What can you do with an Android TV?

[phil jones]

Quick question, has anyone been playing with Android TV sticks like
these? ( http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.UG802_Dual_Core_Android_4.0_TV_BOX_Cortex_A9_RK3066_DDR3_1GB_RAM_4GB_HDMI___Black-56988
)

Can they run any Android program? Can you install your own? Can you
blast Android and install Linux or something like PirateBox?

phil

[Martin (Crypt)]

Hi Phil
I've had a play with it, but not for long. They do indeed run android
apps. Best place to find out more info is
http://developer.android.com/training/tv
Not sure about installing Linux, although we do have a huge number of
linux boxes around the space, and only 1 google tv box to play around
with, so my vote is for keeping android on there. I have been meaning
to play with it more since we got it, but may try to do something cool
when I get back. Let me know if you find any cool hacks for it :P

Post by phil jones
Quick question, has anyone been playing with Android TV sticks like
these? ( http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.UG802_Dual_Core_Android_4.0_TV_BOX_Cortex_A9_RK3066_DDR3_1GB_RAM_4GB_HDMI___Black-56988
)
Can they run any Android program? Can you install your own? Can you
blast Android and install Linux or something like PirateBox?
phil

[Ben Barwise]

I have played a bit with the MK802

To install an alternative distribution you put it on a micro SD and it will
boot off that instead
http://liliputing.com/2012/07/linux-distributions-that-can-run-on-an-mk802-mini-pc.html

I found that not all apps were available for it but didn't really look into
why.

as for software that will work on linux it will probably need to be
compiled for its ARM processor

Post by Martin (Crypt)
Hi Phil
I've had a play with it, but not for long. They do indeed run android
apps. Best place to find out more info is
http://developer.android.com/training/tv
Not sure about installing Linux, although we do have a huge number of
linux boxes around the space, and only 1 google tv box to play around
with, so my vote is for keeping android on there. I have been meaning
to play with it more since we got it, but may try to do something cool
when I get back. Let me know if you find any cool hacks for it :P

Post by phil jones
Quick question, has anyone been playing with Android TV sticks like
these? (

http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.UG802_Dual_Core_Android_4.0_TV_BOX_Cortex_A9_RK3066_DDR3_1GB_RAM_4GB_HDMI___Black-56988

Post by phil jones
)
Can they run any Android program? Can you install your own? Can you
blast Android and install Linux or something like PirateBox?
phil

[Dario]

Great little kit for 30£ or so.

I got a MK802+ and it really plays along well with both Android and Linux
(low-end linux preferables, i.e. Lubuntu, Xubuntu, etc.). My current plan
is to plug it into a Motorola Lapdock and make myself the cheapest possible
Linux Ultrabook... just waiting for the cable adapters now.

Best place to look for infos and projects is at
http://rikomagic.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

If the main objective is Media Playing then I would recommend XBMC on the
Raspberry Pi (Openelec distro)... you might need to cross-build the latest
release but it's brilliant, I am even able to navigate the XBMC GUI via the
LG TV remote. I have tested it mainly playing videos via the built-in upnp
server on a cheapo a Netgear NAS and it works without fail. It does take a
while to browse the video directories (around 2 hours for maybe 1TB?) but
is seamlessly downloads Movie covers, etc. based only on the title.

Anyway... I like those cheap, little ARM puppies! ;-)

Cheers
Dario

Post by phil jones
Quick question, has anyone been playing with Android TV sticks like
these? (
http://lightake.com/detail.do/sku.UG802_Dual_Core_Android_4.0_TV_BOX_Cortex_A9_RK3066_DDR3_1GB_RAM_4GB_HDMI___Black-56988
)
Can they run any Android program? Can you install your own? Can you
blast Android and install Linux or something like PirateBox?
phil