Looking to stream from Android to my TV, by the cheapest simplest means possible
#1
I'm trying to find a device which can stream media from my Android tablet to my TV, in a privacy conscious way, and I require no other features. I thought I could do this simply, with a Chromecast knock-off, but that privacy conscious thing is proving to be a sticking point. All I want is a device which can stream media and does not require me to give it internet access (and is cheap), but it's looking like the only way I'm going to be able to do this is with some device which I make or hack myself - either a Raspberry Pi based something-or-other, or something with Kodi on it (like a Fire TV).

However, I'm not finding a ton of information about streaming from Android. Does Kodi even support that? If I got, say, a Boxee Box and installed Kodi would that serve my purposes? Is there some other (cheap) device which I could do that with instead?
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#2
Chromecast? Depends on what you want to stream from I guess, the AllCast is good to have as that streams to Chromecast. Most major apps will natively support Chromecast though. Wait until next week though when Chromecast 2 comes out.

When I cast using AllCast, Kodi does show up on the list but i've not tried it to be honest
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#3
Can you use Chromecast without giving it network access? I'd ruled it out for being privacy abhorrent, but if it'll function just as a media streamer directly from my device then that'd be fine.
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#4
I'm struggling to see exactly what you want to do here.
You want kodi on the tv playing files from your tablet?
Or you want your android screen on the tv?
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#5
I want to stream video from my tablet to the TV in a privacy conscious way.

I haven't been able to find a commercial product which will do that, so I had thought that maybe I could do it by setting up a device running Kodi which would be connected to my TV - a Boxee Box, a Fire TV, or something else.

It would be fine to have my Android screen on the TV, that would certainly accomplish what I'm after, but it's more than I need.
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#6
Still not clear, sorry.
Are you talking about physical files on your tablet?
If so then you could a kodi device (connected to your tv) to access them.

Miracast might give you your android screen on the tv.
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#7
Accessing the files on the tablet seems like it would be over complicated from a user perspective - I'd like my father to be able to use this and he needs things to be very simple. What I had had in mind was playing something on the tablet and streaming that video to the Kodi device, not streaming the file to the Kodi device and having the Kodi device play it.

Miracast would work, that's basically the Chromecast knock-off that I was talking about. Does Kodi function as a Miracast receiver? A search isn't telling me that. If I got a Boxee Box and installed Kodi on it, would that do what I'm trying to do? (With that last question I guess I'm asking if you know of any device-specific limitations, or if Kodi has pretty much the same features regardless of the device.)

Edit: Found this thread suggesting that the Boxee Box will work. I'll get one and get it a try:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/hardware...t-t3134450
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#8
(2015-09-22, 18:37)guises Wrote: What I had had in mind was playing something on the tablet and streaming that video to the Kodi device, not streaming the file to the Kodi device and having the Kodi device play it.
I don't know where you've got the idea that kodi would be a good solution for mirroring something on your tablet to your tv.
Kodi will play the file itself, not mirror your screen. It sounds like you're looking for a different solution. Maybe that's Boxee, I know nothing about that.
Edit: miracast and chromecast are quite different. I'm not aware that kodi will receive it (I'd be amazed tbh) - if you don't have a smart tv you can buy a miracast receiver to stick in a HDMI port.
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#9
Guises what your talking about is display mirroring and is not supported by Kodi (fyi people don't usually refer to it as streaming just display mirroring).

You can buy standalone Miracast receivers very cheaply, they work via WiFi direct and do not require an established network. Boxee Box is old and dead don't waste your money, you'd be buying a door stop.

However Miracast is so finicky, that I would strongly consider a long HDMI cable if the tablet has a TV out instead. Tell your dad to plug cable into tablet when he wants to use it.

Kodi only supports streaming media from a tablet with UPnP/DLNA or Airplay, both require a functioning local network (though there is no internet snooping if that is what your worried about). It's convoluted but you can also set up SMB/FTP network services on tablets and Kodi could access the files on tablet that way, you'd be browsing the tablet file system on Kodi device plugged into TV instead of pushing media via app on tablet with DLNA/Airplay.
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#10
I had originally intended to buy a miracast receiver, I had thought this would be easy since there are tons of cheap ones on sites like this one, but digging a little deeper I find that it's not so simple if I'm concerned about snooping (and I am).

I'm not worried about snooping from something like Kodi though, so I figured I could buy something old and cheap like the Boxee Box and repurpose it. I don't mind putting such a device on my network and it seems like it would be fine with updated software. UPnP or DLNA are also fine if Miracast is finicky, but a long cable isn't going to work for this. I picked Boxee because they look cute, they're cheap, and they're on the list of supported devices. Boxee didn't sell because the software was crap, yes? So with Kodi it should be okay... I hope. Maybe? I don't know, that's why I was asking.

Edit: Woops. Posted too quickly.
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#11
There are far better devices out there than the Boxee Box which has a lot of issues, trust me they are not worth it (former owner of one here).

Get a CuBox-i or Raspberry Pi 2 and install Openelec onto SD card for those devices and your set.
* Very good media support (hardware decoders)
* Good Kodi performance (Kodi isn't terribly slow on device)
* HDMI-CEC support so you can use TV remote to control Kodi (CuBox also has IR which will work with MCE/RC6 remotes), alternatively you can also use Flirc to control Kodi with any IR remote.
* Openelec is well supported and manual updates can be downloaded and installed via Kodi
* DLNA/Airplay more reliable on linux/Openelec in my experience.
* Fanless Arm chips so no noise and can be left running 24/7.

If your using an Android tablet I'd recommend BubbleUPnP as your UPnP/DLNA controller, you will have to activate allow control via UPnP in Kodi settings\services.
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#12
Okay, you sold me. I guess a Raspberry Pi wouldn't be that much more expensive and it does seem like it'd be a lot more flexible.
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