Android TV on pi-top[4]

[CAProjects]

Found out that you can run Android TV on the RPi 4 and decided to run it on the pi-top[4] and it works really well and it even has the google play store

Downside is that the display cable does not work on Android TV (possibly no driver for it? or system config issue?) but using the display adapter the touch screen is fully functional and can use an Auvipal R9+ pro to control it.

There is RPi specific settings like CPU overclocking etc

Now I need to figure out if my display adapter is faulty or not getting enough power

EDIT: with more testing with apps on Android TF on rpi 4, there are some issues:-

• Some apps not available, Netflix & Disney+ i know are not available
• Some apps available but dont function properly, Amazon Prime Video works but cant playback video
• Some apps work but barely, Youtube app works but video playback is stuttery, may be allocation vram issue, will look into the config soon
• cant get more than 1080p resolution

the only app that I have no issues with is Plex from the aps I have tested. This is a port of LineageOS 17.1 (Android 10) there is another port in the works but is Android 11 so may take some time before fully stable

[duwudi]

@CAProjects this looks awesome! Can you try the following tests:

1. Hook up a bare Raspberry Pi to the Display Adapter and check it works with both of the Pi’s HDMI ports.
2. Try connecting the pi-top per the following: pi-top [4] -> Display Cable with HDMI Adapter -> Display Adapter and see if it works then.

This will help rule out the chance that the Android TV isn’t able to use both Raspberry Pi HDMI ports.

If that doesn’t work I’d contact support@pi-top.com to track down the problem further and possibly get a replacement cable.

[CAProjects]

Thanks @duwudi , my display cable works perfectly fine, with pi-top OS the cable works fine itself, just not the Android TV OS so its defenetly a config issue in the core settings missing/different or something. also thier FAQ state that it only works with direct HDMI out at this time.

the green artefact I am getting, like green snowy image. I have tested under a number of circumstances and eliminated all possibilities except 1 and found that the issue is my pi-top external HDMI out that is the issue. i think it may be some sort of interference with the custom circuitry or something, not sure, might be 1 thing you guys can test and see if you get the same results.

Image to show what i meanby green artefact/noise/snow

Wiring setup - RPi4 power adapter to the display adaptor, pi-top power adapter to the pi-tip or use battery power, Mini HDMI to full HDMI cable connecting pi-top to display adapter (i used the official rpi one), optional connect the USB for touchscreen

What I have tried:-

• Connected my PC to the display adapter - Image perfectly fine
• Connected a different barebone RPi 4 (4GB) using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable) - Image perfectly fine with pi-top OS and Andriod TV
• Connected my pi-top[4] (battery power) with pi-top OS using display cable - Image perfectly fine
• Connected my pi-top[4] (battery power) with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable) - Image not fine (green artefact/static)
• Connected my pi-top[4] (Mains Power) with pi-top OS using display cable - Image perfectly fine
• Connected my pi-top[4] (Mains Power) with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable), display adapter power via official rpi power adapter - Image not fine (green artefact/static)
• Connected my pi-top[4] with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI converter + Highspeed HDMI - Image not fine (green artefact/static)

Note: where pi-top OS was used, it was an original and fresh flash (2 SD cards) with all updates done to eliminate a software issue

This testing i have done puts the issue on the pi-top hardware so only thing I can do is try swapping out the RPi in my pi-top with my spare one to see if I get the same results. However, I don’t know the disassembly of the pi-top to do this. i know there is a DIY kit, would it be possible for the assembly instructions so i can disassemble, don’t want to break anything.

[CAProjects]

@duwudi I pulled out the RPi from my pi-top. See image. This is the most comfortable I am in disassembling the pi-top.

With removing the RPi as the image shows above I believe it’s the RPi that is defective as it still has the same issue with the grean artefact/noise

I am guessing there is some failsafe built in requiring full assembly of the pi-top before you can switch on because I could not put in my spare and power on, it would not

[duwudi]

@CAProjects nice work with the testing, really clear test log too! I think you’re right in that it does seem like the Raspberry Pi that is the problem, although I’ve never seen that behaviour before.

The pi-top [4] unit won’t turn on unless it detects a Raspberry Pi via a GND pin on the mezzanine PCB (the one that sits on top of the Raspberry Pi’s GPIO). You’re most of the way there on the disassembly process, so I would just replace the Raspberry Pi and see if that fixes it, in terms of resources we have this assembly video and there is an instruction manual here link on this page too - given your tech skills I think you should have no problem

[CAProjects]

@duwudi switching the rpi out of the pi-top with a spare one, I can confirm that the issue is 100% with the raspberry pi that was in the pi-top. now my pi-top has 8GB RAM and latest firmware so can boot from USB if i can figure out how to get the pi-top to do it

[CAProjects]

@duwudi

so I continued my testing and think i have finally found an answer to what the issue is that I am having

What I have tried so far (complete testing):-

• Connected my PC to the display adapter - Image perfectly fine
• Connected a different barebone RPi 4 (4GB) using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable) - Image perfectly fine with pi-top OS and Andriod TV
• Connected my pi-top[4] (battery power) with pi-top OS using display cable - Image perfectly fine
• Connected my pi-top[4] (battery power) with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable) - Image not fine (green artefact/static)
• Connected my pi-top[4] (Mains Power) with pi-top OS using display cable - Image perfectly fine
• Connected my pi-top[4] (Mains Power) with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable), display adapter power via official rpi power adapter - Image not fine (green artefact/static)
• Connected my pi-top[4] with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI converter + Highspeed HDMI - Image not fine (green artefact/static)
• Connected a different barebone RPi 4 (8GB) using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable) - Image perfectly fine with pi-top OS and Andriod TV
• RPi 8GB board swap in pi-top[4] - running pi-topOS with Display cable (with HDMI Adapter) - perfect image
• RPi 8GB board swap in pi-top[4] - with pi-top OS & Android TV OS using mini HDMI to HDMI (official RPi cable), display adapter power via official rpi power adapter - Image not fine (green artefact/static)

i cannot run Android TV OS with the display cable for some reason, i don’t know why, and tbh I really don’t want to look into why as I found out that most apps really don’t work well, so not something I am going to be running

It appears to not be the Raspberry Pi board that is causing the issue and every time i get the issue is when using the mini HDMI port on the pi-top[4]

[duwudi]

@CAProjects ok, thanks for the detailed report.

It seems you need to get a new [4] sent out to you, please email support@pi-top.com and reference this message and they’ll get it sorted ASAP (though it’s Christmas so things might be a little slower than usual…)