I have been using kodi but it just so limited and clunky. Android TV is better but that is a major challenge since Android TV is very tied to Google with not much existing outside of Google.
What I am looking for is a device that can work with mostly Jellyfin. I don’t use any streaming services. It would need to work flawlessly with a remote and I am looking for something that maintains itself mostly.
You must log in or register to comment.
Hdmi cable to a laptop
Dedicated mini pc running vlc and retroarch with a network link to my 18tb file server schwing schwing
Good choice, I’ve been tempted to set up something similar myself
Go a mini itx over nuc, you can add a half decent gpu and run 1964 as well
+1 that’s what I do at home with my desktop and what is IMHO the best solution.
Yet on vacation I use an old android box with Android Tv (SlimTv) and I have to say it’s nice to have a dedicated interface allowing use of a remote.Okay, but then the TV is still running all the same spyware.
Update: just disabling wifi doesn’t guarantee 100% privacy anymore on a densely populated area. Nowadays you’ve stuff like Amazon Sidewalk and who knows who’s partner and what devices are in it.
Don’t connect it to the internet
That doesn’t guarantee 100% privacy on a densely populated area anymore. Nowadays you’ve stuff like Amazon Sidewalk and who knows who’s partner and what devices are in it.
Iirc that’s specifically for amazon devices, this was regarding Samsung TVs
Not specifically for amazon devices, they’ve opened up the network to “selected partners”, I believe Samsung isn’t on the list but that may happen at any point and to be fair did you read the ToS to know if they don’t have something similar already? What are their plans?
All I know is that I’ve never connected my TV to the internet and never gotten ads on it
Not saying more sinister things aren’t possible, but for my TV to connect to some kind of mesh net, it would probably need a firmware update, which its not going to get, because again, its not connected to the internet.
Deny it wifi credentials and it has nowhere to send the stuff it’s spying on
That doesn’t guarantee 100% privacy on a densely populated area anymore. Nowadays you’ve stuff like Amazon Sidewalk and who knows who’s partner and what devices are in it.
ive been through this process recently and sadly, what you are looking for doesnt exist at the moment. thr closest thing is Kodi and as you already know, has a lot of flaws.
Personally, I just use a raspberry pi with flex launcher. Not sure about remote though
Thank you for sharing this, it looks really promising
I’m tired of only hearing of Kodi suggested in threads like this. I don’t get why it’s so popular, it’s confusing for non-tech oriented people, you can’t stream, YouTube functionality is questionable, the interface is dated looking and IMO an eyesore…
Some people like Kodi and that’s great but it sucks balls for other people and there’s barely ever any mention of any sort of alternative (like your comment)
These threads are usually just:
“I need a device or software for watching tv that works with a remote”
Kodi Kodi Kodi jUsT uSe A lApToP Kodi Kodi Laptop + HDMI cable
Kodi isn’t for streaming from services like netflix and YouTube. It’s used to stream offline video files over the local network.
Well a) yeah I know I said that in my comment
And b) you can get a YouTube plugin for Kodi IIRC
So what’s your point?
ONN tv from walmart with all the bloat removed by adb and projectivity laauncher. you will not find a better option for under $30
How “big” are your movies and tv shows? If they are 4k UHD remuxes then Nvidia Shield Pro or Apple TV 4k behind a firewall to block external internet is your best option for performance, usability, and privacy. You will want to ocassionally allow it internet for software updates. Kodi, a mini pc, raspberry pi, etc. would be more private but you trade off a seamless remote, easy interface, and streaming codecs (e.g., dolby vision).
The Nvidia shield can run Lineage which is a option.
Lineage has google tv version?
can it be flashed on “google tv” teevees?
Use the jellyfin kodi addon works very smoothly. I’ve been using it for two years and love it. I replaced all my chromecasts with kodi. It even has the approval of my wife.
Jellyfin + Apple TV + Infuse = Bliss
Apple TV only works on Apple hardware and isn’t great for privacy or freedom. No thanks.
The “Apple TV” is Apple hardware.
Exactly. It is locked down and does not respect your freedom
What can you do on your android tv that you can do on an Apple TV?
Install F-droid and not be locked into Apples ecosystem. Also there are privacy issues as well as it connects to Apples servers
Does fdroid even work on android tv?
Yes
We’ve been using an Apple TV. From memory, there’s a Jellyfin client.
Apple isn’t exactly my go to company especially for privacy and freedom
For most of the Samsung TVs with the dogshit Tizen OS, you can use TizenTube to block YouTube ads within the TV OS and not requiring any new hardware.
This sounds awesome. It uses the native YouTube app? Or YouTube in the TV web browser?
I have no idea; go ahead into the github page and read about it.
Cheapest TV you can find that has the specs that you are interested in combined with a $50 pawn shop laptop and an inexpensive wireless keyboard and mouse.
Linux is optional but highly encouraged.
Connect that to a USB dac which is then piped into an amplifier for 2.0 sound.
I could probably rig up a subwoofer for a little extra oomph but none of the amplifiers I found at the thrift store have a way to turn off a powered amp or power an unpowered one.
I have a TV. I just need a good TV box which probably will be a old RPI
Also I would rather continue to use Kodi over a keyboard. At least with kodi I can use my phone to control it
A 4B is kind of the minimum for newer Librelec versions. Still cheap and fanless with a good heat sink case. I’ve learned recently about CEC and it works on my old Panasonic with Viera but I keep a little Bluetooth keyboard around too.
It works fine on a rpi3 (osmc)
yeah I’ve got both. The 3 won’t play the really hi red movies without down sampling from the server
I really dig my tcl roku tv. Ultra cheap and has plex/jellyfin. Has 1 ad on the main screen that can be easily blocked but can also be setup to insta launch an app on boot. These tvs also have decent latency in game mode too (my most important requirement).
The ad on the right side of the home screen always shows up for me, even with a pi-hole setup at home. I actually ended up factory resetting my roku tv and disconnected it from the inyernet entirely a couple years back for that exaxt reason. Except roku OS 10+ actually gas built-in ads on the right side that show up even if you’re offline.
…so how did you get rid of the ads entirely? Because I’d love to do that myself.
You have to disconnect the internet for a while. Think a month or two.
Weird, I’ve had it disconnected since the factory reset.
Maybe I should connect it, let it load new ads, and then cut it off again?
Humm. How long has it been disconnected? I wouldn’t reconnect just in case it starts a timer back over or something.
A couple of years now. I messed around with the Secret Menu settings today and I might have solved it; my guess is that there are some “default” ads cached forever on certain settings.
Wow. Secret menu? Didn’t even think to look for that. What does it slow you to do?
Do you need an in-remote microphone? If not, I’d suggest a degoogled nvidia shield tv (i.e flash it with lineage OS or similar)
Not a bad option. However, apps are lacking and I don’t want Google