The Android TV box is one of the greatest innovations in the world of technology for entertainment purposes. It is a multi-purpose device that can be used as a regular TV, as a PC, as a smartphone, as a gaming platform, and so on. There are so many cool things that you can do with your Android TV box. In this article we have listed 10 Cool things to do with your Android TV Box or you can say Top Android TV Box Tips and Tricks. Let’s get started.
Your box is equipped with built-in Google Chromecast technology that allows you to cast media content and apps wirelessly from your streaming device and control your box via the streaming device.
To use Chromecast, you first have to enable Chromecast in your Android TV box. If you want to send the content from your Android phone to the TV, open the notification panel and search for “Cast” then Tap on it. Now you will see a list of your casting devices. Here, select your TV box from the list.
To cast content from a non-Android device, you need to have Chrome or an app that allows Chromecast installed in that device.
2. Sideload apps
You can download, install and run apps in your Android TV box that are not available in Google Play Store. It is called sideloading. These apps are available as APK files in the internet and can be downloaded to your Android TV box through the Android TV browser.
Before downloading these files, you need to give permission to your box to grant you access to the files. To do that, first go to the home screen of your Android TV. Then go to “Settings” > “More Settings” > “Security” and turn on the switch next to “Unknown sources”. To find these sideloaded apps easily in your TV and launch them, you can install a sideloading app such as Sideload Launcher in your Android TV box.
3. Control your Android TV box with Your Smartphone
You can fully control your Android TV box with your Android or iOS phone without the need of your box remote or TV remote. Just install the official Android TV Remote Control app in your Android phone or tablet or the Android TV app in your iOS phone or iPad and connect your device to your Android TV box via Bluetooth or WiFi. This app comes with multiple modes like – the DPad mode and Touch-pad mode where you can switch between the either. D-Pad mode allows you to use your phone just like a TV remote. The Touchpad mode allows you to navigate your TV cursor like with a computer mouse and also to use your phone like a game controller.
You can increase the file storing space of your Android TV box by using multiple external Storage devices. This feature allows you to add external memory to your TV box but treat it as internal memory.
To use this feature, first connect an external storage device like a USB device or an SD card to your Android TV box. Then open “Settings” > “Storage and reset”, choose your external device and then choose “Set up as internal storage”. Click on “Format” to erase the current contents in your external device and use its memory as internal memory in your box. Wait for the formatting process to be completed and then you will see 2 options – “Move now” and “Move later”.
You must move some data in your external device to be able to start using its memory. Select “Move now” if you want to expand your storage right now. Or you can save it for later by selecting “Move later”. Just make sure you do not disconnect your external device.
Most of the recent Android TV boxes are equipped with the Google Assistant feature. You can play music, get weather reports, get news updates, search for movies, music and games, turn on and turn off your TV, and do so many other things in your Android TV box with just the press of a button and your voice.
You can use Google Assistant via your box remote or your phone. To use it via your remote, you can either press button with a “mic” designed on it. Or with a Google logo button on your remote.
If you press the button for the first time, you will see an agreement page. Accept the terms and proceed to the setup. Once done, you can use Google Assistant. To use it via your phone, connect your phone to your box and press the Google Assistant button on your phone.
6. Make Video Calls with Google Duo
Make HD video calls and watch movies together with your friends and family using Google Duo. Android TV boxes with Android 9 and above support Google Duo.
You can install Google Duo in your Android TV box from Google Play Store. To use Duo, you need to connect a webcam to your TV. You can make HD video calls, including conference calls using Duo.
Android TV boxes also allow Picture-in-Picture mode (PiP) in Google Duo. With this, you can share your screen with others so that you can watch movies, shows or anything else with others and also chat with them at the same time.
Gaming on a big TV screen can be a fascinating experience with your Android TV box. In your Android TV, you can play thousands of games by downloading them from Google Play Store. You can connect your gaming controllers to your box and play and can also use your phone or tablet as a controller by using the Android TV Remote Control app in your phone or tablet.
Your entertainment and fun will get multiplied if you use a home-theater PC (HTPC) application such as KODI or Plex in your Android TV box. These media player applications allow you to stream digital media files like movies, music, photos and podcasts from local and network storage media and the internet, and to neatly organize them. You can play, view and share your media files instantly and easily at any time using these applications.
Watch thousands of movies and shows in your Android TV. Your Android TV box supports a wide range of video streaming platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Twitch, that are available as apps or as websites in the internet. You can download them from Google Play Store or go to their websites through your Android TV browser. Get access to thousands of movies and shows from these platforms and enjoy watching them in your Android TV.
10. Watch News and TV
Now there are plenty of news apps and TV apps including Live TV that are available to download in Android TV boxes. With these, you can use your Android TV just like a regular TV or even much better. Watch the latest news and your favourite TV shows in your Android TV. You can also watch the live events of your favourite sports, live news, live political events, and other live events with your Android TV box.
Wrapping up:
So, that was all about the 10 Cool things to do with your Android TV Box. We hope this article added some value to your usage. In case you want to learn more about the amazing features of Android TV Box. Or if you are interested in other tech related information you can also check many other articles from below.
