How would you have Miracast on the TV without android?
My TV does have the feature. It don’t have Android. A standard TV.
Nope. No MicroG, no Play Store/Services. LineageOS is degoogled by default. You need to specifically install MicroG or Play Services on LineageOS if you want them. I don’t know what, if anything, could be done to further degoogle a vanilla Lineage install.
For apps, I sideloaded Neo Store and used it to install Aurora Store. With Aurora Store you can install all the streaming apps available for Android TV.
Note that navigating Aurora and Neo Store without a touchscreen is unintuitive and not the best experience, but I was able to use them without much difficulty once I’d gotten used to navigating with a controller.
I am pretty sure by installing a custom OS you loose Dolby Vision and Atmos, AI-upscaling and maybe HDR and Chromecast?
The other alternative is NVIDIA shield which is also expensive than Apple TV.
source: https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/categories/streaming-players/
True. Apple don’t allow VPN apps to be installed directly. and using a VPN would break the TOS for every streaming app out there
The ADTs are developer facing and can be useful for privacy conscious consumer use as well as it runs Android TV with unlockable bootloader so any modification / ROM can be flashed if you find a modification / ROM that is beneficial for privacy, or just to remove the ads on the stock Google TV / Android TV launcher (like the adless Android TV 13 launcher in LOS20)
That’s pros of ADT (you might buy the 4 when it comes out), and
cons - it don’t have proper DRM so it breaks the purpose of a “streaming” box, if you tinker with unlocked bootloader stuff, you will only be able to use YouTube and VLC and in best case scenario Netflix/competitors at WVL3 which means low picture quality. It is marketed at developers, TV businesses that want to test Android TV OS, don’t expect support for consumers.
As for your concern that rooting and using advanced DNS/hosts/firewall blocker aim to block ads but not improve privacy, it is already hard to maintain privacy when you opt into proprietary streaming services like netflix or hbo, as in the post Privacy-respecting and legal alternatives to streaming services. These streaming services have to collect the data of what you watched in order to pay the creator, and they will definitely share this data with marketing to analyze what type of content you like to watch and use it for “personal recommendation”
Blocking privacy-invasive or anti-consumer ads is the next best option for privacy. Especially on annoying services, such as the rumored “8 minutes unskippable ads on paramount” (lol)
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2 second search and I found how to install Dolby, I don’t know why you would want chromecast if you are looking for a de-google device but there are other casting apps. I don’t know about the other two, but I am willing to bet most people will be ok without AI-upscaling on their TV.
There DOZENS of android tv boxes cheaper than the Shield. Some just posted a $40 one. lmao
I don’t see why would I or Apple care about the TOS thing. Most streaming services themself don’t tackle VPNs use beyond what they need to put face in front of third parties. And everyone has their content on their own service nowadays.
This one is interesting. Thanks
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Apple have to attract developers and content providers to create apps for tvOS. As other posters have mentioned, the only utility for VPN on Apple TV would be to bypass regional restrictions or provide privacy from your ISP. In both cases, this could present a problem for Apple in terms of attracting developers and content providers to create apps. For example, Netflix: if VPN were allowed on Apple TV, it would mean Apple TV out of the box can bypass the Netflix TOS. With that in mind, Netflix may have been less enthusiastic about developing Netflix for tvOS. As another example, Spectrum Cable: if VPN were allowed on Apple TV, it would mean Apple TV out of the box can bypass Spectrum network monitoring services and regional restrictions on their content. With that in mind, Spectrum may have been less enthusiastic about developing their app for tvOS and about supporting tvOS TV Provider authentication and other features.
I was considering privacy of the provider. Nividia also got a pretty good privacy policy.
I don’t think android boxes receive updates either (out of the box) which is not good for security.
Yes, this is a good point, and I would consider the data the streaming service within itself collects not that harmful tho, since it is just what you watch on the site and other viewing metrics. I am tented to think this type of data has more value for internal use than selling them for the services that don’t show ads since we can expect their competitions to be the main buyers.
I do make more issue with the type of surveillance that COULD be done on a OS level, from logging EVERYTHING you watch everywhere to potentially a hot mic or monitoring the network you are in and linking all that data to your profile.
Although I will admit that looking at my DNS logs, the Netflix app can be quite chatting, sometimes more than the TV OS and it calls home even when it is not in use.
So, on my testing on stock, removing Google Services would break Netflix, but Disney+ still worked, so it is weird how it works for you. LineageOS is actually not de-googled, it just doesn’t come with GApps, as an example it contects Google to test if it has a connection.
I read that forum before, If something like WebOS or Tizen can have VPNs and still get streaming services to make apps for them and I don’t see why Apple would realistically have those issues. I am more willing to believe they just don’t care to build the feature that it won’t make them money directly. Whatever the reason for it, I am not willing to buy it or gift it without that feature.
They do. Time varies by manufacture as always.
I believe any app rhat would use Widevine won’t work as their DRM relies on GMS
There is no feasible way to enable Widevine L1 after the bootloader unlock, unless the manufacturer has an incorrect keystore implementation. Widevine L3 can still work. still that does kind of defeat the purpose of a “streaming” box
TV security patches are less of a concern compared to phone/PC as you only use it to play videos, but not to browse, post, create, etc. which you do on phones/PCs. Unless if you use the TV box to view your own photos or videos that have your face appear in it.
I mean they connect to the home network and pose a serious security risk. Streaming devices also comes with microphones which may comes with surveillance risks.
Using a streaming device like Apple TV mediate this kind of risks, since it is based on iOS and use the same bionic chip as iPhones helps to up the security. Using Siri and voice typing all done using on device machine learning which is good for privacy.
Using a streaming device like Apple TV mediate this kind of risks, since it is based on iOS
How so? iOS is neither privacy friendly nor FOSS and Apple has a pretty bad track record.
Also Apple TV only streams content from the Apple ecosystem. If you have Android or Windows devices, you probably won’t get much out of the Apple TV.
Apple TV lacks a USB port offering little support for audio and video.
Its also pretty expensive compared to other solutions. You would get much more out of a debloated Android TV box with a DNS filter set up for your network and it’s much cheaper.
It only got limited support for audio and video formats as well
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I was referring to security.
Every iDevice underlying architecture is the same. So they share the same hardware security and system security. For more info.
Regarding privacy, according to mozzilla
Apple does a pretty good job with privacy and security as a company.
Apple TV support every streaming service out there (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple tv+ etc).
You can use USB ports on TV. Google TV or NVIDIA shield doesn’t have one either. Don’t have anything to do with privacy tho.
NVIDIA shield TV is expensive than Apple TV which is next best privacy-friendly option. (according to Mozilla). Personally I think it is worth it for A15 Bionic chip which gives you the same power as iPhone 14/iPhone 14 plus, and likely to last for a long time.
OP mentioned
So no Netflix (thanks to google API where apps can check for things like the bootloader being unlocked, ROM downgraded, or otherwise rooted or modified /s), when you “debloate” an android TV box which defeat the purpose of “streaming player”.
Just install VLC, pretty much support more video formats than default media player.
I was referring to security.
You talked about the risk of surveillance, ergo about privacy:
Streaming devices also comes with microphones which may comes with surveillance risks.
oh I wonder where have I heard this before? oh, right:
Apple contractors ‘regularly hear confidential details’ on Siri recordings
Every iDevice underlying architecture is the same. So they share the same hardware security and system security.
Why should someone attach so much importance to the security aspect for a streaming device which is literally just used for video and maybe audio streaming? Doesnt make much sense to sacrifice privacy for security you dont need.
Regarding privacy, according to mozzilla
Apple does a pretty good job with privacy and security as a company.
NVIDIA shield TV is expensive than Apple TV which is next best privacy-friendly option. (according to Mozilla)
lol, are you kidding? Just because Mozilla has claimed that it must be true, lol. This doesnt prove anything. Contrary to that there are numerous evidences that Apple clearly is not as privacy friendly as they advertise to their consumers. On the linked site Mozilla also claims that allegedly google chromecast is privacy friendly.
Also there are many cheap Android TV boxes with USB ports. Debloating them and using a network wide DNS filter migitates all privacy risks you could possibly encounter. If they’ve got a mic just put a piece of tape on it and you’re good to go.
Apple TV support every streaming service out there (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple tv+ etc).
For example Airplay is only offically supported for Apple devices. Sure there are 3d party apps but they usually dont work reliably and also again pose a security and privacy threat.
when you “debloate” an android TV box which defeat the purpose of “streaming player”.
Flashing a custom rom isn’t the same as debloating the OS from unwanted apps. I again advice you to stop your misleading claims.
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I am just presetting the information.
Both the Nonprofit organisation Mozilla and the Nonprofit organisation Common Sense Media were able to come to that conclusion. Common Sense Media put together the report by completing a comprehensive 150-point inspection of each device’s privacy policy. The full report is available here.
tl;dr
The only issue is that Apple TV does not allow VPN.
This is fair reason to avoid Apple TV.
As I already wrote on that specific site of Mozilla google chromecast is also recommended as a privacy friendly streaming solution and they dont name any reasons for that. Absolutely not convincing.
Apple TV is the only privacy-friendly option for a streaming player and many seems to generally agree
I dont see here someone agreeing with you, youre the only one here aggressively argueing in favor of Apple products. And its not the “only” privacy-friendly option for a streaming player. Rather the opposite is true about their devices.
According to your table Apple is rated with a 79% score and google tv with 81%, and you say its privacy friendly? LOL, the used ratings criteria are so shallow, its a joke.
Theres literally an article now shared on this forum which say that Apple got fined over ullegal data collection lmao
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If you read the study
Google TV received the highest overall score even with a “warning” rating, because Google TV had the most comprehen‐sive policy despite engaging in some worse privacy practices, which earned them a “warning” rating.
It is not a privacy-friendly list. It includes all the popular streaming players AFAIK and compare them with each other. Mozilla states,
As for Google’s track record at protecting and respecting your privacy, well, it’s a mixed bag. Google does pretty good at the security side of protecting all that heaps of data they collect on your. It is their money making business asset, after all.
OP seems to be agreeing