What do you use it for?

[Mittar]

So, I'm trying to wrap my head around this thing, what are you guys who buy this thing going to use it for? I mean, beyond what I use my Chromecast for.

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

This is a streaming box like a Roku plus it runs apps and games. It uses Android for it's OS so there will be plenty of apps available. Think Google TV on steroids!

If my position here garnered me any such benefit I would not be above using my influence to get one of these now!

 

[marctronixx]

a geeks dream toy then it seems.

i dont play games and many of those channels i can get on my blu ray player and smart display, so this does not look like it is for casual tv viewers.

i mean i can just use chromecast (bought it at launch and have yet to use it--was caught up in the hype ) to do what 80% of this does.

 

[jhawkkw]

After being one of those burned by how limited the GoogleTV platform was, it's safe to say I'm skeptical. I'll have to wait until this is out for a while to see how it evolves.

 

[mozetti]

After being one of those burned by how limited the GoogleTV platform was, it's safe to say I'm skeptical. I'll have to wait until this is out for a while to see how it evolves.

Yeah, I never hopped on the GoogleTV train because, as far as I could tell, it wouldn't interface well with my FiOS tv service. And, the entry price was too steep to justify something that would basically be a gadget.

I plan to use it with PLEX to make it easier to play the movies from my HTPC. Windows Media Center is nice, but it's not as intuitive or easy to use as this should be -- especially for my wife and kids. And, I can get my PC out of the entertainment center now.

Having Netflix, PlayVideo, PBSKids, and those other apps is going to be nice. I'll probably pick up a gamepad when they get back in stock, as long as there are some decent games for me and the kids.

 

[sfbloodbrother]

I'm considering getting one at some point, to use and watch Netflix on my second monitor. And maybe to play a few games on Android, but at 8GB, it just isn't enough to be enough to play games on.

 

[Schex13]

My goal would be to put this on a TV in my kitchen and run the FiOS Android app on it with the Quantum TV thing to watch stuff off my DVR without needing another box. Anyone know if that's possible? If it has access to Android Apps, it should be, no?

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

My goal would be to put this on a TV in my kitchen and run the FiOS Android app on it with the Quantum TV thing to watch stuff off my DVR without needing another box. Anyone know if that's possible? If it has access to Android Apps, it should be, no?

Not sure, but I like the sound of it. I'm holding out for Google Fiber which should hopefully have some integration with the NP.

 

[bhl62]

I would be looking at this as a way to watch live TV from my Silicon Dust HD Homerun Prime with the HDHomerun Viewer app or something a bit more robust with a better EPG (XBMC/Kodi). The kicker would be that it should have MPEG2 hardware support otherwise HD channels just aren't going to work (all phones currently struggle with HD). I'm not concerned with recording capabilities since I use my WMC PC for that anyway.

I've been playing around with Raspberry Pi/XBMC with very limited success. This player would have to be solid and also be as easy to use as a standard cable box remote control otherwise it's not going to gain wife-approval!

 

[The_Chief]

I have a Google TV player. Still running Android 3.2, I think

But you know what? I'll use that over this stupid Nexus Player any day. The Google TV player has an HDMI INPUT as well as an output, so I can run my satellite signal through it and essentially select what I (meaning the Darling Bride) want to watch with a single remote. It also has Amazon Instant Video, and we're Prime members so all that content is available.

This thing? No HDMI input. No Amazon. It seems to be nothing more than a hockey puck selling Google Movies & TV with some YouTube thrown in. On its own separate input to the amp... no pass-through for the satellite. Which means more remotes and confusion for the Darling Bride. We're invested in Amazon Prime, not so much Google.

So it looks like we have a decision to make: invest in Google Movies & TV, leave all that Prime content unwatched, and use the Nexus Player by buying everything (AGAIN in some cases) on Google... or sell this paperweight.

Because right now that's about all it's good for.

 

[GeoUSA]

This thing? No HDMI input. No Amazon. It seems to be nothing more than a hockey puck selling Google Movies & TV with some YouTube thrown in. On its own separate input to the amp... no pass-through for the satellite.

It is actually a decent game system. Leo's Fortune is a fun puzzle platform game and seems to be on-par with other consoles. You did answer a question I had about connecting cable box/DVR. I was expecting that capability because of what I read about earlier Google TV devices. Oh well, my understanding is Microsoft skipped that capability with XBox One too. Probably smart of Google -- interfacing with all of those cable/satellite boxes would be a major headache and a game console will generate more revenue. I'm happy with the Nexus Player so far.

 

[renegad3]

XBOX One has HDMI pass-thru.

 

[bhl62]

XBOX One has HDMI pass-thru.

The Xbox One vision was to be the hub of the living room with everything connected into it. With the Kinect you control the system with voice commands like changing channels with 'Xbox watch ABC', etc. With a cable box attached it also lets you split your screen and do things like watch a TV show and play a game at the same time. (Less well documented is the ability to connect a PC running WMC via HDMI and use that as your tuner!)

 

[john30308]

Can you use the Player for Slingbox?? There's no app that I see but is there a work around?

 

[The_Chief]

GeoUSA, I have no problem with games. I simply don't have the time to play them. So here I am, straining to come up with a reason to keep this thing and - for the life of me - I can't do it.

 

[Wiberry]

I use it as my low cost HTPC, I have XBMC sideloaded and the micro USB connected to my powered USB hub. I connected my wireless mouse and min keyboard, USB memory stick, and external powered hard disk to the hub and they work great.

By sideloading some apps I also have access to google drive and network share. So far the device has lived up to its specs.

I believe you have to realize if you get this you are an early adopter (whether you know it or not), but also believe the huge google ecosystem will deliver lots of apps and hacks to really take advantage of this little device. I have been reading that root access is not far away for people that like to tinker.

For the leanback crowd I trust devs will be releasing lots of apps, as this is a pure android version that will be upgraded over time.

 

[The_Chief]

One can only hope so

 

[renegad3]

I have been reading that root access is not far away for people that like to tinker.

Chainfire has taken care of that for us...

https://twitter.com/ChainfireXDA/status/535855301288017921

 

[ludist210]

I side-loaded Sing TV with Leanback Launcher on it...works beautifully. We also use it with Netflix, Pandora, and PBS Kids for our daughter.

 

[marctronixx]

the nexus player is not a "game" system. It can play games, but its mostly a media center.

i use it for its intended purpose, and that is to watch video form different channels and platforms.

 

[johnnyl1111]

the nexus player is a game system. i use it for its intended purpose, and that is to play games.