After spending the last few days, tinkering and trying to put together an HTPC for my family, I wasn’t able to get a smooth enough experience to match even our old, ad-filled, laggy, Roku. In particular, every streaming service I tried needed to be controlled almost exclusively by mouse, as everything has been reduced to electron apps/websites with little-to-no keyboard or controller navigation support. As such, I’m looking for other options, although considering how quickly these platforms change and how outdated a lot of the information available on them is its hard to single out the best options.
In particular, I’m looking to be able to:
- Use Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Ideally other services too, since we tend to juggle subscriptions.
- Control it with a remote, controller, or similarly simple device
- Be able to cast to it from a phone
Does anyone have much experience with options for this - esspecially if you’ve tried multiple and can compare?
I am using a Chromecast ultra 4k and I replaced the launcher with one which doesn’t shown anything but the apps I want it to show in a grid: FLauncher
And then I can use it with the remote as usual for Netflix and all the other apps. It’s quite nice doesn’t stutter or anything.
I also replaced the YouTube app with the SmartTube one to get rid of sponsors and advertisements in videos.
Does your FLancher start up by default? I have a similar setup on a Shield, and the home button does go to FL. But whenever it comes out of standby it still goes into the Google launcher with ads on it…
Yes it does because as far as I remember I disabled the default launcher with help of adb: https://www.gearrice.com/update/how-to-change-launcher-on-android-tv-and-which-ones-are-the-best/
To OP though, be careful doing this, you might soft lock yourself out of the OS
Nvidia Shields are another option, and there are some Bluetooth keyboards with trackpad that could work for these options + the PC
What I’d love to see is a Wii remote style interface. It would be much easier than trying to snake your way over to the thing you want to select
I have a shield connected to a projector through an av receiver. I love the setup for its audio visual fidelity, but I love the simplicity of operation almost as much. The shield remote turns everything on and off and handles all my streaming services + steam link flawlessly. Wonderful user experience.
A computer hooked up to a projector/other display. Smart TVs are an absolutely terrible investment into a locked down proprietary ecosystem you have no control over.
Also, going with a computer+projector is significantly more affordable.
I mean, If I wanted to be controlling everything with a mouse, I’d just sit at my desk. Unfortunately every other input method has near-zero support on PC at this point, even for a lot of the more open seas options. Kodi with a paid, illegal service was basically the only option I found, and I’d really rather not go down that route, esspecially when handing off this device to less tech-savvy family.
I use a flirc ir receiver in a RPI. Use any remote and bind the buttons to keys to set it up then go. I set mine up about ten years ago and still use the same setup even though I upgraded the pi.
That’s a fair criticism, especially if you want to limit what media your kids are consuming. We’ve got a setup like I described above in our house but we’re both tech literate so being able to use a proxy server to access South Korean Netflix is an advantage to us.
There do exist media focused keyboards (even partial keyboards without a functioning keyset) to control play/pause, volume etc - but a lot of the streaming services don’t have good UIs on PC unless you’re willing to use a mouse.
Get the android app “Unified Remote”. Works perfectly, and you’ll have several options, from cursor control to buttons programmed with hotkeys.
Man you can get a 60" TV for like $300
You pay for it in the data they collect from you and the ads they show to you.
Don’t connect it to the Internet.
Sony Bravia, not connected to any network, running in Pro Mode so it’s “just a TV”
Then a PC running plex and the arrs to substitute the streaming services.
I didn’t get into self hosting until after Plex jumped the shark so any time someone recommends it I assume it’s purely legacy.
I have an analogue/digital crossover era Bravia which is literally what a TV should be so it’s good to hear about Pro mode if I ever want to up to 4k.
What’s arrs?
Sonarr, lidarr and radarr are used to grab content
Ive used a ps4 successfully. Works on any tv.
Does anyone know how much tracking consoles do?
Not in scope.
I have been using an Android XiaomiTV, with SmartTube and Jellyfin, Netflix and Prime. I do have a pihole, though.
An Apple TV actually fits this use case pretty well. Being Apple most providers will have native apps available for the device (they definitely have Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+), it comes with a remote but supports using other infrared remotes (you can train it to recognise specific buttons so doesn’t matter what remote you use), and you can also control it from your phone (it works natively for iOS but there are Android apps that can do it too).
For casting, if you use Apple devices it’s easy with AirPlay. If you use Android devices there are apps you can get that support Chromecast, however haven’t ever used them personally so can’t comment on their effectiveness.
And to date Apple haven’t put ads into the tvOS interface. It’s basically a grid of apps and you just open the one you want to watch. It’s been our primary TV device for years now, and is simple enough to use that even my 60 something tech adverse mum likes using it.
For me, that’s a no.
It took me far too long to cancel my account last time. I specifically am never going back because it was such a maze to actually get canceled.
They’ll never notice I’ve left as I’m just one guy, but I’m kinda done with all their stuff now that I’m out of the garden.
If you want to escape an ad-filled roku, a smart TV is not exactly an escape. It only bundles all the privacy violations and intrusions in one place.
Literally any of the brands will accomplish the requirements that you listed. Even a $40 roku stick.
Give kodi or osmc a shot. If I recall correctly they support apps, and they have native support for remotes. Osmc even makes their own set top box so you don’t have to configure anything.
Some instructions on getting streaming services up and running in osmc
LG recently released an interesting series of “monitors”. Basically smart TVs without the smart, but sized like big TVs.
That is great news if they stick to it. Ttheir WebOS TVs are becoming slimier and slimier.
Love me some slime 😋
I like the Mii TV 4k sticks. They run android tv and have the usual apps, or you can install your own launcher, apps (look into stremio!) and everything through downloader or adb. Then you can disable the bloatware through adb, theres a few lists online if you search. With a launcher manager app, mine loads straight to productivity launcher (I also like flauncher).
Do not try a firestick, theyre heavily locked down now.
I then just deleted the network on my smart tv so it can’t send anything. Along with my pihole, hopefully theres no telemetry getting out, although not checked it. Its impossible to find good TVs that aren’t smart anymore unfortunately, the data selling either subsidises the costs pricing out dumb TV’s, or more likely they make so much from the data selling that they only sell those.
LG or Sony TV, never connected to the internet, with an Nvidia shield. There is nothing better at the moment.
I use a HTPC. Using a traditional mouse is the worst. For a long time I used a Mac Mini because the Apple Bluetooth trackpad is the only external trackpad I’ve ever used that’s any good.
Then I got a Bluetooth trackball mouse. It’s by far my favorite. It’s rugged, easy to toss around, and it just lives on a couch arm.
The only steaming device I have is a Chromecast that’s exclusively used to turn on and off the TV.
Do you have a link to a track ball mouse as an example of what you mean? What do you think are the pros and cons of using one?
I still haven’t found something better than Chromecast that can stream obscure video sites (yar-har). Everything else seems to only accept large companies with dedicated apps (Netflix, YouTube, Crunchyroll, etc.). Unfortunately, with Google phasing out their Chromecasts, I might have to go back to a super long HDMI cord connected to my PC.
You were on the right track with the HTPC. It just needs an appropriate input device. I recommend:
The best “TV remote” in the world.
