How really slow is Android TV?!?

[rooobb]

I was really so sick about reading complain about "how bad is Android TV" and as matter of fact "how sloooow is it" that I decided to spend few minutes to record the main operation done on my TV (or at least the ones I use more): I don't feel they are so sllw at all!

I would like that someone could make the same recording with a different TV set just to compare how much Tizen, WebOS or Firefox are really Faster.

Please do not blame the image quality of my TV: I did not spent time setting correctly the camera (a Sony CX280 obviously ) so the autofocus was not able to adapt rapidly to the different lights on TV at each moment. I can assure image quality is really wonderful!!

Updated on Oct 2nd 2019: Oreo version

[rooobb]

Some technical data:

• TV set : KD-55A1
• OS: Android TV Nougat  v6.2671 (EU version)
• The audio is not internal speaker but an HTCT350 connected via HDMIARC
• Internet connection: 100 mbps
• LAN connection: wired via TPlink 600mbps powrlink
• NAS: WD mycloud
• DLNA server: Imac w serviio

Main operations;

• startup of the tv
• DVBT channel change just after starup
• various way to change the DBVT channel (Guide, discovery)
• Home menu navigation
• Netflix 4K HDR streaming
• Audio button up/down while streaming
• Amazon 4K HDR streaming
• Youtube startup and 4K streaming
• Video local 4K streaming via DLNA
• Archos Player local 4K streaming via DLNA

[Kuschelmonschter]

4-5s channel switching time is very slow in my opinion. I switch encrypted HD channels in a bit over a second via Digital Devices Cine S2 over network.

Yes, Sony TVs are acceptably fast after a full reboot when all startup processes have finished their work. Having run some apps, played some videos, having been in standby, the TV quickly becomes slower and slower. Then you suddenly wait several seconds for the discover menu to appear.

Still waiting for Nougat as Sony delayed the release for my 2016 model. So I can only comment on Marshmallow. MediaTek Processor in newer models isn't any faster though.

[kinggo01]

I have zero issues with the performance of the menu and such things. I have issues with non working things on the "smart" side of the TV. I almost never use the TV as a TV. For all I care, they can make one without tuners and other crap, just monitor with their picture processing and I would gladly buy one. Netflix is the only part of the OTB experience that I rarely use and that is OK.

What's the point of Gameloft shop at prominent place in home screen considering that they have such a demanding game that can't work on any ATV platform SONY pushed out so far?

Why do we want backup? Because every answer here is to reset the TV. And it's no fun to set up everything again and again. And if you have something that can't be backed up with google play/games than it's lost.

As you sad, built in video player is nowhere near any 3rd party one, the worst thing is lack of folder tree support (it is or at leas was there on non android sets) so indexing takes forever and you end up with total mess. So is it so unreasonable to ask for proper pass through for 3rd party video apps.

What's wrong with having ability to write to USB? Now we have to plug disk to PC to delete something. How is that "smart"?

And so on......

I get that 95%+ of people just look at this sets as TV and they don't care but what about the rest of us? If we don't complain thing will never change. Not that it makes any difference if we do. But at least people here should not be OK with the lack of missing features or non working ones. I can plug some NUC or shield TV or like you Apple TV and be done with it but the thing is that I don't expect wonders from this TV platform. And I still can't avoid the Android TV platform. I know that it's not Shield or NUC and I don't care that it doesn't run latest Need for speed or Asphalt or....... But the thing is that there are stuff that don't need 364 2.5GHz cores and 128GB of RAM to work but are essential to smart experience and should be there. So I just want things that this underpowered SoC can do. Nothing else.

And the latest and upcoming MTK SoC isn't really any better than the first one from 2015. Sure, they added some pure TV related stuff like DV, HDR, 4k....... but from a pure OS point of view it's the same crap. 50€ phones have better HW than 5k€ TV.

[rooobb]

It is not lightning fast but comparable with other sets I saw. Channel change was made just after tv switch on.  Not from a deep sleep (it was switched off some 20 minutes earlier). Not a full reboot in a month or so (here you have to take my word). Performance are quite stable .

[Kuschelmonschter]

How much did you debloat the TV? From the video one can see the missing featured apps shelf. So this is not the out-of-the-box experience. Keep in mind that most users are not as technical as you are.

[rooobb]

Ok but if you are a demanding user you should have also more resources a openness 

Video via usb is a nightmare that can I agree but why use usb for large archive directly on the tv? Via Dina serviio provide for free climbing of the file folder the app doesn't scan the content and is fast and you can add/delete whatever you want directly on the pc . However if you still don't like it as my daughter you can use archos that support passthrough of the audio (Ok dangerous as kushcelmonster will add )

[rooobb]

A little....disabled notification from Sony shelf (not for all user to be able to do) and disabled most of the notification from app (standard feature). I tried but not applied to this set developer options and shortened time for animation to 0.5

Samba disabled. Nothing else that I can remember

[Itom86]

Yes, there is not much problem with the speed according your video. But for the people like me, who like to cut off electricity most of the time, when the devices are not in use, things can be more painful.

Like the longer than a minute startup time. The first time when I hit the HOME button it takes 15-20 seconds to actually get there or the ACTION MENU, which is even worse. 

Luckily, after a good 3-5 minutes everything is as fast as it is in your video. 

I have an XD83 model, latest firmware and most of the notifications disabled.

It is just a big joke, that my 10 years old pc is quicker after the first startup, than my tv.

[rooobb]

@Itom86 really there was a lot of discussion about cutting off or not the power to TVs (not only the Sony Android ones). Sony still recommend not do it, and I agree not only for the sake of speed. But it you chose to do it (I guess for saving useless power from being consumed) I agree it is far too slow compared with other platforms. But it is not the way it is designed.

Another point that I have to concede to @Kuschelmonschter is that your XD83 has the same exactly SoC/RAM etc. supporting Android TV than mine more more expensive A1... and it can be embarassing ... but again the difference for me in a TV HW is the panel/video electronics and my gosh it cannot be reproduced by the camera but the OLED panel is simply gorgeous!!