Ada artikel menarik nih RR, studi kasus Android TV yg lagi hype, pas buat dibaca sore-sore đź‘Ť
Sumber: http://goo.gl/eXjk6y http://goo.gl/EI8IKO Android TV: Case Study of an Understated yet Meaningful Paradigm Shift for TV The ill-fated Google TV (a predecessor to Android TV) was released in October 2010 and was supposed to be Google’s foray into the television space that was still anyone’s game. Launching with partners like Logitech, Sony and Intel and following up with LG, Vizio, and Asus; it was Google’s game to lose. [image: google-tv_Credit 9to5] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/google-tv_Credit-9to5.jpg> But following a lukewarm reception, a strong start by the relatively new digital streaming box “Roku” and hardware blocking by major providers like NBC, ABC, Hulu and Viacom (essential life blood for a digital streaming service), Google TV was sent out to pasture in 2014 with the SDK being officially removed in June. Despite all of this, a spiritual successor was nigh. At Google I/O, also occurring June 2014 ironically, Google announced Android TV by handing out the ADT-1 digital media player. Launching alongside Android 5.0 Lollipop, Android TV embraced Material design and a more cohesive OS by closely resembling the phone and tablet version of Lollipop, a far cry from the largely closed source Honeycomb Google TV boxes. Since its inception, the set top box has had a relatively slow launch with 3 major hardware partners, 1 which has failed on multiple fronts (Razer Forge), 1 that has had a lackluster response (Nexus Player), and only 1 truly “successful” device (Nvidia Shield). But where Android TV has really shined is in its partnership with Sony by being the primary OS for its entire flagship TV line since early last year. Philips, Sharp and a host of other mid tier manufacturers also have launched Android TV powered devices but to a more reserved degree. [image: SonyAndroidTV] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SonyAndroidTV.jpg>So how is it living with Android TV today, and how much hope is there for the future? Strictly living in the minority I have 2 Android TV powered sets in my home, one is a Nexus Player being the sole streaming box for my bedroom and another being the high end 2015” Sony XBR55X850C 4K <http://www.sony.com/electronics/tv/t/televisions?type=android-tv>HDR-enabled television in my living room. I am a cord cutter so aside from the Roku 3 also in my living room, these Android TV sets are the daily driver for my viewing experience. On the following pages I’ll break my thoughts of Android TV as a whole into the Interface, Performance, Content and Flexibility, Ease of Use and The Future. *Interface* When it comes to our phones we are typically in the pursuit of change and customization. From launchers to icon packs part of what makes Android different is the ability to truly make it yours and OEM’s have this same luxury skinning and rebranding Android for their own benefit and use cases. Android TV, though, is more like Android Wear. TV manufacturers and users have less control and flexibility when it comes to the look and feel of the OS so the experience between the Sony and Nexus Player are generally the same, which is a fantastic thing. Google puts its own spin on the traditional TV streaming box layout of a wall or grid of tiles which you navigate with a D-Pad by offering multiple layers of horizontal grids. It may seem like a small thing but the difference in UI look and feel is quite apparent. The top layer consists of recommendations based on your usage. Currently not all applications are supported, but this space is generally filled with Google Movies, Hulu, Netflix and YouTube recommendations. It is a nice thing to have, but *beware if you have children*. It is partially based on your viewing history but it is also largely based on your perceived demographic and this can cause some erratic recommendations from Hulu or YouTube and the always entertaining thumbnail from some obscure show on Crackle showing more of something then you want your kids seeing. I recommend using the settings menu to tailor the content that may be displayed instead of turning it off altogether since it can show movie trailers from YouTube or Music you may be interested in and is generally useful. [image: HomeScreen1] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HomeScreen1.png> [image: HomeScreen2] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HomeScreen2.png> [image: HomeScreen3] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HomeScreen3.png> [image: HomeScreen4] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HomeScreen4.png> Below the recommendations are more horizontal grids separated into streaming applications, apps and games. You have the option to curate these into frequently used, A-Z or a custom layout. All of your applications get dumped here so some curation is needed, I have found that setting it to frequently used will cause the good stuff to flow to the first few columns and the rest to fade out to the right. [image: Netflix] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Netflix.png>Drilling down into the applications the experience is very good to excellent. Google designed applications like Google Play Music, the Play Store and Google Movies make beautiful use of Material design and are quick to navigate. Other applications like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video (only on the Sony), and Hulu utilize their own interfaces that are the same between Roku and Android TV. I have no problem with this as the less interfaces to learn and for developers to have to think about and design, the better; even if this leads to a less cohesive experience on a single platform. [image: Settings1] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Settings1.png> The Settings menu is exactly what you would expect. It is based on the same rectangular tile layout as the home screen and is laid out in a way that is easy to understand and is fast to navigate. (*Side Note: Android N seems to be changing this to a sidebar hamburger menu. Personally I do not like this layout but it may allow access to the Settings menu without leaving an application which would be beneficial. Time will tell if they move this direction*.) In comparing the interface to the Roku I would take Android TV over it every single day. The Roku has one of the most boring layouts with the Apple TV as sort of a crossbreed between the two, they are functional but leave much to be desired. Android TV is flexible, eye catching and appealing without giving up any of the speed or ease of use. *Performance* So I need to start this section off with a major disclaimer. My Android TV boxes are that, Android TV boxes and *not* video game consoles. I will never spend $50 on a controller for my TV box, that is what my Xbox One is for. The #1 thing a digital streaming box needs to do is play content without getting in the way and Android TV does that very well. My general bevy of applications is Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Google Play Music and Kodi. [image: GooglePlayMusic1] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/GooglePlayMusic1.png> Generally both forms of Android TV handle these great without hiccup or issue. Outside of Google Play Movies I have never had a stutter while watching 1080P content on either a streaming application or through my MP4 encoded movie collection with Kodi. I have had some recent issues with Hulu Plus on the Sony TV while watching 11.22.63, after playing for a while it appears to drop frames and stutter especially during motion and panning shots. A reboot or cache clear for the application traditionally fixes it. While Hulu is quiet about its 4K streaming capability Amazon, UltraFlix, and Netflix play 4K content like a champ without any issue on the Sony TV which draws me to the conclusion that the Hulu Plus app is the problem and not the OS itself. On the topic of 4K (UHD) content, the built in applications can handle both 4K and HDR 4K video and the Sony X850C plays both beautifully. Keep in mind though that many streaming boxes like the Xbox One, PS4, Nexus Player, as well as the Apple TV 4th gen and Roku 3 or lower don’t currently support 4K content; so having this built in is a plus instead of having to purchase a player just for 4K. People who want to run full HTPC’s through their television are still best to build out a quality HTPC solution, Smart TV’s and Android TV are just not powerful enough for it. The NVidia Shield might be, but a proper HTPC is still a better solution… For the typical user the experience found on Android TV largely mirrors that of the Roku and Apple TV: it is smart, smooth, and reliable but you may need to reboot it from time to time if you start to have issues with stuttering, lagging or slowness like any device and neither are geared towards power users. *Content and Flexibility* As I mentioned earlier most streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube are available on Android TV but the app selection pales in comparison to what Roku has to offer. Whereas Roku has streaming services through cable subscriptions like The History Channel, AMC, A&E, Disney Junior/XD, Nick Jr and normal Nickelodeon and Amazon Instant Video, the basic Android TV offers none of these. Sony has gotten a few exclusive deals for its televisions like one with Amazon Prime Instant Video. [image: HomeScreen4] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HomeScreen4.png>While the basics can easily be found on both platforms, Roku has expanded beyond what anyone else has to offer. However, Android TV pulls ahead is its ability to customize beyond the normal streaming services. While the Roku offers no usable media browser (I say usable because there is one, it is just total and complete trash) Android TV offers Kodi (formerly XBMC) which when equipped can be a total media streaming platform itself and is finally available through the Play Store. I largely prefer a digital movie collection for both my wife and I and when you have children, the last thing you want is sticky fingerprints all over your precious Toy Story collection. Roku does offer Plex, but for the casual user who does not want a dedicated media server this isn’t an option and where the power of Android shines. Also being able to sideload applications (to varying degrees of success) is a large benefit to running the Android TV OS. For me personally I use both boxes in tandem. All of my Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube usage is through Android TV while my kids use the Roku for their shows and content. Other “Android” stuff just works on the Android TV as well. For this article I wanted to get screenshots from my unit instead of photos. So I plugged a USB keyboard into the TV along with a USB stick and hit PRNT SCRN for the screenshots and then copied them to the USB stick with ES File Explorer by navigating with a mouse. Specific to the Sony TV and other TV manufacturers is the flexibility required to run the required TV features (color settings, input controls, changing the channel etc.) while using the Android TV OS as its front. In my opinion, Sony has done an outstanding job at this by interweaving all of your traditional controls into Android OS while not getting in the way or making it seem drastically different from what you are used to using. From what I have been able to figure out is that Sony is essentially running Android TV as its primary core, and is using some sort of overlay application that you use for OSD (on screen display) of quick changes of settings like color levels, speaker control etc. To explain: <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/OSD2.png>You can change the color settings through “Settings” and have a fully material-designed view, or if you are watching a show through the built-in tuner or application, you can hit the “Action” button and choose color preferences and change it on the fly. The OSD handles your typical adjustments you are familiar with such as Audio, Video, PIP, Input control and the like; all of which is also available through the Android TV settings menu. While this solution is not a single cohesive application, it means that you aren’t stuck having to leave your app to get to the Settings menu to change your color setup. Prior to purchasing my TV this was a sticking feature, I wanted the power and flexibility of the Android TV OS, but I did not want it to get in the way for the simple tasks me or my wife expect from a television. Google designed Android TV to do this very well and Sony executed as good as you could expect it to. *Ease of Use* Android TV’s interface is fluid and easy to use with everything being laid out for you without any confusing submenus or extra unneeded fluff. At times you would even forget you are using an Android TV and that is a great thing. It is meant to be powerful when you want it and out of the way when you don’t, after all this is a television and not a phone or tablet. The settings menu on the Sony TV are straightforward and easy to understand and connecting the device to your home Wi-Fi and Google account is, again, super easy and simple. The Android interface is controlled by a D-Pad with Enter key, Back and Home keys, and on my Nexus Player running Android N by holding down the select button to show recent applications. Sony actually ships its higher end sets with two remotes. One is your traditional fully functional remote, the other is a custom touch based remote with a swiping pad near the top and minimal functions, but it still is capable of running Android TV in its entirety. Keeping it simple like the tried and true methods of the Apple TV and Roku doesn’t do it any harm, and Google is to be praised for improving on their setup with a more powerful but equally simple layout. Its not like the first Google TVs had a remote with 80+ keys on it right? [image: 2015 Sony XBR850C Remotes] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Sony_X85C_small_07_source-flatpanelshd.com_.jpg> 2015 Sony XBR850C Remotes [image: Older Sony Google TV Remote] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/GoogleTV_Sony-Remote.jpg> Older Sony Google TV Remote There is also a remote application for Android devices, but I wouldn’t bother unless you really are going to lose your remote a lot. You will get a “Controller Connected” toast message as your phone toggles bluetooth to save power and whatnot and is generally distracting. It is also very basic with the most minimal of controls. [image: OSD1] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/OSD1.png> As I touched on in the last section Sony needs to be given props for making the standard interface OSD as comfortable and recognizable as you would expect it to be. Google puts the input selection as a new horizontal menu on the home screen and it can also be accessed through the OSD by pressing the input key on the remote and then making your selection. This method makes something that we do every day on our TV’s simple to use from both interfaces. To put it bluntly, Sony keeps all the things you normally expect to do with a TV easy, and then offers you a prettier more powerful way to do it using the Android TV OS. It is smart, simple, and the way it should be done. Colors, text, imagery all resemble Material design on Android OS and a minimal material dark and white text design for the OSD. Installing new applications is as easy as it is on any Android device and can even be done through the Play Store web interface if navigating the Play Store on a TV isn’t your thing. Voice Search is top notch and can be accessed through a top menu above the home screen or by hitting the Voice Search key on your remote, it can be a little slow to activate and global search like that found on Roku or Apple TV (4th gen) isn’t yet present. Also included on every Android TV is the Google Cast functionality that mimics a standalone Chromecast in both form and function. Chromecasts have been exploding with more and more applications and services utilizing it from the web to iOS applications. People love the Chromecast for what it does and how easily it does that, and when your TV comes with the functionality baked in, it is a win-win scenario. <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160318_214356.jpg> The Sony X850C in its Google Cast enabled Backdrop mode *The Future* My old TV was in my family for almost 9 years. When it was sitting brand new on a store shelf Android was still a year away from its first public release and the iPhone was only about 5 months old. A lot has changed in that time, and while I do not have the expectation that my new TV would last another 9 years, I do worry how my operating system will handle the future. Other manufacturers are designing their own OS’s from scratch or using Roku’s current OS and that is great to see, but none of them have the large developer and user base like Android does. Developers, though, are going to have a difficult time maintaining application updates and releases across an ever growing digital streaming device market, there are already over 6 major players at your local Best Buy. Android TV has an advantage over these since its OS will run a largely identical application to its phone counterpart and this is in large part due to Google’s foresight and wanting to make on-loading new partners easier. [image: Capture] <http://www1-lw.xda-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Capture.png>Android TV is a maturing OS that has a promising and strong start. But Google rubbed a lot of content providers and creators wrong with Google TV as the lack of streaming content shows. But Google has been great at mending bridges and repairing ties when it can be mutually beneficial. As Sony showed with Amazon Prime Instant Video, partners are willing to work on Android TV they just need to ensure their content isn’t at risk due to the open nature of the Android OS and that Google will consider their interests when making decisions at the core of its OS. When it comes to making a “Smart TV” the OS is likely a huge cost factor and can easily make or break the experience which is why so many budget sets are beginning to ship with Android TV and what made Android explode in the first place. Not everyone will go out and spend $100+ on a new digital streaming box if their TV ships with a usable, capable and fully stocked one right out of the gate that can handle everything the TV can. Once Google gets more partners for content they have the ability to surround the market leaders like they did years ago and choke out some of the very same competitors (LG is running WebOS on their 2015/16 TV sets) they faced when Android was young. Android has excelled for years by empowering the smaller cheaper devices and now Sony, the Samsung of the Android TV world, is showing that works on flagships as well. For one of the worlds most respected television manufacturers to go all-in on Android TV means more then we think. We don’t know what the next 9 years are going to hold for home technology and that is what makes this industry awesome but incredibly risky at the same time. But as long as they are still using the tried and true HDMI cable I can still connect any mobile streaming box I want to for increased functionality. Google and Sony just need to make sure that I can still change my volume without closing my currently open application or causing a force close and all signs point to just that today, and down the road. In my opinion Android TV on both a set-top box and running as a fully fledged and integrated TV OS is a capable solution and should not be undersold. They compete with the best when it comes to usability and have the best UI design across any competitor. It is built in a way that keeps simple tasks you are used to doing on your TV simple, and gives you greater power when you want it. The ecosystem has some maturing to do and some content providers to gather, but that’s exactly the same situation Android on phones had years ago. Android TV is built on a solid framework and one that has proven successful, let’s just hope that Android TV follows the Android phone path instead of the Android tablet one. -- ========== Yuk Download Apps MyTelkomsel https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telkomsel.telkomselcm --------------------- Toko Headphone & Earphone Terlengkap dan Terbaru Kunjungi >> http://bassaudio.net ---------------------- Kontak Admin, Twitter @agushamonangan ----------------------- FB Groups : https://www.facebook.com/groups/android.or.id Aturan Umum ID-ANDROID >> goo.gl/mL1mBT ========== --- Anda menerima pesan ini karena Anda berlangganan grup "[id-android] Indonesian Android Community" dari Google Grup. Untuk berhenti berlangganan dan berhenti menerima email dari grup ini, kirim email ke id-android+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. Kunjungi grup ini di https://groups.google.com/group/id-android.
