Looking for Android TV

masterboy123

Hi,

A lot of my friends got Hisense 4K smart TV from Bargain posts on this forum. But the TV don't have Google Play which means they cannot download Kodi.

I checked for android TVs and only found Sony and Sharp companies who are providing TVs with inbuilt android system and don't need to hassle around with an external android tv box.

If anyone bought android TV lately please let me know their experiences.

ED E

Just dont.


Putting the smarts that get refreshed every 18mo in a device you'll keep for 5yrs or more is silly. If an STB is hassle for you get a chromecast.

PTH2009

I have a Sony bravia KD xd8099 model and quite like it. It can be quite sluggish but it's more about the app than the TV itself. Kodi works well and it's easy to install other apks that are not in the google store on the TV through USB or alternative Android store (it's a different google play store on the TV than mobile/Android Box versions and has limited available apps). The built in chromecast is very good and has a load of compatable apps

Obv Having an Android TV eliminates the need for a bulky Android Box and that's a plus for me. Best to plug an Ethernet cable straight from the modem into the tv to give the fastest speeds for streaming etc

Samsung and LG tvs are good smart tvs but have there own system that is not Android but the app choice is very similar

masterboy123

Ok
So in short would you guys recommend Android TV or a smart TV with an added device?

Del2005

masterboy123 wrote: »

Ok
So in short would you guys recommend Android TV or a smart TV with an added device?

Since phone companies are slow to update Android and TV companies will be even slower a dumb TV with an added device is the best. Buy the best screen not stuff that will have little support.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

masterboy123

Ok. Thanks for the comment.

Will get 65" Ultra 4K smart TV so and Nvdia Shield for 250e; which is bit pricey.

I had used M8S tv box before but at times it restarted.
Any other android box for 100 bucks? Or is shield on sale anywhere?

Del2005 wrote: »

Since phone companies are slow to update Android and TV companies will be even slower a dumb TV with an added device is the best. Buy the best screen not stuff that will have little support.

projectgtr

Del2005 wrote: »

Since phone companies are slow to update Android and TV companies will be even slower a dumb TV with an added device is the best. Buy the best screen not stuff that will have little support.

Sony have been giving decent updates, mine works flawlessly specially the voice integration (which is supposed to be coming to 3rd party apps like kodi soon) To be honest i bought the tv for the screen but the fact it had android tv was a big bonus.

Del2005

projectgtr wrote: »

Sony have been giving decent updates, mine works flawlessly specially the voice integration (which is supposed to be coming to 3rd party apps like kodi soon) To be honest i bought the tv for the screen but the fact it had android tv was a big bonus.

What level of support will there be in 3 or 4 years? Is it on Android 7?

SteM

Del2005 wrote: »

What level of support will there be in 3 or 4 years? Is it on Android 7?

The same level of support there are for lg and samsung smart tvs I would imagine but who knows fur sure? Android tvs can sideload apps at least so theoretically it could be community supported. He's already said he bought the TV for the screen and android is a bonus. In 3 or 4 years time he'll still have a great screen and might have to look at buying whatever box is popular at that time. No big deal really.

I wouldn't buy a Sony TV just because it runs Android but I certainly wouldn't let it put me off.

masterboy123

Ok. I will not buy tv with inbuilt Android in it.

What about Hisense TVs? What's the best company in the market at the moment?

projectgtr

Del2005 wrote: »

What level of support will there be in 3 or 4 years? Is it on Android 7?

A hell of a lot more support than the OS`s on the LGs Samsungs and Panasonics. My Samsung smart TV has received zero updates since i bought it 2 years ago.

mfceiling

PTH2009 wrote: »

Obv Having an Android TV eliminates the need for a bulky Android Box and that's a plus for me.

Yeah that big android box which is about the size of 2 cigarette boxes is a pain in the hole alright!!

wheresmybeaver

I took a bit of a chance about 18 months ago getting a Sony Android TV (1080p 46ish inch). I'd been using a Raspberry pi up until then to first run kodi and then later plex. Before that I'd built a cheap HTPC.

It was dodgy at first with a number of reboots and weirdness with the volume keys not responding (family members not impressed with the tv actually crashing and taking a minute to reboot). Sony also launched it with, I kid you not, a record button on the remote that launched a message saying 'we're working on this DVR feature'.

Anyway within 2 months it was rock solid stable, and another month or two later the DVR feature was working (for recording satellite and saorview). Kodi has been great on it, with everything just working out of the box and not needing a secondary remote. Chromecast built in. Emulators working beautifully with my Bluetooth game pad. The plex client is similarly excellent, and I've finally grown to enjoy the YouTube, Netflix, Spotify etc apps that were always complete rubbish on other smart platforms (I'm looking at you, samsung). Games that I buy for my phone are there on my TV to enjoy.

Overall i think even if my TV is still stuck on marshmallow for the rest of its natural life I'm fairly confident that Google will still support the Play store and some of the most popular apps on there for at least a couple of years (there are still lots of kitkat devices working away out in the world). I'm happy with the purchase and would vote for Android TV as the best smart TV platform.

PTH2009

mfceiling wrote: »

Yeah that big android box which is about the size of 2 cigarette boxes is a pain in the hole alright!!

More the wires and plugs of an external box is a bit of pain.