As there is going to be no e/OS software for Android / Google TV, in the near future, can anyone recommend a good de-googled Android / Google TV os?
I particularly like the look of the Nokia 8000/8010 units due to their connectivity and direct access buttons on their remote (to be reprogrammed), so an os that runs on those, or similar spec units would be great.
Thanks
Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services
I presume you can choose for either LG or Samsung TVs. Both do use open source software.
Samsung is equiped with TizenOS which is Linux certified (it’s even written on the box package).
LG uses WebOS which is a “Linux based” partially opensource OS.
Both integrate their own “app store” that is not related to “Google Play”.
Thanks Stanwood, but I am looking for a STB rather than to replace my TV, and a de-googled Android OS similar to e/OS.
LineageOS currently supports a couple of Android TV boxes - see https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/. Unfortunately LineageOS for MicroG does not currently support these devices - see this issue, so It may be a while before /e/OS is able to support them too
Thanks. Guess I will stick to Fire TV Stick with microphone removed from remote.
Whatever you end up choosing for streaming, you can greatly improve your privacy by installing the Pi-hole application on your network, preferably on a power-efficient Raspberry Pi attached by ethernet cable to your router.
Using well-known standard tracker-blocking lists that are available from github, gitlab, etc., Pi-hole blocks trackers and many, but not all, ads that run on any device on your home network, even the “black-box” ones with no real user visibility - Internet of Things devices, appliances, door monitoring systems, “smart” listening boxes, etc. - as well as phones, computers… anything that’s connected to your wifi. In this way, Pi-hole is similar to the Blokada or Tracker Control Android apps, but it protects your entire network.
You will be surprised to see all the nefarious connections these devices try to make in the background, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
See the website: https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2019/09/18/watching-you-watch-the-tracking-ecosystem-of-over-the-top-tv-streaming-devices/ and these detailed results of the study (PDF) from Princeton University.
Re your Fire TV, you might be able to make it slightly more useful by removing some of Amazon’s restrictions.
Apparently Apple TV is more privacy friendly than any of the other boxes. (Speaking of the device itself, and disregarding what any individual apps or channels may be doing to spy on you.) See this PDF: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/privacy_of_streaming_apps_and_devices-final.pdf
Thank you Taurus, that’s most informative.
I was considering getting a Pi, so I could use Home Assistant to run my smart devices locally. Gives me another reason to get one.
I’d check the amlogic threads on xda forum androidtv category. Look for a device that is unlockable in any case. The “sabrina” got firmware fixes for their known jailbreaks later. Walmart ONN seems to be hackable and not lose Widevine L1 when unlocked (there are now different versions).
I think the tv launcher is great, but in the end I couldn’t jailbreak the sabrina I had and lost interest, I really looked for something hackable and was better served with something non-android. Lots of small x86 devices that can decode most codecs in hardware and I’m fine with failing widevine levels and netflix 720p on general purpose hardware.
Still early times for custom rom androidtv though. Sometime a good open tv-interface launcher will appear.
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