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So it's a bit rubbish that you can't use Amazon Video on your Kindle Fire if it's rooted. I don't want to steal movies, crack DRM or anything else, I just want to have a rooted device to use with my Amazon Prime VOD feature. Bit harsh imho. Sooooo.... I thought i'd have a poke around and see what I could find out.
What I found was a very complex web of protection on a scale above anything i've seen an Android app before. Not only does the application check for root in more that one location (in the application itself and in the native library), it also performs tamper detection on the APK. Not only that but it also checks that the signature on the APK to check that no code has changed (if you change the code in classes.dex and drop it in, this is usually OK on a /system/app file, but not in this case). The code itself doesn't have a single, uniform tamper / root check function, it does it all over the place. Finally, just to make things even more difficult, key parts of the code are pretty heavily obfuscated to make the code hard to analyse / modify.
Despite this, I thought i'd see what I could achieve by patching it piece by piece with the goal of allowing video with root.
The first step was to work out how to get around the signature check. Without sorting this out, the app would immediately flag up as being tampered if I made ANY change to the code. The answer to this was to re-sign the Amazon Video APK, ATVAndroidClient.apk. Of course we don't have the Amazon certificates, so we can sign them with our own, or with SDK certificates. Since Amazon Video uses a shared user id, other APKs need to be signed too. The full list is ATVAndroidClient.apk, KindleForOtter.apk, OtterTutorial.apk, AmazonVenezia.apk, Launcher.apk, Windowshop.apk, CSApp-unsigned.apk, MyAccount-unsigned.apk, amazonmp3-unsigned.apk, Cloud9-unsigned.apk, OOBE-unsigned.apk, com.amazon.dcp.apk, Cloud9SystemBrowserProvider-unsigned.apk, OTASilentInstall.apk, Facebook.apk and OtterAppManager.apk.
After doing this, the next step is to patch out the tamper checks. This can really only be achieved by tracing where the app goes and how it works and by carefully analysing logcat to get clues as to where the errors are happening. Since i'm in the UK I also had to use a DNS proxy with a static IP... I used unblock-us which works a treat. Eventually I got to a stage where I got the application to ignore any tamper detections, thereby enabling the various 'Watch' buttons.
In the next step I could see what something was triggering another problem, and it turned out to be detection of root. This was happening in one of the more obfuscated bits of code, but again with careful tracing I managed to find this and patch it out.
At this point the application was loading, passing tamper checks, giving me the watch buttons, requesting the stream from Amazon and giving me the loading progress bar etc... BUT... the licence request to Amazon continually failed. This is the point where I came to something of a brick wall. It appears that there is some additional root checking going on in the native library, and unfortunately, reverse engineering this is beyond both my abilities and more important the time I have available, so we don't have a fully working solution.
The positive things though are that we now have a patchable Amazon Video APK, which means we can implement the functionality of the 'root keepers' within the app itself. We can effectively make the Amazon Video APK hide the su binary from itself on launch and put it back after it's run it's checks. Not ideal, but might be the best way to go. Note that the root check doesn't care about the Superuser APK, it only checks for 'su'. It checks in all the locations in the PATH variable, so moving it to, say. /system/root and adding that to the path won't help. Unfortunately.
For now, I have to put this on the back burner, but i'm posting my patched APK below so that if anyone wants to pick up the work of reversing the native binary they can do so, simply by using this APK and re-signing it and the other APKs mentioned above.
Any questions, feel free to ask them here. Obviously I have no interest in saving streams, downloading movies or any stupid stuff like that, so don't even ask.
P
DOWNLOAD - MD5: f6044dbeffa4eb3f8361c71a96683150
send to kindle - passage through amazon servers
Apologies if this seems off off topic but I believe it may tied to your explanation of the security at Amazon --
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21366426#post21366426
As proof of concept Ive been messing around with the SendtoKindle.exe from the desktop explorer -- and have failed to get anything worthwhile past the amazon servers.... to see if I can use the Send to Kindle to get say, a rom file or binary kernel or apk or something of that sort -- and have not been able to get anything past.
The fact that everything is failing is only making me want to keep trying different things -- which Ill just keep on trying.. so i will try different things -
Ive sent 40 different documents of all kinds to see what goes through and what doesnt... and the only things that are going through are basically legitimate items.
If this is entirely irrelevant to your quest, then my apologies -- but regardless I shall enjoy observing how you shall achieve your success Paul!
Solved. Its hacky, but I've confirmed it working. http://rootzwiki.com/topic/15134-how-to-get-amazon-prime-video-working-with-rooted-stock/
infinitybiff said:
Solved. Its hacky, but I've confirmed it working. http://rootzwiki.com/topic/15134-how-to-get-amazon-prime-video-working-with-rooted-stock/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offense but this has been around for awhile and is known as a workaround. This thread is about finding a solution instead of having to use a workaround I suppose.
Here is an example of a thread posted in November with this information.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=19718688&postcount=6
And another thread in December.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1414235
G1ForFun said:
No offense but this has been around for awhile and is known as a workaround. This thread is about finding a solution instead of having to use a workaround I suppose.
Here is an example of a thread posted in November with this information.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=19718688&postcount=6
And another thread in December.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1414235
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Late to the party i suppose
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App
What ROM were you testing on? Even if you temp unroot with RootKeeper on CM7, Amazon Video will not work (in my experience). The Watch button is always greyed out.
Takenover83 said:
What ROM were you testing on? Even if you temp unroot with RootKeeper on CM7, Amazon Video will not work (in my experience). The Watch button is always greyed out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried force closing the video app and restarting it while unrooted?
Also does video work on CM7? I have not installed it to try.
Sent from my E4GT using xda premium
mkuehn10 said:
Have you tried force closing the video app and restarting it while unrooted?
Also does video work on CM7? I have not installed it to try.
Sent from my E4GT using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, sure did. Something about CM7 that amazon does not like
Takenover83 said:
Yep, sure did. Something about CM7 that amazon does not like
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure it's more than just the Amazon video app you will need to get this working...what apps are installed and are they on the system partition. Can you keep us posted on your progress?
B3L13V3 said:
I'm sure it's more than just the Amazon video app you will need to get this working...what apps are installed and are they on the system partition. Can you keep us posted on your progress?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was 3 or 4 apks I had to install. Cant remember all the names off the top of my head. I know some account apk just to sign into amazon, video. I wish I could be more helpful but do not have my Pc in front of me right now (out and about). But the app its self was runing just fine. I Just was being blocked (even though I unrooted.)
Hi, I just bought a new Nexus 7 32 GB (2013).
I transferred a load of files over to the Nexus from my PC. I can see them in the storage folder but can't access any i.e. I can't play any audio/video or read any pdfs.
On a separate occasion I tried to transfer over one AVI file but Windows Explorer kept crashing.
The tablet also keeps asking me to sign in for everything, which is annoying.
Anyway, I think I need to root my tablet but I'm a bit hesitant about this because I just bought the thing.
Anyway, some advice would be helpful. Thanks.
Beside return it and use your money better, unlock and root it install SlimROM and enjoy the glory of it Or install kali for "pentesting" 3
You can always return to factory defaults when you only rooted current rom. But if you unlock and install custom recovery then that needs a bit more of fiddling around to return it to stock.
evilnecessity said:
Hi, I just bought a new Nexus 7 32 GB (2013).
I transferred a load of files over to the Nexus from my PC. I can see them in the storage folder but can't access any i.e. I can't play any audio/video or read any pdfs.
On a separate occasion I tried to transfer over one AVI file but Windows Explorer kept crashing.
The tablet also keeps asking me to sign in for everything, which is annoying.
Anyway, I think I need to root my tablet but I'm a bit hesitant about this because I just bought the thing.
Anyway, some advice would be helpful. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you new to tablets, in general? You don't give a lot of info. You don't need root to play music/videos and to read pdfs. You do need an app that will handle your file. Your N7 should be able to handle video, audio, and pdf through google apps, I believe although I use other apps for those files. Have you tried to open any of these files from within an app? If the google apps don't work for you, play store has many free apps for everything you need.
Hi, yes, I'm new to tablets. I tried rooting my Samsung Galaxy Y a while ago but it was such a mess I've been put off Android since.
Anyway, I read about ES File Explorer and that seems to have helped as it actually lists and makes accessible all the files I transferred over. I can even delete files which I couldn't do previously.
One wonders why the Android OS doesn't have something built in to do this but anyways, I guess they're just forcing us to buy their apps.
As a windows user, I find it frustrating how I can't even do the most simple things in an intuitive way..like makes notes to a notepad whilst reading a pdf.
Anyways, I guess I need to do more research on rooting. The problem with rooting is that it's not just a question of following some instructions as invariably it goes wrong and then has to be salvaged.
It's just a matter of becoming familiar with it. Windows wasn't easy coming from Mac years ago. Now I have Windows 7 and latest MacOS in the house to try to comprehend. I think your choice of naked Android (Google product) may help in many regards because your tablet isn't loaded with bloatware. If you decide to root, it's also much easier on the google devices. If you know anything about ADB and command prompts, you can do it that way--and in the long run, it's the most valuable for learning about the process. If not, I've found Wugs Toolkit to be very user friendly--although a few times I had to resort to CMD input. The greatest challenge for most users is getting the ADB/Fastboot drivers loaded. His toolkit helps with that, but I'd already had it set up before ever trying the toolkit so I can't speak to how it goes. He is very helpful when/if you have a problem.
As far as pdf annotations, there are many free apps out there (ESFile Explorer should have been free unless there is a charge for non-US markets--your use of "whilst" could indicate that). Try ezPDF reader--the free trial version. Or, just search for pdf reader with annotations.
The best is that you found XDA. Someone is always willing to help.
Hello, everyone!! So this is my first post. Currently, I've owned my amazon fire tv for about a week. I've installed not rooted XBMC gotham 13.2. I'm a complete newbie to say the least. Also, i've never written files or anything before this file. I noticed that allot of the information being passed around out on the internet, is for people who have some tech skills. Even-though, I haven't had any prior experience writing files, I was able to put together an advancedsettings.xml file(I was able to push it through via adbFire). I was wondering if someone could tell me if the file is accurate and if I am doing damage in anyway? Another question I have is is there a way to keep track of what you watch via add-ons and have that information show up on the home-screen so that you can just go to the next episode? Furthermore, I was looking at my free memory and it went from 520 mb to 1003mb, I don't understand why. Maybe someone can fill me whats going on with this file setting. Thanks... And I apoligize for all the questions but I think they would be valuable to other newbies, once again thank you....:good:
<advancedsettings>
<network>
<autodetectpingtime>30</autodetectpingtime>
<buffermode>1</buffermode>
<cachemembuffersize>34603008</cachemembuffersize>
<curllowspeedtime>5</curllowspeedtime>
<readbufferfactor>10</readbufferfactor>
</network>
<gui>
<algorithmdirtyregions>3</algorithmdirtyregions>
<nofliptimeout>0</nofliptimeout>
</gui>
<videoscanner>
<ignoreerors>true</ignoreerrors>
</videoscanner>
</advancedsettings>
<ignoreerors>true</ignoreerrors> typo in this line
Tight_wad said:
<ignoreerors>true</ignoreerrors> typo in this line
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, I was trying to figure-out why my log was posting " ERROR: Error loading special://profile/advancedsettings.xml, Line 14 Error reading end tag". Good find...:good:
Personally I never use advancedsettings.xml anymore, it was much more popular in older versions of XBMC, but the latest stable should run best under default settings.
Norcal707 said:
Hello, everyone!! So this is my first post. Currently, I've owned my amazon fire tv for about a week. I've installed not rooted XBMC gotham 13.2. I'm a complete newbie to say the least. Also, i've never written files or anything before this file. I noticed that allot of the information being passed around out on the internet, is for people who have some tech skills. Even-though, I haven't had any prior experience writing files, I was able to put together an advancedsettings.xml file(I was able to push it through via adbFire). I was wondering if someone could tell me if the file is accurate and if I am doing damage in anyway? Another question I have is is there a way to keep track of what you watch via add-ons and have that information show up on the home-screen so that you can just go to the next episode? Furthermore, I was looking at my free memory and it went from 520 mb to 1003mb, I don't understand why. Maybe someone can fill me whats going on with this file setting. Thanks... And I apoligize for all the questions but I think they would be valuable to other newbies, once again thank you....:good:
<advancedsettings>
<network>
<autodetectpingtime>30</autodetectpingtime>
<buffermode>1</buffermode>
<cachemembuffersize>34603008</cachemembuffersize>
<curllowspeedtime>5</curllowspeedtime>
<readbufferfactor>10</readbufferfactor>
</network>
<gui>
<algorithmdirtyregions>3</algorithmdirtyregions>
<nofliptimeout>0</nofliptimeout>
</gui>
<videoscanner>
<ignoreerors>true</ignoreerrors>
</videoscanner>
</advancedsettings>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very helpfull! Fixed all on aftv
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
TV ADDONS said:
Personally I never use advancedsettings.xml anymore, it was much more popular in older versions of XBMC, but the latest stable should run best under default settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've kind of noticed that, I'm actually thinking about throwing out advancesettings.xml and resulting back to default settings. Nevertheless, seems to run good either way. I'm now dealing with the "low space" error on my fire tv finally was able to get recently add episodes on the home screen which is nice, but the thumbnails seem to be killing space. I've used all but 732 mb
Does some body have a good advanced xml settings for aftv other than this?? Please share if you do!!!!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Xavier000 said:
Does some body have a good advanced xml settings for aftv other than this?? Please share if you do!!!!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is it you are looking to achieve?
Tight_wad said:
What is it you are looking to achieve?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Smoother playback on live channels
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Norcal707 said:
I've kind of noticed that, I'm actually thinking about throwing out advancesettings.xml and resulting back to default settings. Nevertheless, seems to run good either way. I'm now dealing with the "low space" error on my fire tv finally was able to get recently add episodes on the home screen which is nice, but the thumbnails seem to be killing space. I've used all but 732 mb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How else would you change the path so that thumbnails are stored on an external drive?
"<advancedsettings>
<pathsubstitution>
<substitute>
<from>/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.xbmc.xbmc/files/.xbmc/userdata/Thumbnails/</from>
<to>/storage/emulated/0/usbstorage/sda1/xbmcthumbnails/</to>
</substitute>
</pathsubstitution>
</advancedsettings>"
jmerrilljr2 said:
How else would you change the path so that thumbnails are stored on an external drive?
"<advancedsettings>
<pathsubstitution>
<substitute>
<from>/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.xbmc.xbmc/files/.xbmc/userdata/Thumbnails/</from>
<to>/storage/emulated/0/usbstorage/sda1/xbmcthumbnails/</to>
</substitute>
</pathsubstitution>
</advancedsettings>"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have to towel root xbmc or can you leave it sideloaded when applying that setting?
Yeah, you need to be rooted to mount an external drive.
Norcal707 said:
Do you have to towel root xbmc or can you leave it sideloaded when applying that setting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The <to>/storage/emulated/0/usbstorage/sda1/xbmcthumbnails/</to> can be a network drive as well. Without needing root... Put MySQL (or MariaDB) on a server and get your library on the network too. I think my library DB files were almost 3/4 of a gig.
KarlP said:
The <to>/storage/emulated/0/usbstorage/sda1/xbmcthumbnails/</to> can be a network drive as well. Without needing root... Put MySQL (or MariaDB) on a server and get your library on the network too. I think my library DB files were almost 3/4 of a gig.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you put your Library from xbmc on Amazon fire tv on MySQL without issues? and do you have to download MySQL onto another computer?
after I've added this to my advancedsettings, will it move my thumbnails to the new location retroactively or is this "from now on" (as in new media added to the library after this setting was added) thumbnails will be stored in the new location?
I just got my Firesticks today and am pleased overall - especially as I only paid $19 for each.
But I am wondering if it would be hard to make a program to act as a launcher/homescreen rather then the current one amazon has. I do not care for all of the options and would like to make shortcuts for programs that I install (i.e, Kodi).
Or if there is anything already out there (with no root access required) please let me know, thanks.
PS: The whole point is that I would like to gift these to relatives, but am not sure if they could figure out how to access Kodi (say if they exit the program after it autostarted). Plus with the current menu, everything just seems "in-your-face" in my opinion and I do not care for it.
Thanks
kyij said:
I just got my Firesticks today and am pleased overall - especially as I only paid $19 for each.
But I am wondering if it would be hard to make a program to act as a launcher/homescreen rather then the current one amazon has. I do not care for all of the options and would like to make shortcuts for programs that I install (i.e, Kodi).
Or if there is anything already out there (with no root access required) please let me know, thanks.
PS: The whole point is that I would like to gift these to relatives, but am not sure if they could figure out how to access Kodi (say if they exit the program after it autostarted). Plus with the current menu, everything just seems "in-your-face" in my opinion and I do not care for it.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This works fairly well on unrooted stick.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2782307
I have a rooted box and on certain programs that require root access it removes the allow screen too fast for me to click allow and therefore cannot use the addon. Is there a way to make it simply auto allow everything? On the 1st get I was able to do this but not on the second gen. And when clicking on supersu you cannot launch it to edit any options so basically I am stuck.
Have you tried editing /data/data/eu.chainfire.su/files/supersu.cfg? In particular, change "access=2" to "access=1" as the default.
retyre said:
Have you tried editing /data/data/eu.chainfire.su/files/supersu.cfg? In particular, change "access=2" to "access=1" as the default.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I have not. Not exactly sure what that means. Is that an adb command?
danknasty said:
No I have not. Not exactly sure what that means. Is that an adb command?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open the file in any text editor (e.g., ES File Explorer has a Note Editor) and make the change to the default. If you can't, do an adb pull of the file, edit on another device, and put it back to its original location. Make sure you set permissions back to 600.
retyre said:
Open the file in any text editor (e.g., ES File Explorer has a Note Editor) and make the change to the default. If you can't, do an adb pull of the file, edit on another device, and put it back to its original location. Make sure you set permissions back to 600.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to try this but remembered that rooting on fire tv uses the a to a usb cable method and all the files are transferred automatically. I do not have a super user file... would I install another one and overwrite it on the box?
sure you do. How would you have root without su? Just look for the file mentioned above and edit it as per retyre's post above.
danknasty said:
I was going to try this but remembered that rooting on fire tv uses the a to a usb cable method and all the files are transferred automatically. I do not have a super user file... would I install another one and overwrite it on the box?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regardless of the method used to root, rooting involves the install of su and something like SuperSU to make it easier to work with. The fact that you're being prompted to allow su access is proof enough.
Install a root file explorer (I use ES File Explorer), allow it su access, go to the root of the device ("/") and look for the file in the location mentioned above.
retyre said:
Regardless of the method used to root, rooting involves the install of su and something like SuperSU to make it easier to work with. The fact that you're being prompted to allow su access is proof enough.
Install a root file explorer (I use ES File Explorer), allow it su access, go to the root of the device ("/") and look for the file in the location mentioned above.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't saying I didn't have supersu just that the method I use doesn't allow me access before I transfer but I see what you mean I can do this from the box itself. Was hoping I could do it to the supersu file on the computer so that when I root another box I wouldn't have to change the text file again. But I'll try this out later and see how it goes.
retyre said:
Regardless of the method used to root, rooting involves the install of su and something like SuperSU to make it easier to work with. The fact that you're being prompted to allow su access is proof enough.
Install a root file explorer (I use ES File Explorer), allow it su access, go to the root of the device ("/") and look for the file in the location mentioned above.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried accessing supersu in two root browsers and it gives me a bunch of greyed out permissions... I am not sure how to even open it with notepad on es file explorer. This is a little different than the first gen as everything must be installed through tw recovery. Before Supersu would just ask me if i wanted to approve everything I clicked ok and never had to check it again. Is there any way I can edit any of the text that is being injected into the box when installing the firetv recovery via the usb cable method.. I believe this is where supersu is being transfered.
update: ok I found supersu inside the prerooted rom... I opened it as a text file and its pages and pages of random symbols etc.
harlekinade said:
Comedy gold.
I suggest you swipe left.
Or start reading what other people actually posted in here before. Or this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiler or what a filepath is, or why you shouldnt try to resell Fire TVs - just in case...
Here is why - I havent encountered any case where the allow root access prompt would be on screen for less than 15 seconds during which you have to press down/right/enter to grant it permissions - and it only pops on when you are actively launching anything that tries to pull root rights - so you already have the remote in your hands.
Automating root prompt behavior to grant root by default is a really bad idea in general and you asking not only how to automate it, but also automate further installations of such a setup, suggests that maybe you are battling with user behavior of folks that don't know what a superuser prompt is and that go with default settings in most cases. Ethically it is hard to support any of this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that was really presumptuous and didn't at all relate to anything or help me.... excellent work. I suggest before attempting to troll a post you read the entire post so you can at least have a firm grasp on your ridiculous comments. 9 posts in you're doing great. Lol "ethically it is hard to support any of this." At least you made me laugh. I guess it's unethical in your opinion for me to paint my car red also since it comes from the dealership blue. Btw it never occurred to me to push down right then enter with the remote thanks problem solved.....
danknasty said:
I tried accessing supersu in two root browsers and it gives me a bunch of greyed out permissions... I am not sure how to even open it with notepad on es file explorer. This is a little different than the first gen as everything must be installed through tw recovery. Before Supersu would just ask me if i wanted to approve everything I clicked ok and never had to check it again. Is there any way I can edit any of the text that is being injected into the box when installing the firetv recovery via the usb cable method.. I believe this is where supersu is being transfered.
update: ok I found supersu inside the prerooted rom... I opened it as a text file and its pages and pages of random symbols etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why are you trying to edit SuperSU (the app)? You should edit supersu.cfg, which is the text config file for SuperSU. Look for supersu.cfg in the location mentioned earlier.
retyre said:
Why are you trying to edit SuperSU (the app)? You should edit supersu.cfg, which is the text config file for SuperSU. Look for supersu.cfg in the location mentioned earlier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only supersu I was able to find using es explorer was the supersu file in the system folder... data showed up as black. I was finally able to find it using a different root browser I changed the setting for the app it self to 1 and it works. The only program that this gives me this issue with is teamviewer and I am wondering if it has to do with using a launcher version of kodi as it always kicks me out of the allow root selection screen, automatically disallows root and jumps to the kodi screen. But doing what you recommended worked. Thanks
harlekinade said:
Thank you for explaining your issue a little bit further. Changing the default of a superuser prompt to "yes" is something that shouldnt be considered an "easy fix" you could integrate into an image an then roll out on several devices.
Even if you LOL at the ethics of this, as you so eloquently put it - its still not something you should consider doing, generally speaking.
Just like you - trying to edit the Superuser binary in a texteditor - people can ruin their devices beyond repair, the default on "no" is a behavioral crutch to make it less likely that they find themselves in that situation.
Not sure if it would work for you - but I posted a teamviewer alternative in the general section (Exposed modules and root apps thread), that you might want to take a look at, as it doesnt require the app to be launched every time you want to access the Fire TV via VNC - as it runs as a service in the background.
I'm not exactly sure what you try to accomplish with teamviewer and why you want to roll out this configuration on multiple devices - so I'm not sure if it fits your purpose, but it might.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My issue was explained in the first post but i think you're really thanking me for telling you that I don't intend to sell rooted fire tv's with super user permissions on yes by default for malicious purposes... as you so eloquently put it.. I was actually laughing at the fact that you are on a forum that is primarily devoted to rooting and customizing devices but you draw the line at me wanting to default the supersu permissions on my devices because of ethical reasons. Anyways I'll check out that alternative to teamviewer you spoke of. I intend to use teamviewer for the purpose it was created which is to remotely access devices from my computer.
I actually did confirm that it was the launcher version of kodi that was kicking me out of the supersu prompt for anyone that was interested.. I turned off the xposed module to confirm.
harlekinade said:
You wanted support, you did get what you asked for, and then you almost ruined your device, because you din't see the file you were told to edit, and decided to open a different one. Then you blamed it on your root explorer app.
In the opening posting you stated that you wanted to change the default, but not why - and when I criticized this as being not needed in general, risky - and if you'd planned to roll it out to several installations, other people might use - as your postings intended, even unethical.
Unethical because of two concepts -
- You usually don't think about automation for mass deployment - if you don't plan an reselling devices, and we have a big problem with resellers in this community, not taking the responsibility "clause" seriously. Because of a principle you could describe as "sell and vanish". Which almost ruined the Kodi community, and arguably has impacted this one as well.
There is this distinct sense of "wasteland" after a general interest crowd was allowed to promote their interests (ad hoc, personal problem solving assistance) for a few months, by moderators that have no stake in this specific scene at all. I can only repeat that.
- It is ethically problematic to tell users like you how to change an important default and not what comes with it. The entire filesystem model and security in operating system depends on escalating user account rights. With root - you always grant access to everything.
Yes XDA (or what this community stood for in the past) is all for root (the rights to do whatever you want in an OS) - but ostensibly not for handing those permissions over to every user, or making sure that root level rights are granted by just pressing the big OK button on a TV remote, whenerver a popup comes up. The prompt is there for a reason. So is the default to no. If you want to change that because of a very specific personal problem, thats fine - you can (thats the "self empowerment" part), its the "mass rollout" of this configuration you hinted at - that rang some alarmbells - so to speak. Just from a "you might cause more problems than you solve" in the longterm - standpoint.
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Well just to clarify not at one point did I ever almost ruin my device that's just pure imagination on your part furthermore I did not blame any program for my own actions I stated my experience. Secondly I can do whatever I want with a device I purchase, are you attempting to police the entire community with our own personal "ethical" standards on what should and should not be done with their property? I can tell you're biased because people sell these and it makes you upset. I've identified as not part of that community and honestly I don't owe you any explanation on what I want to do with my devices period. The quantity is also irrelevant can one not own more than two tvs? But again the issue was solved mainly by the aid of the others contributing to this post thanks for your ethical input though. Lol.
harlekinade said:
Then a simple question.
Did you plan, at any point, to sell rooted AFTVs with Teamviewer on them and Superuser modified in a way that defaults to granting root rights to any process that asks for them?
Because thats a major issue. Not only because we saw in here over the past few months what happens if some peaple sell other people "free and easy" and then arent able to assist them if something breaks. The influx of technically illiterate users - having been sold on "free" and then not getting what they paid for in the end, looking for "support" everywhere they could think of, has scared the enthusiasts community in this sector for years to come.
And amazons moves surrounding it (explained away by product bloggers as "easier for most people" and "necessary") ended up establishing blacklists on consumer android devices for the first time in history (?), and almost killed Kodi as an afterthought (there was money to be made, if you faltered and bowed to amazons restrictions).
Resellers were and still are misusing this community by playing out entities that at no point had a self concept of becoming "product support helplines" and destroying the open source ethos by funneling a mainstream clientel through small community channels, that werent created to handle them.
If you look around you - in this forum, on reddit - even on aftvnews - this is what is left at this point, and some of us have no interest in rekindling the hype.
Part of demanding questions from an open source community is also, that you reflect, contrast, rethink and tinker with ideas in the open. XDA becoming a place for the masses to get personal support services - actually destroys communities like this. People demanding that you attend to their personal needs first, and always are respectful, charming and considerate can become problematic also.
When you had opened the Superuser binary in the texteditor, complaining that it only shows you "cryptic symbols" you were exactly one or two steps away from ruining Superuser on your device. Namely - changing ANY of those cryptic symbols and then saving the file you had already opened with the intent to edit.
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You're still on about me reselling devices I don't know what to tell you I'm not gonna respond to it anymore. I was never close to bricking my device but I love how you decided to map out a scenario where I could have. You seem to be dead set on policing this forum (this post) and I find it odd you're talking about the history of this community after just 10 posts. I never demanded anything, this is a forum as you stated. I made an inquiry you can either help or you can ignore (I thanked those who helped). Or you can force your own moral agenda down everyone's throat that would be option c, the one you chose. Anyway there's really nothing left to be said my issue was resolved with the help of those interested in the actual question. I know people sell these things so does everyone else, this is not relevant to this post however.
harlekinade said:
I have a history in here beyond those 10 postings - but thats a story for another day..
My intent may have been to rattle some notions - but not to "police" by mentioning the concept of ethics once. I'm merely a peasant at this point in time, with a handful of soil in his hand, muttering "what have you done to this place"..
If I had any real power left to wield in here, arguing over concepts would be higher rated than providing "easy solutions". It isn't.
Also, sorry that I have borrowed your thread - and thank you for the conversation. I enjoyed it.
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I figured there was more to your ten post history. Perhaps maybe you were not so ethical at one point to have lost those powers??? [emoji50] But hey like I said you made me laugh so no complaints here. Continue to enjoy the forum as will I.