Google Built Its Own Tiny HDMI 2.1 Box To Jump-Start 'the Next Generation of Android TV'

Google today announced that Android 10 is arriving on Android TV, and it's about as bland of an update as they come. From a report: Primarily, it's just the performance and security benefits of Android 10, without a single new user-facing feature. But at the bottom of Google's blog post, the company hints at why: Google's busy prepping for the "next-generation of Android TV," starting with the miniature box above. Google says this new ADT-3 dongle is a full-fledged Android TV platform, with a quad-core ARM Cortex A53 CPU, 2GB of DDR3 memory, and the ability to output 4K HDR content at 60 frames per second over its HDMI 2.1 port. Before you get too excited, know that it's a developer device. Like its predecessor, the ADT-2, it's possible you'll never see one officially available for purchase.

I just use a computer to watch TV

[DogDude]

No Google tracking. No Amazon tracking. No limits to what I can watch. Any interface I'd like. Free.

Re:

[MasseKid]

Where do I get a free computer?

I've got better specs on my RPi4...

[Anonymous Coward]

This thing sounds like last year's technology compared to the Raspberry Pi 4 that I already have on my desk. Screw Android and their locked down not-quite-Linux OS. I'm running real Linux with full apt-get updates and the full assortment of real Linux apps.

Re: I just use a computer to watch TV

[Type44Q]

The Chinese government is currently performing downgrades as we speak; they might let you have one.

Re:

[DogDude]

I have tons of extra laying about. If I need another one, I just get a surplus one at my local university surplus store for $10. Or if I want a nice one, I get a factor refurb for $150.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[OrangeTide]

Where do I get a free computer?

Maybe you have one of those relatives that has too many computers and will give you an old one.

For slightly more money than free would be auctions or e-waste recycle. In my hippie city you can find a lot of 3-5 year old PCs for dirt cheap at the e-waste places.

I threw Bodhi Linux on an old PC and it ran pretty snappily and I was able to watch Netflix and Crunchyroll on it in 720p. Good enough for my small screen and iffy WiFi.

Re:

[ArchieBunker]

I grabbed two Dell laptops from the recycle bin at work. They are low end i3 models but look brand new. One had a bad Windows install that would not boot and the other had a dead hard drive. 120Gb SSDs are $20 now so $40 later the wife and I have new laptops that run great with Slackware.

Re:

[twocows]

I probably saved a dozen laptops from the recycle bin at my previous job. One of them was an i7 laptop that I currently use to host a game server. The only defect I've been able to find with it is the ethernot port is broken, but I just use a USB ethernet dongle to get around that, no big deal.

Re:

[twocows]

Sixth gen i7, sorry

Re:

[SirAstral]

there is always google tracking, you do not have to directly use google to be tracked by them.

It is amazing that people just do not understand this yet. The site you visit and might have a partnership with google and share their data with google. They also might have partnerships with other entities that share data with Google.

It's like saying every moron saying... I only use cash therefore I am not being tracked by the 3 big Credit Bureaus. Get Real! You are being tracked and in ways many do not unders

Re:

[sad_]

how do you know nobody is tracking you?
you're still consuming online streaming services, right?

Like they jump started the last generation?

[GRYB Ranix]

maybe if they didn't kill Chromecast they wouldn't need a jump start

Re:

[transporter_ii]

Mmm, I just got my first Chromecast about six months ago when my Internet went down and I was trying to stream from my phone to my TV.

To activate the Chromecast, you *have* to use the Google Home app and you have to give it location data. Screw that. I'm not a Google hater, but I refuse to give GPS coordinates to my house just to stream from a browser to a TV.

// It turns out, if you find an old version of the Chrome browser, you can still activate it that way. My guess is this hole will be plugged asap.

I w

Re:

[WankerWeasel]

Wow, had a Chromcast years ago and all that wasn't required at the time. Glad I got rid of it and went with the Apple TV. Far better interface, better reliability, and overall experience by far, without all the creepy data collection requirements.

Re:

[MachineShedFred]

And the Nvidia Shield is 100x better than a Roku for not a whole lot more money. Nvidia managed to make Android TV work where Google itself couldn't, and has for three generations of product.

Company releases reference design. News at 11.

[0100010001010011]

Intel, Nvidia, IBM, NXP, have almost always released a reference board [wikipedia.org] to kickstart customers to make their own designs.

However:

1. The A53 came out in 2012. The A55 is already out.
2. No mention of the GPU [arm.com]? That's the part that's actually doing all the 4k HDR, 60 FPS bits.

Re:

[93 Escort Wagon]

While this is a reference device, Google's roadmap indicates their own branded device may be coming next year.

I'm not sure why anyone would buy it, though, given Google's well-documented ADHD history of product releases.

Googles offset to a Fire Stick 4K or Roku 4K

[ITRambo]

Not a very exciting thing to have coming down the pike, unless they sell it for less than $25 each, regular price.

Once you go Shield TV

[future assassin]

there's no going back. Not a Nvidia fan and fuck them for not updating the tablet anymore but the Nvidia Shield tv is pretty sweet. Now that I got emulators running on it there's nothing else that I need.

Obvious

[sectokia]

given that 3rd part android tv devices are cheaper than chrome cast ultra (which canâ(TM)t even run android tv), it seems the next step is for google to actually release an android tv device....