Archive:Google Nexus Player

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Google Nexus Player
Nexus Player.jpg
Manufacturer Google (and Asus)
Released 2014-11-03 (US)
OS Android TV (based on Android 5.0 "Lollipop")
CPU Intel Atom 1.8GHz Quad-Core 64-bit CPU
Storage 8 GB internal (eMMC)
RAM 1 GB RAM (LPDDR3)
Display 1080p
Graphics PowerVR Series 6 Graphics
Connectivity HDMI with CEC support, Bluetooth 4.1, Micro-USB, WiFi 802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO), DC-power (18 Watt)
Dimensions 120 × 120 × 20 mm (weighs 235 grams)
Home icon grey.png   ▶ Devices ▶ Android ▶ Google Nexus Player

Nexus Player is an x86-64 (64-bit Intel Atom CPU) based Android digital media player co-developed by Google and Asus. Running the Android 5.0 ("Lollipop") operating system, Nexus Player is the first device to employ Google's "Android TV" platform.


Overview

Nexus Player is powered by a 64-bit 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom 'Silvermont' processor alongside the Imagination PowerVR Series 6 Graphics (2D/3D) Engine and 1GB of RAM. Intel claims that this chipset is capable of console-like graphics, and 1080p video streaming. The Nexus Player was unveiled on October 15, 2014 at Google I/O 2014 keynote , and made available for pre-order two days later for US$99. They are supposedly available since November 3, 2014, but reports say that orders will not leave Google's warehouses until 2-3 weeks after November 3, 2014.

Built by Asus in partnership with Google, the Nexus Player is Google's first Android TV device and is accompanied by a gamepad controller that will be sold separately for $39 and has been engineered for fine-tuned control of Android games. Nexus Player also comes with a voice-activated remote control by default. Both the default remote control and the optional official gamepad uses Bluetooth low energy, also known as Bluetooth LE, (marketed as "Bluetooth Smart" and first introduced in the Bluetooth Core Specification version 4.0 standard back in 2010).

With the Google Cast or Chromecast feature built-in, Nexus Player can also replace the functions of Chromecast dongle. Google for the Nexus Player's content has tied up with many partners such as Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, Bloomberg TV, Food Network, Vevo, tune in, Travel Channel, TED, and Plex among others, all optimizing their apps for big screen televisions to be used on the Android TV platform.

With the price point of the Google Nexus Player and its default features and content partnerships it pegs in direct competition to the Amazon Fire TV, which is also marketed as a media-streaming set-top box with gaming capabilities.

This page is a collection of links, information, tips, and guides related to installing and running Kodi on the Google Nexus Player.

History

Google Nexus is a line of consumer electronic devices that run the Android operating system. Google manages the design, development, marketing, and support of these devices, but some development and all manufacturing are carried out by partnering original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The product family consists mostly of mobile devices—six smartphones and four tablet computers have been released to date. As of October 2014, the devices currently available in the line are the Nexus 5 smartphone (made with partner LG Electronics), Nexus 6 smartphone (made with Motorola Mobility), Nexus 9 tablet (made with HTC), and Nexus Player set-top box (made with Asus).

Devices in the Nexus line are considered Google's flagship Android products. They do not have manufacturer or wireless carrier modifications to Android (such as custom graphical user interfaces) and feature an unlockable bootloader to allow further development and end-user modification. Nexus devices are the first Android devices to receive updates to the operating system. The Galaxy Nexus is one of the few smartphones recommended by the Android Open Source Project for Android software development.

Kodi Builds

Official Builds

Other builds

  • SPMC - SPMC is an experiential fork of XBMC and sometimes contains special fixes that are not yet in the official builds, currently there does not however look to be any x86 build of SPMC available. Users who are unsure of which version to use should normally try out the official Kodi builds first and see how it runs, and if they have issues then try SPMC.

Installing Kodi

You first need to enable developer options to activate Android Debug Bridge (adb) debugging and allow unknown sources before you can side-load latest beta or nightly version of Kodi for x86 (not ARM).

Enable developer options and activate ADB debugging

Enable developer options

  • 1. Scroll down and click on Settings.
  • 2. Scroll down and click on About.
  • 3. Scroll down a last time to Build Number. Tap on build number repeatedly (should be about 7 times) until a bubble appears saying you’ve unlocked the developer options.

Enable ADB debugging

  • 1. Return to the Settings menu using the steps above.
  • 2. Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll see the developer options.
  • 3. Open developer options and ADB debugging should be the third option. Enable it.

Allow unknown sources

  • 1. Return to the Settings menu using the steps above.
  • 2. Scroll down and click on Security.
  • 3. Enable "Unknown sources" to allow installation of apps from sources other than the Google Play store, this will allow side-loading of apps like Kodi.

Install Kodi

  • Placeholder

Install Sideload Launcher (optional)

Because Google will currently not display side-loaded apps in its default "Leanback Launcher" you can use this "Sideload Launcher" app by Chainfire to more easily launch apps that have not been approved by Google or does otherwise not meet the declaration requirements needed for showing up on the default "Leanback Launcher" (on the Android TV homescreen) for Android TV.

Known issues

Random notes

Feel free to place various notes, tips, and links here. As this section of the wiki gets more organized, those notes will be properly sorted. Consider this like a dumping ground for when you're not sure where to put something.

  • Not a issue for Kodi, but keep in mind that unlike almost all Android media players out there, the Nexus Player features a x86-64 (64-bit Intel Atom CPU) chipset instead of a ARM based SoC/CPU, and this means that some other Android apps and games that work on other Android media players may not work on the Nexus Player because of this reason.
  • CEC support not confirmed but assumed as it is suppose to be prerequisite for Android TV?
  • HDMI 1.4b video/audio output with HDCP 1.4. Resolution: 720p and 1080p up to 60fps?
  • Weight 235 gram

See also

Links