and rooted, even when trying multiple previous methods of trying to get something the work, all the phone wants to do is charge the connected device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately the PS3 controller doesn't connect and act like a good Bluetooth or USB device. There is an app called sixaxis controller on the play store that allows you to connect a PS3 controller via Bluetooth, but it needs root and I don't believe it works anymore. There's also an app for wired PS3. It's not a Razer issue, it's a controller issue.
CalebQ42 said:
Unfortunately the PS3 controller doesn't connect and act like a good Bluetooth or USB device. There is an app called sixaxis controller on the play store that allows you to connect a PS3 controller via Bluetooth, but it needs root and I don't believe it works anymore. There's also an app for wired PS3. It's not a Razer issue, it's a controller issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, I tested it all. That app gets to the part where it tries to pull the Mac of the phone's Bluetooth adapter and simply can't. I'm leaning more towards the an Oreo/Pie issue. Seems to be driver related.

X88 Pro 20 RK3566 TV box: Feedback? Rooting?

Found this apparently interesting TV box more or less recently. It's sold at a very attractive price, and can be bought in configurations with up to 8 GiB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, so I guess that it must come with a 64-bit operating system or firmware. And well, according to “REVIEW: X88 PRO 20 a low-cost Android TV-Box with SoC Rockchip RK3566 @ AndroidpcTV”, the TV box's firmware supports the arm64_v8a ABI, so 64-bit yes.
About this box I only found the thread “X88 pro 20 RK3566” opened close to a year ago, but it contains just a confusing question and no further information.
So, may some of you provide feedback about this TV box? It looks appealing, but of course I need to be able to root it; this is the single most important factor. Once rooted, any limitations in the stock ROM can be fixed and it also is fully customizable; just hope it is stable, of course.
Can someone provide information on rooting this box? Custom firmwares?
Thank you.
Barkuti said:
Found this apparently interesting TV box more or less recently. It's sold at a very attractive price, and can be bought in configurations with up to 8 GiB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, so I guess that it must come with a 64-bit operating system or firmware. And well, according to “REVIEW: X88 PRO 20 a low-cost Android TV-Box with SoC Rockchip RK3566 @ AndroidpcTV”, the TV box's firmware supports the arm64_v8a ABI, so 64-bit yes.
About this box I only found the thread “X88 pro 20 RK3566” opened close to a year ago, but it contains just a confusing question and no further information.
So, may some of you provide feedback about this TV box? It looks appealing, but of course I need to be able to root it; this is the single most important factor. Once rooted, any limitations in the stock ROM can be fixed and it also is fully customizable; just hope it is stable, of course.
Can someone provide information on rooting this box? Custom firmwares?
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have one, and the only method for rooting is installing another rom, I think the rom with root is the "hk1-rbox-r2-RK3566_DC_R2_HK5235F_11_20210705.1409", but the T95 Plus and H96 Max rom also works (but it doesn't have root), other thing you can do is flash a linux debian using the tutorial described in the forum t95plus.com, but sadly my x88 pro 20 is defective, every app I open (while using android) crashes after some time, and while in linux firefox keeps crashing, I don't know what's the issue, and since so few people have this box I can't find anyone else having this problem
Thanks for contributing, GamingSoldier. My interest in this box sort of vanished, mainly because I was just finding a good TV box solution to pair with an old good TV which I have lying around for someone else, and that someone else decided to buy a new inexpensive set… Of course, suffice to say these people must not be aware of the very limited Android system they are getting, or of how much better it could be.
Anyway, I digged on the subject of rooting without a custom recovery, and found the following very helpful video and article:
Extract Boot.Img Directly From Device Without Downloading Firmware @ DroidWin
This pretty much enables rooting of any device with minimum hassle.
Besides this, I'd love to know if the ROM of this device is stable and works well. I understand you are probably not going to say much in this respect, GamingSoldier; unless you get a new one, that is.
Barkuti said:
Thanks for contributing, GamingSoldier. My interest in this box sort of vanished, mainly because I was just finding a good TV box solution to pair with an old good TV which I have lying around for someone else, and that someone else decided to buy a new inexpensive set… Of course, suffice to say these people must not be aware of the very limited Android system they are getting, or of how much better it could be.
Anyway, I digged on the subject of rooting without a custom recovery, and found the following very helpful video and article:
Extract Boot.Img Directly From Device Without Downloading Firmware @ DroidWin
This pretty much enables rooting of any device with minimum hassle.
Besides this, I'd love to know if the ROM of this device is stable and works well. I understand you are probably not going to say much in this respect, GamingSoldier; unless you get a new one, that is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if the rom is stable, because my x88 has a hardware issue that keeps making apps crash, and it's not the software because I tested multiple ROMS and all of them cause this issue, about the magisk, I already know the app, but the magisk is unable to patch the rockchip boot.img
Well GamingSoldier, it's clear that you would need to get a new RK3566 X88 Pro 20 for testing its ROM, or at least fix the problem your box has if you are able. Speaking of which, did you open the box to check inside already? Because the problem could be something simple to fix like improper SoC cooling or some electronic component. After all, if the box doesn't works there's nothing to lose in doing so except a little bit of time and effort.
Concerning Magisk not being able to patch the RK3566 boot.img (sure?), I was going to say that you could say something in this respect in the Magisk thread, although I see it was closed long ago. So, the best thing to do is to inquire topjohnwu directly about Magisk's support for Rockchip SoCs, I guess. There's also topjohnwu's GitHub page with further information and etcetera.
And now that we're here I am not going to say that these boxes probably suck in certain ways, although I could. A working hardware matters, and proper working software matters too.
A tad off topic, very recently I've been checking the Orange Pi 5 Plus, for whatever reason. It uses a far more powerful and fully fledged Rockchip RK3588 SoC, and I see it somewhat below $200 (or even a hair below $180!) in 16 GiB of RAM configuration and including USB-C power supply. It clearly is something in another league, and very recently got new Android 12 images for SD card boot and fast 2280 M.2 NVMe storage boot; and it has accessible source code, which is very important developer wise.
It's a lot more money to spend at, but it also is a real Android computer which you can attach to TVs or monitors…
First thing I did after the apps started closing was to open the box and I added a bigger heatsink, I also tried increase the SOC voltage to see if it was a low voltage issue, and if I'm not mistaken I also tested the ram while I was using linux, and still, a paper weight...
After I discovered this issue and was unable to fix it I started to flash any RK3566 or RK3568 rom in to my x88 pro 20, most of them appear the logo screen, but are stuck in that image, I don't know much about these rom's, but might be just one thing or two preventing me from booting into the system

Cheap Android Box Advice

Hello,
I want to experiment with Android as a desktop computer doubling as a streaming device. I understand there are many ways to go about this, but I think the most interesting (and cheapest) way to accomplish this would be to repurpose one of the many unofficial Android TV boxes found on ebay and Amazon. My reasoning for this is that they can generally be flashed with a different ROM quite easily. This is important because I don't trust them out of the box, and want to know they are running a clean ROM. They also use regular Android as opposed to Android TV. In a surprising twist, I actually want regular Android for this project, not Android TV.
I am aware that some apps won't work and that I probably won't have access to the Play Store. I'm ok with this because I use a degoogled Android phone and know how to get by without it. I also understand that there are other solutions. I'm not opposed to considering alternatives, but this project is really just for the fun and potential challenge.
Here are my problems:
Many of these cheap boxes lie about their specs, i.e. they claim to have 4gb of RAM when they only have 2gb of RAM.
All of the Android streaming devices consistently recommended run Android TV. I want to use the regular Android found on a phone or tablet, as close to AOSP as possible.
I have found only one ROM provider for these Android boxes that isn't based on Android TV. SlimboxTV is exactly what I want, but it's not open source and I have some concerns over the fact that it's developed in Russia.
So here are my questions:
Can you recommend me a decent cheap Android box? I would prefer 4gb of RAM but understand that may not exist. 1080p is fine if 4k isn't an option. I don't really care about other specs.
Are there any other ROMs out there that are based on regular Android and not Android TV? If not, is SlimboxTV safe to use? I have found surprisingly little information about this considering it has a presence on XDA.
If this isn't the right place to ask this question, can you point me in the right direction?
Thanks for your help!

Categories

Resources