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Sony have blocked the install of Kodi on Android TV

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  • 04-01-2019 2:28pm
    #1
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭


    Bad form, not that I'd ever recommend a smart TV but if I was recommending one it would've been one with Android TV

    469524.jpg


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    #2
    advertsfox
    Registered Users Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭advertsfox


    Bad move indeed but the performance on Sony Android TVs is limited compared to a decent Android box / 4K stick (not to mention the use of the Sony "menu" button is not the same as the Android menu button function) so another device is the preferred option.

    Alternatively, you can just sideload the application and install HALauncher.


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    #3
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    advertsfox wrote: »
    Bad move indeed but the performance on Sony Android TVs is limited compared to a decent Android box / 4K stick (not to mention the use of the Sony "menu" button is not the same as the Android menu button function) so another device is the preferred option.

    Alternatively, you can just sideload the application and install HALauncher.

    Agreed but there is a certain type of person that needs an all in one smart TV, I know plenty ;-)


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    #4
    advertsfox
    Registered Users Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭advertsfox


    The high horse brigade wrote: »
    Agreed but there is a certain type of person that needs an all in one smart TV, I know plenty ;-)
    Absolutely I hear you, this is how it should be with Android TV as a whole (as Google designed it) but Sony had to intervene! They should embrace it like Amazon - they have sold 10s of millions of Fire Sticks / Boxes since they allow Kodi to work and work well. Have you tried manually installing the APK?

    EDIT: I can see from the thread that these slightly modified builds are working - https://app.box.com/v/kodi4sonytv


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    #5
    Boxcar_Willie
    Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭Boxcar_Willie


    Amazon have Kodi and all IPTV platforms blocked on their new 4K Fire TV box.
    Impossible to sideload.
    Next Firestick software update will extend this to firesticks.


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    #6
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Amazon have Kodi and all IPTV platforms blocked on their new 4K Fire TV box.
    Impossible to sideload.
    Next Firestick software update will extend this to firesticks.

    Really, that's the first I've heard of this.


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    #7
    Boxcar_Willie
    Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭Boxcar_Willie


    Yes I bought a 4K Fire TV recently and tried every possible way to sideloading Kodi & IPTV . Have done it many times with Firesticks and the original Fire TV boxes and never encountered any problems.
    Some of the apps did load but when I try to open them it just brings me back to the home screen.


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    #8
    advertsfox
    Registered Users Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭advertsfox


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Yes I bought a 4K Fire TV recently and tried every possible way to sideloading Kodi & IPTV . Have done it many times with Firesticks and the original Fire TV boxes and never encountered any problems.
    Some of the apps did load but when I try to open them it just brings me back to the home screen.
    The first I heard of that also, which build have you been trying to sideload? What application were you using to do so (an APK downloader or over ADB)?


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    #9
    SteM
    Registered Users Posts: 6,568 ✭✭✭SteM


    The high horse brigade wrote: »
    Bad form, not that I'd ever recommend a smart TV but if I was recommending one it would've been one with Android TV

    469524.jpg

    Stupid move. My old Sony android tv has kodi running on it, perfect setup for a family as there is less hdmi switching etc.


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    #10
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Yeah it turns out Sony were even promoting Kodi to advertise their smart TVs at one stage
    https://torrentfreak.com/first-sony-promotes-kodi-then-allegedly-blocks-it-on-newer-android-tvs-190107/


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    #11
    iggy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,003 ✭✭✭iggy


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Yes I bought a 4K Fire TV recently and tried every possible way to sideloading Kodi & IPTV . Have done it many times with Firesticks and the original Fire TV boxes and never encountered any problems.
    Some of the apps did load but when I try to open them it just brings me back to the home screen.

    I've the new 4k TV Stick and have all the apps I need. Use apps2fire app on your phone to transfer them from phone onto firestick


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    #12
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    iggy wrote: »
    I've the new 4k TV Stick and have all the apps I need. Use apps2fire app on your phone to transfer them from phone onto firestick

    Yes but you shouldn't have to do workarounds to install the likes of Kodi which is open source software


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    #13
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    advertsfox wrote: »
    Absolutely I hear you, this is how it should be with Android TV as a whole (as Google designed it) but Sony had to intervene! They should embrace it like Amazon - they have sold 10s of millions of Fire Sticks / Boxes since they allow Kodi to work and work well. Have you tried manually installing the APK?

    EDIT: I can see from the thread that these slightly modified builds are working - https://app.box.com/v/kodi4sonytv

    I'm not sure how you can suggest amazon are kodi friendly. When they made a very publicised point of removing it from their app store.


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    #14
    McMurphy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Yes I bought a 4K Fire TV recently and tried every possible way to sideloading Kodi & IPTV . Have done it many times with Firesticks and the original Fire TV boxes and never encountered any problems.
    Some of the apps did load but when I try to open them it just brings me back to the home screen.

    Just don't use Kodi then, there's literally hundreds of ways of getting apks on to a stick without worrying about Kodi.

    Can't see Amazon locking down their sticks too much, the openess of them was what helped them sell so many of them, and even if they do, I don't think it will be too long for a competitor to release a small, Android based, open HDMI stick onto the market.


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    #15
    SteM
    Registered Users Posts: 6,568 ✭✭✭SteM


    Johnny Dogs wrote: »
    Just don't use Kodi then, there's literally hundreds of ways of getting apks on to a stick without worrying about Kodi.

    I personally like using Kodi as a local Media streamer, it scans my NAS drives where I have my ripped DVDs stored and organises them very well, loads cover art and movie info. What other open source app will do this for me?


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    #16
    swampy353
    Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭swampy353


    SteM wrote: »
    I personally like using Kodi as a local Media streamer, it scans my NAS drives where I have my ripped DVDs stored and organises them very well, loads cover art and movie info. What other open source app will do this for me?

    Plex?


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    #17
    McMurphy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    SteM wrote: »
    I personally like using Kodi as a local Media streamer, it scans my NAS drives where I have my ripped DVDs stored and organises them very well, loads cover art and movie info. What other open source app will do this for me?

    Sorry, to be clear, I was saying to use a different platform for streaming IPTV.

    But to answer your question, wouldn't Plex or Emby do that?


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    #18
    SteM
    Registered Users Posts: 6,568 ✭✭✭SteM


    swampy353 wrote: »
    Plex?
    Johnny Dogs wrote: »
    Sorry, to be clear, I was saying to use a different platform for streaming IPTV.

    But to answer your question, wouldn't Plex or Emby do that?

    I thought plex only scanned media stored on NAS drives that ran a plex server?


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    #19
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Plex is not open source guys. Either is Emby, only parts of Emby is open


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    #20
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    swampy353 wrote: »
    Plex?

    Plex requires a server installation and a client installation. Same for emby. Kodi is primiraly a client and just needs access to the directories your media is on.


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    #21
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Yes I bought a 4K Fire TV recently and tried every possible way to sideloading Kodi & IPTV . Have done it many times with Firesticks and the original Fire TV boxes and never encountered any problems.
    Some of the apps did load but when I try to open them it just brings me back to the home screen.

    Mmmm. They couldn't retrospectively do that with Fire sticks I wonder?


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    #22
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    quad_red wrote: »
    Mmmm. They couldn't retrospectively do that with Fire sticks I wonder?

    It'll be a shame if they did. But I use emby for mobile devices at home anyway. And the emby client is alright on the firestick.


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    #23
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    Sony's a big owner of content via their media arm and they've a long history of agressive enforcement of DRM on devices. It's nothing new for them.


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    #24
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    EdgeCase wrote: »
    Sony's a big owner of content via their media arm and they've a long history of agressive enforcement of DRM on devices. It's nothing new for them.

    Yes they've a long history of being complete assholes, I remember a friend had a major issue when they blocked the option to sideload Ubuntu on a PS3 in new firmware updates. Another dickish move but one with no apparent gain for them.


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    #25
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    I remember they put software on Sony Music CDs to prevent "ripping" to MP3 libraries which opened serious security vulnerabilities on Windows machines and caused Macs to crash and become unable to eject the CD.

    It's one or the main reasons Sony lost its shine for me and it's never been restored.


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    #26
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    EdgeCase wrote: »
    Sony's a big owner of content via their media arm and they've a long history of agressive enforcement of DRM on devices. It's nothing new for them.

    Funny that seeing as the new release of Kodi will support DRM.


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    #27
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    Funny that seeing as the new release of Kodi will support DRM.

    Depends how it's done. A lot of systems have DRM capabilities and manage copyright material but don't attempt to implement them by brute force and absolute inflexibility.

    Sony has a history of trying to hobble tech for business reason, rather than adapting business models as technology changes.

    I’m not in favour of content makers not being paid. If revenue dried up, so would good content. However, I think crude blocking of an app because it might compete is nonsense and that’s been part of a repeating pattern for this company.


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    #28
    skydish79
    Registered Users Posts: 838 ✭✭✭skydish79


    Boxcar_Willie wrote: »
    Amazon have Kodi and all IPTV platforms blocked on their new 4K Fire TV box.
    Impossible to sideload.
    Next Firestick software update will extend this to firesticks.

    Where did you find out the next firestick software update will extend to all firesticks?


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    #29
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,575 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    Remember they blocked you watching pirated Sony films on PS3 if you were connected to the net but everything else was pretty much fair game on it...

    Removed that limitation on PS4 to be fair to them


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    #30
    advertsfox
    Registered Users Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭advertsfox


    skydish79 wrote: »
    Where did you find out the next firestick software update will extend to all firesticks?
    You won't, it's not true (with no reference to this online at all) - he just couldn't get it installed on his new box but I asked for more details about his methods but he hasn't replied (e.g the new software requires authentication on the device itself first for ADB to work).

    Amazon will never publicly say they allow Kodi but they won't ever block it either... it's a massive reason they have sold millions of devices.


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    #31
    McMurphy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    advertsfox wrote: »
    You won't, it's not true (with no reference to this online at all) - he just couldn't get it installed on his new box but I asked for more details about his methods but he hasn't replied (e.g the new software requires authentication on the device itself first for ADB to work).

    Amazon will never publicly say they allow Kodi but they won't ever block it either... it's a massive reason they have sold millions of devices.

    This 100%


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