I've been wanting to try to see if it's possible to setup those inexpensive Android TV Box to deliver a TURN KEY system. Which means, once it start up, it will load up the menu or video to play the video. Fool proof.

I tried this TV box I bought off ebay for $42. Looks like it will work. I will share the setup in my blog later. )

Setup Android TV Box as Turnkey System - YouTube

Looks good Taky - I've thought of using these in the past for HD delivery (only recently I've had an issue with a couple not being able to play their Blu-Ray discs) but lack of menu system has put me off.

Combine this little box with your menu system and it's looking like a good option for me :)

One question - how did you squeeze a longform wedding film in HD onto an 8GB device? Also could you provide a link to the box?

Pete

Peter

I'm just playing to see the possibility. It seems to work. It involves installing an autostart app, and an app that allow browser to play local html file.

I export to mp4. I think for this particular files I recorded using 8mpbs target and 12 max. That whole hour video is 3.x GB in size.

I put together my encoding settings here

Recommended Encoder Settings for USB Thumbdrive Delivery | L.A. Color Pros Blog (http://lacolorpros.com/blog/?10312-Recommended-Encoder-Settings-for-USB-Thumbdrive-Delivery)

Can you post a link to that particular box? Also is your HTML Menu system fully functional and up for sale?

I bought that box a while back at ebay. Don't have the link now. I think any Android TV box will do.

Yes my HTML menu is fully functional and for sale. Can you send me an email at info@lacolorpros.com ?

It looks like you are using a mouse to controll the arrow on screen, is that connected to that tv box as well? Can't you go to all chapters using the remote controll?

Great concept thanks for the share. The boot time seems painfully slow?

I don't quite see the point here of using this device as opposed to supplying the bride a BD player at less cost.

The way I see it you still have to plug the power adapter into a wall socket, attach to the player, connect HDMI cables etc etc. So if the couple want to show off their wedding to friends they still have to unplug everything and take it with them ... People like grandparents are unlikely to have a TV box or a USB TV so exactly what is the advantage of giving the bride one of these with an 8GB thumbdrive compared to supplying a BluRay player and a disk for less money

Some clarification would be nice as to the advantages of having an android TV box as part of the package

Have to agree with Chris.

It's just over complicating things. Although the concept is nice for the tech savvy. You are providing an expensive box to JUST play their wedding video.

Providing a blu ray player that plays DVDs is a better option and much cheaper.

Keep it sweet and simple.

Also another question ... how would we decorate a media box and thumb drive easily and cost effectively ? You can just print on to Bluray discs and make a label. But not so much with a media box and thumb drive.

Noa, the TV remote control works well with the apps. But for web page browser, it will turn into mouse mode. Which means the Up, Down, Left, Right arrow will move the mouse. Because it's a demo video so I use a mouse for quicker pointing. But the TV remote itself will serve the purpose.

I also saw another Android TV box that bundled the "Air Mouse" .. but it's almost $100. I want something affordable.

Chris Harding, the point is, we all try to get away from optical media. It's quite painful to author DVD, BluRay, design menu, print, burn etc. So I want to see if it's possible to use an Android TV box for that purpose. It's experimental. It's fun. I already own this box. Why not try to see if I can make it into a turn key system.

You can't give someone a thumbdrive and expect it will play on smart TV. There isn't a TV standard.

It's just over complicating things. Although the concept is nice for the tech savvy. You are providing an expensive box to JUST play their wedding video.

Providing a blu ray player that plays DVDs is a better option and much cheaper.

Keep it sweet and simple.

Also another question ... how would we decorate a media box and thumb drive easily and cost effectively ? You can just print on to Bluray discs and make a label. But not so much with a media box and thumb drive.

Again, it's experimental. But I have to disagree it's over complicating things. It's simple for the bride and groom. Others deliver thumbdrive but can't guarantee playback on TV. Then a sure work option is adding Chromecast or AppleTV. The setup is complicated. But with this TV box, the setup is already done before giving out the client. It could be a gimmick thing. It could be something as up sell.

I remembered few years ago some studios bundled BluRay players in the package.

You can't give someone a thumbdrive and expect it will play on smart TV. There isn't a TV standard.

If you provide a fat32 formatted usb stick that should play on any tv that sells today, I think your solution is as close as you can get in providing a menu driven system with images to play HD files on locations where they don't have a dvd or blu-ray player.

Presentation wise you do have something unique but it is not something I would be handing out to my clients, they still need to carry the box, the remote, the powerplug and the hdmi cable with them if they want to use it at their friends.
A simple usb stick with the HD files seems much easier to take along.

Noa

That's the issue.. I bought my 55" LG TV 3 years ago. But the USB port won't play any video at all. Only do photo slideshow. if a bride in such similar situation, you can't tell them to buy a new TV so they can watch the wedding video. Just not practical.

I already have a solution. The thumbdrive I'm giving away is a WIFI USB thumbdrive. It is a regular USB drive but it has WIFI hotspot built-in. In that case, customer can connect to it with Iphone, ipad, and any android devices. This is already an add on. Can't plug a thumbdrive to iPhone and iPad. For Android, a $1 OTG cable can do.

This wireless thumbdrive works with Chromecast and AppleTV AirPlay to mirror playback on TV. I won't be telling my customer they need to buy a new TV. But it would be okay to ask them to buy a $35 chromecast.

Hmm.... I NEVER SAID THIS IS THE ONLY DELIVERABLE. I am experimenting options, as an add-on, upsell for extra money..

And if it needs something portable or to take along, my wireless thumbdrive is awesome. If they have the thumbdrive with them, just switch on the hotspot, and their friends can use iphone ipad to connect to it. View the menu and film with the browser. Customer can view the content without relying on the Intenret.

And I already tested my HTML5 menu to work with Vimeo. I uploaded an entire wedding to vimeo. But I have my HTML menu playing as a presentation layer. Customer can view the content whenever they have internet.

Thanks Taky

I was just asking as I tried a few years back to offer a media player with a preloaded USB and brides didn't like it. Pity LCD brochures cannot support a full wedding ...they are brilliant as a fully portable device with no wires and no issues ..just like a photo album ...open the cover and watch ..brides love that sort of non technical stuff as they can take it to Grandma's house and just hand her the book!!

Can you not do something like you are doing using an Android tablet that just plays the wedding from an HTML5 file?? That would eliminate the cable and power issue although they only get to watch a 10" screen ... it would be a lot less hassle for brides and it could be watched anywhere and still use your great menu option. They are pretty cheap nowdays too!!!

Chris

Noa

That's the issue.. I bought my 55" LG TV 3 years ago. But the USB port won't play any video at all. Only do photo slideshow. if a bride in such similar situation, you can't tell them to buy a new TV so they can watch the wedding video. Just not practical.

I already have a solution. The thumbdrive I'm giving away is a WIFI USB thumbdrive. It is a regular USB drive but it has WIFI hotspot built-in. In that case, customer can connect to it with Iphone, ipad, and any android devices. This is already an add on. Can't plug a thumbdrive to iPhone and iPad. For Android, a $1 OTG cable can do.

This wireless thumbdrive works with Chromecast and AppleTV AirPlay to mirror playback on TV. I won't be telling my customer they need to buy a new TV. But it would be okay to ask them to buy a $35 chromecast.

Hmm.... I NEVER SAID THIS IS THE ONLY DELIVERABLE. I am experimenting options, as an add-on, upsell for extra money..

Same here - my Sharp TV was top of the range only 4 years ago (32" and cost over £500) and will only play photos via it's USB, not video. I rarely have issues with DVD delivery but have had several with Blu-ray, one in the last few weeks. Delivering HD is still a bit of a minefield sadly.

Chris, yes of course. This has been done two months ago. Playing the HTML 5 menus on a tablet, and iphone & ipad too with my wireless thumbdrive.

Demo on Vimeo

if a bride in such similar situation, you can't tell them to buy a new TV so they can watch the wedding video. Just not practical.
I agree that it is not 100% foolproof and that we should provide solutions (like still deliver dvd's if the couple still has a crt tv with a dvd player) in the form of paid options that would enable the couple to play their weddingvideo in their place. I currently provide blu-ray included and dvd as paid option and just a plain usb stick with the HD files, I do however expect my clients to get the necessary playback tools, like a simple WD tv mediaplayer to playback the HD files on their tv if it would not support usb sticks or otherwise they can just watch the movie on their laptop or tablet. It's not something I consider myself responsible for, by delivering a dvd, blu-ray and mp4 file on a stick that should cover all playbackissues and if they would contact me that they don't have a dvd or blu-ray player or tv that supports usb sticks, that is their problem, not mine.

But I do like how you manage to find new ways to make it easier for your clients. The problem I would see with delivering these tv boxes is if they would malfunction, because then this will become your problem to solve as well.

Very true Noa. What I offer before 2015 was, DVD and BluRay as standard. USB Thumbdrive is optional. Since 2015, I'm offering the Wireless Thumbdrive as standard. DVD and BluRay is optional. I charge $300 for authoring. Then each DVD is $10 and BD is $20. So far all the brides still want DVD. But after I show them the thumbdrive with my menu.. espeically the playback on Ipad, they rather save the $300.

the picrure attached is showing the output on iphone, tablet and mirror to TV using chromecast.

Oh also this one.. a friend of mine has a Smart TV with built-in browser. He tested it for me viewing the HTML menu link to vimeo streaming.

I talked to a TV manufacturer to find out for each file type that the USB port on TV can play, they have to pay license fee to MPEG-LA group., So some try to cut cost by not including video decoder.

MPEG LA - The Standard for Standards (http://www.mpegla.com/main/default.aspx)

It's great you are experimenting like this. So I hope we are not de-motivating you in any way.

Unfortunately "i'm out" so to speak as I can't see my clients wanting this sort of delivery any time soon as they still ask for DVD let alone HD Bluray.

Tech is always changing though so it may be perfect sometime in the future.

I wasn't pitching it to you James Manford to ask you for $100,000 for 10% of my company (Shark Tank?). . heheheh don't know why anybody need to be "in".

I'm sure the first guy decided to put wedding film on thumbdrive also got response like that too. You know, it's not easy to have change.

Since this looks like it work, it motivated me to talk to a supplier from China last night to import these inexpensive android TV box. If it's $20 a box............... oh too bad, you are out :D

LOne question - how did you squeeze a longform wedding film in HD onto an 8GB device? Also could you provide a link to the box?
You can use surprisingly low bit rates with mpeg4 & still have very acceptable quality.. On the BBC iPlayer HD shows are streamed at less than 2.5Mbps. Vimeo 720p has an even lower bit rate. That's about 1GB per hour.

I have been doing that same thing for the last year with my commercial and industrial clients. I cannot recommend other app better than "video kiosk" for android boxes, sticks etc. is cheap and you can set it to boot the android device directly into the video you want, etc. If by any reason there is the need to add or replace a video, you can link it with a folder on google drive or dropbox etc. here is the link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.burningthumb.premiervideokiosk

And some tutorial videos:

Video Kiosk Tutorial | BurningThumb Studios (http://www.burningthumb.com/video/tutorials-2/tutorials/)

I have nothing to do with the author of the app. Just want to add into the topic which is a good one BTW.

You can find really cheap tv boxes and tv sticks everywhere. Quad core is the bare minimum you may want to use.

Cheers!

Alex

Is there a new version of Taky Box in the works? I am ready to purchase but I get the feeling you are about to release a new update.

Hi Alex

That sounds interesting! So far I'm using LCD brochures as there is NO technology involved and it's instant ...open the cover and it plays your wedding highlight video ..close the cover and it stops.

My Android tablet is still a pain as it takes time to boot up and even if this app will autorun a video on bootup (from your post I'm assuming it can do this?) and one assumes if you turn the device off and on again it will simply play the video again. The issue is STILL the long bootup time for me! The LCD book modules I use cost me $30 ..I load the video via USB cable and then it's just open the cover (which triggers a hall effect probe) and the video starts instantly ! For me it provides "instant gratification" for a bride and even a completely non technical person has the ability to open a book cover!

A nice big screen would be neat but I don't think I would ever get an instant start from a tablet as it has to boot the OS before it will work

Chris