Looking for FOSS android TV (or something like Kodi, but dumber)

I’ve been looking for something to replace the google chromecast that is attached to our TV.

I’ve tried Kodi out, but the main use case for the TV set is a 70+ yo person watching netflix and there is just no way they will be better off with Kodi than with the stock netflix app.

Besides supporting netflix, being easy to use, and providing significantly better privacy than the chromecast does, the device would ideally:

  • support other mainstream streaming (amazon, disney, …) for when my people get tired of netflix
  • support a DVB-T2 usb stick (directly, or through IPTV: I can put the stick in a different machine)
  • support youtube without ads (through an adblocker and possibly sponsorblock, or maybe using invidious)
  • possibly, support local public TV streaming (eg. BBC)

I have a PC set aside that should be more than capable enough (intel N100), but I’m open to getting new hardware if needed. Also, it doesn’t matter if the system is not very user friendly to setup (eg. if it needs to be nixos), but once it’s setup it should be easy to use and relatively straightforward to update/maintain.

I guess a FOSS android TV would be ideal, but… is there any? (I see Lineage supports the Google ADT-3, but that is basically unobtanium, at least where I live).

possiblylinux127,

To actually answer your question, the Banana Pi supports Lineage os. wiki.lineageos.org/devices/-pi

I’m not sure if Netflix will work on Lineage os but it might be worth a look.

gomp,

That’s a great tip! I didn’t know lineage supported Android TV on SBCs

As for Netflix on Lineage: it does work (at least w/ microg - I just tried on my phone), but you won’t find the app in aurora store so you’ll have to source it on apkmirror or the like.

KrapKake,

Not sure why Netflix wouldn’t be on the Aurora store. Anyway, I did use android TV on an OdroidXU4 for a few months. It worked well with an air mouse and made it work like a regular android TV. Only issue I had with it sometimes was getting it to wake up after being asleep for some time, but that issue could have been ROM+odroid (or air mouse) specific.

TheSun,

When I still had Netflix I was only able to get 720p streams on lineageOS because of netflix’s DRM checks (same with on a web browser)… does your method allow 1080p or even 4k streams or is it still the same deal?

gomp,

Wow: they also go to great lengths to piss off their paying customers.

Anyway, I have no idea if it’s 1080p or not: I can say it looks ok on my phone’s screen, but IDK how to check what the video resolution is

Templa,

I’m also currently looking for one as we really want to ditch our Nvidia Shield Pro. However the shield has so many features and codecs that I’m unsure if there’s such thing.

gomp,

You should be able to run Lineage on the shield (double check the specific model)… maybe you can try that and re-flash the stock OS if it doesn’t work for you.

library_napper,
@library_napper@monyet.cc avatar

What happened to roku? Is it not open source?

gomp,

It’s closed-source AFAIK (also, not sure how it is privacy-wise)

possiblylinux127,

I don’t want to be rude but I don’t think Netflix is Foss in the least.

Templa,

My friend, someone can be a FOSS enthusiast and still consume things that are proprietary.

possiblylinux127,

FOSS stands for free/libre and open source. For something to be libre it has to meet the 4 freedoms. Proprietary software doesn’t do that.

I don’t mean to start a holy war but FOSS doesn’t mean DRM streaming services. I appreciate the sentiment but I wanted to take the time to explain why many will disagree with your statement

Templa,

Ok, so let me try again: OP didn’t say Netflix is FOSS. Nobody is saying Netflix is FOSS. OP is asking for something open source that can run proprietary software, which happens to be an alternative to Android TV. Your comment didn’t answer OP’s question and just added an unecessary and obvious comment which gives the idea that you are judging OP for utilizing proprietary software. If you are able to consume only free and open source software/hardware, good for you! That’s it, just make an attempt to be helpful and nice when people are trying to consume more open source stuff.

Edit: I saw that you actually gave an answer to OP afterwards. That’s nice!

possiblylinux127,

Yeah I reread my comment and realized that it sounded pretty aggressive.

I get annoyed at a lot of the communist circle jerk but I’m sure many people get annoyed at my comments about free software. I’ll try to rephrase my comments in the future.

Templa,

That’s awesome, really! Yeah, internet makes pretty easy for us to get annoyed at stuff sometimes

possiblylinux127,

I just have talked to my local police and seen how hard it is to be a cop. Try to remember we are all human.

gomp,

You are 100% right: netflix not being open is less than ideal, both from a freedom standpoint and for the privacy implications of it.

However, my 70+yo relative does not care about FOSS or even about their own privacy for that matter… since I, however, do care about their privacy, I’d like to pragmatically find something that may be better than a chromecast privacy-wise, while not being so much worse (or radically different) from it that they’ll ask me to “put the old thingy back - I can’t use this nerdy shit” :)

pbanj,
@pbanj@lemmy.ml avatar

The original(2021) walmart streaming box is like $20, it has custom roms for it. It has the same specs as the 4k Chromecast with androidtv. The 2023 version doesnt seem to have any roms(at least on xda), but can still be rooted.

alphapuggle,

I use my Chromecast with ATV home pro & disabled the home screen entirely. Then I used smart tube next for ad free YouTube and Plex for anything else.

pH3ra,
@pH3ra@lemmy.ml avatar

Raspberry Pi 4 + Konstakang LineageOS TV

I think it will come for RPI 5 too but as for now there’s only for the 4

For the ad-less YouTube I use SmartTube

billygoat,

I am looking to use Android tv and Kodi for offline use in an RV and I think this is what I’ll try next. Didn’t want to have to buy another shield pro just to do that.

Templa,

How would this work with Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-X , DTS-HD, etc? Would you need an AVR for that?

pH3ra,
@pH3ra@lemmy.ml avatar

I have no clue, to be honest. Maybe you can find more info on Konstakang’s site.
I never asked myself those questions because I have literally the cheapest TV with an HDMI port I could find

PopOfAfrica,

I had this same problem. I ultimately just put a Linux computer on my TV with standard Ubuntu.

I gave up

Dr_Evil,

What additional software did you end up installing? Something like kodi? Anything for live TV/OTA?

And how easy is your setup to control with a TV remote form factor?

humanplayer2,
@humanplayer2@lemmy.ml avatar

I have the same, but Netflix is then a miserable experience on my 4K TV.

LoomingMountain,

Louis Rossmann made a video on this. It’s called why I dtopped paying for Netflix. Of you have a smart tv, they want you to use the native app or else they limit your definition.

Froyn,

Take your PC that you set aside, install the Stremio FlatPak, sign up for a Debrid Service, and use the Torrentio plugin for Stremio.

LWD, (edited )

deleted_by_author

    •
    Froyn,

    No, for the same reason they would not get a C&D using a VPN+usenet/torrent.
    The ISP can't see the contents of the data stream.

    LWD, (edited )

    deleted_by_author

    •
    Froyn,

    ??
    I think you might have been reading too fast.
    Torrentio is used to link Stremio to a Debrid Service.

    Or maybe I'm not understanding what you're seeing?
    Why would you want/need a VPN when you're using a debrid service?

    LWD, (edited )

    deleted_by_author

    •
    Froyn,

    Riddle me this. How exactly does one achieve "Privacy" when engaging with Disney? Netflix?

    Presently, no streaming company knows what content of theirs I have consumed. Is that not privacy?
    A data breech at Netflix will not reveal any of my personal information as they have none of my information. Is that not privacy?

    You see, there's a great big blob where privacy and piracy intersect. Some might say it's a circle.

    LWD, (edited )

    deleted_by_author

    •
    Froyn,

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/16s0pfy/how_do_debrid_services_actually_operate/

    library_napper,
    @library_napper@monyet.cc avatar

    These companies sometimes list their own movies on torrent sites and then record everyone who downloaded it from them. So, yes, they can see what you download if you don’t mask your IP through some proxy.

    Froyn,

    Do you know how a debrid service works?

    library_napper,
    @library_napper@monyet.cc avatar

    Get a hardwire router that forces all traffic through a VPN.

    Jaggs,

    What about one of the Chinese TV boxes? For example = www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005533473983.html

    American_Jesus,

    Most don’t support HD streaming due to lack of certification, the UI is mobile not AndroidTV, and many can include malware

    tomsguide.com/…/thousands-of-android-tv-boxes-inf…

    I have a box (X96 Max+), with a custom ROM, comes with only the essencial, but AndroidTV itself is not FOSS, the launcher and other services are proprietary, without it is just AOSP.

    You can check the supported devices on the site
    slimboxtv.ru

    solariplex,

    Aren’t most of those at best vulnerable as a leaf in the wind; and at worst literal hacker gateways to your home?

    RobMyBot,

    Yeah you wouldn’t catch me even considering one of those monstrosities.

    deadcream,

    Google-certified Android TV devices aren't known to receive security updates either.

    gomp,

    As much as I dislike Google spying on my relatives, I’d rather them be spied by Google than by some Chinese entity (BTW: their spying would probably not be on top of Google’s)

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • random
  • uselessserver093
  • Food
  • aaaaaaacccccccce
  • [email protected]
  • test
  • CafeMeta
  • testmag
  • MUD
  • RhythmGameZone
  • RSS
  • dabs
  • Socialism
  • KbinCafe
  • TheResearchGuardian
  • oklahoma
  • feritale
  • SuperSentai
  • KamenRider
  • All magazines
    •