If you ask me about a cheap device with which to turn any television into a complete Smart TV, one of the alternatives that I would always recommend It would be one of the Fire TV Stick models that we can find on the market. One of the most powerful if we find it at a good price. It is that option or a Chromecast with Google TV, its main rival in quality price.
The problem is that while the Chromecast with Google TV was recently updated and is already using Android 12, The operating system that Amazon’s Fire TV mounts is anchored in time. A lack of updates that does not prevent its proper functioning, but that may be tempting for some users to dare to install a more recent version of Android as we are now going to see.
From Fire TV OS to Android 11
To begin with, it must be borne in mind that a Fire Stick TV is a streaming device that uses an Android-based operating system (different from Google Chromecast) and that has been customized specifically for the Amazon deviceto give access to services and platforms, among which those of the electronic commerce giant always stand out.
And although the Fire TV operating system does not work badly, it is no less true that its interface is not the most appropriate. And although the tastes go by neighborhoods, I personally find that it offers too much advertising and an unpleasant design that makes it easier for us to often find the application we are looking for.
In this sense, at XDA Developers they have gotten to work and have provided the tools to install Android TV on an Amazon Fire TV, specifically version 11 of Google’s operating system. Something that is possible thanks to an unofficial ROM of LineageOS 18.1.
As always when it comes to “playing” with a ROM, we must be careful, because among other aspects it requires unlocking the Bootloader, which means the loss of the manufacturer’s warranty, in this case Amazon and the installation of a custom Recovery. Also, as they already commented on AV Pasion, this ROM has a bug with Netflix, so every time a movie ends you have to restart your computer.
That being said, there are a few preliminary observations to make. For example, the Fire TV Stick on which Android 11 is to be installed cannot have a newer operating system version than Fire OS 7.2.7.3. It must be that or a lower one. The process works for Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite 3rd generation.
Remember that you can check what version of the operating system your Fire TV is using by entering the “Settings” that appear in the form of a wheel, toothed to the right of the first row and then clicking on the “My Fire TV” section and on “About of”.
That being said, the process is not overly simple. It’s not about installing an app on Fire TV and having it act like magic. In order to apply these changes You will need a computer with a Linux distribution, a microUSB cable with which to connect the Fire TV Stick and this file. These are the steps:
Must reboot to recovery mode to install TWRP and it is done by opening “Terminal” (using the keyboard combination Ctrl + Alt + T) and then typing these instructions.
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sudo apt update
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sudo add-apt-repository universe
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sudo apt install python3 python3-serial python3-usb adb fastboot dos2unix
Another necessary step is through disable or uninstall “ModemManager”something that requires typing these other commands in “Terminal”:
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sudo systemctl stop ModemManager
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sudo systemctl disable ModemManager
With these steps taken, you must use the file you downloaded before (remember, this link) and unzip it.
Then, again you have to go to “Terminal” in the same directory where you have the uncompressed file and write this order:
On the screen you should now see “Waiting for device”, at which point you should connect the Fire TV with the precaution that it is turned off and let the script you have written finish. If everything has gone well, the Fire TV Stick should reboot into state unlocked “fastboot” and then in Terminal type:
At that point, you have to wait for the device to reboot into TWRP (Team win Recovery Project), which makes it possible for us to install the ROM that we have mentioned before and that you can download from this link and the GApps in this other one.
In this way, the Amazon Fire TV Stick will go from using Fire OS with Android TV 11. However, as we say, it is a process that is not risk-free and that you must carry out at your own risk.
Via | AVPassion
More information | XDA Developers
