Is it possible to turn my old Android into a TV box? - General Questions and Answers

Hello, first of all.
It's been a long time since I have visited this place, so excuse me please if I missed a similar thread. I have searched for it.
My question is if it this possible to turn my old Motorola XT 720 into an Android TV box (i.e. Chromecast or similar).
I have tried CheapCast app that only crashed when opening YouTube. This phone has a HDMI port and I assumed it can connect through it to my Philips TV, which is not a smart TV, but a regular HD TV.
The only connection I was able to create was the built-in version of media gallery from phone which has the option to display the pictures from phone on TV screen (proving there is a working connection at least).

pyramis said:
Hello, first of all.
It's been a long time since I have visited this place, so excuse me please if I missed a similar thread. I have searched for it.
My question is if it this possible to turn my old Motorola XT 720 into an Android TV box (i.e. Chromecast or similar).
I have tried CheapCast app that only crashed when opening YouTube. This phone has a HDMI port and I assumed it can connect through it to my Philips TV, which is not a smart TV, but a regular HD TV.
The only connection I was able to create was the built-in version of media gallery from phone which has the option to display the pictures from phone on TV screen (proving there is a working connection at least).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be possible as the device has the ability to use another display. I would recommend using something like Tablet Remote or other similar apps on the Play store so instead of using the device as a chrome cast you can use it as a full media center device connected to your TV. By using one of these apps you would play videos directly through your device instead of "casting" them. This should hopefully work arround the issue of apps like CheapCast crashing.
Hope I could help and good luck

Thank you, Tablet Remote works good between the 2 Android phones. Still working on it.

I am also working on this route, trying to make use of my screen-broken Xperia Z. However apart from using as mediacenter with kodi, it would be nice if I could properly emulate chromecast. I would love to see a nexus android TV Rom being able to drive my phone, is anybody working on that?
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Free mobile app

Related

Viewing HTC Watch movies on my TV

My apologies if this is somewhere else here. I'm using a T-Mobile One S that is unlocked and rooted. I know that I can buy the Medialink from HTC and plug it into the TV. Is there another way that o can do this?
And since I'm asking, would I also be able to watch home videos shot drum from the phone this way too? Any help or pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.
Thanks
Marc
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda premium
If your TV supports DLNA you can just play it directly from the device. I've only tried to view some photos I've taken, but find it very slow when buffering og switching between pictures. They were approximately 2 MB big, but it took about 10-15 sec for each one to load...
cawith said:
If your TV supports DLNA you can just play it directly from the device. I've only tried to view some photos I've taken, but find it very slow when buffering og switching between pictures. They were approximately 2 MB big, but it took about 10-15 sec for each one to load...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell us dummies how to do that, is there a built in app, or do you use one from the Market?
DownloaderZ said:
Can you tell us dummies how to do that, is there a built in app, or do you use one from the Market?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DLNA support is built in. In the Gallery app, locate the image or video you want to play, tap the "More" button and choose "Select player".
To use this function, both your DLNA-enabled TV and phone must be connected to the same network and your TV must have support for the codecs used by the media you are trying to play.
The HTC One S also supports MHL (HDMI out through the USB socket), so if you're looking for a wired solution or your TV is not DLNA-enabled, just pick up a MHL-HDMI cable from your favorite electronics retailer.
This is what you're after:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitvision-M...3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336495712&sr=1-3
Got one, works great. Can even play my games on the TV.
In the US, I use monoprice.com, they have the adapter also.
Yup should be fine, you just want a MHL adaptor. Basically works like an HDMI out on your PC so you can do everything you do on your phone on the screen of your TV. Not experienced any lag as yet and doesn't require any tricky set up.
Souelle said:
DLNA support is built in. In the Gallery app, locate the image or video you want to play, tap the "More" button and choose "Select player".
To use this function, both your DLNA-enabled TV and phone must be connected to the same network and your TV must have support for the codecs used by the media you are trying to play.
The HTC One S also supports MHL (HDMI out through the USB socket), so if you're looking for a wired solution or your TV is not DLNA-enabled, just pick up a MHL-HDMI cable from your favorite electronics retailer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
excellent, thank you
Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate quick replies!
Marc
Well, after the OTA update, the DLNA speed has improved a lot!
But are you guys able to stream videos, that you've recorded on your phone? Mine gives me an error (714)...

[Q] AllShare + Samsung "Smart" TV == Fail?

I've seen a lot of discussion on here that relates to this, but I can't find a direct answer to my specific question.
I have a Note 10.1 (8013 w/JB 4.1.2) and a Samsung TV that has "AllShare".
What I want to do, and don't seem to be able to, is have whatever is on my Note screen mirrored onto my TV screen. Specifically, I want to watch NetFlix and have the Netflix content (video and audio) come through my TV. From what I've read on here, I can do that using a Samsung AllShare Dongle - but then I can use the dongle to view my content on any TV with an HDMI input. (my TV has AllShare, but it has no other "apps" built in, so I can't just have the TV pull directly from NetFlix)
What I don't understand is why I would need an AllShare dongle when I have a Samsung TV with AllShare built in. Sure, if I'm trying to use a non-Samsung TV, but it seems like if the TV has "AllShare" built in, it wouldn't need a dongle in order to do what the dongle does.
So, the question is, is there a way to have my NetFlix player on my Note show its content on my Samsung TV that has AllShare?
FWIW, what I CAN do:
- start a video that is stored locally on my tablet and have it play it to the TV. It takes a few seconds to get started, but then my movie plays through the TV itself.
- use my laptop and run Windows Media Player and pick a video that is stored locally, and have it Play To the TV. That works just like it does when playing from my tablet.
- on the TV, I can go into the AllShare menu and it shows both of the laptops on my home network, but not my Note. I can click into either PC and watch movies, listen to music, or look at photos - anything that I have chosen to Share from that PC.
So, I also don't understand why I can use my Note to Play To the TV, but the TV doesn't "see" the Note. And, if I go into the AllShare settings on my Note, it searches and says No Devices Found. But, then it will let me Play To the TV from the Video Player.
At the end of the day, I don't really see what the point of AllShare is or the AllShare dongle. Before I bought an AllShare dongle, I would just buy a Roku or similar device for the same or less money.
Depending how old your samsung tv is depends whether you need the dongle or not. Mine is the UA55D7000LM model which was supposed to be supported but that has since been withdrawn. I had to get a dongle.
Contacted samsung and got no help, would've been less painful beating my brains out with a gold brick wrapped in a slice of lemon...
They claimed it should work and gave me a heap of suggestions, none of which worked, and then told me I was doing something wrong.... I was, I was doing what they said....
Now with the dongle it works fine BUT as it connects with wifi you can forget browsing the web or streaming stuff through 3g. It is only good for things already on the tab..
If your tv can connect to internet, just use 'bubble dlna'.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
But I want the screen mirroring as was supposed to be available... Using DLNA only allows video and pictures. I want to be able to do something on my note and have it mirrored on the TV...
I want the same thing, screen mirroring, but for the life of me cant get it to work, What's the point of Allshare cast?....I don't get it?....
The best I can get is an app called imediashare, but this still does not mirror the tab, but at least I can YouTube to the tv..
Folks does your tv have allshare play or allshare cast?
Allshare play is dlna
Allshare cast is mirroring.
Google for it... lots of threads with this info.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Mine just says allshare. It a UE46D7000......
I don't see why I have to buy a dongle? I have a Samsung tv with allshare installed on it....
I can use imediashare to throw some apps on the tv, so the function for mirroring should be there already?
Bot found anything via Google about mirroring yet?
Nope nothing. I have the 2011 ua55d7000lm. It also only says allshare.... As I said, when the Note was released my model was on the list for allshare mirroring... Haven't been successful so I got the dongle. Works fine....
But I shouldn't of needed it by all the info presented by samsung. It was one of the major reasons I bought the note... That and the phone capability....
Yep, I'm having the same probs, cant mirror, I've connected via WiFi direct, and on the tv in menu there's an option that says Samsung wireless link (swl), its connected but not idea how to use it. It's given me another ip address too for the link?
Do the newer 2013 Samsung tvs have an allshare cast app installed?
Same reason i bought the notÄ™, for all the compatability reasons....suprise suprise Samsung been telling fibs again....wont be the 1st time though..... The old ue46d6000 series would not display 3D in HD even though they were advertised as doing so......I got an upgraded set the 7 series in the end, and some strange calls from solicitors saying they needed to speak to me.....no doubt to keep stum
Google sammygo.tv Excellent site for the Samsung tv range
ultramag69 said:
Nope nothing. I have the 2011 ua55d7000lm. It also only says allshare.... As I said, when the Note was released my model was on the list for allshare mirroring... Haven't been successful so I got the dongle. Works fine....
But I shouldn't of needed it by all the info presented by samsung. It was one of the major reasons I bought the note... That and the phone capability....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understand what you mean.
Like you i just spent $50 to get the dongle. Now i have what works with any hdtv. Its better than spending $200+ for this feature alone on a small set of samsung TVs for me!
Price of happiness ..
And boy the dongle rocks... i can take it with me to office.. i can connect it to my desktop monitor, and take it with me when i travel so that my kid does not have to look at the tablet for watching a movie in hotel rooms.
Dongle is better!
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
Hmmmmmm...
Seems I will have to buy this dongle you speak ov.........
Just be aware that the dongle uses wifi to connect. If you have 3G then that gets turned off to accomodate the wifi connection, all other wifi connections seem to be dropped so you can't stream movies from the net to your TV as it only allows 1 wifi connection at a time....
Pain in the bum as a use a wifi HDD to store most of my movies/TV shows.... Can only stream to TV what's on the tablet. But with a 64Gb sd card that is plenty of choice.....
I have a samsung tv also. But like many have said its older. So doesnt work. I have The galaxy note 10.1, Galaxy note II and a HP Laptop with WIDI Build in. I got the Netgear PTV3000 its a push to tv device. Its smaller than a pack of cigs. HDMI out and can be powered from the usb on the tv itself or comes with a outlet plugin adapter. I updated the Firmware to 2.2.4 Which u can get off the internet and this also adds miracast for the nexus devices. Everything works AWESOME. I can stream netflix from all 3. When i stream a movie it goes to FULL screen. I can Stream From VUDU, Hulu and also Stream a blueray movie from my laptop to my TV. Everything just works. The tablet and phone mirror from device to TV. So if i turn my tablet or phone landscape or longways it does the same on the tv. With the laptop u can adjust screen size from the settings of WIDI. The thing is awesome. I take it everywhere. I travel alot so handy in the hotels. Hook it up and good to go. Have any questions i can try and answer. Forget the allshare device this does that plus adds more for other wireless display devices not just samsung. I do admit there is just a tad of lag. Maybe 1/2 a second if that. nothing u can tell while streaming anything. just notice it more when flipping thru screens. Neat to play games from the tablet to ur screen.
Wicklet
rajcrazy said:
Samsung 32EH4000 LED HD TV is one of the best smart TV. It is full HD TV. It's screen resolution 1366 x 768 Pixels.It's screen size is 32".
It is available on price Rs.- 26,899/- with free shipping @ shopbychoice.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not buying another, smaller and lower resolution, TV so I can get a feature that was supposed to work with my current 55" Full HD 1080P 3D TV...

Hide HDMI output check

Hi All,
in Italy we use on our android tablet and smartphone some nice TV apps that doesn't work if you try to mirror or redirect the video on TV.
We would use this apps on our box android TV, but the apps always check if you are using hdmi port and , in this case, crash.
There is any way to hide the presence of the hdmi port for these apps ?
Thanks to everybody could help.
Regards
lancillotto said:
Hi All,
in Italy we use on our android tablet and smartphone some nice TV apps that doesn't work if you try to mirror or redirect the video on TV.
We would use this apps on our box android TV, but the apps always check if you are using hdmi port and , in this case, crash.
There is any way to hide the presence of the hdmi port for these apps ?
Thanks to everybody could help.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hdmi Virtual Switch
el_easy said:
Hdmi Virtual Switch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, Hey, thank you very much for the app. It works beautiful. Since you're the expert my verizon fios app is looking for wifi only, but I would like to use hardwired ethernet, is there a way to trick it to use eithernet instead? Every time I used the app I have to switch to wifi and its a pain...Thanks bro.:good:
el_easy said:
Hdmi Virtual Switch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm suffering from this same issue and am very interested if there is still any support for this feature? the link seems to be broken.
ElwOOd_CbGp said:
I'm suffering from this same issue and am very interested if there is still any support for this feature? the link seems to be broken.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
original thread: http://freaktab.com/forum/development-area/app-developers-kitchen/4820-hdmi-virtual-switch
Is there any other app out there that will hide the HDMI? I'm trying to run a tv app on my fire tv and the app won't play live tv because it's hooked to an external monitor (TV). But it works fine on my fire stick and on fire tv it goes into the app lets me log in and even goes into the channels but won't play them due to being hooked to the tv. It's the Brighthouse streaming app I'm having issues with. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am having the same problem but with Shaw direct freerange app. All the other apps output fine to the hdmi port but the freerange app now denies sending to a larger or even smaller external screen. It used to work before but no longer. Hdmi virtual switch doesn't work, it just locks up. RCA tablet android 5.0 k3.10.54.
The message i get when the hdmi cable is plugged in on the tablet end even if the tv is off is " mobile device only". These are mobile devices.

a Netflix remote app

Hey all,
Before you point me at other threads, I've looked and this is something else.
Right now, I play video through my LG GPad 3 8.3. The video goes to my TV thanks to a cable that converts micro-USB to HDMI. As I live in France, where there's no Netflix (as yet), I'm running a proxy service to show me as in the UK (where there is Netflix). All hunky-dory.
The only blight on this happy scene is the fact that if I want to pause the video, change the volume, add subtitles and so on I need to get off the sofa to do so - what is this? The 1970s?!
What I'd really like is for a remote application on my Moto G to talk to Netflix on the G Pad and communicate my desires to play/pause and so on. Do you guys think that's even possible? To get an app on one device to talk to one on another like that? I don't even know if there's an Android API available for Netflix. Bear in mind, I'm *not* running Netflix from my PC to the TV, I know there are apps for that with servers running on the PC and so on.
Any ideas?
B

Repurposing old HTC U11 to make it an android TV box

Hi,
The U11 is ok but the battery life is not that great. I'm thinking of repurposing it into a TV launcher. Does anyone know a good app which can replicate android TV box or smart TV interface. I want to be able to use the remote to control the phone. Youtube/Netflix has to be a format suitable for TV rather than phone.
I also noticed that when I use the phone to the TV, the phone's screen is just enlarged on the screen itself. It does not look anything like an android TV box. The youtube app is just a big app on the screen. Not from a smart TV. Netflix does not rotate into portrait mode. Any ideas?
Any recommendations on what app I need to install? what remote to use? To make the phone an android tv box

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