What are my Android TV options?

by JoshHugh

So I'm looking to buy an Android TV device for myself/my parents, and I have a few questions before I buy.

Currently we have a OUYA with XBMC plugged into our TV, however the controller is cumbersome, and the UI is clunky with the OUYA getting slower as time goes on, from its beginning less than stellar speeds.

What I am looking to do, is basically replicate our current setup with the device, however I don't even know if it's possible. Currently we have our lounge, with the OUYA plugged in (via HDMI) to our TV. Plugged into the OUYA we have a 2TB externally powered HDD, and this has multiple movies, TV shows and other types of files on it. We use Kodi to play the files from the hard drive, and whenever we want to update the files on the drive, or remove them we just unplug the hard drive, and plug it into a computer and make the neccesary changes.

That is the key limitation to this, my parents live off their mobile hotspot with no home internet/Wi-Fi, and so the Android TV would be offline for the majority of its life, we have access to multiple internet connections that I can set things up on, but as for at home they don't have a constant Wi-Fi network. To my knowledge this removes the ability to use something like Plex and so fourth, as... there is no wireless.

We live in Australia, which also brings forward another problem of availability. The movies that we are playing are a maximum of 1080p (mkv or mp4), and are all on the external hard drive.

Is there some app that I can download on the TV, that is going to be able to read off an external hard drive and play the files off of it (preferably not Kodi, but it would be fine if I had too..).

And the final question of what Android TV device would be the best to use, a Nexus Player, or something like the new Xiaomi Mi Box etc?

Sgt-JimmyRustles

The Mibox would probably suit you best here if you're only needing 1080p and external HDD. The Nexus Player does not have a native USB Port, so you'd need an OTG Cable. The Nexus Player is also hard to find since it's not sold anymore.

On the other hand, you'd have to probably import the Mibox.

The Shield TV is also viable, and honestly the best Android TV device you could have, period. But you're not going to be using a lot of it's features.

jonnygreen22

You would probably have more power over the xaiomi box than the nexus as in you could set it up super simple. Raspberry pi would be a cheap option too.

deadringer28

I have to highly recommend that you get the Shield and use it as a Plex server. This is way more than you might want to spend but in the long run you will be very happy with the setup and performance of the box overall.

Jeffro_2700

I just want to point out that you can have a local network which doesn't require an internet connection. The con there is you would need to invest in a router.

serpentxx

Hey mate, im from WA!

The only AndroidTV box available in aus was the Nexus Player, you might be able to pick one up from gumtree if you are lucky.

Right now i just bought a cheap microPC, runs windows 10 and kodi(new name for xbmc) and a usb remote adapter called flirc making any remote compatable.

This works... okay, but with the xiaomi mi box 4k released in the US, and rumours of a new nvidia shield tv, i plan to import one of these when available, probably from amazon.com

JBMacGill

You can use Plex without an internet connection. Due to recent changes in security for Plex servers you just can't be logged into a Plex account and still use the server offline. That being said, you would also need a router and a computer (or the Nvidia Shield TV) as the server. I'm not sure though if you can set up the server on the Shield without an account, but if you can't you could still create an account to set up the server and then just log out of the account. You would then need to use the server's internal IP address and port to get to the Plex server settings.

xozii

It sounds like you need 3 things.

a wifi router to do home networking without any internet connection. Maybe a friend has an old 100mbit wifi N router they upgraded from and would give you. Networking everything on a LAN is one way to play the media on-the-fly to any player. You can play anything on all the things (phones, tablets, xboxes, etc) and you can easily copy new media over the network or add multiple HDDs that act as networked storage to each other. (unless you physically travel for the data or only have a single screen you wish to watch on then this is moot)

a raspberry pi 3 or similar simple device which runs only Kodi. Android TV makes little sense to me in your scenario as you do not need the network streaming features which make android TV worth it. Voice search won't work, metadata would be dead, no streaming.. The raspberry pi 3 is cheap at around $50AUS max to your door, has built in wifi N and bluetooth (not perfect but functional for media), and offers HDMI-CEC which I presume your TV also has that makes interfacing kodi 80% possible with just your TV remote and nothing else. SD card, power and HDMI into the raspberry pi would be all you'd need. Velcro it to the TV in the cardboard box it ships in. Locally everything would just work so to speak, once you setup the SMB shares on OUYA or moved the drive to the Pi.

Rii i8+ wireless backlit keyboard and mouse, for those times when the TV remote can't cut it. a USB keyboard and mouse would also work fine here but isn't as couch friendly.

Together those things should cost under $100 and as good or better than your current setup. Unless you are getting incredible bitrate 1080p or its HEVC or x265, a Rpi3 should offer snappy playback and carry you through to the 4K revolution.

Chjapa

Shield Android TV without a doubt. You can use the HD as a Plex server. Not to mention it runs really well with it's overkill Nvidia X-1 chip either wired or wireless. Juts make sure to surge protect the device I just had mine get fried:(, I was more pissed about that then my plasma TV. Mi Box looks hot but it's new and kinks will have to be worked out, not a problem with the Shield.