im using a chromecast right now and i want a similar experience to that, just more privacy friendly
although i have set up a google account just for my chromecast with its own email, it still doesn’t feel like its enough
im in the eu btw
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There are a few options.
- A repurposed PC or SBC running LibreELEC (which uses Kodi as its interface and sole application). If you plan on using Kodi, don’t mind messing with Kodi addons, and don’t need Dolby Vision or HDR10+ support, this is a great option. HDR10 should be supported just fine, though.
- A repurposed PC or SBC running a Linux distro with Plasma Bigscreen. Note that Plasma Bigscreen is still in beta and the app ecosystem is not very usable at the moment. This option also does not support Dolby Vision or HDR10+ (though it does support HDR10).
- A streaming box or SBC running the Android TV version of LineageOS without Google services installed. This will probably give you the most flexability and would be my preference. Some options will also give you compatibility with HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+ depending on hardware. This is my preference at the moment because it has the most robust ecosystem currently, at least until Plasma Bigscreen and Linux on TV becomes more robust. I use SmartTube for YouTube and Nuvio for TV and Movies, though Kodi and Jellyfin are also available depending on your preference.
didn’t know you could put lineage on a tv box but it sounds really good!!!
Kodi with the jellycon add-on, does require a jellyfin setup though.
If you dont mind live TV that is. While possible on kodi it is a bit more work.
It’s appletv unless you’re willing to use a custom sbc with a taped together third party android version.
I don’t recommend the latter option because it fucking sucks and you seem like a psycho to others who may use it or watch stuff with you.
You can just host jellyfin from your pc (or a server in your closet) if you wanna get away from streaming services and it works good with either option.
I want to be clear as day that you cannot get a privacy friendly experience from any Android streaming device unless you load it yourself and make sure it’s something like the lineageos Android tv stuff linked by another user.
It’s probably worth it for you to put into words what you’re trying to accomplish, being as clear and explicit as possible.
Why not Linux?
im mainly trynna watch something like smarttube (youtube ykyk), jellyfin and some streaming services
There are a bunch of tvos smart tube apps in the store for free but I’d just build the client on github and load it.
Even on the most locked down device the qos involved in streaming gives enough information to track you. If your goal is to block ads that’s no problem but just bear in mind the feed isn’t one way, your device communicates back to the source to negotiate bitrates and buffers and that’s enough to do some very accurate measurements especially with a side channel of normal https communication in the mix which they all have.
It sounds like you just want to block ads and there’s nothing wrong with that, I just don’t want to lead you into thinking you’re actually in any way private when streaming. Every service is actively collecting as much information as they can in the process of sending you video.
Anyway don’t read any of that just try out the appletv and if you end up not liking it you can easily sell it to someone for 90% of what you paid.
my brother actually wants an apple tv and/or my family’s tv needs a tv box just in general so that could work
and i don’t really care that streaming serviced collect my data (i mean i would like them to not but im “fine” with it)
i thought that sideloading apps like smarttube on apple tvs was pretty hard, and thats mainly why i didn’t really want one, but if i can use something like smarttube then maybe ill give it a try
You have to take some extra steps, it’s not just “click button -> success”, but it’s not too hard.
Perhaps you’re the target audience for the many unofficial smarttube apps in the tvOS store.
im fine with sideloading and stuff, i use linux (arch btw (endeavouros but i want to larp as an arch user)) ykykykykykykykykykyukykykykykykyklykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykykyykykykykykyukykykyykykykykykykykykykykyuklykykiykykykykykyk
Building and loading your own apps for tvOS isn’t hard but the instructions are always written for Xcode in its native environment (macos, formerly osx of xcode fame). You may have no problem setting up a vm for that, already have some device that runs macos natively or run into an infinite amount of roadblocks that you can’t surpass.
In the last case be careful what insane unofficial smarttube app you settle on.
You could also, and I wasn’t able to come up with a better way to put this because I’m not very smart so apologies if it seems like an attack, not watch youtube on the tv.
youtube is like the only thing i watch so giving it up is a big deal, and all of the other stuff you said is basically nonsense to me 🥹
2nd hand mini PC running Linux?
https://plasma-bigscreen.org/ looks nice, though I haven’t used it.I can’t speak from personal experience, but I’d suggest looking into Kodi. It’s an open source OS designed for DIY stream boxes, meaning I believe you would need to install it on a mini PC or similar. Since I haven’t used it myself, I can’t provide you much specific advice on it, but depending on your use cases, it might be worth a shot.
What’s the benefits of this over jellyfin?
Kodi is more of an OS, whereas Jellyfin is an app. I believe Jellyfin is available on Kodi. I mentioned Kodi b/c OP mentioned wanting to replace their chromecast.
Something (Raspberry PI, old computer, whatever) on Linux with jellyfin and Kodi (you can launch Jellyfin from Kodi with a controller).
i feel like a good thing would be a linux machine thats just easy to use with a remote, like watching youtube and stuff like its on a tv
Surprised nobody mentioned roku
I haven’t used it in a decade, but wasn’t this the intention of the roku project?
Roku is the antithesis of privacy and is now, or soon will be, owned by fox.
Isn’t it open source tho? I don’t understand why we don’t have a fork that’s not evil
It is decidedly closed source
I tried finding the same thing recently. The best I have found is a device running legion OS. It has critics about bit being perfect, but comparatively it’s a lot more privacy focused.
My current solution is also a mini pc behind the TV. Set up a script to shut down the computer after x minutes and use the TV timer when I’m watching too late. It works but it’s cumbersome.
There is a guy making LineageOS Android TV builds for Raspberry Pi and other devices.
Its quite nice on a pi5. Paired it running VPN, and control d private dns (set using adb) for tracker/ad blocking. Side note, over 50% blocking shows how much spyware crap going on with tv apps. Add in a cheap Bluetooth air mouse and its very workable & solid.
For clarity, I only run Pluto TV, tubi, pipepipe and Fred TV. And its NOT for those looking for the smoothest experience, may not be family friendly . But been using a few years now, couldn’t be happier
There’s no such thing, unfortunately
Kodi. Why just stream when you can have movies/TV, IPTV, games, Podcasts, youtube, BandCamp, Mixcloud, weather, etc… I’m pretty sure there are addons for Netflix and that kind of proprietary stuff for people with accounts.
I recommend compiling from source for latest/fastest. It can be a project to set everything up, but I’ve been loving mine since I got it rolling.
I’m using a Flirc too. Highly recommend.
If you are looking specifically at commercial ones only, I read that AppleTV is the least evil. https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/apple-tv-4k-is-still-the-best-streaming-box-when-it-comes-to-privacy
Obviously there are better opensource options out there.
On the spectrum of convenience vs privacy I think this is closest to the sweet spot on the side of convenience. Use a commercial “monitor” (TV that doesn’t require smart features to work). The closest to the middle on the side of privacy is setting a PC up with your TV logged in to all your streaming services.
There are some android TV devices that you can run LineageOS on which is what I do. But they are few and far between, and require specific firmware versions which makes it pretty impractical. I have used a Raspberry Pi with LibreELEC before as a frontend for Jellyfin and that worked decently well.
My dream is for Plasma Bigscreen to be supported well enough that I can just use a standard Linux machine for my TV, and there are tons of options in that ecosystem for casting, airplay, etc. But last time I tested it the issues were too numerous to ignore, specifically around application stability and UI navigation
That Chromecast watches every damned thing you do down to the last click. I’m using the same thing and have maybe 50 or so rule blocks for it on the PI hole. I was thinking of making a generic Android tv box from scratch. Hell you wouldn’t need more than a used nuk or mini pc and a drive. Everything else you can setup how you like including adding plugins to help de- Google and get some privacy back with YouTube . Course the cost of that has gone up a lot since I planned. Try the Nvidia Shield Pro if you want a lot more power and less stuttering. It’s at least not made by Google.
FYI, the Nvidia Shield can run LineageOS. it’s great!
Debian
