The Razer Forge TV is Awful

by Phaxda

Posted this on Razer Insider--thanks everyone here for your help. Going to get a Nexus Player, I guess.

-- Here's my story: I get the mail, as an Ouya backer, saying that I can get this awesome gaming and media system for $99, with a controller. About 50 bucks off. Great. My Ouya had a nice run as our house's primary streaming system but was definitely showing some age. So I just went ahead and ordered the Razer Forge TV. First mistake. I should have done some research.

So it comes in the mail with the controller and it looks cool. It's small, the controller feels OK. So I plug it in, download the remote software for my phone, get everything Google set up, and go to install Netflix for my kid.

No Netflix. I honestly couldn't believe it. So I start doing some research. I guess Netflix just doesn't work. Weird, but whatever, I'll install Kodi and it'll be cool. I do that and discover that the menu is not at all customizable and I have to go through a bunch of recommendations and crap--that I don't want--to get to load Kodi. Sheesh. But I get that and tvaddons all set up like we had it on the Ouya and give my kid the controller and tell her it works pretty much the same and show her the ropes.

We go out to the park and play soccer and have a nice time and then when we get back she wants to watch a show on the " new green machine." The controller is still by the TV and we are kicking back on the couch, so I grab my phone and open the remote software. Living in the modern world, whoo!

Nothing, just a black screen. The console does not turn on. The remote can't find it. So I go to the TV and pick up the controller, nothing. So then I unplug the system and plug it back in and there it is. We get to watch the glowing green snake do its thing.

This morning, same thing. I had to plug and unplug the system. Spent part of the day reading up on all of the problems this thing has (thank you to the reddit androidtv forum) and decide to return it. Because this is ridiculous.

My operating theory is that Razer bought the Ouya stuff just to get a list of suckers who like to buy poor-performing Android gaming systems. It is RIDICULOUS.

donnysaysvacuum

Have you looked into the Nvidia shield? It's a little more comparable to the razer TV, and actually has a decent amount of games available.

ChadyzGroove

I'd get a Nvidia Shield over the Nexus Player. I have both and the Shield is just so much better it's not even close. The Nexus Player in the menu can be very stuttery and freeze from time to time, however when playing video it is just fine. There are a lot of exclusive games for the shield as well.

goodhur

It really is a shame because spec wise it is a nice piece of hardware. It's Antutu is 51000 similar to the new FireTV 4K box. Snapdragon 805, 2gb ram 16gb storage Ethernet and USB 3.0. Sounds like a decent set up. But Razer crippled it with poor choices.

From a previous post of mine:

"I recommend returning it. I have one and it's too late for me. There are too many things that suck about it. Razer Insider deletes comments from their forum that are negative. Yet you still find hatred of the device there.

No marshmallow announced, no USB storage, no Netflix (cast or app), poor mpg2 decoder, no voice remote or controller, minimal to no support, doesn't wake from sleep half the time so you need to cycle the power with the plug. They abandoned the cortex streaming and want you to use remotr. You can use remoter with the Nexus Player and Shield so there is no advantage to this device. There is no community around the device. No root, rom or recovery development.

I don't really find the new cortex store compelling compared to the Shield's exclusives."

OssotSromo

Lol. The circle of life is complete in less than 24 hours.

http://www.reddit.com/r/androidtv/comments/44f4zq/move_kodi_to_top_of_home_screen_on_razer_forge/czpw4jk

foundfootagefan

You should have checked with us first. We all dislike the Forge.

GazaIan

I do that and discover that the menu is not at all customizable and I have to go through a bunch of recommendations and crap--that I don't want--to get to load Kodi.

While I pretty much disagree that the Forge TV is a total crapbox, this point stuck out. On my Shield its only three button presses to get to Kodi. Two down presses to scroll down to the Apps category, and center button to launch Kodi (mine is always at the front). Is this not the case on the Forge TV? Because I don't consider this a lot of work at all, being that I still have another fuck ton of apps I use.

mogray5

My Forge has no problem waking up using either controller or the phone app so sounds like you got a bad unit and def should return it.

As for Netflix, that's on you. Every shield evangelist on the planet flooded these sub-reddits immediately after the discount offer reminding us of the missing Netflix app and if "you just spent a little bit more" you could be one of the cool kids and own a shield too. It was all over razer insider and the unnoficial ouya forums as well.

4m9qp

Did you even bother to do a simple Google search for reviews on the Forge? If you had you would have known it sucks.