Was looking at the 4k bluray players to go with the new tv.... These android boxes came up. What are they....looks like they broadcast. What can you get with them? Do they cover the whole house? Do anything that a streaming bluray player doesn't do?


F! Google...hate those people...I feel dirty using their OS phones... Dirty F'ing liberals...

Basically they are Android computers.  Some just run stock Android, some have the Google TV launcher as a simplified front end.

You can use one on a network to stream content you have (for example, files from your own DVDs that you ripped) to your TV.  That's basically what I use mine for.  I have a library of ripped DVDs on a home server (Windows Home Server because I'm old school).  My Sony TV can stream them (iy runs Android) using VLC.  The Vizio 'smart TV' in the bedroom can't, so I use an Android TV box (ABOX) to stream them (HDMI to TV).


I used to use Kodi to do that.  Kodi is another story.  There are legitimate and illegitimate Kodi addons that let you stream content - some legally.  With Android 6 it's easier to just use VLC and access my video library.

I can use all most all of the same legitimate Google Play Store Android apps you'd use to watch things like HBO (HBOGO), etc. but the Spectrum TV app refuses to run on an Android device with a separate screen (runs fine on my Sony TV) - which is because the cable companies want you to rent cable boxes (I don't, I run a 6-tuner networked cable card box controlled by Windows Media Center on a PC with WMC extenders at each TV - and ROKUs).  It runs Netflix and Amazon Prime Video apps, etc.

Basically one of these turns your non-smart TV into a smart TV or adds real functionality to many proprietary system 'smart' TVs (especially older ones).

I put a Google TV-like tile app launcher on it.

So, what conservative tech company's OS and equipment do you use?  Apple? 

I dont...that's why I feel dirty...at least apple gets the privacy thing though...

So a Blu-ray with apps and WiFi will do about the samething...?

Maybe.

It depends on the blu-ray player and what proprietary operating system / app ecology it has.

One reason I bought a Sony Bravia TV to replace the Sharp Aquos I had as my main TV is that the Sharp ran a proprietary 'smart TV' OS with a proprietary app 'store'.  The Sharp was on my network, could 'see' my home server, but couldn't stream the ripped movies regardless of file format.  It just wasn't possible.  Heck, over time, Sharp had fewer apps in their app store.

So the answer is that it depends on the blu-ray player.  I think all these devices (smart TVs, streaming blu-ray players, and so on) need to just run Android so you can do what you need versus what they allow (hmm, that's Apple's concept -the closed garden).

Sony is doing that, which I like.

I don't do the "download" movie stuff accept for places that I pay for it.. I run netflix, amazon and comast. I have a 7 year old LG 1080p tv that I would need to get connected. I was thinking of getting an upscaling 4k bluray for my new vizio then taking my old bluray for the LG but it is hard wired. Not sure if I can overcome getting it an internet connection in the new location. The content box might help.

I've downloaded about a thousand music videos from YouTube and ripped a bunch of movies form DVD and Blu-ray that I already own.  I use a Roku box to access these movies on a NAS drive running a DNLA server.  Roku is just another box that does what those Android boxes do.

LOL...just a pet peeve of mine. Work with  guy that knocks down over $200k a year between him and his wife yet he feels the need to buy hacked fire stick and downloads anything he wants even before stuff leaves the theater... Just. Think for the little that most services cost you can pay. Otherwise no more new stuff is coming