[mythtv-users] Install mythfrontend in Android devices

[Bret Clark]

On 02/13/2014 05:31 AM, Simon Hobson wrote:
> Josu Lazkano <josu.lazkano at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I want to know if it is possible to install a Linux OS in a Android device.
> Quite often, yes. But this isn't the right list for that question.
>
>> They are really cheap, and it will be great to have a low power and
>> cheap frontend.
>>
>> Here is a example: MINIX NEO X5 RK3066 (86 EURO)
>>
>>    - Rockchip Dual Core Cortex A9 CPU
>>    - Quad Core Mali 400 GPU
>>    - 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
>>    - Bluetooth
>>    - HDMI 1.4a
>>    - RJ-45 Ethernet jack (10/00Mbps)
>>    - IR receiver
> That's been "well discussed" on here before. The answer is generally, no you can't run Myth on this sort of device for one or more of the following reasons :
>
> 1) The devices often don't have enough RAM to run the OS and Myth Frontend.
> 2) The CPU generally doesn't have the grunt to do software decoding.
> 3) The GPU is generally "not documented" so that FOSS drivers can't be written/require binary drivers/don't have available drivers - ie there isn't the facility to use the GPU.
> 4) The GPU may have limited CODEC support - ie it will be restricted in what stream types it can handle.
> 5) Even if none of the above apply (which I don't believe is the case yet), it needs someone who understand all this stuff intimately to sit down and write all the code needed for Myth to use it.
>
I run Android XBMC with Cmyth client on my Minix G4 and Nexus 7 as 
Frontend. The Nexus 7 works fine as an FE and is able to play recorded 
mpeg2 files or watch live TV...the catch is that you need a good wi-fi 
signal since the N7 only supports a 20MHz channel. The Minix G4 sort of 
works, but they are still debugging the GPU of rockchip...I'm keeping my 
fingers crossed.