Kodi Community Forum

Not quite relative just yet or at least not until Google has updated this device to Android 11 for Android TV is released (before the end of this year if they keep their promise), but FYI:

Android 11 provides a new "Frame rate API" as well as a couple of low-latency related features that enables apps to inform and request HDMI 2.1 systems to use their intended frame rate and for displays to disable post-processing.

I guess the driving reason why Google has developed such and the other performance-related features in Android TV 11 is to improve the experience in Google's new Stadia cloud-based game streaming player app for gaming.

https://android-developers.googleblog.co...id-tv.html
 

• "Auto Low Latency Mode" - If enabled HDMI 2.1 or later this will automatically send a signal requesting that HDMI displays/televisions disable all and any graphics post-processing)
  • HDMI 2.1 specification refers to this as "ALLM" (Auto Low Latency Mode), also known as "game mode", which should minimize latency by switching off all post-processing on displays.
    
• "Frame rate API" - Android 11 provides a new API that enables apps to inform the system of their intended frame rate "to reduce judder on devices that support multiple refresh rates".
  
• "Allocating MediaCodec buffers" - Android 11 also includes new MediaCodec APIs (new classes and methods) that gives apps more control when allocating input and output buffers.
  
• "AAudio function AAudioStream_release()" - New functions to force release and close of audio stream at the same time + new function to release but do not close audio stream.
  
• "Low latency media decoding"  - Which I assume is primarily meant for cloud-based game streaming services like Stadia, but could maybe also be used by Kodi's RetroPlayer core?)
  
• "NDK image decoder"- A new NDK ImageDecoder API provides a standard API for Android C/C++ apps to decode images directly. 
  
• "HAL implementation of HDMI CEC" (maybe something that Kodi's libcec can hook into?)
  
• "Media CAS (Media conditional access systems)" and "Tuner Framework "
  
• "Extended gamepad support" (adds native support for some additional third-party gaming controllers over Bluetooth and USB)
  
• As I read it, this not only include native support for Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, but also native support the Steam Controller over USB.
  

Testing of Android apps on the TV should also become easier for developers as well with the addition of "Test Harness Mode" on Android TV and Google Play Store support in the Android TV Emulator to help to test apps as you develop.


Android 11 in general also brings additional performances optimizations and improvement (like example enhanced memory management) and to Android operating-system in general.

https://developer.android.com/about/vers...1/features

https://source.android.com/setup/start/a...11-release


Android 11 on Android TV for is so far otherwise only available as a system update rollout to Google's ADT-3 ADT-3 Developer Kit devices.

Google has stated that they and OEM-partners/third-parties will roll out Android 11 on Android TV to devices like this new "Google Chromecast with Google TV" dongle before the end of this year.

I don’t see who this appeals too, no pass through audio or refresh rate switching is very poor, mine has been relegated to an upstairs TV, it is also very cumbersome, I can’t see someone who wanted the functionality of a fire stick buying this or someone wanting Chromecast buying it.
I’ve been trying to add external storage to it to see if it will run Hyperspin and it is so frustrating, some times it will just not mount the storage and then reboot, I’m running it from a 65w plug as well.
Rubbish.

(2020-10-21, 22:10)DaMacFunkin Wrote: [ -> ]I don’t see who this appeals too, no pass through audio or refresh rate switching is very poor, mine has been relegated to an upstairs TV, it is also very cumbersome, I can’t see someone who wanted the functionality of a fire stick buying this or someone wanting Chromecast buying it.
I’ve been trying to add external storage to it to see if it will run Hyperspin and it is so frustrating, some times it will just not mount the storage and then reboot, I’m running it from a 65w plug as well.
Rubbish.

It is made for 95% of the population that don't have a clue about what you said......

(2020-10-22, 03:45)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]It is made for 95% of the population that don't have a clue about what you said......

95% of the population will pick a Fire TV device while the other 5% will pick an Apple TV or simply stick with their TV OS. ;-)

(2020-10-22, 09:26)b4cksl4sh Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-10-22, 03:45)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]It is made for 95% of the population that don't have a clue about what you said......

95% of the population will pick a Fire TV device while the other 5% will pick an Apple TV or simply stick with their TV OS. ;-)

Google is in a LOT more territories than Amazon though.

For those who don't know or care about refresh rates, HD audio, and only use streaming services, i.e. the 95%, GoogleTv is a superior device.

It has Google's voice assistant.
It has official Play Store.
It has Google's advanced AI.

All of these are far superior than Amazon/Apple. Google voice recognition is so much better in every way. And you don't need to use Amazons joke app store or hack it to install official Google play store.

AppleTv is not even in comparison. Its a locked down proprietary platform for people who have a lot more money and own Apple everthing. For them it makes sense. For anyone else its stupid buying an ATV.

Hopefully we can get some good integration for our content and add-ons with Google tv, as it seems everything will be transferred to google tv by 2022.

(2020-10-22, 23:48)MrCrispy Wrote: [ -> ]All of these are far superior than Amazon/Apple. Google voice recognition is so much better in every way. And you don't need to use Amazons joke app store or hack it to install official Google play store.

I think you have proven your own point.
No one really cares about a voice recognition, no matter how hard companies promote it.

For the mainstream market....
The Price of the device would be number one.

Apps availability would be number two.

And connectivity would come in at number three.

The already existing household ecoSystem would also play a major part.

The dirt cheap FireTV sticks beat everything else on the market for the first two categories.

And they also happen to be better for - Android Kodi users in the Sub $100 pricing segment.

(2020-10-23, 04:53)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-10-22, 23:48)MrCrispy Wrote: [ -> ]All of these are far superior than Amazon/Apple. Google voice recognition is so much better in every way. And you don't need to use Amazons joke app store or hack it to install official Google play store.

I think you have proven your own point.
No one really cares about a voice recognition, no matter how hard companies promote it.

For the mainstream market....
The Price of the device would be number one.

Apps availability would be number two.

And connectivity would come in at number three.

The already existing household ecoSystem would also play a major part.

The dirt cheap FireTV sticks beat everything else on the market for the first two categories.

And they also happen to be better for - Android Kodi users in the Sub $100 pricing segment.

Isn't the apps availability a bit of a discussion point - Android TV Google Play Apps Store vs Amazon Fire OS App Store is far from a slam dunk for Amazon is it? (Apple TV+ is on Amazon but not Google Play I believe though?). However Google are in more territories than Amazon. (Amazon are very limited in Scandinavia for instance - only just beginning to launch their first operation in Sweden.)

(2020-10-23, 09:56)noggin Wrote: [ -> ]Apple TV+ is on Amazon but not Google Play I believe though?

The television version of Apple TV+ app is not available on Google Play for Android TV.

The television version of Apple TV+ app is only available on third-generation Apple TV and later, Roku, Amazon Fire TV (Fire OS), non-Android smart TVs by LG, Samsung, and Vizio, plus most recently also a few select Android TV based televisions by Sony.

https://support.apple.com/guide/tvplus/welcome/web

And due to encryption it is not possible to cast/stream the Apple TV+ app from your iOS smart phone or tablet (like iPhone and iPad) to Kodi or one of those third-party AirPlay apps available on Google Play for Android TV.

Had this dilemma when got 1-year free Apple TV+ with a new Apple iDevice and the cheapest solution was to buy a Amazon Fire TV got to get access to Apple TV+ on my Philips Android TV television in the living-room.

My guess is that the television version of Apple TV+ app will become available on more branded Android TV based smart televisions only when Apple makes a backroom deal with the larger company who owns that brand, like Arcelik, Bang & Olufsen, Hisense, RCA, TCL Corporation, Philips, and Vestel. Perhaps also Nvidia for Nvidia Shield TV if they too make a deal that will benifit Apple.

Sadly my guess is that it will likely not come to the standard Google Play store for Android TV on this Google TV dongle or other small-time Android TV based set-top boxes anytime soon.

In the UK 95% of people who didn’t understand what I said would get a Fire Stick, Everybody has one, Amazon is King for most online shoppers, and they are in all the Supermarkets as well.

Amazon and Roku make for 70% of the American market, with about 35% each, Apple Tv around 15% and last time I checked Android TV with all of Sony TVs, Nvidia Shields, Mi Box, Tivo, etc couldn't convince even 10% of american streaming users. When it comes to apps, Amazon is far ahead with Apple TV+, PBS, TCM and many others, Hulu for example has 4K content on Amazon, Roku and Apple devices, not on Android TV. Across the pond, Amazon has All4, the second most watched UK channel, Android TV doesn't. Amazon Fire TV leads worldwise: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazo...SKBN1Z51LS

I hope that GoogleTv will soon get integrated search working with Kodi. From what I've read there are some new APIs that need to be supported. but I don't know the details - whether its work to be done by Kodi, other apps or Google?

It was same with AndroidTv. the search didn't show search results from other apps like Plex, then they were updated and it did.

Full Google Assistant working in Kodi would be great!

(2020-10-14, 21:36)droidkid Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-10-08, 20:05)Damien67 Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-10-07, 19:34)droidkid Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting I just built a file server with OpenMediaVault on my Raspberry Pi but I setup an SMB share maybe I'll give NFS a shot, In the past I've always used SMB shares so this is new to me.

No issue for me with SMB...
As with any new Kodi install, I drop my advancedsettings.xml, Mediasources.xml and sources.xml into the userdata folder, close/re-open Kodi, and that's it. Instantly connected to my SQL databases and everything plays without an issue. As a matter of fact, I couldn't use X-plore to connect my SMB shares to get to those files, so I used Kodi's file manager, added my SMB server's info, and could copy paste those files directly from the share to the userdata folder. Not sure why others are bashing Google not supporting this.
Also, as a FYI, my samba server is ran in a docker container (https://github.com/dperson/samba) in a Debian server.

As for my first thoughts on the CCWGTV, which I bought to stop using Visio's Smartcast platform on a P65-F1 (slow), to take advantage of my receiver's capabilities that can't go through HDMI 2.0 ARC (no ATMOS for example), and to not need a PC for Kodi alone:

- The name absolutely sucks. Googling anything gives tons of Chromecast results...have to filter "last week" to get relevant results. Google's marketing employee who signed off on this should be fired
- Device is pretty snappy!
- Apps available in the play store like any other Android device. Those that aren't can be sideloaded easily
- Kodi works very well, 1080p / 4k content without issue
- Main audio formats worked (DTS, DTS-MA, DD), but Dolby HD and AAC come as PCM stereo (tried both 18.8 and 19.0Alpha2)
- No problem with Netflix / Amazon Prime / Youtube
- I always had ambilights connected via serial (ESP8266 w/ WLED) to PC...I successfully got is working installing Hyperion in my server and installing Hyperion Android Grabber. Works OK with 1080p content, 4K is no go. One frame per 2 seconds...I guess too CPU demanding

Overall I am very pleased so far.
I do also have a ShieldTV (2015) in my living room, for a quarter the price Google got us a nice little device!

Thanks for the info! Side bar question on your file server. I set mine up with SMB and people are telling me NFS is better. I'm guessing you have had this setup for a while do you see any benefit with starting with NFS?

Sorry for the late answer...your reply got lost in the refresh rate multi page debate lol.
I have used SMB for years, and find it most compatible. NFS may be better and more performant, but I am not sure it matters with today's CPUs. I can play a 4k movie from my SMB share without issue, and I don't see any spike in resource usage on my server.
I don't know...up to you!

Any good news here? I did not yet find the time to plug it in :-)

The pain is so low, when the firetv just does 90% of the needs.