TV smart set-top box on Android OS. Smart TVs with Android TV installed: how to choose, reviews and prices

In Lifehacker’s office there hangs the most ordinary “brainless” widescreen TV with an HDMI connector. Previously, it had the Google Chromecast whistle, which, although it allows you to broadcast content from mobile devices and from the browser to the big screen, is not an independent media center, and therefore we began to look for an advanced replacement for it.

On AliExpress you can find hundreds of budget (and not so budget) TV set-top boxes. We wanted one that would work for full-fledged Android, that is, with access to Google Play, applications, games and so on.

After looking at reviews and doing a little research on the topic on the Internet, we settled on the MK809IV model. Chinese budget technology can be quite difficult to understand. The same product is produced by several companies, in different boxes, with different version operating system and shell. In our case, the manufacturer turned out to be Transpeed, but in general there will not be much difference when choosing another manufacturer.

MK809IV is essentially an Android computer without peripherals, small system unit. If there is a discount from the seller, you can purchase it at a price in the region of 1,700–1,800 rubles.

For simplicity and convenience of managing the media center, we have added a wireless keyboard to the purchase for just over 500 rubles. It's even more difficult with the keyboard manufacturer. We couldn’t figure out who exactly made it, so we’ll call it what it says on the packaging: MINI Keyboard.

If you buy as a set, you will get approximately 2,400 rubles (depending on the size of the current discount).

When ordering on AliExpress, you need to be prepared for surprises, including a month-long wait for your order to arrive. Pay attention to information about sellers. Choose those who have been trading for a long time and have a high percentage of positive reviews.

What MK809IV can do

MK809IV is a keychain with dimensions of 102 × 40 × 9 mm and a weight of 35 g.

The red part on the front panel is actually a retractable Wi-Fi antenna.

The MK809IV connects to the TV via an HDMI connector statically fixed on the device body.

The kit includes a 20cm HDMI extender, which is useful in cases where the design of the TV or adjacent wires do not allow you to connect the MK809IV directly.

With its help, you can place the keychain on the back of the TV at your discretion or simply leave it dangling as in our photographs.

On the MK809IV body there is one USB port for connecting peripherals (flash drive, wired mouse or keyboard, Bluetooth adapter for wireless mouse or keyboard), card slot microSD memory(supports up to 32 GB inclusive), as well as two microUSB ports.

One microUSB (choose any) will be used to power the key fob. You can use a free USB TV for power supply ( USB cable- microUSB “male-male” included) or connect to an outlet via a 2 A adapter (also included).

The peculiarity of USB is that the current strength in it can be different. If you powered the MK809IV from the TV via USB, but the key fob does not turn on, it means that there is not enough current and you will have to connect it to an outlet. In our case, the current in the TV was enough.

The second microUSB slot is also used to connect USB peripherals via the included microUSB - USB male-to-female adapter.

Inside the MK809IV there is a quad-core Rockchip RK3188T with a frequency of 1.4 GHz and Mali 400 graphics, 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage for installing applications and storing data, of which 1 GB is occupied by a system with pre-installed applications. The key fob supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and has built-in Bluetooth 4.0.

The performance of the MK809IV is enough to broadcast content in Full HD quality at 60 frames per second, but by default the keychain operates in 720p@60fps mode.

The operating system in the MK809IV is the old but stable Android 4.4.2 KitKat with an MBOX-like shell, support for Miracast and AirPlay.

The AnTuTu test showed 16,000 points, which is quite acceptable for such a cheap thing, but clearly not enough for heavy 3D games.

There aren't many pre-installed apps, but most of them are useful.

• Google Play (on first launch it will update itself to current version, and then will allow you to update the remaining pre-installed applications and download the missing ones).

• Kodi (formerly XBMC).
• YouTube.

• Netflix.
• Socials.
• A file manager, a media gallery, default players, a browser that you don’t have to open at all and just install Chrome, and even a separate utility for installing apk files.

The MK809IV's tiled interface may seem unfamiliar at first, but it's very easy to use when using the remote. remote control with arrow buttons. In our case, control takes over wireless keyboard MINI Keyboard.

The shape and feel of the device in the hands resembles a gamepad.

It is powered by two AAA batteries (not included), which are located under the cover on the back panel. It is stored here wireless adapter to connect to a computer.

In addition to the wireless interface, the keyboard can be connected via microUSB, but we are not at all interested in this option.

The buttons are rubber, there is a Russian layout (pay attention to this when ordering, there are many similar keyboards on AliExpress with only English letters).

The joystick on the left is responsible for controlling sound and playback, and on the right - navigation. There's a small touchpad in the middle on top, and it's downright bad.

Despite its rather modest size, it has extremely low sensitivity. It also happens: you move the cursor, remove your finger, the cursor jumps back to the point from which it started moving. Sometimes false taps occur. This is terribly infuriating.

The only reason we haven't thrown this device away is because it's easy to enter text information. After getting used to the device a little, you can type messages and enter search queries it turns out really quickly. The process is accelerated by additional keys (for example, search), which Android correctly recognizes.

The full potential of the keyboard can only be fully realized on a desktop operating system, in particular Windows. All additional keys and combinations were created specifically for this system.

Total

We spent 2,400 rubles. Did we manage to turn a regular TV into a Smart TV? Yes. Is it convenient for them to operate the keyboard we have chosen? Yes and no. There are no problems with text input, but to comfortably replace the mouse you need to look for something else or get used to navigating with arrows.

Can you recommend something better for the same or comparable money? Let's discuss this in the comments.

Recently I was choosing a TV for myself, which, to be honest, is not an easy task. Of course, the main condition was the presence of Smart TV (well, what would we do without it :)). So, I noticed that I didn’t choose a TV, but rather a Smart TV. I searched, read on forums, tried to understand which manufacturer had this function better. And only then, I thought about the diagonal, and some characteristics of the TV specifically.

What I mean is that Smart TV on TV is all. I am sure that many people, when buying a TV, choose the Smart TV system on which it works. There is plenty to choose from: Philips and Sony with Android TV, LG with WebOS, and Samsung with Tizen OS (these are the main ones I chose from). In this article we will talk about the well-known Android operating system, which relatively recently reached televisions.

Older models of Philips TVs from 2015 already all work on Android TV (Lollipop 5.0). Well, Philips 2016 models will, of course, run on Android OS. As you probably already understood, I bought myself a Philips TV with Android TV. For a very long time I was choosing between Philips and LG with their WebOS 2.0 system. Model Philips TV 43PUS7150/12. But it is not important. I will give a general, short review of the Android TV system itself, and I will definitely leave my review: what works, what doesn’t work, what are the pros and cons. I have been using this TV for more than a month now, and have managed to study and understand it. By the way, I exclusively use Smart TV itself, in our case Android, since I don’t have an antenna connected to the TV and there are no TV channels at all.

Review of Android TV on Philips TVs

Let me start with the fact that many, having heard about the Android system on a TV, immediately think that this is the same Android as on their phone or tablet. No, that's not true. In appearance, the system is certainly different. There is a new, well-thought-out interface created specifically for large screens. Well, how do you imagine regular Android on a TV? This is wow :) And so, everything is very beautiful, simple and thought out.

When you turn it on for the first time, you will need to configure the TV itself: select the language, connect to Wi-Fi networks etc. Perhaps later I’ll write an article on turning on and setting up the Philips Android TV for the first time.

After turning on the TV, just press the button Home on the remote control, and we get into Android TV itself.

The entire interface consists of sections and tiles. Let's start from the beginning: at the very top, a voice and text search button is displayed, as well as a clock. If your TV is connected to the Internet, recommendations will be displayed immediately below the search and clock. These are some applications, movies, videos from YouTube that Android thinks might interest you.

Next section – Applications. Everyone is here standard programs. Also, this section includes all programs that you install from Google Play.

Below we have a separate section Games. All installed games from Google Play will be displayed there.

Last section – Settings. Internet connection settings, Software update, Application management, Help, sound settings, picture settings, etc.

That's actually all Android TV. I can say without a doubt that everything looks very cool and simple. The system is very convenient to use. Opening the right application and forward.

Games and applications on Android TV

Immediately after purchase, many different applications are installed on the TV. Of course, you are unlikely to use them all, but some are very useful: YouTube(looks cool, works well), Megogo(you can watch many films for free, or register paid subscription to watch TV channels. The newest films, also paid), Media(watching movies and photos from USB drives, hard drives, or via the DLNA network), and Google Play(for installing games and applications). That's pretty much all I use.

There is also a browser, it’s simply called Internet. It works, opens websites, but it is very difficult to control the remote control. I tried to connect a wireless mouse but it didn’t work. I hope they fix it. It seems like Google prohibits the use of mice.

As for games, we install everything from Google Play. There are already a lot of games that we are familiar with on phones that are available on TV. The same Asphalt 8 works well. To control games, you can use a regular remote control, or connect a gamepad, as I did. I think I’ll prepare a separate article on games on Philips TVs with Android TV.

To store all games and applications, the TV has a built-in memory of 8 or 16 GB. Depends on the model. Memory can be expanded using a flash drive.

Review from the owner of a Philips TV on Android TV

My TV is Philips 43PUS7150/12. There have already been two system updates, now I have Android version 5.1. I hope there will be more updates.

I read a lot of reviews that when setting it up for the first time, the TV simply freezes and does not respond to anything. Everything went well for me. I set it up, connected it to the Wi-Fi network, and immediately logged into my Googel account.

Everything works, and works quite well. YouTube works without problems, movies play on Megogo without any problems. All games that I installed from Google Play also work without glitches or crashes. Movies from flash drive and external hard drive reproduced without problems. Including 4K (UHD) and 3D.

As with any device, it has its downsides.

• Several times the TV froze and rebooted. Very rarely, applications crashed. I think this will be fixed in the next software updates.
• It is very inconvenient to view websites in a browser. It is inconvenient to control the arrows on the remote control when following links. But I can't connect a wireless mouse.
• The keyboard, which is on the back of the remote control, is not needed at all. It would be useful if there were Russian letters. But they are not there. I don't think anyone uses this keyboard (this is a minus of the TV itself, not Smart TV).
• In the YouTube app, there is no option to select 4k videos. Although, the same video is available on a computer in 4k. I think they will fix it in the next updates.
• I've already read several times that Android TV has multitasking. I didn't find her there. If I watch a video on YouTube, return home, launch another application, and return to YouTube, the main screen will already open. Yes, you can press the Home button while watching a movie (probably to check the time), and go back to watching. But, this is not multitasking. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I haven't seen multitasking yet.

These are the disadvantages, it seems like I forgot to write anything.

Do I regret buying an Android TV? No. Everything I need, everything works. It may not be as perfect as we would like, but it works. Moreover, Philips does not sit still, and is constantly improving something (software updates are coming). Yes, and I think there will be an update to Android 6.0.

Without a doubt, Android will continue to evolve on TVs. And most likely in the near future Android time TV will be the most popular among other Smart TVs. Or maybe other TV manufacturers will switch to Google’s operating system. It's Android, it's everywhere :)

In Lifehacker’s office there hangs the most ordinary “brainless” widescreen TV with an HDMI connector. Previously, it had the Google Chromecast whistle, which, although it allows you to broadcast content from mobile devices and from the browser to the big screen, is not an independent media center, and therefore we began to look for an advanced replacement for it.

On AliExpress you can find hundreds of budget (and not so budget) TV set-top boxes. We wanted one that would work on full-fledged Android, that is, with access to Google Play, applications, games, and so on.

After looking at reviews and doing a little research on the topic on the Internet, we settled on the MK809IV model. Chinese budget technology can be quite difficult to understand. The same product is produced by several companies, in different boxes, with different versions of the operating system and shell. In our case, the manufacturer turned out to be Transpeed, but in general there will not be much difference when choosing another manufacturer.

MK809IV is, in fact, an Android computer without peripherals, a small system unit. If there is a discount from the seller, you can purchase it at a price in the region of 1,700–1,800 rubles.

For simplicity and convenience of managing the media center, we have added a wireless keyboard to the purchase for just over 500 rubles. It's even more difficult with the keyboard manufacturer. We couldn’t figure out who exactly made it, so we’ll call it what it says on the packaging: MINI Keyboard.

If you buy as a set, you will get approximately 2,400 rubles (depending on the size of the current discount).

When ordering on AliExpress, you need to be prepared for surprises, including a month-long wait for your order to arrive. Pay attention to information about sellers. Choose those who have been trading for a long time and have a high percentage of positive reviews.

What MK809IV can do

MK809IV is a keychain with dimensions of 102 × 40 × 9 mm and a weight of 35 g.

The red part on the front panel is actually a retractable Wi-Fi antenna.

The MK809IV connects to the TV via an HDMI connector statically fixed on the device body.

The kit includes a 20cm HDMI extender, which is useful in cases where the design of the TV or adjacent wires do not allow you to connect the MK809IV directly.

With its help, you can place the keychain on the back of the TV at your discretion or simply leave it dangling as in our photographs.

The MK809IV case has one USB port for connecting peripherals (flash drive, wired mouse or keyboard, Bluetooth adapter for a wireless mouse or keyboard), a slot for microSD memory cards (supports up to 32 GB inclusive), as well as two microUSB ports.

One microUSB (choose any) will be used to power the key fob. For power supply, you can use the free USB of the TV (USB - microUSB male-to-male cable included) or connect it to an outlet via a 2 A adapter (also included).

The peculiarity of USB is that the current strength in it can be different. If you powered the MK809IV from the TV via USB, but the key fob does not turn on, it means that there is not enough current and you will have to connect it to an outlet. In our case, the current in the TV was enough.

The second microUSB slot is also used to connect USB peripherals via the included microUSB - USB male-to-female adapter.

Inside the MK809IV there is a quad-core Rockchip RK3188T with a frequency of 1.4 GHz and Mali 400 graphics, 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage for installing applications and storing data, of which 1 GB is occupied by a system with pre-installed applications. The key fob supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and has built-in Bluetooth 4.0.

The performance of the MK809IV is enough to broadcast content in Full HD quality at 60 frames per second, but by default the keychain operates in 720p@60fps mode.

The operating system in the MK809IV is the old but stable Android 4.4.2 KitKat with an MBOX-like shell, support for Miracast and AirPlay.

The AnTuTu test showed 16,000 points, which is quite acceptable for such a cheap thing, but clearly not enough for heavy 3D games.

There aren't many pre-installed apps, but most of them are useful.

• Google Play (when you first launch it, it will update itself to the current version, and then allow you to update the rest of the pre-installed applications and download the missing ones).

• Kodi (formerly XBMC).
• YouTube.

• Netflix.
• Socials.
• A file manager, a media gallery, default players, a browser that you don’t have to open at all and just install Chrome, and even a separate utility for installing apk files.

The MK809IV's tiled interface may seem unfamiliar at first, but it's very easy to use when using the remote control with arrow buttons. In our case, control is taken over by the wireless MINI Keyboard.

The shape and feel of the device in the hands resembles a gamepad.

It is powered by two AAA batteries (not included), which are located under the cover on the back panel. A wireless adapter for connecting to a computer is also stored here.

In addition to the wireless interface, the keyboard can be connected via microUSB, but we are not at all interested in this option.

The buttons are rubber, there is a Russian layout (pay attention to this when ordering, there are many similar keyboards on AliExpress with only English letters).

The joystick on the left is responsible for controlling sound and playback, and on the right - navigation. There's a small touchpad in the middle on top, and it's downright bad.

Despite its rather modest size, it has extremely low sensitivity. It also happens: you move the cursor, remove your finger, the cursor jumps back to the point from which it started moving. Sometimes false taps occur. This is terribly infuriating.

The only reason we haven't thrown this device away is because it's easy to enter text information. Once you get used to the device a little, typing messages and entering search queries is really fast. The process is accelerated by additional keys (for example, search), which Android correctly recognizes.

The full potential of the keyboard can only be fully realized on a desktop operating system, in particular Windows. All additional keys and combinations were created specifically for this system.

Total

We spent 2,400 rubles. Did we manage to turn a regular TV into a Smart TV? Yes. Is it convenient for them to operate the keyboard we have chosen? Yes and no. There are no problems with text input, but to comfortably replace the mouse you need to look for something else or get used to navigating with arrows.

Can you recommend something better for the same or comparable money? Let's discuss this in the comments.

What is Android OS on TV? In a nutshell, this is a complete operating system, the interface of which has been completely redesigned for comfortable consumption of digital content: viewing photos and videos, accessing videos on YouTube, watching programs, films and TV series, accessing downloading games and applications via Google Play Market. However, a completely logical question arises: what are the advantages or disadvantages of such a solution over conventional Smart TVs and TV BOX set-top boxes. Let's try to figure this out.

Google Services

When you turn on Smart TV on Android for the first time, you need to connect to your account Google posts, as on any Android device. To connect to account Internet access is required - via WiFi, or a wired LAN network. That is, you won’t be able to simply turn it on, set up channels and start watching right away - that’s the first minus.

However, it ceases to matter immediately after logging into your account, since the user gains access to the following services:

• Google Play Movies;
• Google Play Music;
• Google Play Games;
• YouTube (with playlists, subscriptions, recommendations and other user data)

The Play Market itself has also undergone major changes for a better experience on large screens. All content is divided into categories, and it is quite easy to find what you need.

Voice search from anywhere

The OS uses voice search(like Google Now on smartphones and tablets), only focused on video content and applications. After the user makes a voice request, the information sought will be found in the Google search engine, and YouTube videos that are somehow related to this request will be presented on the screen. The function can also recommend thematic selections of films if the user makes a corresponding request.

Games

Full-fledged toys that are available on tablets and smartphones can be downloaded to your TV. Not enough memory? Can be used external storage. Asphalt 8, Dead Trigger 2 and many other titles can be launched without having to connect the console to the screen. For comfortable control, you can use various controllers, both wired and wireless.

Chromecast

Thanks to this technology, you can select digital content on your smartphone or other mobile device, and cast it to the big screen using Chromecast.

Main advantages

This solution will be very useful for those who are used to using multimedia capabilities from Google (download Android games, access Google music and movies). And all this without the need to connect a TV-Box to your TV. On a Smart TV with any other OS, there is no way to play full-fledged Android games, or buy a movie in the app store and watch it right away.

Main disadvantages

The main disadvantage in comparison with TV BOX is that the functionality of the operating system is greatly reduced, leaving only the multimedia part. That is, users who want to use a TV with a “green robot” as a computer will be disappointed.

Google Play has also been cut down: only those games and applications that are officially supported are available for download. That is, you won’t be able to download absolutely any application.

Does it make sense to buy an Android TV?

And no, if there is no need for such additions. In this case, it is better to choose a good and inexpensive smart TV, because there is no point in overpaying for unused functionality. Any smart TV can handle playing movies, TV series, videos and music.

The future of Android OS on TVs

Since we are talking about a system for which a lot of software is developed, you can come up with many scenarios for its use on big screen. However, there are already concepts, the essence of which is to turn Android TV into a control center for a smart home. The display displays various data, including video from surveillance cameras, room temperature readings and more. Using the control center, you can control climate control, control lighting, water supply to the lawn or door locking.

Modern TV is gaining “smartness and intelligence” year after year. Climbing the steps of the evolutionary ladder, they came very close to personal computers, game consoles and smartphones, And with the horned “TV boxes” that could catch a couple of channels, they are related, perhaps, only by the common name - television.

The generation of conventional TV is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Under the “hood” of “young animals” coming off assembly lines, there is increasingly their own processor, video, RAM, storage device, network devices etc. And this stuff is managed by its own operating system, for example, Andriod. Yes, the same green robot that lives in your smartphone, only adapted for a large-screen TV. It is this that allows the owner of such a device - Smart TV - to enjoy the fruits of progress: play games, go online, communicate on Skype, launch applications and, of course, watch movies downloaded from the global film library on the big screen. In short, use the TV as a multimedia computer - Android TV.

However, Android lives not only in smart TVs, but also in small boxes - set-top boxes. A set-top box is a miniature PC that can give the “brains” to the most ordinary TV: turning it, in fact, into a Smart TV and providing the owner with the same capabilities as the owners of real Smarts.

Set-top boxes, which are otherwise called media players, mini PCs or TV-boxes, differ in their set of functions, hardware, external design and prices. They have different processors, more or less memory, and a different set of interfaces. They, like smart TVs, are controlled by different operating systems, and Android is one of them.

How is Android TV different from Smart TV?

Various descriptions of the same technology cause confusion in the minds of many. People are starting to think that Smart TV and Android TV are equivalent, but different things: for example, this TV is Smart, and the one on the next shelf is Android. In fact, both TVs in this example are Smart. Only one of them is controlled by the Android operating system, and the second by some other operating system, for example, Tizen OS (Samsung) or WebOS (LG).

It turns out that the choice between Smart TV or Android TV is not entirely correct, because the second is a subset of the first.

Which is better - Smart TV Andriod or Android TV box?

What is better to buy - Smart TV or Android TV set-top box? There is something to think about here, because both have their pros and cons.

Advantages of a TV with integrated Smart functions:

• Monoblock design with unified system controls (one remote control for everything).
• Guaranteed compatibility between TV and smart hardware.
• All functions are available right out of the box - no need to connect or configure anything. Or it is enough to make minimal settings.
• The TV interfaces (in particular, the HDMI port) remain free.
• There is no need to guess where to place the set-top box if the TV is hanging on the wall.
• It is not a fact that a separately purchased set-top box will reveal all the capabilities of the TV (for example, the TV supports 4K resolution, and the set-top box supports a maximum of Full HD). To choose it correctly, you need to understand the characteristics of both.

Advantages of the set-top box:

• Why buy a new TV when you can upgrade your old one?
• TV box + regular TV are significantly cheaper than Smart. Especially if you already have a TV. Prices for set-top boxes start at about $30-35, but you can find even cheaper ones on Aliexpress and Ebay.
• If the set-top box becomes obsolete, replacing it with a new one is much cheaper than buying a more modern TV.
• The set-top box can be connected to different TVs, if there are several of them in the house.
• Users familiar with both Android TV boxes and Smart TVs often note that the former work faster than the latter.
• A lot of accessories are produced for set-top boxes that successfully compensate for the advantages of a single remote control"smart" TVs.
• There are media players slightly larger than a USB flash drive (one of them is shown in the photo below). By connecting this, you definitely won’t have to think about where to hide it in order to hang the TV on the wall.

Advantages of Android over other TV OSs

Android TV today is more than just hardware and software. This is a whole ecosystem that unites TV and mobile devices on a common platform where the same applications run and you can access content from any device. So, using Google Cast (Chromecast), you can edit media content on your Android tablet and simultaneously view it on a large TV screen. Or start watching the program on TV and continue on your smartphone (although the latter will need a TV tuner for this). The same thing with gaming: many developers of popular mobile games have already ported their products to Android TV, so you don't have to change your preferences.

The next advantage is that in the set of pre-installed programs of any Android gadget (and TV is no exception) there is a Google Play store with a huge amount of free software for all occasions. Yes, not all applications are yet compatible with a large screen, but if you search, you can find anything to suit your needs. By filling your TV with content from Google Play and other available sources, you will receive a device that is unique in functionality, configured strictly for your tasks.

Alternatives to Android TV - Tizen and WebOS, also have their own stores, but their range is not nearly as extensive, especially in terms of free ones. Manufacturers of Smart devices based on these systems took care of users in their own way: they installed a bunch of diverse programs on the devices - both necessary and unnecessary. On the one hand, this is convenient - you don’t have to look for anything yourself, but on the other hand, many will have to rack their brains on how to remove the excess.

The third advantage of Android is that the majority of users know it well. Anyone who has ever used an Android mobile device will easily understand the functions of its sister TV. Perhaps he can even get root rights And full control above the device.

What services does Android TV provide to users?

Amdriod TV, like other TV OSs, is focused on entertainment, so the bulk of the services supported by this platform are related to multimedia and games.

Games from Google Play

To give you a better idea of ​​what Android-based Smart TV can please you with, here is a partial list of adapted games:

• Stickman Battlefields is free.
• Crush Your Enemies! - free.
• GTA: Liberty City Stories - paid, 529 rubles.
• Hungry Shark Evolution is free.
• Chuck's Challenge 3D - paid, 129 rubles.
• The Jackbox Party Pack 2 - paid, 1590 rubles.
• Implosion - Never Lose Hope - free.

At the end of March 2017, there were more than 150 offers in the “Games for Android TV” section. And most of them are free.

Google Cast

The Google Cast (Chromecast) service is designed to broadcast movies, music, TV shows and other media content from a PC, smartphone or tablet to the TV screen.

Google Home

Google Home enhances Chromecast capabilities. With its help, you can create custom screensavers that will be shown on TV during breaks between programs, find movies by actor names and titles, search for applications, stream music to different devices etc.

Android TV Remote Control

This branded Google service turns any Android gadget into a remote control to control your TV. And also - into a remote keyboard, touchpad and microphone for voice search on TV.

Voice search

It allows you to search for content and applications installed on your TV, as well as request information from search engine Google.

Android TV Launcher

Android TV Launcher is designed to manage applications on TV. Among its capabilities are the creation of menu tiles, search, quick access to programs and device options.

In addition to the above, services from third-party developers successfully operate in the Android TV environment. For example, Parental control(usually preset by the manufacturer); Photo Sharing is a service that allows you to share photos with friends, broadcasting them to a TV screen from smartphones; tools for searching and managing media content; desktop customizers and much more.

The best apps for Android TV

Unfortunately, not all applications from Google Play work correctly on TVs yet. We have selected those that will definitely not let you down.

Cinema ivi - movies and TV series in HD and Full HD

ivi - known by many favorite app for online viewing of films, cartoons, series and shows in good quality(maximum Full HD). It differs from analogues in that:

• supports all types of Internet connections, including Wi-Fi, 3G and LTE (relevant for mobile devices);
• has a huge film library, which includes works of all existing genres;
• designed for viewers of all ages, with any interests;
• quickly updated with new products;
• contains reviews from critics, information about actors, etc., which gives the viewer an idea of ​​the film before watching;
• does not require downloading content to the device - everything is available online.

Torrent-TV

Torrent-TV — a convenient client for watching torrent television on Andriod devices. Almost any TV channel is available. Each channel comes with a program guide. It is possible to watch archived recordings.

— an Internet browser optimized for Android TVs. It runs on a web rendering engine built into the Andriod OS.

How it works and how it differs from analogues:

• easily controlled from the remote control;
• supports voice search and tabs;
• contains a download manager;
• correctly displays web content on a large screen.

— an optimized launcher for quick access to applications that are not adapted for Android TV. A great alternative to Google's Android TV Launcher.

- improved virtual keyboard for large screens. It is controlled by a remote control and has an English and Russian layout.