Cutting Cable

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Cutting Cable

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

I'm trying to find out what the best hardware / software combo is out there to use for my streaming needs. Basically I want to get rid of all the Amazon products in the house as Alexa stuff has been exceedingly intrusive over the past year and its time for it all to go.

I have a fire cube streaming to our 4k living room TV and it's on an ethernet connection. I have a few other old fire sticks on a guest room tv and a tv in my office/gym but less worried about replacing those this second. I also have a NAS and a separate Plex media server on the network.

I'd like some hardware / software that can accommodate the following:
1. Stream from my plex server, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon video, Disney+ and allow for some kind of ad-blocked Youtube app. I'm using SmarthomeTV or whatever on the Fire cube right now and its been good.
2. Be able to attach to ethernet and HDMI.
3. Have a way to accommodate or come with a remote.

I am open to building up some kind of microPC or modify / sideload onto stuff. Mostly just want to not have ads and as little intrusive stuff involved and just play media from the apps I use.

I have a PiHole on the network also, but it doesn't seem to block youtube ads well in any of my non PC devices.

What should I be looking for?

# ¿ Dec 10, 2022 16:36

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# ¿ May 5, 2024 15:03

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

FCKGW posted:

AppleTV IMO

Blocking Youtube ads is not gonna happen though

Bonzo posted:

Get an nVidia Shield. You can easily download different launchers from the Play store so you don't see ads on the homescreen. Sideload SmartTube and you won't get Youtube ads

Thanks. Any concerns or issues with the Shield to be aware of, specific versions to avoid or prefer etc?

# ¿ Dec 10, 2022 19:12

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

Silly Burrito posted:

The Chromecast 4K I bought can do this, and I'm doing exactly what you're trying to do with Youtube. I do have a powered USB-C adapter that also has Ethernet, and it works with no issues and it comes with a remote. I swapped the launcher out and it's been working beautifully so far. So does my Onn streaming box, for that matter.

I have two Shields and they're great, but mine are starting to get a bit flaky after five years.

Thanks! Can you point me at the right direction to learn more about swapping the launcher out/ what that entails? Also how intrusive is the voice activation stuff/ can I completely disable it? Big part of why I am ditching all the Echo devices is because they are far more actively engaging than they did a year or two back.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2022 15:33

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

Silly Burrito posted:

This is what I used with FLauncher:

https://gitlab.com/flauncher/flauncher#set-flauncher-as-default-launcher

I used ADBLink (http://jocala.com) to make the ADB connection and disable the default launcher.

This page gives you sort of an idea of what you'll see step by step: https://www.techdoctoruk.com/tutorials/use-custom-launcher-on-chromecast-with-google-tv/ (such as enabling developer options so that you can actually do the steps above). I cobbled it together with other searches like this:https://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/s96moi/how_to_connect_to_ccwgtv_via_adb_using_only_wifi/, but if you stick with ADBLink and FLauncher, it was fairly easy and you won't need that reddit link, it's more of a long way to get to the same place.

If that doesn't make sense, just let me know. As far as disabling voice, that's in the main settings (https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7320960?hl=en), but I haven't done it personally. Should be fairly easy to do so though.

Awesome thanks! I think I can get it going with all of the above but will send you a PM or something if I get totally lost. Seems like something I am capable of at least.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2022 17:13

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

Bonzo posted:

I have Alexa devices and could give two shits if Bezos wants to hear my boring rear end. Wouldn't Google just be the same? Just look at how they've ramped up YT ads.

Thus asking if the feature can be disabled and how I can side load apps onto it that block those ads

# ¿ Dec 11, 2022 17:57

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

wandler20 posted:

This will be $5 in a year too.

https://twitter.com/engadget/status/1705180389273219438?s=20

lol good maybe this will finally convince my wife we dont need to keep paying for prime

# ¿ Sep 22, 2023 14:51

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

Fozzy The Bear posted:

Same, it was crazy how much worse shopping on amazon is without Prime. It goes from free 1-2 day shipping, to 10-14 days. At that point I'm much more motivated to just get in my car and go to a physical store.

So for me even pre covid �free 1-2 day� shipping often ends up being �say it will be 2 days then shows up in 4-5� more often than not.

We largely switched to having everything delivered only on Tuesday and ends up still having 1-2 items arrive on Tue and everything else showing up over the rest of the week, even if they were ordered 4-5 days before Tuesday. I find the 1-2 day shipping to be the exception now and not the norm.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2023 16:23

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

MarcusSA posted:

It�s not even good 4K.

How's that? (I genuinely don't know / rarely watch anything in 4k)

# ¿ Oct 19, 2023 20:34

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# ¿ May 5, 2024 15:03

That Works: Jul 22, 2006; Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy

EL BROMANCE posted:

This is why the only true option is to steal everything until they put out a product that is better.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 23:09

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Cutting Cable