onn-Android-TV-UHD-Streaming-Device

[mouldy]

Onn has bluetooth, so yea it should. I got a powered micro usb hub, it powers the onn, but plugging mouse and/or keyboard does nothing. I then plugged it into my phone, still nothing, so hub maybe faulty? I have a bluetooth mouse around here, got it to use with some netbook cause the trackpad on that thing was horrible. I can try it on the onn, if it works then the hub is faulty.

[dancytron]

Make sure you've got a real usb cord with all the wires and not just a charging cord. I've banged my head against the wall for hours for that mistake.

We'll see. I've got at least 2 known working hubs I can try. I'll get it sometime between tomorrow and two weeks or so (Walmart free shipping).

edit:

Reddit seems to be the place for a lot of info.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidTV/comm ... nn_4k_box/

[dancytron]

Onn has bluetooth, so yea it should. I got a powered micro usb hub, it powers the onn, but plugging mouse and/or keyboard does nothing. I then plugged it into my phone, still nothing, so hub maybe faulty? I have a bluetooth mouse around here, got it to use with some netbook cause the trackpad on that thing was horrible. I can try it on the onn, if it works then the hub is faulty.

I think we need an "otg" adapter or hub.

Such as this or similar fancier ones. https://www.amazon.com/AuviPal-Powered- ... B07TX8FY6W

They are wired slightly differently. If you like to solder. https://www.techatalk.com/build-diy-usb-otg-android/

We'll see.

[mouldy]

The one I got is supposed to work like this only it has three usbA ports for peripherals. But now look at this image from one you link...

It says the power into it cant power/charge the device, only provide power to the peripherals. The onn doesnt have a battery so it has to be powered by usb. The one I have can power the onn, but peripherals plugged in show no sign of life.

[dancytron]

I know the "OTG" is different than regular usb hub/cable. Not sure about the power input.

I'll find out when mine gets here.

edit: I ended up getting one of these

I don't want to put ebay links on the board, so I dm'd it to you.

otgCable.jpg (61.78 KiB) Viewed 3822 times

[mouldy]

Thanks. I may wait to see how it works out for you, though this is cheapest I have seen one of these. And dont have to even wait for that slow boat from China.

[dancytron]

I usually regret super cheap ebay purchases. If it doesn't work, I'll pay full rate for one from adafruit or microcenter as punishment.

[mouldy]

Actually most cheapo Chinese stuff works at least for short time. But then wiring or plastic used fails. Drives me a bit crazy when something fails cause manufacturer cheaped out and it wouldnt have cost that much more to use higher quality components. But seems nothing is made to last very long anymore, just long enough it doesnt keep customer from rebuying the brand in the future.

[dancytron]

I've gotten it and set it up with an old Samsung syncmaster monitor with a hdmi to dvi cable and a blue tooth speaker without a problem. Hooked up to my network and updated with no problems at all. The remote is usable. It already had a file manager that scanned for and found my samba shares, which I've never seen on any other android tv box/stick.

As an android box, it's far, far superior to the roku, amazon fire sticks and bargain basement smart TV's I've seen.

I don't have the otg cable yet, so I'm going to just use it as a TV while I wait for that. Still need to test the voice control, which will hopefully be useful for my mom.

Well worth $20 if you are looking for an android box or hate the OS of your smart TV.

edit: Well, the file manager is crippled without paying a subscription and will need to be replaced. It can't even bookmark things. I use an older version of ES File Explorer (older for fewer ads) on my phones. I'll see how that works.

They want a subscription for the http file server with app "Wifi File Explorer" too, which is a trial with a limited number of downloads. Too bad because it worked great.

It works on the old Samsung 1280x1024 screen, but the video is smooshed and the only choices in settings are standard TV resolutions. I'm not going to bother to try to fix this since the end use is my mom's HD TV.

The voice search function works great so far.

[mouldy]

Did you try connecting a mouse/keyboard to it? But yea thats cool that it works that well.

Sorry, you said you hadnt got the otg cable yet. I am curious how that works with it.

[dancytron]

OTG cable has arrived.

Initial testing:

1. Just otg cable, power supply that came with Android Box, and old keyboard. Booted up and recognized the keyboard without any issue.
2. OTG cable into very old powered usb hub, power into OTG cable with power supply that came Android Box, and old keyboard into the hub. Booted up and recognized the keyboard.
3. No otg cable, just powered hub and keyboard. The hub backpowered the Android Box, but it didn't see the keyboard.

I didn't really test it, but it didn't seem to hotswap. I think I had to reboot to get it to see the keyboard.

I'll try to work on it some more this weekend.

Dan

edit: I tested it with my cell phone and the otg cable/powered hub combo to see if it would see the keyboard and if it would charge. The moment I plugged it in, my phone force rebooted and when it finished, the keyboard worked with my phone but it didn't charge.

edit again: don't hook it up to your phone while it's on. It's messed up my battery calibration. I'm pretty sure it will reset if I run it down all the way and recharge it. I'll post here if it doesn't and I messed it up.

[dancytron]

I finished with it and gave it to my mom for her TV.

I ended up doing a pretty minimal mod of the software. I disabled or uninstalled all the streaming media type apps except for Netflix and youtube. I didn't root it or install the custom recovery. I didn't end up doing the additional storage hack either.

I did the stuff on this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV0OzrP ... WL&index=1 minus the setting up of the additional disk storage, which I didn't need for her.

The youtube video author (https://troypoint.com) has a set of utilities that make the sideloading etc to get rid of the default applications easy. It also includes an adb host app so you can do adb from an app on the android box instead of hooking it to a computer. He's got something to sell because [android] but other than ads for his own software (vpn software), there didn't seem to be any spam. It gives you an easy to configure very simple front end with zero ads and a little mini repo of useful apps including multiple versions of KODI. If it was on my phone with my bank app, etc I'd probably uninstall it and only reinstall it when I want to use it out of paranoia, but for a tv it's fine.

To deal with playing media over the network from the hard drive hooked to her router, I just installed vlc. It saw the network share and I just bookmarked the folders. Easy.

Speedwise, the performance is excellent.

Can you make a computer out of it? It didn't have any problem seeing the keyboard with the OTG cable and powered hub. I'm pretty sure you could if you really needed a $20 computer that would run off of a 5 volt 1 amp phone charger and you couldn't get a Raspberry Pi it would be usable.

Out of the box, it's better than the Roku and Amazon advertising sticks and smart tv's I've seen. Without too much effort, you can take the rest of the garbage and advertising off of it and install a configurable launcher, which is impossible without serious hacking on the Amazon and Roku sticks.

If you've got a Roku type smart TV that is slow and a pia to use, then it's a major improvement. If I was travelling for work again, I'd get one to plug into the back of hotel room TV's for sure. I own 4 computers already (low for many on this board ) and I just don't really have a personal IRL use for one right now.

edit: if you aren't feeling the love for Troypoint.com, here are the apps that I installed using his front end. I'm sure you could google them, download the .apk files, and sideload them manually with adb or otherwise. The key to an ad free experience is getting Wolf Launcher (or other custom launcher) going instead of the default Google launcher.

-downloader (from play store)
-Remote ADB Shell App
-Wolf Launcher
-Launch Manager for Android TV
-Sideload launcher
-Fast task killer
-vlc

[mouldy]

I know the "OTG" is different than regular usb hub/cable. Not sure about the power input.

I'll find out when mine gets here.

edit: I ended up getting one of these

I don't want to put ebay links on the board, so I dm'd it to you.

otgCable.jpg

I got mine. Did quick test and yea the mouse cursor showed up on onn screen. It didnt interact with everything, but then android designed for touchscreen not mice. Didnt play any with it beyond that. But wanted to make sure I got good cable cause that other powered hub that cost more didnt work. Oh and tried it on cell phone, nope, didnt work at all. I can create a hotspot in linux to then connect the onn, but Easytether has "tablet app" to supposedly tether to their phone app via usb to share phone data connection. So thought that would be interesting. Then install some sort of browser and see if I can surf with it. Small steps, have no real use for the onn as tv box. Nor as computer really, have pile old computers setting around, but like to see what it could do as a new $20 computer.... 2GB RAM and running android 10, it should have enough power to do basic stuff. Still for its size and price, kinda amazing it runs at all.

[dancytron]

If I had to put 20-100 people online for news, weather, email, and video with voice control for as little money and work as possible, the $20 box and a pawn shop TV for $30-$40 would do the trick.

That's a pretty powerful thing when you think about it, especially if you could get it working with a cheap webcam.

[Clarity]

Hello @dancytron or @mouldy: IFF you have one, could either of you plug a USB webcam ONN your unit?

It appears, like my LG & Hisense TVs, the USB camera works OOTB for video calls via DUO. I would imagine that Google Lens works to convert a camera document into a text file, as well, for a simple scanner use (same as is done on Android phones).

Thanks in advance, if you can test on your end.

[dancytron]

I don't really have access to mine anymore. It's at my mom's house hooked up to her TV.

[mouldy]

Never much into web cams. I have an old $2 usb webcam somewhere. I got it working in linux using one of the apps at some point, but not sure where its at now, in some box of old electronic bits and pieces I suspect. It was more of an experiment than something I had intentions of using. I cant even remember if it was color or not. Very low resolution and seems like it made these monochrome images with a yellowish tint. Perfect if somebody tries to rope you into participating in some video call. Anybody insisting on such deserves bit suffering.

Anyway if I find it, will plug it in and see what it does, wouldnt expect much if anything.

[dancytron]

One other thing I forgot to mention.

When I factory reset it to fix up for mom after experimenting, none of the trialware that was on it originally came back, so plan for that.

[wizard]

@mouldy
@dancytron
@Clarity

Thanks to all of you for this posting. I was intrigued by this device so got one and it is more than worth the $20 US. As a long time Chromecast user this is an improvement over both it and the builtin smart-tv interface on my only smart-tv. Dancytron was correct about the FX (included file manager) limited time SMB network capability. I tried "File Commander", but free version kept pushing it's upgrade every few clicks, waste of time. Installed the free X-plore file manager from the play store and it works well to access my network shares. I was also able to pair a cheap mini USB keyboard/touchpad with it. Takes some experimenting to find out how the keys/touchpad reacts, but makes setup easier than the virtual keyboard. I was also able to pair a cheap USB speaker and was pleasantly surprised that the audio/video sync was perfect.

Thanks
wizard

[bigpup]

There is also a different one that is a stick that plugs into a HDMI port.
If your TV has a USB port, it can be powered from it and do not need to use power adapter, that plugs into wall power.
(the 4K one could probably be powered from a USB port too, but it does not come with the needed USB cable, this one has)
The small HDMI cable is for HDMI ports that do not provide enough room for the stick to fit.
I had that issue on my TV. The HDMI ports were very close, to the side of the indentation of the TV back cover, they are in.
.

Screenshot(4).jpg (41.11 KiB) Viewed 3557 times

.
It is 2K but it is $5 less in price than the 4K one.

Seems to be the same other than being 2K and not 4K and has no voice control

[Clarity]

Over the years, I have added the following network aware file-managers to each of the following within the home "smart" units for info transfer and multimedia access on my smart TV: namely firestick, Chromecast, AndroidTV, WebOS, Google TV:

• ES - my very first and only paid app

• Kodi

• VLC

• Solid Explorer

• MxPlayer

• Network Browser

And I use the TV for various uses for multimedia and file management on my home LAN. None of them offer trouble in use for file management in to/out of the running system(s).

They, ALL, have gotten so much better over the past year, in their network behavior, on each platform they are installed.

I have one stick unit (cannot remember if its Firestick or Chromecast) which allows "wired" ethernet via its power-cable. Done a couple years ago and I'll need to move that TV to see behind to indicate which.

Am currently reviewing how to integrate camera use and which cameras integrate with the differing units as they can be USB connected as well as LAN connected.

When and IFF the ChromeOS's file-manager is either present or side-loadable, I will add it as the preferred for 3 of the 6 mentioned for file manipulation, file exchanges, file sharing, and streaming.

[Clarity]

Update to this technology to TV use in every home

I recently have a TV that is using Google's TV OS; there are 2: AndroidTV & GoogleTV.

The ONN uses AndroidTV, while my TV uses GoogleTV. I added a USB camera and can now make video calls with family using the TV. It was too dumb-easy. The ONLY need for this is the Google DUO app to the GoogleTV OS via the PlayStore.

On a note specific to ONN (which this thread was opened to discuss)
Today, I found another gem for those who have TV boxes which use either of these TV OSes. It is a video which guides a consideration to increase and use additional storage which most certainly is needed by ALL of these cheap solutions that are either built-in or HDMI connected to OSes. It is here and can easily be followed. (For me, I merely run the video on my phone simultaneous to making its recommended steps on the TV/box to take advantage of its beneficial addition to the TV OS.)

It is here and talks specifically about this thread's topic device, it you want to view it. (BUT, its directions is generally applicable to ANY/ALL Android TV units)

FYI

[Clarity]

True!

But for those that do have these TV units from everyone from Apple to Google and the many aftermarket manufactures of these units, any user can plug additional storage via the TV unit's USB connection. Doing so, each will need to move apps from the main storage to the 'plugged' storage to free up space for the OS to operate. Your unit may allow you to connect a USB hub such that you can connect your camera as well a plugged storage to the TV unit. (in my tests, I have found that some hubs work and some dont; while it doesn't matter if the hub is USB2 or USB3.X)

Today, 2023, I am finding that with internet changes and app changes being what it now is, we may need to consider upgrading to newer units with faster processors and RAM.

FYI