How to build firmware for Android tv box?

[Einsteinsmachine]

I see matricom has created the G-box Mx2 and G-box q. I want to know why are there boxes so special , but I would also like to create my own firmware for Android TV box's. Any suggestions as to how to make one better than the matricom. Id rather build my own and have my own creation , then buy something that already exist.

[buzzmarshall]

nothing anymore special with their units then most others... their just another Android box retailer wanting to claim they got the best or were the 1st or have the newest, etc... mostly just typical Marketing bs...

In simple terms its like a normal pc when it comes to thinking about what you want to do as you can install various operating systems and then decide on your own customizations based on your needs... Most of these small footprint boxes are either running the Android Operating system or some smaller task specific Linux operating system...

1st you'll need to figure out whether you want to stay on Android ( which gives you the ability to run typical Android Apps) or decide if you want to look at using some version of Linux and then you can start making decisions on how you want to change things based on that choice and start researching for information what it is you want to do and how to go about doing it... As well there is the option to create or customize the launcher app to your own liking...

I am not a Android user and have no need for any of its appz and being a seasoned Linux programmer going back to the original days of Slackwares original release years ago I ended up writing my own custom version of Linux and wrote some of my own Linux based appz as well using the newest Kodi sources to create the main entrance app to my system.. Basically I am just using the S812 and RK388 based boxes as a hardware platform and not bothering with the typical Android system installed by the manufacturers...

Be prepared as there is a lot of things that one needs to cover no matter which way you go but thank-god theres sites like Freaktab and a few others where you can find other peoples projects to help you learn from while you go about your endeavours... My needs are based on media streaming and old style game box games and being a old time XBMC/KODI programmer its the main app that runs on my boxes as well as a few custom Linux streaming clients I have written to deal with the various transport streams being used for moving media content around ...

If your relying on using Android appz then you will need to go and put some time in learning the Android system so you can learn how to customize things to what you want...

I am not a Matricom user but my quess is they are just another bulk purchasers that either buys existing or OEM/ODA boxes from some Asian manufacturer and to help provide better support for their customers have gone the extra distance to get their own branded software rather then relying on the Asian manufacturers to supply proper or solid software.... Not to be cynical but typical to life its my opinion that most of the Asian manufactures are more interested in selling boxes and software support for their products comes as a distant second concern as they seem to spend most of their time creating new products to sell while their exsisting boxes suffer from a lack of reliable current software once its sold... Some company's are better then others at support so its best to ask around from others experience on which to buy...

So pick a target box... Decide on what you want to do OS wise... and then start following posts and projects from others to learn from... Github is a good source of various projects and builds that will help get you on your way...

Most of all tho,,, have fun while you learn...