Are Android Tv boxes really needed anymore?

[Jtalk4456]

4 hours ago, Fasauceome said:

I like buying the non-smart TV's because many have an implementation of a smart device that I am not really partial to. A cheap used smart device and a "dumb" TV is my go to. Chromecast and Roku sticks can be had on eBay for a pretty low price.

I tried that for a while, but I can't seem to find any decent dumb tv's these days

[HwanaAlpaca]

5 hours ago, kennethk said:

Hey all sorry if this wouldn't be the right section to ask here kinda new.

 

I was kind of thinking as someone who was amazed that I could grab a .avi off my old eMachine rig and transfer it over to a Xbox 360 in it's early release days as a kid I was amazed by that and just starting to learn everything you could do with hardware yes back then I didn't have much money to explore other options but since technology has grown around me I've come to learn and love external players such as Nvidia shields or even a decent spec'd android box straight out the China.

 

Though it's kind of got me thinking with smart TVs starting to get bigger and we'll smarter will we really have much of a need for external devices? Don't get me wrong I love my Nvidia shield but a lot of TVs already have android built into them now days, even rokus are getting better with their channel line up. Some older folks I know are still paying $100 for basic TV which you could get a decent media app set up for like half that. Hulu or your favorite media app for example.

 

It just has me wondering if anymore all we'll need is a TV and a router no other additional boxes. Given the fact a stand alone TV may not be as higher speced as say something external like the shields it still gets the job done. To be honest all I mostly use external android boxes for are just some emulation here and their.

 

Just some wondering thoughts about the future.

Yes, I live in a hellhole (Indonesia) and android TV boxes are just cable box with more features (and probably cheaper than normal cable boxes)
you can root the device (don't let the folks over at indihome know this lol) and also dual-boot armbian (to be fair there's nothing much you can do on armbian)

so yeah thats why android box (or cable boxes in general) is a must have, especially when your tv doesnt have a built-in digital transmitter (despite it being new)

[DrMacintosh]

The way I see it, "Smart TVs" are not really all that smart. Sure they will let you stream Disney+ and YouTube, but the hardware is imbedded and can't be upgraded unless you buy a whole new TV. Imo, a Roku or FireStick is not much better, but you can upgrade them cheaply. At the end of the day though, hey are low spec devices that run hot and deliver a relatively poor user experiences, again just imo. 

 

Something like an AppleTV though has more functionality, granted at a significant price premium, but they also are significantly more powerful and have more features (like dedicated Ethernet) than other devices like it on the market. 

 

So while smart TVs are certainly usable for the basics, you won't catch me without my AppleTV. 

[Arika]

22 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Something like an AppleTV though has more functionality, granted at a significant price premium, but they also are significantly more powerful and have more features (like dedicated Ethernet) than other devices like it on the market. 

the best equivalent to the Apple TV on the android side would be the Nvidia Shield/Shield pro.

 

I almost bought a shield but then remembered my tablet can do everything through DeX if i just plug it into the tv with one of the spare USB-c hubs i have.

 

Though the normal shield does look pretty stupid. i have no idea where they think it's going to be placed with that design

[kennethk]

3 hours ago, Arika S said:

the best equivalent to the Apple TV on the android side would be the Nvidia Shield/Shield pro.

 

I almost bought a shield but then remembered my tablet can do everything through DeX if i just plug it into the tv with one of the spare USB-c hubs i have.

 

Though the normal shield does look pretty stupid. i have no idea where they think it's going to be placed with that design

Yeah I was guilt of buying a shield tube because it was on sale, didn't realize it was 32bit app support only major let down.

[Mling]

Let me tell you about how I upgraded my Mum. She received a good quality used Sony from her friends when they upgraded.

To make room for it she actually threw out a really nice collectable 100Hz CRT without consulting me! 

A refurbished apple TV got her hooked up with netflix real cheap, and i think this combo will be in use for possibly another decade.

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Home Theater Equipment

***

 

Any new technology will be with separate device first. Last 15 years have been big revolution, going from analog signals to digital. From VHS to DVR to streaming services and cloud recordings. From PC connected via HDMI to Chromecast to integrated services.

 

You will always need the external device first to get the new functionality.

[Quackers101]

14 hours ago, TetraSky said:

I personally prefer a TV without smart functionality. I'm not paying extra for the privilege to be shown personalized ads and it spying on the built-in camera/microphone.

The FBI wants to say "hello"

but yes, they have done this and hopefully google is not allowing this but... smart spying devices in your home, now with built in cameras ans sensors scanning your home in 3D and identifying everything you own.

[dalekphalm]

Getting a decently high end standalone (non-smart) TV is next to impossible now. Especially if you want a good OLED, MiniLED, or QLED type setup.

 

Generally speaking the best thing to do is buy the best TV that suits you (and if you don't care about quality, feel free to cheap out on the TV and get a low-end one). If the TV has smart functionality that works for you, awesome. Use it.

 

If not, buy some kind of streaming box (Roku, Apple TV, Android Box of some kind, etc - personally I use an XBOX One S for my main TV, and a Roku box for my other TV).

 

If your smart TV loses functionality, or cannot support new apps or new features you want? Then just pick up a streaming box of some kind. The TV itself can keep running likely for years to come.

[Npiet1]

On 8/8/2021 at 12:17 PM, Jtalk4456 said:

I tried that for a while, but I can't seem to find any decent dumb tv's these days

And you won't, they sell data to keep cost down of TVs