Remember the not so good old days when TVs were literal boxes with the hunchback, weird antenna, and rotary dials? If you didn’t experience this, then you truly missed out on the glory of grainy visuals and the constant struggle to get the receiver antenna in the right angle (sarcasm alert).
We’ve come a long way though, huh? These days, you have everything from virtual TVs in the form of projections to models that offer 3D experience, which is truly mind-blowing.
What is an Android TV Box?
What is probably one of the most revolutionary variations of this popular entertainment device is the Android TV box. Strictly speaking, a TV box is not actually a TV, but a device used to stream media from entertainment service providers to digital TVs. It allows your television to run on the Android operating system.
If you are addicted to both your phone and TV, then this device basically allows you to combine the best of both worlds. You get access to the features and apps you have on your phone but on the large magnificent scale of wide TV screens. The box also offers you access to specific entertainment networks and databases.
How do these devices work?
Relax; we are not going to go into complex details about data bits and electromagnetic waves. However, a basic understanding of how this system works is very important. It will allow you to set up your own streaming box should you decide to get it and run it without problems.
First thing’s first, you need to get the box and get subscribed to different streaming services.
To actually access the streaming services, you will have to connect the Android TV box to your TV set via an HDMI cable. The cable acts as the conduit through which data flows and communication between the devices occurs. The television, in this case, needs to be not only digital but also compatible with the specific device. This is the only way the connection will be successful.
Once the connection is established, set your TV to the viewing mode matching the specific HDMI port used. If everything was done right, your TV screen should resemble an Android smartphone or tablet layout. With that all done you are set to enjoy your experience.
What Android TV boxes offer
Access to smartphone apps
This includes everything from camera and gallery apps to internet browsers and music players. You literally get to turn your TV into a smartphone!
Access to digital personal assistants
This turns your digital TV into a smart TV. Many boxes like the Amazon Fire TV can respond to voice commands to execute different tasks, such as looking up the weather, turning on your favorite series, etc.
Internet connection for direct browsing
Watching online videos on a tiny phone screen can be annoying. Now you get to stream all your favorite cat videos and DIY tutorials on a big screen.
Playing video games
You can also play games that are compatible with the Android operating system using this device. All you have to do is download the game for free or purchase it from Google’s Play store. You might also have to invest in gamepads for a better gaming experience. The best Android TV box for gaming is the Nvidia Shield TV, as mentioned at Lereviewist.com.
