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bellyman69

Device Lock - Require PIN?

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Device Lock - Require PIN?

I am unsure if this forum in general can help - I want to lock down the device (I have the 495 model; unsure of version - bought it around the beginning of the year).

I have two goals - (either or)

(A) When you power it up, like an Android phone, it requires a password or PIN. Then the user is to lock or turn off. 

(B) To prevent someone adding new apps without my authorization. I find the android methodology to be poor compared to the way iTunes works. (Ironically though if you use Safari on an iPad - you can go into private mode to hide history - that too should have been an option in iOS restrictions - allow Safari, allow/do not allow Private mode). I want GOOGLE PLAY in operable without a PIN/password - I doubt this can be done.

If anyone can point me in the right direction (her or external) that would be appreciated. I am keen on buying a few more of these instead of Roku but I have a rogue individual who is using the device for internet access and I need controls. External - either via IM, URL here or "google search words".

Cheers!

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Try out the "Restricted Profile" feature in Android under Settings -> Security.  You can Google for "android restricted profile" for more information.

I don't believe Roku has the controls either.

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Thanks ... just went thru the MARCH 2017 update hoping things would be better but no. Running Lolli 5.1.1 and in the settings there are no "USERS" under device. Further RESTRICT profiles shows settings but clicking does nothing.

These boxes are running vanilla Android - they need a major upgrade to support what I am saying (locking the app) plus ability to remove say the top notification line (great for phones, bad for TV). e.g. to make it work like a TV not a "phone designed OS running on a TV box". I want to roll out more units - was looking at Nvidia Shield but it is at a far higher price point - outside my budget.  On the brightside, so long as the Android box version is recent enough - one can buy from different manufacturers.

Anyahoo - I found this as a solution for now - "KIOSK LOCKDOWN APPLOCK" app in the play store by "stech solutions". It becomes your HOME ("always") and you can add the few apps you want that the user the ability to use (say Netfllix/YouTube ONLY) . Getting out you "exit" with password. Bit finicky - if you set the MyGiga Android 5.1 back to "always" then it boots that instead. At the moment once you make THIS app ALWAYS it always boots into that - and as I only have three apps exiting isn't an issue yet. What I want to see is if PLAY shows updates at the top - what happens if someone goes to the top - does it go around this and then get you to the main system - dunno.

But ATM these are not as "prime time" as I would like.

Cheers!

belly

 

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It's good that you found a solution that is working for you.  There are a number of "kiosk" apps that you can also try out.

By the way, there is a later April 25, 2017 version if you want the latest (stable on my ATV495PRO and ATV1900PRO boxes):

 

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Thanks for the link to the FTP site - that will help.

Saturday I was screwing around with a PLEX issue. For whatever reason, running some videos causes an error (Playback has stopped because the connection to the Plex Media Server has been lost). If I clear the APP's data the issue goes away but re-opening the app causes the problem to return. Android Phone doesn't do it. I am sure it is way down the list on Plex's support. I will update the firmware regardless. But defeat is near I am afraid. As much as the concept of the Android box is what I want (openness) I am too busy to be wasting time on pushing rope. I had tried a Raspberry Pi - but Netflix won't play on those. S/b noted also that Netfix in HDR mode may not be coming to Android anytime soon. Netflix's certification is focused only on the two -- Apple TV and Roku.  Found the hard way that even Netflix is a bother on Android - unless you have a good remote like a Rii - which has an integrated touch pad - you cannot jump to any and all shows within a TV series - for example episode 13 of season 4 of Breaking Bad. A standard Android remote won't do it (I have tried two different boxes including the current MyGiga 495) -- again Netflix doesn't care about Android boxes - so the app may not be improving anytime soon. 

Multiple Apple TVs are out of the question ... which leaves me perhaps going back to Roku with their Premiere+ model. I also saw that Nvidia Shield is using a version of Android - means Plex there may not be 100% solid either. With the Roku I have (XS - starting to fail and auto-reboot) as you noted, zero controls on security. Only solution there is password protect the store (you can add a PIN on their site) and then limit what the unit has - but that is crappy too. Even thought about building an affordable HTPC (thin client front end) - but again the time involved and a bit more cost than even the Shield - and for what?  Another form of "500 channels and nothing on"?  

When you have a cell, iPaid, laptop and PCs - doing "computery things on TVs" - just isn't that big a deal. It can be for some though - and I get that - some only have the Android Box and yeah for Youtube and browsing and weather and mail etc - it does do a lot of that way better than any Roku or AppleTV can do - so yes there is appeal. Heck you can even install and play JetPack Joyride.

Cheers!

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences for others on this forum.

I agree that, if people want a simple device to watch downloaded movies (Plex, DLNA, Airplay) and/or major Internet streaming services (e.g.,, Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Hulu), then they should just buy a Roku or Apple TV.  Android is great for smartphones, but not well-adapted yet for watching TV because the user interface is touchscreen-oriented and there are many different hardware manufacturers.  A lot of people buy Android boxes to run Kodi to watch "free" content, but end up struggling because Kodi also tries to run well on all platforms.

Being a retired IT software/hardware guy, I personally don't mind tinkering around with my rooted Android boxes (1 x ATV1900PRO, 2 x ATV595PRO, 2 x now-dead ATV520E).  I have the Rii  i24 and MyGica KR41 Air fly mouse remotes.  Some people think their problems are only on MyGica boxes and don't realize that the same and/or different problems exist on other boxes.  I actually use MyGica as a  cheap and low-power "server" device, not as a "client" device for direct viewing.  With only 1 app (i.e., Servers Ultimate Pro), I run a DLNA server for streaming downloaded movies, an SMB server for copying files from/to my PC, and a DDNS server to synchronize my public domain name's external IP address for remote VPN access to my home network.  Previously, I used an expensive and power-hungry Windows laptop PC laptop 24/7 to do the same and I also ran Plex as the DLNA server on the PC which I found too complicated for my purposes.

For viewing, I have 2 x Roku Streaming Sticks on 2 TVs and 1 x LG 4K Smart TV.  I am watching out for a sale on a Roku Ultra 4K.

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