Android TV ... Work in progress!!

[angelacr]

Well, I suppose it's a start. Android on phones wasn't up to much when first released. But I have to say that whoever designed the interface needs to go back to first design principles. Make the USER centre to all functions not the developer's ease of writing software routines.

Why are all the reviews of Sony's implementation of Android TV so glowing in general?  To me it seems very much like an early iteration not intended for release.

Changing channels on the TV is so   s...l...o....w.  The speed is unacceptable. I have a linux satellite box that has very little lag between keypress and action; why can't the Android box do the same?

I have a wireless mouse, Thank God I have a wireless mouse! Without it I would not be able to navigate some apps. 

Opera is really the bees knees on a PC, (or it used to be). The Android TV version sometimes needs an input from the controller; at other times, when pop-up windows on a web page appears, the only method of shutting the pop-up is a mouse click. And then there is the home page! Who in their worst nightmare could imagine that users wanted the Sony website (Hello aren't we Wonderful), to be their homepage. There is NO WAY it can be removed. So Every bl--dy time I open Opera I land on the Sony Homepage. I bought a TV. I don't want a lifelong relationship with you! *****

The keyboard: When entering text the pop-up keyboard inserts a space after a full stop. When writing web addresses you'll need to remember to back space twice. Twice because the space only gets inserted after the keypress that follows the full stop. Crazy! Then on good on-screen keyboards serving a basic remote there are better solutions.  XBMC or whatever it's called these days, has a wrap type keyboard. If you are chasing letters using the up/down left/right/ buttons then keep pressing past the edge and you 'wrap' around to the opposite edge. It just makes navigation faster. This present design has got to go.

On, perhaps, a useful note for others. I found that ES file explorer lets me do lots of things. Its browser is better than Opera. Secondly It has access to the cloud and can download apks to your deivice from Google Drive. This is documented on the web ... a search will find it..Popcorn Time runs nicely. VPV.ht runs nicely and Mobdro works well. You can open these Apps from ES Explorer as they don't show in the official app list. Or you can load Chainfire's Sideload Launcher from the Play Store.

How can I root this device? I want to add an advert blocker? Any one done it yet?

[rooobb]

Since it seems you are a tech geek and you have a mouse , you should install and try Chrome browser: it's working exactly as on a smartphone! and I suggest also to try using TVsideview app that gives you, apart all the other features, both a mouse and a keyboard. By the way XMBC (now called Kodi) can also be installed in the tv

[angelacr]

Google Play Store doesn't show Chrome as being available. Is this yet another *.apk I have to extract and sideload?

[rooobb]

I installed it successfully on a kdl43W805C. You have to go via web (on a PC) to play.google.com with the same user you use on the tv, search for chrome: it should shown on which of the android machine you may install it and it should show along all the other andorid you have also something like "no carrier Sony Bravia 2015". Tell him to install it and go back to the tv: in the app setting menu you should now see it anc you can run it. It doesn't show in the main app menu of the TV you have to use something as sideload luncher to access it.

[angelacr]

Thanks for that.

I'd tried the PC web method of install before. But Google prevents Play Store apps from being loading on machines that don't have the screen resolution or dpi that the app is built for (i.e a phone or tablet). Perhaps recent Chrome updates have closed the door that was once open to you. I found a web mirror offering the chome .apk as a direct download. As you say, it works very well..

The LCD panel also makes a rather nice monitor. As I might expect from Sony, the display is pretty nice. It's a pitty this iteration of Android TV is so poor. The fact that professional reviewers failed to mention it shows just how corrupted the system of product review really is. I wish a plague on all their houses!

I've discovered another gotcha with Android TV. I've set the TV to be on standby for 24 hours when first switched off. It seems to wake periodlcally and web traffic passes. But  the TV's internal process wakes up my sound bar!  I don't know how frequently this happens but even once is too much.. Come on Sony sort out this mess!

[rooobb]

I installed Chrome two days ago from play.google.com ... don't know if they changed anything in the mean time! I didn't notice what you are facing regarding the HT: I've mine too hooked via HDMI/ARC to an HTCT350 soundbar and never notice it coming out of the standby by itself: how often it happens to you?

[angelacr]

Yes, you're right just tried re-installing Chrome and it works! Very strange... Senility perhaps?

I've been using a TOS link cable for audio. Re-awakens possibly every three hours? I've noticed  it's been awake twice thiis morning since 8.00 am. All this with an LG NB4530A soundbar.

Another flake: TV sideView: The mouse pointer fails to appear when expected. Other functions from remote appear to work as and when expected. I corrected it by wiping the data from the app and re-linking. Phone:- Oneplus One

After I wrote the above paragraph I thought I try it my HTC M8. Presently it is without a SIM card. So downloaded the app. I get the option to uninstall from the Play Store but not open it. And the app doesn't appear n the app drawer? More flake? Or is the lack of SIM relevant?

Do Sony developers keep on eye here, or am I just weeing in the wind?

[rooobb]

It is possible that braviasync is not completely compatible with the corrispondent LG version of HDMI-CEC. Mine Sony HTCT350 seems to work fine and I can even change its setting via teh TV menu (sound level, input, ect). Regarding TVsideview, on mine Galaxy Ace 4 and Xperia Z2 tablet the mouse remote works fine. It doesn't appear automatically, you have to choose it. The virtual keyboard is shown automatically whenever and input field is selected. I have also installed the puglin for voice search and it works too (even if I feel silly to speak to the tv (

[Kel520]

I agree,

just spent 1800 quid on a x93c its near top of the range or suppose to be yet if viewed 1000 quid tvs with better apps and search facilities.

Talk to it ? for what? switch off ! I thought it would be avalible for searching the web which is the main one thing it would be useful for and one reason why I brought it... ask it anything and u tube shows up ?? As for the apps there a joke... wheres facebook,twitter and the like? these were standard years ago...I dont get it.

Having play store I thought there would be loads avalible ....

very disappointed.

Someone please tell me they will make talk/ search web avalible with a download?

[angelacr]

I don't use facebook but you should be able to sideload it if you cant get ti from the Play Store. Find the facebook.apk from the web and put it on a USB stick. You need to set security to allow apps other than off Play store to load. From Play Store look for HALauncher and load that. Run HALauncher and Facebook should show up in that ready for you to start it..

Sony's going down the tubes methinks.