Tag Archives: GoogleTv

Google is reportedly working with Vizio on Cast-ready TVs

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Google has tried reworking Google TV into Android TV, but we're still not seeing the platform embedded in many more new TVs that were announced at launch. Now, according to a report from Variety, the company could try convincing manufacturers to buil...

BRAVIA Smart Stick costs $149, adds Google TV experience to Sony’s TVs

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BRAVIA Smart Stick costs $149, adds Google TV experience to Sony's TVs

After appearances in early FCC leaks and a quick preview this weekend, Sony has officially announced its next Google TV device, the BRAVIA Smart Stick. We already knew the MHL and USB connected dongle would only work with Sony's 2013 or later HDTVs, and its functionally similar to the company's previous Google TV boxes so what's left? Sony has revealed that the NSZ-GU1 carries a $149.99 pricetag and a bit more about the product's strategy. This stick doesn't replace the TV's built-in smart features, the UI is built so it "seamlessly integrates Google and Sony's own BRAVIA apps, allowing viewers to stay in a single menu to launch any of their apps." That also means owners don't have to switch inputs to access live TV thanks to the HDMI passthrough, and should offer quick access to BRAVIA apps not on Google TV like Hulu Plus. The downside? Its limited compatibility means it's no Apple TV or Roku alternative, and until software updates arrive it's not a replacement for Google's popular and cheap Chromecast HDMI dongle. If you have / plan to buy a new Sony HDTV and are interested in living the GTV lifestyle, you should find it at Sony Stores and "select retailers", although we couldn't locate one online (yet) after a brief search.

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Source: Sony Blog

Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick revealed, it’s Google TV in a Chromecast-looking dongle

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Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick MHL dongle revealed with Google TV and Sony apps

The Sony NSZ-GU1 Google TV device we've seen pop up in FCC filings has been at least partially revealed today, and it's called the Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick. The blog post doesn't specifically mention any Chromecast-style features, but it is an MHL dongle that runs both Google TV and Sony's own BRAVIA apps. The features are just like Google TV boxes Sony has released before, with a remote (that the FCC filings showed is at least similar to the previous ones) that has QWERTY and voice search support. Additionally, its "picture-and-picture" feature lets users see a browser in one window and TV in another. Since it's a true Google TV device it can install and run Android apps from the Play Store, but any other details will have to wait until it's officially announced on Sunday (the truly dedicated can dig into the source code, linked after the break). Of course this does leave one other question: Now that app support is available as a simple plug-in dongle, does that mean Sony is going to ship plain-jane HDTVs and leave the "smart" features for add-on accessories like this one?

Update: @CJ_000 points out the web-based instruction manual is up on Sony's site, and should answer most questions about how it works. It also lists the pre-installed apps, and at least so far, Hulu Plus is not among them. We're not seeing any DIAL-related features available to start with, so now we really want to know when it will be available, will it work with TVs other than Sony and how much will it cost?

Update 2: Reader Bryan points out a page in the manual that confirms this accessory is only for 2013 model year (and later) Sony HDTVs.

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Source: Sony Blog

Sony’s first post-Chromecast Google TV device is a dongle, not a set-top box

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Sony's first postChromecast Google TV device is a dongle, not a settop box

We first got a whiff of Sony's NSZ-GU1 earlier this month from an FCC filing, and now the folks at GTVHacker point out those documents have been updated with more info and pictures. The first new Google TV hardware seen since the $35 Chromecast dongle launched, this device appears to be a blend of the two. A key difference revealed from the pictures however, is an odd stepped design, with the MHL/HDMI port protruding from the bottom of the box. The brief user manual included in the filing may explain this however, as it can draw power via that MHL output and the USB connection to a BRAVIA TV. A tiny diagram in the truncated user manual shows it plugged into the side of a TV like the Chromecast or Roku Streaming Stick. If you're wondering about the PS4 -- yes, we looked, but there's no indication it's meant to work directly with the upcoming console.

Like previous Google TV devices, it brings HDMI passthrough to the table along with an IR blaster, remote diagrams (in a separate filing) look similar to the one included with the NSZ-GS7 and GS8. Inside is a low power Marvell DE3108 SoC, 8GB of flash memory and 1GB RAM, however the specs indicate it's limited to 720p video output. As GTVHacker put it, the entire thing is similar to the Chromecast but with Google TV features. What remains to be seen is when it arrives, how much it costs, and what software tweaks Google and Sony can cook up to make this generation of Android-powered smart TVs more appealing.%Gallery-slideshow76478%

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Via: CJ Heres (Twitter)

Source: FCC (1), (2)

Enblink turns any Google TV device into a home automation control center

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Enblink turns any Google TV device into a home automation control center

Meet Enblink: a dongle that plugs into any Google TV device and turns it into a home automation control hub. Enblink works with any Z-Wave enabled gadget, from door locks and lamps to security sensors and video cameras. The dongle itself will serve as a Z-Wave radio (once it's passed through the Z-Wave certification process) when plugged into your GTV device of choice. From there, its software runs atop GTV's Android underpinnings and leverages the device's CPU to control the locks and lights in your abode. A companion app for Android turns your phone into a remote control and monitor for appliances hooked into the Enblink system, plus there's an iOS app currently in development. Input from mobile devices goes through Amazon Web Services, which relays commands to the dongle to execute your bidding from afar.

It's up for pre-order right now for $85, with the price rising to $99 when it officially goes on sale sometime in the next month or two. Of course, if you're streaming video to your mobile device, there's an ongoing fee (of undetermined cost) for the privilege once you've used up your free allotment of 30 seconds of streaming per day. Regardless, by leveraging existing GTV hardware and AWS to do the lifting on the backend, Enblink is a fraction of the cost of many purpose-built home automation base stations. So if you're a home automation geek that counts yourself among those very few with a Google TV and a slew of Z-Wave toasters, locks and light bulbs, your ship has, at long last, come in.

Update: We snagged some rendered screenshots of the TV and mobile UI, check 'em out after the break.

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Source: Enblink

Sony NSZ-GU1 FCC filing hints at a post-Chromecast Google TV

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Sony NSZGU1 FCC filing hints at a postChromecast Google TV followup

We already heard from Google that it will press forward with its Google TV ambitions along with the new Chromecast dongle, and this FCC filing for a Sony device may reveal what the future holds. Dug up by GTVHacker team member cj_000, the NSZ-GU1 internet player has a model number that follows all of Sony's previous Google TV set-top boxes (NSZ-GT1, NSZ-GS7 and most recently the NSZ-GS8), so there's little doubt about which family it belongs to but there are other questions. Unlike Sony's previous Google TV hardware it actually has an FCC filing, dated June 20th and credited to manufacturer Wistron, and it comes with a USB cable. The notes also show a test layout (after the break) suspiciously similar to the one found in Google's FCC documents for the H2G2-42 Chromecast.

Does this mean it's a Sony-branded Chromecast device? While it's possible, there are a few differences that suggest it isn't. The NSZ-GU1 has an IR blaster like other Google TV boxes, and Bluetooth where the Chromecast doesn't include either. The power adapter it's tested with also could be overkill for a simple dongle-like device, but its input rating is very similar to what's listed on the MST3K power adapter that shipped with the Chromecast. We couldn't find any other information to base a final decision on (update: other than a hit on the A1: Dev SD benchmark), hit the source link to take a peek at the filing for yourself and see if there are any clues we may have missed.

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Source: FCC, CJ Heres (Twitter)

Chromecast bootloader exploit surfaces, opens up plenty of possibilities (video)

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Chromecast bootloader exploit surfaces, opens up plenty of possibilities video

"Give it time." It's something many mums have uttered to their frustrated youth, and it's something that's also uttered amongst the hacker crowd each time a new device emerges. In the case of Google's $35 Chromecast, it took but a couple of days for the HDMI streaming stick to be exploited. Granted, Google's never been one to keep its biggest software projects under lock and key, but for those looking to tinker a bit with their new toy, GTVHacker has the goods. The exploit package has thus far been used to confirm that the software within is not Chrome OS -- it's described by the aforesaid site as "a modified Google TV release, but with all of the Bionic / Dalvik stripped out and replaced with a single binary for Chromecast." Those interested in giving it a go themselves can test their luck here, while the timid among us can hop on past the break for a video.

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Source: GTVHacker

Google TV getting Chromecast support in a future update

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Google TV getting Chromecast support in a future update

In the wake of the Chromecast announcement yesterday, some Google TV owners began to worry that Mountain View was taking a different approach to its smart TV business. But those fears were evidently unfounded, as the company's own Warren Rehman confirmed on his Google+ page that not only is Google TV alive and well, but it'll soon support Google's new HDMI streaming dongle. While we don't have an exact date on when Google TV will get the upgrade that introduces Chromecast functionality, we'll keep you posted as we learn more.

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Via: Android Police

Source: Warren Rehman (Google+)

Plex for Google TV refreshed with dynamic layout, more big screen love

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Plex for Google TV updated, brings more large screen love

After launching a brand new Android app, Plex is now giving its Google TV app more room to roam inside your HDTV. An update allows you to dynamically switch your layout to a "TV style" to better take advantage of your flat panel's extra breadth, even if you're running it from an Android smartphone instead (which you totally can). PlexPass subscribers can sideload the app to Google TV or any other Android device via an APK now, and a new Google TV app will arrive on Play within a week. So, if you've already got the pixels but need more screen acreage, check the source.

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Source: Plex

PlayOn bringing Aereo to game consoles, Android and Google TV in three cities on July 10 (update)

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Aereo headed to game consoles, Android and Google TV via PlayOn in three cities on July 10

Aereo's streaming television service is coming to your game console of choice as well as Google TV and Android devices starting on July 10th. The service kicks off in New York City, Boston and Atlanta on July 10th, with 20 more cities planned for expansion this year (including major locations like Baltimore, Chicago and Philadelphia). It won't arrive in the form of a standalone app, however -- the service is launching through an existing channel: PlayOn. Live TV fans who want to cut their cable cord can access Aereo with PlayOn by using their PC to get things set up; you'll also need an $8-a-month Aereo subscription to access the 60-plus live TV channels available. Oh, and a PlayOn subscription ($50 for life or $25 / year). Nothing quite says "simplicity" like a puzzle of subscription plans!

Update: Aereo emailed us to say, "Aereo has no business relationship with PlayOn." Apparently PlayOn's announcement this morning came without any heads up to the folks at Aereo, and it's unclear just how well Aereo's service will work using PlayOn. We've reached out to PlayOn for a statement as well, though we've yet to hear back.

Update 2: PlayOn got back to us with the following statement: "PlayOn does not have an official relationship with Aereo, just as we don't have official relationships with most of the channels we support. PlayOn is an award-winning software product that runs in the background on your PC and allows you to then stream content from supported sites to your set-top boxes (such as Roku), gaming consoles, and/or mobile devices. It is a solution that does not require a relationship with content providers as all PlayOn does is shift which screen you are using to watch content which is, for free or via a subscription, already made available to you through your PC Browser. To utilize PlayOn's Aereo channel users still need an Aereo subscription and to live in one of Aereo's coverage areas."

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