NDK for Google TV

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Release NDK for Google TV.

The latest available NDK r7 for Android does not produce compatible binaries. 
Tested on both Fishtank and Logitech Revue.

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Original issue reported on code.google.com by Alexey.V...@gmail.com on 1 Feb 2012 at 1:44

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I've been involved in projects that experiment with writing shared code in
C#, shared between Android, iOS, and Microsoft .NET targets. The product
that we use to run C# on Android is Mono for Android, which requires the
NDK. Other mono-based frameworks such as Unity or MonoGame provide familiar
tools to port and build games for Android. Although we can claim to support
Android 1.6 through 4.1 thanks to the v4 support library, we don't have
support for Google TV. NDK support will mean that it will be easier for
developers to create Wii-U or SmartGlass style apps for the Google TV that
integrate with a wide variety of hardware.

Original comment by lippe...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 3:10

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Give the developers the tools they need or want.  GTV seriously needs apps if 
its going to last.  Its obvious this is the most tracked/stared thread on the 
issue tracker and is what everyone, both devs and consumers, want at this point.

Original comment by brandon....@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 3:42

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I want to use libgdx for gamedevelopment on Google TV, NDK is required.

Original comment by klad...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 4:38

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First I would like to say thank you for fighting for our cause, as you can see 
this issue is very important to us for the future of Google TV. I personally 
have tried to side load many apps and have had the dreaded force close because 
they need ndk. It comes down to apps, with ndk support more apps will be 
created giving Google TV that much needed push it needs to stay relevant.

Thanks

Original comment by wefind.k...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 4:56

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All that you need is to make Google TV compatible with main Android branch, 
working with arm, mips and x86 devices. IMHO you need just a different launcher 
with google tv specific features and GTV api addon so it can be done easy 
without brain fuck and will made your product line complete

Original comment by dron...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 5:12

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It hardly needs to be said but... by providing NDK support, Google TV would 
instantly have game-console capabilities. Without native C/C++ development, 
game developers will - for the most part - ignore the platform. Like it or not, 
games are incredibly popular, and very good at selling a system. Seems like a 
no-brainer, so I'd previously assumed that Google were well aware of this and 
perhaps planning a somewhat grander launch - from their latest post however, 
I'm now thinking maybe that's not the case.

Original comment by daniel.g...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2012 at 5:32

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Google TV does a better job than Apple TV at integrating live TV with streaming 
content, but falls short in the area of local, home media streaming. XBMC 
accomplishes this very well and is the sole reason many people buy Apple TVs (I 
did). Supporting the NDK would allow XBMC to be ported and that would make 
Google TV the most complete  and modern media center solution in existance.

Original comment by clare...@gmail.com on 15 Nov 2012 at 5:56

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Yesterday I won a Vizio GTV yesterday at an Android meetup geared toward 
GoogleTV at the local Google offices.
Today, I was trying to get my app that is heavily reliant on NDK to work and of 
course it does not work... :( NDK is essential to any decent games that require 
complex scene manipulations, physics engines etc....
I am rather disappointed but I hope this will get a fix soon! Right, Kristian? 
:-P

Original comment by Michel.L...@gmail.com on 15 Nov 2012 at 6:18

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The NDK for GTV would be very useful.

Original comment by kurtfu...@gmail.com on 15 Nov 2012 at 8:05

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@krispy - Google TV needs NDK compatibility for the same reasons that Android 
on phones and tablets needs it.  High performance apps like the aforementioned 
XBMC and games that people would actually want to play.  When it comes to the 
latter, something like OUYA has generated way more excitement in large part 
because games are a non-starter on Google TV sans NDK.

Original comment by jrm...@gmail.com on 15 Nov 2012 at 8:13

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Just a thought, I read that the reason NDK wasn't included was because they 
were trying to make chrome work in honeycomb. Well since chrome is now 
available for 4.0+, couldn't you just update google tv to ice and include the 
new chrome into the update.

Original comment by Oroscofa...@gmail.com on 16 Nov 2012 at 2:47

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Google TV really needs to have NDK!

Original comment by chopster...@gmail.com on 18 Nov 2012 at 3:18

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Seriously. Stop posting comments that are unhelpful to this ticket. If you want 
to see GTV get the NDK just star the ticket and leave it at that.

Original comment by matthewj...@gmail.com on 18 Nov 2012 at 4:05

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we want XBMC, apple TV has it, 
shame. XBMC will save Google TV, cause lets face it, its a huge failure so far

Original comment by sserh...@gmail.com on 19 Nov 2012 at 8:31

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NDK support would be a boon to the platform. 

Original comment by sunnydhi...@gmail.com on 23 Nov 2012 at 10:07

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GTV has so much potential. C'mon Google, give us an NDK and make this device 
more than a novelty. I can guarantee sales would shoot up exponentially if you 
would just support it and the community begins to embrace it.

Otherwise you'll end up with another one of your well conceived but poorly 
executed ideas that fails.

Original comment by nader.n...@gmail.com on 28 Nov 2012 at 12:51

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I have been waiting to get a Google TV device until it can run XBMC. Please add 
NDK support.

Original comment by dalling....@gmail.com on 28 Nov 2012 at 3:59

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Many formats that claim to be hardware supported stutter and fail to play (I'm 
talking xvid, recent divx codecs). I can play these videos on an Android 2.2 
device that has an 800mhz Cortex A8 and no HW codec support for divx/xvid. This 
is done by the magic of software rendering. The cpu on the 2nd gen Google TV 
boxes (I have the NSZ-GS7) is much more powerful than that and could easily do 
any buggy divx files in software if only developers had the NDK access to the 
hardware to make it happen. Video players on the Google TV are currently 
limited to what the built-in player can handle. Plex allows for transcoding 
into those formats, but with the CPU on these boxes, it should not be neccesary 
for Standard Def divx files.

Original comment by Roger.VA...@gmail.com on 28 Nov 2012 at 7:21

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We need NDK for GoogleTV...

Original comment by kodiakbe...@gmail.com on 3 Dec 2012 at 9:01

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I was given a GoogleTV (Sony NSZ-GS7) as a gift and even though I'm a HUGE 
Android nerd, I'm having a hard time finding a useful purpose for it. My 3+ 
year old WDTV Media Player that was $100 then and less than $50 now is vastly 
superior at media playing/streaming. Maybe it's because I'm in Canada, but I'm 
finding very few quality apps for it. I keep reading that the NDK will open up 
a lot of potential for apps, and just getting XBMC for the device would already 
get me excited about using it. Until the NDK is released, I guess I'll just 
continue going out of my way to find a use for it.

Original comment by Mornha...@gmail.com on 3 Dec 2012 at 10:32

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NDK support will be great for GoogleTV..

Original comment by jagg...@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2012 at 2:21

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We need NDK!

Original comment by podi...@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2012 at 3:24

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Let's get some NDK.  My Vizio Co-Star is just sitting around not being very 
useful.

Original comment by blclem...@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2012 at 3:26

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Unlock the power of the GoogleTv and release an NDK please!

Original comment by br...@hyperhtml.net on 4 Dec 2012 at 7:12

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And when you finally DO make the NDK available, please, oh PLEASE include the 
native media player support.  I'd really like to see an app that can view ATSC 
TV using the very open HD HomeRun (a networked video receiver).  Then you 
wouldn't even need a cable box!

Original comment by jleedi...@gmail.com on 18 Dec 2012 at 3:11

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I was able to view my HDHomerun Dual "live tv" and recorded tv using Remote 
Potato and by side-loading the 'Remote Media Center' app onto my Co-Star just 
last weekend.  Its a bit sloppy, but it works.

Of course, native support with DVR functionality too would be a beautiful thing.

Original comment by c...@seedoubleyou.org on 18 Dec 2012 at 3:14

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NDK support please

Original comment by ngocba...@gmail.com on 18 Dec 2012 at 3:16

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NDK support please

Original comment by doc.Itjb...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:19

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PLease fix this for GTV!

Original comment by ljbuc...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:21

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We need NDK!

Original comment by mj01can...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:25

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Please add support!

Original comment by MarlaVBa...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:25

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Please support.

Original comment by ljbuc...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:26

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Google TV really needs to have NDK!

Original comment by Mollyvba...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 8:29

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Guys.  Just saying you "need" and NDK isn't useful to the GoogleTV team.  
Google is looking for use cases to help justify the "need".

So far I have seen:
* XMBC support
* VideoLAN support (Generally support ports of more media type applications)
* Simplify the porting of NDK Android Games to Google TV. (It would probably be 
useful if the team could get more specifics here like what games would be 
ported?)
* An ATSC TV App (Don't even know if and NDK could help this or not)

Are there any other solid use cases for an NDK?  What are some of the use cases 
for NDK on Android?  Would they apply to Google TV also?

Original comment by you...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:12

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We use a cross-platform ORM that simplifies sharing data between Android, iOS, 
and web clients. A library is generated that is native to each platform, so 
without an NDK, we can't bring our applications to Google TV.

Original comment by m...@cameroncurrie.net on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:26

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Sounds like we all need to spend time on the Play Store and find every app that 
sure would be great if it worked on GoogleTV, but doesn't due to lack of NDK.  
Methinks we've only scratched the surface thus far.  You'd think there would be 
a way for Google to tell that from their side.

Original comment by c...@seedoubleyou.org on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:28

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I work with a framework called libgdx.  It allows me to write games (in java) 
that run on Windows/Mac/Linux/Android/iOS.  It requires an NDK to implement 
certain features on Android.

There are many (many) games out there that use libgdx.  Give us an NDK and each 
and every one of these would be able to run on GoogleTV.

Or you can ignore us and let products like Ouya continue to fragment the 
Android ecosystem and GoogleTV will remain irrelevant.

Original comment by amcc...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:32

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It would be nice to see NDK support added. Given the lack of commitment shown 
for this device I am leaning towards recycling my Google TV unit and working 
with XBMC on the Raspberry Pi instead.

Original comment by pill...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:39

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Without an NDK, it looks like Google TV will be an experiment with little 
success eternally stuck in a corner of a very niche market. With an NDK, it 
would at least have a chance at becoming an invaluable companion to the TV. 
Look at what XBMC did for the Apple TV, and with the right help I think Google 
TV has far greater potential than any other TV add-on box out there.

Aside from XBMC, which alone would make Google TV incredible, imagine using 
Google TV as a supercharged DVR (when combined with an external hard drive) as 
well as taking advantage of the upcoming OUYA gaming development happening on 
the Android platform, give them the opportunity to make their games compatible 
with Google TV as well! Combine those games with a bluetooth controller and you 
have a serious gaming platform to work with.

Google TV upgraded to Jelly Bean with an NDK that would support XBMC and the 
ability to work with the apps & games being developed on systems like Unity 
that require an NDK... I'm excited just thinking about it. It would put some 
life back into this project.

I'm puzzled that the argument even needs to be made, Android has flourished 
under the system of giving people the tools they need and letting their 
creativity help make the products great. Why would Google TV be any different?

Original comment by Mornha...@gmail.com on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:53

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Answer: cable and media companies.

--Nate Olsen

"Gotta count the atoms!  Conservation of mass...It's the Law!"
                        --Homer Jay Simpson

Original comment by nolsen311 on 19 Dec 2012 at 9:58

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I bought a Google TV! What a joke without NDK! I can have 5 applications! What 
am I suppose to do with that?

Original comment by alexandr...@gmail.com on 20 Dec 2012 at 4:33

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I'll give an example of why the NDK is needed for Google TV from an end-user 
perspective, which will help drive sales of GTV devices and thus provide more 
"eyeballs" for Google, which is the whole point (from Google's perspective).

Scenario:  A user at home is watching TV and hears a noise outside (or see a 
motion light turn on, hears a car pull in the driveway, or someone knocking on 
the door).  They click the button on their GTV remote and up pops the GTV 
interface on the side of their TV show.  Then click on the CCTV app (such as IP 
Cam Viewer) and quickly look at their cameras to see if someone is outside.

I sell a lot of CCTV DVRs for residential and business customers.   There are 
several CCTV/IP Camera apps for Android that work really well.   Work well on 
non-GTV devices, that is.    About 70% of the DVRs/Cameras supported by IP Cam 
Viewer require native code functionality (this number comes from the dev 
himself).   I believe that most of the remaining 30% that do work without 
native code are MJPEG based.  That's just a guess on my part, based on the 
observation of which DVRs are listed in the "Net Eye GTV" app.  Net Eye GTV is 
essentially IP Cam Viewer minus native code.

The beauty of the CCTV App is that person could just as easily switch to look 
at their cameras at their office as well from the comfort of their couch.

If NDK had not been available for Android devices, we would have never been 
able to push Android phones/tablets to our clients for viewing their DVRs 
remotely.  I would have had to tell them to buy an iOS device instead.

I would LOVE to be able to implement the scenario described above and my 
clients would be very ecstatic about it as well.  I know that it's not the 
biggest reason for NDK support on GTV, but it's one scenario where GTV could 
shine and be the selling point for GTV to anyone that has a CCTV DVR or IP 
Camera system at their home/office.  Just like Netflix on GTV drives adoption 
of GTV for some users, NDK on GTV will help drive adoption of GTV for lots of 
other users.  Because Netflix apps are available on lots of devices (Roku, 
every Smart TV, Boxee.  But a user's favorite app isn't available on those 
devices.

I bought the Logitech Revue for the described scenario.  Was disappointed when 
I found out you couldn't install apps. Then waited for App Market to be 
available for it.  Then was disappointed again because the apps wouldn't work.  
Then Co-Star came out.  Since it was ARM based, I assumed (incorrectly) that 
the apps that worked on the Android phones would work on the Co-Star.  
Disappointed again.  Now that I know that the NDK is the real issue, I now know 
not to waste any money on GTV hardware until the NDK is supported.

However, my advice to the Google devs - after the lack of Network TV shows 
being available on GTV, the next biggest reason people are going to return 
their GTV hardware is that they can't run their favorite app, which works on 
their phone.  The Network TV situation isn't easy to fix, but NDK should be.

Thanks for listening.

Original comment by findasol...@gmail.com on 24 Dec 2012 at 4:11

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FCK Google.  I'll wait for BingTV.

Original comment by SFano...@gmail.com on 30 Dec 2012 at 10:00

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If ppl are rly getting pissed about this, you could always get a "raspberry pi" 
and run "XBMC" on that and if you have kids set them up to maybe get interested 
in programming.  Maybe in the future they will be the ones to develop a true 
cross platform toolchain :)  ...cuz it looks like we need it.

Original comment by zezba9...@gmail.com on 30 Dec 2012 at 7:45

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Ok so the options for XBMC is raspberry pi and a pure android box.  If I were 
to get a pure android box, does it go in between my box and tv and add that 
skin.  Is that doable?  And is there anyway to get the primetime app on it?

Original comment by Zach.Mal...@gmail.com on 30 Dec 2012 at 8:00

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While it is important to let Google know how important it is for both 
developers and end users that the NDK be made available, it's not enough. 

Google is most likely receiving a ton of pressure from outside sources to not 
make the NDK available precisely for the reasons stated in favor of having it. 
TV networks and production studios don't want anyone running XBMC or a DVR app 
on a platform native to TV. It follows from their decision to block streaming 
from their websites. We need to let these companies know that this is the 
future. 

Original comment by eygra...@gmail.com on 30 Dec 2012 at 8:04

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@"Zach.Mal...@gmail.com" - The Raspberry Pi is ment to run OS's like Rasbian or 
Arch Linux.
If you want an android board that could run android apps like "primetime" you 
could get a Gooseberry board "http://gooseberry.atspace.co.uk/?page_id=13"

Original comment by zezba9...@gmail.com on 30 Dec 2012 at 10:47

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Run XBMC on the AppleTV.  Nothing else comes close.  I have no idea what I even 
have the GoogleTV for any longer as it is completely unsupported and does 
nothing well.  Google going public should have indicated that this was the end 
of anything innovative from them. 

Original comment by SFano...@gmail.com on 31 Dec 2012 at 2:35