Android TV is an excellent OS for TVs and with the advent of the Android TV Box, almost everyone can try all the advantages of this system. Still, buying an Android TV Box is much cheaper than a new TV. In addition, Android TV Box is easy to configure and very easy to use, and our tips for Android TV Box will improve the experience of this device.

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However, there are not quite obvious functions that are not explained in any way by the manufacturer. Therefore, it is recommended that all Android TV Box owners read 12 tips for using Android TV.

Tips for Android TV Box: installing applications from a flash drive

The Google Play Store has long had thousands of apps optimized for Android TV. But, unfortunately, some applications may not be available due to your location or simply “Your device is not supported.”

The solution to this problem is very simple, because all Android TV Boxs are equipped with a pair of USB ports and can easily see USB drives, whether it's a flash drive or a portable hard drive. To install the application from a flash drive on the Android TV Box:

• Download the application APK file
• Copy the downloaded application to a USB drive
• Connect the drive to Android TV
• Open Explorer and install the application.

Use your smartphone as a remote control for Android TV

Some tv boxes come with really good remotes, but most of them are just awful. If you do not like the remote control on your TV Box, use the instructions:

• Download and install the Android TV Remote Control app
• Connect your smartphone to the same Wi-Fi network that the TV Box is connected to
• Confirm the connection to your box
• Enjoy it!

The mobile has a lot of pluses as a remote control, but the main plus is input on the virtual keyboard of the smartphone, which is much more convenient than using a keyboard on the box screen, or a separate keyboard.

If Android TV Remote Control does not find your set-top box, then this application does not fit, try other applications:

Android TVs usually do not have a built-in browser. However, you can easily easily download a browser and install it using a USB drive and surf the Internet on the largest screen in the house. Quite a lot of browsers work well on Android TV, for example, Google Chrome.

Connect a gamepad with mouse mode

Google wants Android TV to become a full-fledged gaming platform, at least for casual games. Therefore, gamepads via Bluetooth are easily connected to Android TV, with which games become much more pleasant. In addition, many modern gamepads have a "mouse mode", turning it on you will get a cursor on the screen of your Android TV, a convenient thing.

Use Android TV as PC

Android TV Box uses much less energy than an average PC, so it’s profitable to use it as a machine for light games and word processing. In addition, Android TV Box can be bought for about $ 50, which is much cheaper than a PC.

You can connect the keyboard and mouse to the TV Box, which makes it an almost complete PC.

Android TV can save screenshots

As already mentioned, Android TV can be called a platform for casual games, and it copes well with most mobile games. If you have achieved something cool in the game and want to share it - take a screenshot! This is done the same way as on any Android device.

• Simultaneously press and hold the power button and volume down for about a second
• The screenshot was saved in "/ SDCard / Pictures / Screenshots"

Android TV constantly wants to offer you something new. But, sometimes these recommendations become a real curse, offering something bad. There is an easy way to set up recommendations:

• Go to Settings - Home screen
• Recommendations
• Here you can show / hide sources, according to your preferences.

Increase the internal memory of Android TV

One of the main problems of cheap TV Boxs is the small amount of memory. Fortunately, expanding the memory is very easy thanks to USB OTG support. To do this, you need a USB drive and the implementation of several points:

• Connect the USB drive to Android TV
• The “USB drive is connected” pops up, select “Install as internal memory”
• Select “Format” (ALL DATA WILL BE DELETED!)

The flash drive will be formatted as internal memory and you can save applications, movies and everything else to it.

Play easter game

• Open settings - about the device
• Scroll down to the Android version and click on it several times
• Click again several times
• The game started, enjoy!

Use Android TV as a screen for a laptop or smartphone

A very interesting and useful feature that can be quickly and easily implemented using Google Cast. Thanks to the integration of Google Cast into the system, you don’t even have to configure anything, just open the file you want to play on TV and select streaming. You can transfer information from Google Chrome to your PC.

Useful Standby Information

Did you like the tips for Android TV Box? Share your secrets of using Android TV in the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my Android TV Box does not see the USB flash drive

Before connecting to the Android TV Box, format the USB flash drive in FAT32, then discard the files of interest and connect to the box.

By the numerous requests of our customers, we decided to make a separate article in which we collected many applications for watching movies, television channels, listening to music and also games on Android TV Box consoles. Some of them are not in the Play Market, so you can download them from our website.

Also, if you decide to update your console, we will make a discount for you!

All applications are divided into 4 categories:

If you also know some good applications and did not find them in the list - write about it in the comments, we will definitely add them. The list of programs will be constantly updated, so you can regularly follow our news. Have a nice day! :)

Attention: Due to the ban on Russian, as well as some Ukrainian channels on the territory of Ukraine, we do not offer to download applications, nor do we install them.

TV Applications

Download	IPTV Watch IPTV from your ISP with the IPTV app. The application is only for those with an Internet provider that provides IP-TV.
	Lanet.TV A free application for mobile devices based on Android, with which you can watch digital TV online in high quality, as well as get access to your favorite shows, movies and sports events anytime, anywhere.
	Tvi Get the latest news about events in Ukraine and the world from TVi. Publications on hot topics, blogs of famous and interesting personalities. A huge number of relevant video programs, investigations will fully and objectively familiarize you with the situation in the country.
	News 24 This is the latest video news and educational programs from the News Channel 24. Informative, interesting and unbiased about events in Ukraine and the world. News of the economy, sports, show business and much more. Convenient and affordable!
	Hromadske.TV The official app of the channel "Gromadske TV".

Applications for watching movies, TV shows, cartoons

Music listening apps

Games (need a gyroscopic console or joystick)

TV + HD  - will turn your smartphone, cell phone, tablet with the Android operating system into a regular modern TV, providing the ability to watch only Russian television channels.

Distributes the mobile application absolutely free, and you can download it using any installed market.

Why is it worth downloading TV + HD on android?

The application that you are going to download TV + HD for Android for free is configured - easily and simply for the individual requirements of any user. You can even manually tune the broadcast source of your favorite channel. Offline does not work, since all data is taken from the global Internet. You will have to pay only for mobile traffic according to the rates of the tariff plan of the mobile operator. But not every web connection will be able to provide you with a TV anywhere, namely it will require a speed equal to at least 2 Mbps and higher. Specifications depend on the quality of the transmitted image.

We do not guarantee that all channels will be available to you anytime, anywhere. Sometimes, the employees responsible for the server operation and the quality of the communication channel carry out internal technical work to prevent and troubleshoot. If your mobile device is equipped with a display with HD resolution, then you will not be able to watch TV channels with Full HD resolution on it.

The mobile application download TV + HD for android is available free of charge only for Russian citizens. Access is granted only after checking the IP address of your gadget. If you have installed additional applications that hide the real IP address and replace it with another, then they must be closed when using TV + HD on android. Otherwise, you will not be able to watch your favorite movie, series, television program. We work based on Russian law, and all copyrights are fully protected.

Read in the review about which applications for Android TV you simply have to be installed. To watch TV channels, movies and more.

If a TV with support appeared in your apartment, then it's time to install additional applications. As a result, you will significantly expand the functionality of the device. In this article we will talk about those programs that are designed for the Android TV operating system. It is equipped with relatively inexpensive televisions. Also, under the control of the "green robot" some smart ones function.

The best applications for watching TV online

Would you like to connect cable TV? Is there not even a conventional broadcast antenna on hand? Then install the SPB TV application on your TV. In a free mode of use, it offers several dozen Russian-language television channels. Their viewing is carried out using an Internet connection. Any channels can be added to Favorites, which allows you to access them much faster.

The main advantage of SPB TV over its competitors is the recording of television on the developers' servers. You can start the broadcast at any time, the prescription of which does not exceed one week. The “Air on Pause” function works the same way when you interrupt the show for several minutes or even hours.

Some user annoyance can only be caused by occasionally appearing ads. However, it can be turned off for 99 rubles per month - at the same time, such a subscription will open additional functionality. There are other types of subscriptions in the application that open additional channels, including children's and sports. In a word, SPB TV can quite replace cable television.

This application was created for our readers living in Ukraine, or missing their homeland. It is precisely Ukrainian TV channels that are broadcast here. This is done completely free of charge, the utility does not even have ads!

In total, the application offers to watch about 50 television channels, 10 of which broadcast in HD. There are many filters here, thanks to which you can always find something interesting for yourself. A detailed guide to the program guide is not forgotten.

Unfortunately, there are no paid Ukrainian channels here. It is possible that in the future, Lanet.TV developers will realize the possibility of viewing them by subscription.

Top IPTV Applications

A great option for those subscribers whose cable operator broadcasts via IPTV. However, using this technology, you can watch TV channels without connecting to cable TV - you just need to find playlists. However, remember that it’s unlikely that you will be able to watch paid channels in this way - they regularly change their address, and it’s illegal to do so.

IPTV Pro differs from many analogs in the support of the auto-connect function. This is very important, because from time to time connection breaks can occur. There is also an increased history of playlists. The application also supports the program guide if it is created in the JTV or XMLTV format.

There is a free version of this utility. But we recommend spending 79 rubles, forgetting about any restrictions and advertising. In general, this is the best way to watch television, since almost all channels will be broadcast in the best quality. But you have to spend some time looking for a suitable playlist somewhere on the forums.

Best multimedia apps

Any Smart TV is able to work with multimedia files by default. But if you want to expand the functionality in this regard, it is recommended to install the Kodi program on Android TV. This is a kind of media browser that divides the contents of a USB drive into categories. But this is not the main advantage of the program. The Kodi application is able to use hardware acceleration, thereby improving video quality. This applies not only to content contained on an external medium, but also to any online video - for example, the application has full support for YouTube.

If you get used to this program, then there is a high probability that every start of the TV or set-top box will start with Kodi. It is important that the application is distributed free of charge, and is also almost completely devoid of advertising.

There is a high probability that you will regularly connect an external drive containing video files to the set-top box or TV. To view them on Android TV, it is recommended to use MX Player PRO. This is an excellent video player that understands most codecs, including audio. The application stably remembers the place where you left off. The program is also capable of recognizing subtitles, which is especially important for viewing, say, an anime, which does not yet have a voice translation.

This application is sold for about 350 rubles. There is a free version of the video player, but it regularly displays ads and has less functionality. Please note that the program supports hardware acceleration, thanks to which even videos with a very high bitrate are played.

The best apps for listening to music

Oddly enough, the radio still has not died. Motorists are still listening to him, while someone else has his radio at home. But it should be noted that gradually the radio "moves" to the Internet. You can listen to a specific radio station on the official website. However, it’s much easier to use a special application that contains links to playlists of thousands of radio stations from around the world. The name of this application is TuneIn Radio.

The program has gained worldwide success, as a result of which it has been ported to many platforms, right up to Sony game consoles. The version of the application for Android TV will please with a convenient interface and a wide selection of radio stations. Almost all playlists are working, and access to them is free. At any time you can start recording the broadcast. There is also a “Favorites” section, thanks to which you can access your favorite radio stations in a few seconds. For some time now, TuneIn Radio allows you to listen to podcasts. However, the program copes with this business a little worse than those applications that were originally created to solve such a problem.

If you have a subscription to the corresponding service, then you simply cannot bypass this application. So far, you only listened to music on your smartphone or tablet, but now you can do this on TV. This is especially true for those users whose sound is output to the speakers.

Beginners need an explanation. Google Play Music is a special service that provides access to millions of tracks from around the world. You can listen to both individual songs and playlists created by other users. Access to music is provided by subscription - it costs about 150 rubles per month.

A rare cloud music service that can be used for free. However, it should be understood that known compositions rarely appear here. Service operates on a rather unusual principle. He is trying to find the music that perfectly suits your current mood. SoundCloud also picks up music similar to your favorite songs.

In the application you can listen to tracks of various genres. You can subscribe to each musician, then receiving notifications of his new compositions. The service also publishes podcasts and news. In a word, you definitely need to try installing this application on your Android TV, as it is a sound analogue of YouTube.

Top Online Cinema Clients

The owners of online cinemas are most pleased with the popularization of Android TV. After all, most often I want to use TV for watching movies. At the same time, a rare user wants to bother with a torrent - it is much easier to launch an online movie theater client, select a movie and start watching it. And it’s not scary that to watch some blockbusters you will need a certain amount of money - but you won’t be accused of piracy. In a word, the best applications for Android TV cannot but include the creations of online cinemas. In particular, many users recommend installing HD VideoBox.

The application contains a fairly large catalog of films. Each item is supplemented with a detailed description. The library is regularly updated, replenished with all sorts of new products. All films have at least HD quality. Interestingly, anime is highlighted in a separate category. There are really a lot of him here, which will certainly please fans of this animation genre. Also in the application you can find the sections "Favorites" and "History" that facilitate the search for something interesting.

Okko

An online cinema with more than 4,000 films. The first 7 days you can watch them all for free. Then, the list of free films is greatly shortened, and an advertisement is displayed before watching them. However, no one bothers the user to subscribe, thanks to which all the new items become available. In total, the application contains 10 types of subscriptions based on genres of films.

Almost all films and TV shows in this online cinema have high picture quality. The choice is facilitated by competent sorting by genre and some other parameters. The “Recommendations” section also helps. Download the application not only on Smart TV, but also on a smartphone - transferring a picture to a TV is carried out with the click of a virtual button.

Ivi

One of the oldest Russian-language online cinemas. For a long time it is present not only on the standard "green robot", but also on Android TV. Unlike competitors, IVI does not constantly remind us of the existence of paid subscriptions. Nevertheless, they are here - due to registration of a paid subscription, access to the latest films is provided.

This online cinema focuses on classic films as well. In this regard, the number of films present here is incredibly high. Available in IVI and some popular TV shows. As for sorting, it is carried out not only by name, genre and country, but also by many other parameters - for example, by release year or even by rating on “Kinopoisk”. IVI will also appeal to children - for them there is a huge number of cartoons and animated series.

Top system apps

Free TV applications for Android cannot but include at least one file manager. It is with its help that it is easiest to see the contents of a connected USB flash drive or even an external hard drive. Also this application allows you to see the network drive - HDD connected to your router.

The program, as mentioned above, is free. However, from time to time it displays ads that not everyone will like.

Special Internet browser, sharpened for use on a TV. With such a browser, you will not complain about the remote control, with which the management of any Google Chrome turns into a torment. At the same time, you can not call TV Bro a little functional. There are tabs here, and the download manager is not forgotten. If the remote control or set-top box has a microphone, then voice search becomes available.

This browser supports the change of User Agent. This is especially true in cases where for some reason a mobile version of the site opens, which does not look the best on TV. The application is distributed free of charge - this is another of its advantages.

A great replacement for any torrent client. There is no need to download anything using this application. Instead, the program acts in the manner of a video player, allowing you to watch TV channels and movies using ACE Stream Engine technology. Please note that the application itself is not able to play video - it only generates a link to the online stream, which then needs to be opened using some kind of video player.

The program is free. However, Google recognized it as pirated by removing it from its online store. In this regard, installing the application on a TV set-top box or TV can cause an untrained user problems.

Best Android TV Games

You can kill free time not only by watching TV channels or movies. Many people use Android TV for games. However, it should be remembered that they will require a gyroscopic console or even a joystick. Controlling a conventional remote control in many games is not possible.

Now a rare person installs “evil birds” on his smartphone. However, downloading this game to a TV or set-top box does not hurt. Passing one level takes approximately the same time as the next ad unit. Try to complete this game completely! You will be surprised, but it is very difficult. Destroying real fortresses with a limited number of birds will make you sweat.

An excellent racing game that tests the power of the hardware of a TV set-top box. This simulator was developed many years ago, but it cannot be said that it has outdated graphics. The game should please a lot of cars, which can be changed at least every race.

Alas, you cannot control the remote control in this game. You have to stock up on a joystick that connects to a TV or set-top box via Bluetooth.

A very exciting zombie shooter that also requires a gamepad to control. First-person view captivates from the first seconds. In the course of the game you will open more and more powerful weapons. Nevertheless, the dead are also becoming more and more, and they themselves become more pumped. Everything is in order for Dead Trigger 2 and with graphics that look especially colorful on a TV.

Conclusion

Now you know which applications should be installed on Android TV in the first place. This is not to say that the programs reviewed turn the TV or set-top box into a full-fledged computer. Instead, they make the device a real media center, allowing you to play any kind of content, including doing it online.

Of course, you can surf the Google Play yourself. So you are sure to find a ton of other useful applications. The advantage of this platform is that many such programs will be absolutely free.

Do you have an Android TV device on board? And what applications do you use most often? Share your opinion in the comments.

Today's review is entirely devoted to mobile applications for watching terrestrial television via an Internet connection. At the moment, there are a huge number of such applications in the Google Play app store, but many of them have the same disadvantages: a small number of available channels, poor picture quality and a weak signal or no signal at all.

So, in today's review of the most interesting and high-quality programs for watching television on your gadget, there are such programs as: Premium TV, SPB TV, Crystal TVand   Peers.TV.

Premium tv

• Category: Multimedia and video
• Developer: PlayForMedia
• Version: 2.6
• Price: Free - Google Play

Premium tv  - One of the newest services for convenient viewing of television on mobile devices. The first and most important thing that you should do before installing this application is to install an additional multimedia player called MX Player.

Regarding the application itself, then everything is extremely simple and standard. The main menu contains a list of available channels and a TV program. If you click on one of these channels, then the player starts almost instantly and the selected channel is displayed. Of course, it all depends on the speed of your Internet connection, so it’s best to use Wi-Fi or unlimited 3G / 4G tariffs.

Two versions of the Premium TV program were previously available on Google Play. They differed in the list of available channels and the presence of advertising. Now the program has become completely free, but the advertisement in it is still preserved.

pros:

• A lot of interesting TV channels;
• Program schedule for the week.

Minuses:

• Requires installation of MX Player;
• Departures and hangs are noticed;
• The presence of embedded advertising.

SPB TV

• Category: Multimedia and video
• Developer: SPB TV AG
• Version: Device dependent
• Price: Free - Google Play

SPB TV  - long-lived application. This software became available in the Google Play and App Store more than three years ago and during this time it managed to gain immense popularity among users of mobile devices. This program is available on almost all mobile operating systems, including: Symbian, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry, Maemo, bada and WebOS.

This is one of the only applications that contains a list of more than one hundred channels. Among these channels, you can find both on-air and those that allow you to select a particular program for viewing (represented by a large archive of data).

For an easier and more convenient use of the application, the developers have divided all the channels into thematic groups: Entertainment, Children, News and Information, Music, Sports, Discover the World. Each of these groups contains both Russian and foreign channels. If you need to know a more complete list of channels, then you can familiarize yourself with it on the developers website.

pros:

• Clear and convenient interface;
• Quick start and switch channels;
• Program schedule for the week;
• Completely in Russian;
• Broadcast support for Chromecast, Miracast, WiDi.

Minuses:

• The presence of embedded advertising.

Crystal tv

• Category: Entertainment
• Developer: Crystal Reality Media LLC
• Version: Device dependent
• Price: Free - Google Play

Crystal tv  - One of the most popular and well-known applications for mobile devices, with which you can watch your favorite TV shows. This application is available on platforms such as: Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Windows and Mac.

Unlike other applications presented in this review, Crystal TV developers made the program absolutely free, but for this they added paid subscriptions to it, thereby recouping development costs.

It is noteworthy that "out of the box", as they say, several free Russian channels are available to us: First, Pepper, RBC and STS. Yes, the list, of course, is small, but if you buy a three-month subscription, the cost of which is about $ 9, you can get a complete list of channels, ranging from news to sports.

As for the application interface, it turned out to be rather inconvenient, and it doesn’t look so beautiful against the background of competitors. Suspended work is periodically visible. The most interesting and memorable feature is the "picture-in-picture", which is best used on tablets or smartphones with a large display diagonal.

pros:

• Picture-in-Picture Function;
• Easy to use.

Minuses:

• Ugly interface;
• Interface hangs;
• High subscription cost.

Peers.TV

• Category: Multimedia and video
• Developer: Inetra
• Version: 5.2.10
• Price: Free - Google Play

Peers.TV  - This application appeared on the Google Play not so long ago. Previously, it was known as CN.RU and the functionality of the application offered users an extensive list of channels available for viewing. The most interesting feature of this application is: watching TV shows or movies that have already been broadcast.

Most recently, the service decided to change its name, but in addition to the name, the developers updated the list of available channels for viewing, as well as changed the application interface, which became more convenient and practical. The features and capabilities that were available in earlier versions of the applications remained the same.

The application database contains about 20 TV channels. As it was before, the program allows you to store a record of TV shows for the past 7 days. It is this function that allows you to enjoy your favorite program or show that was skipped, anywhere and time of day (if you have an Internet connection).

pros:

• Simplicity and usability;
• Wide functionality and additional features;
• Watching TV shows already on the air.

Minuses:

• A small list of available channels.

Summary

Each of the applications presented in the review has its pros and cons, but still it is necessary to pay attention to all programs. I liked it the most SPB TV, an old, kind application that pleased me even during the reign of Symbian. The final choice is up to you.