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Sorry if this has been addressed but I searched and have not seen any updates in days, and those were just interested people no developers. Have all the developers given on this? Very disappointed here.
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What are you asking about it?
I have fresh rom and hdmi out works great, just wish there was a way to see the whole thing instead of just pics/movies.
last year I had the htc omnia with windowsmobile and could connect it to tv with av cables and see whole system on tv, it was only cool feature about it....lol
Sorry for not specifying, I meant full external monitor support. I bought a bluetooth keyboard and mouse specifically for this purpose and feel completely ripped off. Thought one of the devs would have a solution a week after the phone came out but no one seems to care at all
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I'm pretty excited about this too. Hopefully it will happen eventually.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Not to sound disheartening or anything, but I just don't think there is that much of a demand for this.
I am sure that one of the devs will get it going sometime though, just might be a while.
I think if the demand's not there, it's only because people haven't thought much about the possibilities. I'm thinking of a future where you don't own a desktop computer. Instead, you come home from work, drop your phone into a cradle that charges the phone and makes a video connection to a monitor. The phone then pairs with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse literally becoming a computer and when you leave for work the next morning you take your computer with you as a phone.
Granted, the Evo is a little short on specs to be a main computer for most (it's probably about equal to a '02 Compaq Presario 5400) but I expect the performance will improve dramatically in future models considering some of the tech that's rumored to be on the horizon. I'd really like to see it happen with the Evo just to show the possibilities if nothing else. Besides, with the bluetooth changes in CM6 allowing the use of input devices, we're halfway there. Just need to get that pesky video out problem solved.
tonyz2897 said:
I think if the demand's not there, it's only because people haven't thought much about the possibilities. I'm thinking of a future where you don't own a desktop computer. Instead, you come home from work, drop your phone into a cradle that charges the phone and makes a video connection to a monitor. The phone then pairs with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse literally becoming a computer and when you leave for work the next morning you take your computer with you as a phone.
Granted, the Evo is a little short on specs to be a main computer for most (it's probably about equal to a '02 Compaq Presario 5400) but I expect the performance will improve dramatically in future models considering some of the tech that's rumored to be on the horizon. I'd really like to see it happen with the Evo just to show the possibilities if nothing else. Besides, with the bluetooth changes in CM6 allowing the use of input devices, we're halfway there. Just need to get that pesky video out problem solved.
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Click to collapse
You & I buddy, we see things the same way.
Maybe we should take a poll of the community to gague interest on who might actually use this feature if the dev's got it working.
Personally I would love to see this technology paired with a USB HOST driver so that we can dock our EVO's into something and actually energize not only the monitor but also be connected to anything tethered to the dock via USB. (keyb/mouse mainly, but also storage!)
I hope you don't feel 'ripped off' by the development community who seems to give 110% almost all the time, and instead feel 'ripped off' by HTC not providing this type of functionality out of the gate, which in my mind would TOTALLY be a game changer.
Anyhow, you're not alone, it just seems we've got no developer to champion our cause just yet, or if we do, i'm not aware.
--- Now, I know it's not gonna help us with the EVO/HDMI interaction we're thinking about here but i'm personally hoping that by the time Intel's LightPeak lands in cell phones that manufacturers start to grasp this "cellphone centric" world view that we have.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/194226/intel_says_its_light_peak_optical_cables_may_succeed_usb.html
bobsbobbers said:
You & I buddy, we see things the same way.
Maybe we should take a poll of the community to gague interest on who might actually use this feature if the dev's got it working.
Personally I would love to see this technology paired with a USB HOST driver so that we can dock our EVO's into something and actually energize not only the monitor but also be connected to anything tethered to the dock via USB. (keyb/mouse mainly, but also storage!)
I hope you don't feel 'ripped off' by the development community who seems to give 110% almost all the time, and instead feel 'ripped off' by HTC not providing this type of functionality out of the gate, which in my mind would TOTALLY be a game changer.
Anyhow, you're not alone, it just seems we've got no developer to champion our cause just yet, or if we do, i'm not aware.
--- Now, I know it's not gonna help us with the EVO/HDMI interaction we're thinking about here but i'm personally hoping that by the time Intel's LightPeak lands in cell phones that manufacturers start to grasp this "cellphone centric" world view that we have.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/194226/intel_says_its_light_peak_optical_cables_may_succeed_usb.html
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Click to collapse
USB host is a great idea. Not only for input devices and storage but also optical drives, scanners, and printers. Imagine ripping a DVD to mp4 for your phone using your phone (while docked). Of course the apps would have to be there to support those devices, but surely they would follow. Right now I'd be extremely happy just to see the basic groundwork in place (which it is excepting full UI out over hdmi). As to feeling ripped off, a few months ago I wouldn't have even thought it possible that a phone could do this. I don't feel ripped off a bit, definitely not by the development community, not even by HTC really. If anything I'm just really excited by the possibilities and willing to lend my voice to express support/interest so that hopefully the devs won't overlook this as something nobody's interested in.
metalmenance said:
What are you asking about it?
I have fresh rom and hdmi out works great, just wish there was a way to see the whole thing instead of just pics/movies.
last year I had the htc omnia with windowsmobile and could connect it to tv with av cables and see whole system on tv, it was only cool feature about it....lol
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Click to collapse
What do you mean see the whole thing? Please elaborate for those of us who have yet to buy an hdmi cable.
I thought it would simply go into "mirror" mode, so whatever you see on your evo is mirrored on the TV, like how desktops work. Is that not the case?
Not the case.
Neo3D said:
What do you mean see the whole thing? Please elaborate for those of us who have yet to buy an hdmi cable.
I thought it would simply go into "mirror" mode, so whatever you see on your evo is mirrored on the TV, like how desktops work. Is that not the case?
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Click to collapse
Nope, it just shows pictures, videos, youtube, etc...
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10253&cs_id=1025301
Cables are cheap though, buy one anyway. I keep one plugged into my TV and coiled up behind it. I just pull it out and plug my phone in if I want to show certain pictures/videos from my phone.
tgruendler said:
Not the case.
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So, when you're using apps/games, they DO NOT display on the TV?
Geeze, what's the point then?
timmymacnj said:
Sorry for not specifying, I meant full external monitor support. I bought a bluetooth keyboard and mouse specifically for this purpose and feel completely ripped off. Thought one of the devs would have a solution a week after the phone came out but no one seems to care at all
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Its not that no one cares, its that it is going to RIDICULOUSLY HARD to get full HDMI out on the EVO. I've looked into it a fair amount with the intent of coming out with an app similar to Real HDMI for the EVO. The trick for getting full HDMI out for the Droid X won't work at all for EVO due to the way HTC (and possibly Sprint) have the software stack configured for HDMI output. Long story short, it will take a dev with massive experience/knowledge to get this working since it will require a hack at the kernel/ROM level as it looks impossible to get it working at the app layer.
Sb22 said:
Nope, it just shows pictures, videos, youtube, etc...
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10253&cs_id=1025301
Cables are cheap though, buy one anyway. I keep one plugged into my TV and coiled up behind it. I just pull it out and plug my phone in if I want to show certain pictures/videos from my phone.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the link, I put it on my "To Buy" queue for Monoprice
snowpunter said:
Its not that no one cares, its that it is going to RIDICULOUSLY HARD to get full HDMI out on the EVO. I've looked into it a fair amount with the intent of coming out with an app similar to Real HDMI for the EVO. The trick for getting full HDMI out for the Droid X won't work at all for EVO due to the way HTC (and possibly Sprint) have the software stack configured for HDMI output. Long story short, it will take a dev with massive experience/knowledge to get this working since it will require a hack at the kernel/ROM level as it looks impossible to get it working at the app layer.
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Click to collapse
Yeah I guess it is just my ignorance showing through, or maybe I just had my hopes too high. The attitude around here seems to be that our friends here will find a solution to any problem they throw at us, and I may have taken a little too much stock in that. Its not so much that I am saddened by the lack of success, it is just that with lots of searching, I can't seem to find one prominent developer working on this (barely mentioning it). I suppose I am just being a cry baby, but it is just a bummer when I look at the changelogs on roms/kernels, and I see some of the issues they spend their time working on vice things like this. I suppose if CyanogenMod didnt have to be elbow deep in WIMAX (the only other remaining feature I am dying for) this might be a different story. /Cry over
@timmymacnj: You could also post on HTC's facebook page and write to them as well. After all, if the Droid X can do it, then that's a feature that makes the Droid X better than the Evo.
Kornsaq said:
Not to sound disheartening or anything, but I just don't think there is that much of a demand for this.
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The industry as a whole is very short sighted. I use a Clarion Mind running XP SP3 as my carpc (800Mhz Atom, 512MB Ram) with no issues. Smart phones now are not to far off in specs. I've been waiting for some time for a "workstation in my pocket" type solution.
The EVO hardware supports "USB Host", HDMI (or DVI w/ an adapter), Bluetooth, WiFi, and others. All we need is USB Host (w/ HID ,mass storage, USB hub and LAN dongle support), full UI out via HDMI and bluetooth HID support. I have drawings for a dock on my workbench that has 2 usb ports, 10/100 port, 2.5" HD and DVI out. Throw in an office suite and a couple other apps and you end up with that "workstation in your pocket". Have the phone manufacturers charge $150 for it and buyers would still save money over an EVO plus netbook combo. There are a lot of companies that would benefit by giving their employees laptops but can't afford, this is an answer to that problem.
Real innovation is generally left to devs and hardware geeks. Then a couple years later the manufacturers say "Look at our cool new thingy aren't we the smart ones!"
My $0.02
Lokifish said:
The industry as a whole is very short sighted. I use a Clarion Mind running XP SP3 as my carpc (800Mhz Atom, 512MB Ram) with no issues. Smart phones now are not to far off in specs. I've been waiting for some time for a "workstation in my pocket" type solution.
The EVO hardware supports "USB Host", HDMI (or DVI w/ an adapter), Bluetooth, WiFi, and others. All we need is USB Host (w/ HID ,mass storage, USB hub and LAN dongle support), full UI out via HDMI and bluetooth HID support. I have drawings for a dock on my workbench that has 2 usb ports, 10/100 port, 2.5" HD and DVI out. Throw in an office suite and a couple other apps and you end up with that "workstation in your pocket". Have the phone manufacturers charge $150 for it and buyers would still save money over an EVO plus netbook combo. There are a lot of companies that would benefit by giving their employees laptops but can't afford, this is an answer to that problem.
Real innovation is generally left to devs and hardware geeks. Then a couple years later the manufacturers say "Look at our cool new dock aren't we the smart!"
My $0.02
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Click to collapse
When you say that smartphones today aren't too far off in spec from your Car PC, the EVO actually bests it (unless I'm missing something)!
Seriously. Talk about Eating Microsoft's lunch!
I'm glad to hear that i'm not living on a planet all by my lonesome wanting this to come true. I know it's a mountain and a half of work but at this point, it makes me sad to think.
"It really is just software"
I feel like I missed my calling when I could have learned how to code that software but chose another path instead.
Does anyone have any connections to dev's who have thought about tackling this? Specifically might the mountain be made into a little more like a large hill if we could apply some of the HDMI code base from something like the DROID X and apply it to the EVO? Is this just too much wishful thinking?
So, the FM radio is now working in CM nightly 116. I expect that means 4G will be coming at some point in the not too distant future and hopefully with those out of the way we'll see HDMI out getting some attention. I remember reading some articles back in July saying that full HDMI out was going to be a feature in CM6. Obviously that didn't happen, but hopefully it was just postponed and not abandoned. If full HDMI does make an appearance on the Evo, I expect that a later CM rom is where we'll see it first.
I believe a lot more people would be running CM ROMs if that happens...
Well guys we all know how amazing these phones are with our devs apps, tweaks, roms, kernels, etc. People who dont have an evo simply cant understand how amazing these things are! Now with that said a little more work and i think that we can start the way in the next step of technology. As im sure most of us know there is a way to have bluetooth input options (keyboard and mouse) and we have the nifty HDMI out plug built into our phone. HOWEVER we have yet to find a way to have the entire screen able to be shown on a tv. If we can get our screen in its entirety to be transferred to your favorite xx inch HDTV, bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and the hdmi cord do we not have a computer? (maybe a computer for 2000-2002 but a computer none the less)
Is there anyone behind this idea? Any devs that can or want to assist? Im shocked at the lack of development on this compared to all the other areas we have improved our phones!
Lol
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you're really not gonna want an 800x480 desktop blown up to 40+ inches....
No, but it would seriously kick ass to be able to connect to the 800x600 7" touchscreen monitor in my truck and use it for a car pc (beside the win7 box I built for it). Google Navigation is way cooler than any windows app unless you need trip agenda's or other fancy stuff.
There's a guy who did a mymobiler type app but it requires the android sdk to be installed etc. Supposedly mymobiler is making an android version but again that would require windows to be preseting (along with the requisite computer). It would be cool to be able to connect directly to a monitor.
I really want this too!! I would be more than willing to pay for this or donate to who ever can make this happen. I used this feature a lot on my TP2 and assumed my Evo would also be able to do it. The fact that I wanted to do this, and the Evo has an HDMI output was a HUGE selling point for me. I was very dissapointed to find out that it did not do this out of the box. I assumed that a developer would have this solved in no time though, so it wasnt as big of a deal. Now, here we are months later and still unable to do this it is a big let-down.
I dont want it for using my phone as a computer, I can connect my 17" laptop to my 52" Sony LED if I want to do that. I just want to be able to hook up my phone for watching movies and for gaming and showing other things to a group of people who can not all gather around the Evo's screen to see it. I know we can watch movies through the gallery, but I dont like being limited....and not being limited is what I love about Android. Also, watching movies through Gallery has always been a but buggy for me, not sure why.
Anyway, I know this is a long post. BUT, this is on the top of my list as for things that I want to do on my Evo next. I am happy with my current ROM, Kernal, current apps, games, etc.. I just want to be able to have full access on my tv of everything that is on my Evo's screen and I would be fully satisfied with my Evo right now. Please, some one make this happen!! I would be forever grateful!!
stanglifemike said:
I really want this too!! I would be more than willing to pay for this or donate to who ever can make this happen. I used this feature a lot on my TP2 and assumed my Evo would also be able to do it. The fact that I wanted to do this, and the Evo has an HDMI output was a HUGE selling point for me. I was very dissapointed to find out that it did not do this out of the box. I assumed that a developer would have this solved in no time though, so it wasnt as big of a deal. Now, here we are months later and still unable to do this it is a big let-down.
I dont want it for using my phone as a computer, I can connect my 17" laptop to my 52" Sony LED if I want to do that. I just want to be able to hook up my phone for watching movies and for gaming and showing other things to a group of people who can not all gather around the Evo's screen to see it. I know we can watch movies through the gallery, but I dont like being limited....and not being limited is what I love about Android. Also, watching movies through Gallery has always been a but buggy for me, not sure why.
Anyway, I know this is a long post. BUT, this is on the top of my list as for things that I want to do on my Evo next. I am happy with my current ROM, Kernal, current apps, games, etc.. I just want to be able to have full access on my tv of everything that is on my Evo's screen and I would be fully satisfied with my Evo right now. Please, some one make this happen!! I would be forever grateful!!
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Click to collapse
Exactly. im just looking for a step in the right direction.
I was reading through lifehacker.com the other day (my SECOND favorite website ) when I came across a link to an instructables guide on turning a netbook into a tablet and it got me thinking. Why should I have to buy a $500+ tablet every year or two, or settle for a crappy $200 one when I can buy a used netbook and make it new again for half the price of the high end ones and probably better performing than the low end? Plus I'd have upgradability when it starts being sluggish in the future.
Here's the thing: I'm not content with essentially making a netbook into a slate that runs WinXP and calling it a day. I want it to run Android and have (most of) the bells and whistles. All on a budget of $250. What I'm thinking of so far is this:
10.1" Intel-Atom tablet, ebay ~$70
CAPACITIVE touchscreen overlay ~$110
SSD ~$60
Which leaves me with about 10 bucks for stuff to make it look good.
There is an x86 android port floating around on the internet that I plan on using and I've seen netbooks with built in GPS/gyro/accelerometer/etc. Although, I'm not so sure if just booting Android will get all of that to work of if I'll have to somehow write my own drivers... Honestly, I would have no idea where to start on that. Does anyone have any insight into how that might/might not work?
I don't have any of the parts yet, but have begun bidding on some stuff on ebay. If anyone would like to sell me something that might help, PM me. If you all are interested, I'll post updates and pictures as I'm working on it, however if not, then I'll probably just post something of the finished product. Functioning hardware or not.
Whether or not any of you take an interest in this project, I would appreciate any comments or advice that you can offer. I'm sure that as I go along I'll have questions to ask and hopefully one of you will be able to help.
I read the same thing and I would interested in how you go about it. I was not impressed with the lifehacker.com instructions or any of the other ones I found on line.
Thanks for the interest, glsooter. I still plan on completing this project sometime this summer probably and will update with pictures and what I am doing, but unfortunately I've had to make a few changes. It won't primarily run Android, although I could dual boot. My main reasoning behind this is that it would be impossible for me with my skill set to add the required hardware and then get it to work (such as accelerometer and gyroscope). Also, the capacitive touch screen I want to get is apparently Windows only. I'm thinking of using the Windows 8 preview or alternatively loading Win7 and using Rainmeter or something similar to give it a touchscreen functional layout. I also want to take a Bluetooth keyboard and make some sort of dock, like the Transformer Prime. My newest goals for the project is to have a portable tablet-esque gadget that I will use for retro gaming with a BT controller or mobile (android) gaming and productivity using BlueStacks. If I need laptop functionality I can use the BT keyboard/mouse combo for word processing or note taking. There are obviously some details to be hammered out, but I'm now thinking it will be closer to $350, which I feel is reasonable for something like this.
I was thinking about installing android on my 12.1" asus eepc with intel atom but i cant do it now (i get it in next month). I want to try how it works with android (maybe there are no need for drivers or only some of them?). If i get it earlier i try it and i can write here results how it works for me.
PS.
Could u give me link to android x86 and installing market on it (i heard that it must be installed other way). thanks
PS2.
I will be using it without touchscreen
that sound like a really good idea, but maybe not as a tablet alone but as a laptop+tablet, like the Thinkpad X Tablet series.
So i tried and installed android-x86 on my eeepc 1201nl and only froyo is working I wanted ics but i take what i can.
Working on it is very easy (even without touchscreen). I have problems only with wifi (cant connect to router). I found that some other people have similar problems.
However i will be trying it again and again. I want ics
Sent using r800i with DoomKernel v11 (1.21ghz)
So I am about to start my install in a 08 Chrysler Aspen. I have everything I need to swap the stock radio for a Nexus 7, I have been messing around with all the software and hardware for a week or so and think that most issues are worked out. I am running CM12 nightlies just because I am a bleeding edge type of guy and I like Cyangoenmod's implementation of extra features. They run on the ElementalX Kernel so that OTG charging and deep sleep are possible. Now the fun part that I have not seen anyone else do, that I can find anyway. I have two outdated, barely working, please replace me 7" no name linked DVD players in the headrests. Honestly, the market for those is utterly pitiful and overpriced, full of hardware that is practically obsolete, and runs on proprietary software. No thank you. Luckily I have two Nexus 7's, soon to be three.
I am software engineering student, so I have skills in that department, and I dabble in all things electronic. I can usually find a way to make anything work. So far on first thought I have successfully set up Nexus2 to wake from deep sleep when power connects, then via Tasker open Allcast Receiver. Which I can then cast media from Nexus1 to be viewed on Nexus2, then to Nexus3 via Koush's Mirror Beta. The great thing about Allcast and Allcast Receiver is that only a WiFi connection is needed, no need to have internet access. This setup works better than I expected, with very minimal lag on the Mirror( I tested this using my Gs3 as the third device). Ultimately I would like to pass video through hardware instead of software. Herein lies my question. I can accept a video stream, but I have been unable to find any examples of sending media to essentially a second monitor through hardware alone. I am sure there is a way through SSH, similar to this, but I would like 2 and 3 to be able to be used independently as I am going to make them easily removable. For example if my kids want to play a game , they can just take it out and it is back to normal tablet form.
If there is nothing available, the casting/mirroring route will suffice for the time being. I would just like something a little less vulnerable. Casting/Mirroring are relatively new and there are occasional crashes. Anyone who has young children knows that patience is not a word in their vocabulary. Plug and play, no crashes is my optimal goal.
Sorry for the essay, I hope that someone can help. I will post pictures of the install process here, and I'll start a new thread for a complete DIY.
One more thing, has anyone seen headrests made specifically to mount a Nexus 7? I can modify my current ones, but a prefabbed like this for iPad mini would be ideal.
I can't advise on the mirroring of the screens, but mounting the nexus in the headrests is something I can help with. Head over to my website www.rtafabrication.com
If your fabrication is up to scratch you could get a few Dash Panels and mount them yourself or I could do the fabrication for you. Location doesn't matter as I ship worldwide.
Just thought it might be something you're looking for.
This could benefit many who buy a new fireTV/stick and want to root it. It's a bit long but read on---
First, a little background; I bought my first fireTVstick a few months ago - 5.2.1.1 was on it before I even saw the home screen. I looked into rooting, but found that the hardware soldering method was the only way.
As you know, the fireTV asks for wifi password prior to initial setup & updates itself before you can intervene. But after initial setup, Amazon home can launch without a wifi connection..like on someone else's network..
A friend gave me a stick that hadn't been used since mid2016.. I plugged it in at my house, and before connecting to my network, discovered it was running 5.1.5.0 - so immediately i hid updates and then tried to root with kingo, unsuccessfully. I tried and tried to think of a way to go up one version, to 5.2.1.0, without going all the way to 5.2.1.1--nothing..
Until I stumbled onto a post by sconnyuk about his discovery: by plugging into a laptop USB port for power and performing a factory reset.. the device reboots with low power "complaints" and allows you in without updating - Then, when you go to manually update - POOF: 5.2.1.0 is what you get, and you can root and downgrade etc. Brilliant.
From then until a week and a half ago, I assumed a device with old software was very hard to come by. The only way you would have a chance to root is IF a stick was purchased pre 5.2.1.1, IF it was then setup pre-5.2.1.1, and IF it had not been connected since 5.2.1.1 was pushed out to devices. That's a lot of IF's.
And naturally you would assume that new device = new software....If 5.2.1.1 has been out for months, all new devices should ship with that version by now...right?
But the devices all auto-update prior to initial setup, as soon as they are connected....so who knows what version was there, on the device, in the box, sitting on the store shelf?
The day the voice remote fire TV stick 2 shipped in the US (oct 21) I purchased a standard fire tv stick from a major US electronics store.
Out of pure curiosity, I plugged it into my laptop's USB port, just to see what would be there if the stick was unable to update.
5.0.5.1....from a firetvstick1 purchased NEW at the END of OCTOBER 2016.
I figured it was a fluke- checked someone else's, purchased in a different city, days later.
Also 5.0.5.1.
So I updated to 5.2.1.0, rooted, blocked updates, downgraded etc and have two brand new sticks running 5.0.5 with FireStarter instead of Amazon home.
My question is, has anybody else looked into this?
Is this a coincidence..is it something localized to my area? or is Amazon relying solely on auto updates and leaving old software on ALL fireTVsticks?
One step further -
- Can this same process be done on the fireTV?
-- If so, what version comes loaded on new fireTVs at this point in time?
---Can new ones potentially be rooted/downgraded as was done with these sticks?
And for that matter..
-What about the fireTVstick 2?
--New updates were pushed the day of release...but what version is on the device when it comes out of the box?
To anybody who buys a new stick/tv/stick2:
plug it in to laptop power and go check the version, pre-update. Then post your findings.
I am very curious how common/widespread of an occurrence this is, what versions are being found and when/where, and whether it also includes other fireTV models.
Stick 1/2
Got a stick 2 on Saturday, purely out of curiosity..5.2.2.0, and it updated itself to a newer 5.2.2.0
Also grabbed a new stick 1, like the ones I stumbled onto a couple of weeks ago, it also had 5.1.5.0 - sweet!
But how long will they continue to ship in a possibly-software-rootable-condition?
Anybody have info on what software version the gaming edition, firetv1 or firetv2 ships with?
I'd like to pick one up for myself IF it is rootable; however I don't particularly want to spend 3-4x the cost of the stick for a box that ultimately has less functionality..
Anybody? What version does the FireTV 2 ship with? Gaming edition?
Firetv2
5.2.1.1 straight out of the box..not sure if this is everywhere or just the one I got...device says it was last updated in August 2016...even though I just got it today
This leaves the FireTV 1 --- I'm going to assume that "refurbished" devices from Amazon will already have been updated - but what are the chances of finding a new in box 2014 model ftv with 5.1.5.0 or older?
Somebody?? Anybody??!
Millenials Guide to Tech, Firmware edition.
1. WOW! Found out something crazy, you all should learn about!
2. So I bought this on saturday, and I thought, and then I went there,,,
3. And then a buddy told me...
5. But then I read on the internet...
6. So I'm wondering...
7. What do you guys think?
8. HELP ME!!1!!
Ok - how about we do this for real?
1. Fire TV (/Stick) has to be online to first register it (set it up with a username/pwd), or you would not have access to the main interface, which basically is something you cant work without.
2. Best way to do this is to be fast, and unplug your wireless router, as soon as the login goes through and you see the main home page.
3. Using an underpowered usb connection can delay it, but it wont delay downloading the next new firmware. I guess if you really knew what you were doing, and could root the Stick (because this is not, or less applicable to Fire TV boxes?) always staying on underpowered usb (edit: Or can you? Because su has to be written to the system partition, and actually I don't know how the "do not update check" works (does it prevent stuff like dalvik cache being reinitialized...) - but for now I am guessing, that staying on underpowered USB might be a valid solution...), you could then delete the already downloaded firmware, effectively withou ever updating the firmware once. (Having stayed online long enough for the next firmware to be downloaded... - throttling your routers DL speed is a real solution independent of all this, If you know how to do that.)
4. Fire TV (/Stick) updates are incremental. This information already is in the adventure report in the OP, but to summarize, what that means is, that the devices (as of now) will update to the next firmware update in row, and only then to the next one (downloads the next update, installs it on reboot or promt, ...), and so on and so forth...
5. Fire TV (/Sticks) that come directly from Amazon have a higher chance to be on a newer firmware, because Amazon has a process to preload your account information on there, if you don't buy the device as a gift. So they already power up the device, before shipping it out to you. Which means, that they also can lift it to a more recent firmware without much hazzle. We can't look into this process - or when it changes and how (which means, that at least I don't know if you have a better chance of receiving an older firmware version one, if you order it as a gift for example (username doesnt get set up by Amazon) - but I actually doubt it...).
6. Which means, that your best bet to get a device that actually can be rooted, is actually to go into a box store that doesn't sell through those devices quickly and grab a boxed unit that has been sitting on shelves for months.
7- Which of course means that you have to forego, those GREAT DEALS (wow, so GOODZ) on Amazons refurb path or discount windows.
Now you could crowdsource this out to get more information, if you actually had a community of buyers that was interested in this, and at least somewhat tech savvy, but as with any Fire device, you don't have that. (Generally speaking).
Also - as for the incremental updates - it isn't set in stone, that it will always be this way. Amazon could flip a switch and change that serverside. Its not especially likely that they do (because it requires having someone in charge of the firmware team, that actually knows what they are doing), but it is something that could change eventually, even over night.
Wow
There's no need to be condescending because you don't like my wording.
I'm well aware of incremental updates and the low likelihood of purchasing a NiB device from a major retailer with potentially rootable firmware on it.
The fact that Amazon cranks out "factory refurbished" devices at a lower rate would be a red flag in and of itself; even without considering the fact that the device would have already been updated if it had been used enough (once) to create the need to "refurbish".
I stumbled onto something which one would think would be a highly unlikely find - multiple times - from a MASSIVE electronics retailer with hundreds of locations across the USA.
I wasn't talking about finding a device that fell behind a shelf 6 months ago; this was from 4 different locations of a store which can't keep Amazon devices in stock no matter how many or how frequently they order..
My posts after the OP were primarily just to bump the thread in search of a response (which, what do you know? It worked) - not begging for somebody to help me figure out why I can't root the refurbished fire stick I got from Amazon for half price.
I guarantee I'm not the only person who would be excited to discover that a new device had rootable firmware on it -
A fire tv 2 with 5.2.1.1 pre-loaded is what you would expect to find; having bought it from the same place I found 5.0.5.1-loaded sticks +/-6 months after the version began getting phased out, I thought maybe it could also be the case with the box.
The purpose of my original post was to ascertain whether or not this is a common or localized find..to "crowdsource" .in the one place one would EXPECT to find FireTV enthusiasts..
Pardon my enthusiasm.
Have a stab at it. Crowdsource away.
You are only up against a userbase that doesnt know the least bit about the device, buys their Fire TVs in high percentages from resellers on Amazon, ebay and the local used good portal, because they saw a "free HBO" and SPORTZ label on it, that got told for the better part of two years that root is not necessary - by a freaking product blogger who maybe single handedly killed this scene - syphoning out all information from this community to sell it against ads on his portal (but he contributed pictures)...
And even now most people cant decide if they'd rather have "eazy Amazon Alexa fullservice", or be able to own their devices - but "has hacker found a way so I can use Alexa in *insert country here*".
People don't know how to interface with the device, or even how to copy files, people are told, that they don't need to know anything other than how to sideload using ES File Explorer. And as long as most people have their piracy options - they don't care about the rest.
Thats the deal. When Amazon started to force people that wanted to use alternative launchers away from their upgrade path - product bloggers celebrated it, because it would make stuff, so much more eazy.
Good luck getting the numbers. I have yet to get the impression that anyone (but me and a few others, but I can only buy so many Fire TV 2s in my lifetime...) actually care.
The broader lesson here is - that no one who cares about root rights, buys FIre TVs anymore. And rightfully so. There was so much wrong information circulating, structurally - because some people cared more about establishing their own dependencies, being on the hunt for "great dealz" and buying their way around having to learn basics - that there simply never was a culture of ownership (caring about root rights) around this product.
People updated root away, because product blogger told them, new firmware had great new feature.
Also - Amazon in the backend - now is set up very well to make the windows where devices are rootable very, very short. They don't even provide you with a prompt anymore - they just update away. They update before shipping, they force you having to be online to activate the device...
Those are structural issues. If you don't see them, having worked in the industy for several years, look again.
Back of the shelf boxed units still would be the best bet for people willing to take a chance - and word of mouth that "one guy got an older firmware on a refurbished stick, sold by Amazon" is just that. Word of mouth.
In the meantime you can wait for a new rooting method, and don't care, that amazon restricted apps from reading logs via adb and put in all kinds of non standard android features like "great blacklist, so eazy", and there is still no full conversion rom for this thing, because navigating via a remote is only slowly becoming part of android as an OS.
Its a pitty that it turned out this way - because for a short window - both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV2 where the best value for money in this sector you could buy (raspberry pie still has less "power" than a AFTV2) - but you had too many interests only "faking" that they would act in favor of a homebrew community - too many users that only cared about solving problems that came up as a result of them not understanding what they bought on shady channels - looking for service, to many people too willing to excuse Amazon of wrongdoing, before even all the facts came out...
The truth is, that this is a dead category.
Give the raspberry pie two more years, and understand that if you care about openness and doing stuff the manufacturer hasnt set up for you - open hardware will be more and more your only opportunity.
Not so much because devices become harder and harder to hack open (which is also an increasing issue) - but because you cant set up a community thats set on "demanding enduser service", paying resellers to cut corners as far as them learning to set up stuff, and listening to product bloggers that provide them with tutorials stolen from here ("But they have added pictures!!"), as long as it is convenient for them, but then help mask the fact, when and how amazon splits this community or moves against our interests, because they benefit more - when they can make their readers entirely dependent on Amazon - and look, its so easy....
Try to get your numbers in this environment. I watch.
harlekinwashere said:
Have a stab at it. Crowdsource away.
You are only up against a userbase that doesnt know the least bit about the device, buys their Fire TVs in high percentages from resellers on Amazon, ebay and the local used good portal, because they saw a "free HBO" and SPORTZ label on it, that got told for the better part of two years that root is not necessary - by a freaking product blogger who maybe single handedly killed this scene - syphoning out all information from this community to sell it against ads on his portal (but he contributed pictures)...
And even now most people cant decide if they'd rather have "eazy Amazon Alexa fullservice", or be able to own their devices - but "has hacker found a way so I can use Alexa in *insert country here*".
People don't know how to interface with the device, or even how to copy files, people are told, that they don't need to know anything other than how to sideload using ES File Explorer. And as long as most people have their piracy options - they don't care about the rest.
Thats the deal. When Amazon started to force people that wanted to use alternative launchers away from their upgrade path - product bloggers celebrated it, because it would make stuff, so much more eazy.
Good luck getting the numbers. I have yet to get the impression that anyone (but me and a few others, but I can only buy so many Fire TV 2s in my lifetime...) actually care.
The broader lesson here is - that no one who cares about root rights, buys FIre TVs anymore. And rightfully so. There was so much wrong information circulating, structurally - because some people cared more about establishing their own dependencies, being on the hunt for "great dealz" and buying their way around having to learn basics - that there simply never was a culture of ownership (caring about root rights) around this product.
People updated root away, because product blogger told them, new firmware had great new feature.
Also - Amazon in the backend - now is set up very well to make the windows where devices are rootable very, very short. They don't even provide you with a prompt anymore - they just update away. They update before shipping, they force you having to be online to activate the device...
Those are structural issues. If you don't see them, having worked in the industy for several years, look again.
Back of the shelf boxed units still would be the best bet for people willing to take a chance - and word of mouth that "one guy got an older firmware on a refurbished stick, sold by Amazon" is just that. Word of mouth.
In the meantime you can wait for a new rooting method, and don't care, that amazon restricted apps from reading logs via adb and put in all kinds of non standard android features like "great blacklist, so eazy", and there is still no full conversion rom for this thing, because navigating via a remote is only slowly becoming part of android as an OS.
Its a pitty that it turned out this way - because for a short window - both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV2 where the best value for money in this sector you could buy (raspberry pie still has less "power" than a AFTV2) - but you had too many interests only "faking" that they would act in favor of a homebrew community - too many users that only cared about solving problems that came up as a result of them not understanding what they bought on shady channels - looking for service, to many people too willing to excuse Amazon of wrongdoing, before even all the facts came out...
The truth is, that this is a dead category.
Give the raspberry pie two more years, and understand that if you care about openness and doing stuff the manufacturer hasnt set up for you - open hardware will be more and more your only opportunity.
Not so much because devices become harder and harder to hack open (which is also an increasing issue) - but because you cant set up a community thats set on "demanding enduser service", paying resellers to cut corners as far as them learning to set up stuff, and listening to product bloggers that provide them with tutorials stolen from here ("But they have added pictures!!"), as long as it is convenient for them, but then help mask the fact, when and how amazon splits this community or moves against our interests, because they benefit more - when they can make their readers entirely dependent on Amazon - and look, its so easy....
Try to get your numbers in this environment. I watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough... I don't have the funds to test the waters on the spread of still-rootable FTVs either. Matter of fact, I returned the one I bought, the day after I posted the bit about it being unrootable.
Dead category or not, I still enjoy screwing around with them and I know others out there (in here, in this forum) do too..
The problem is, as you said, it's a device that sells out not because of the people who populate these threads, who have both (hopefully) the interest and ability to investigate, understand, and modify, the ins-and-outs of the things they buy...but because of the people who buy the devices up 10 at a time and run an automated process to sideload kodi with outdated wizards, so they can make $15 a pop..
I think the back of the shelf copy is a thing of the past, at least in my area..the number of retailers is a small one, only a few places carry them - they get a whole bunch in, then sell out in a day or two..and nobody has any for weeks..
I don't know if anybody still stocks ftv1's but I am still curious what remains floating around in circulation...
The search continues...