CCwGTV 4K update to Android 14 broke TV stream playback

[gurabli]

My CCwGTV 4K received the latest update UTTC.241218.004, now I have Android 14.

This update broke playback of direct live TV stream in all the apps. It looks that all the h.264 FullHD streams are affected. The playback is like slow motion with judder and audio out of sync. All these apps worked perfectly fine before the update. Many users report the same (Reddit). 

Source is DVB-C, TS stream from my cable TV provider.

Is this a known problem from Google's side? All the devices still on Android 12 are perfect. 

[Artan]

I have pretty much the same problem. I'm also using TiviMate, and the audio is not in sync. Other than that, I have the same issues. I didn’t have these problems with Android 12.

[jprp5]

aAter performing the OTA update to Android TV 14, as suggested by the system, I am experiencing several issues on my Strong Leap S3+ device. Most of the reported problems correspond to the following symptoms:

• Unexpected and random device restarts;

• Streaming video playback is slow and stutters, especially with H.264 Full HD content;

• Problems in the settings interface, including inaccessible menus and unexpected closing of the Settings app;

• The accessibility mode is malfunctioning, making it difficult for users who rely on these features.

[Artan]

Apparently Google doesn't want to solve the problem or Google doesn't care about the customers as long as Netflix and YouTube work for Google and don't have the same problems they won't fix anything they could let the customers go back to Android 12 until the problem is solved

Google is stubborn there too, it's best if everyone switches to kunloret Apple (I'm not a fan of Apple TV at all) and Google loses a lot of users, only then will they perhaps do something

The people who have Android 12 can only hope that there will be no update to Android 14 on their devices for a long time, otherwise they can throw the stick/box in the trash

[reillysc]

Yes, and the issues with DVB-T2 and ATV14 is more relevant to European customers, as I understand that OTA TV in the US is now supplied mainly in progressive formats. That said, there is no excuse for totally ignoring European customers (it has been 9+ months and nothing). DVB-T2 is here to stay, so those of us that use our streaming devices for watching OTA TV, we will have no choice but to switch to Apple.

[AdamKa]

Minor bugs will likely disappear after a factory reset (this does not apply to h264 playback). Accessibility works differently in Android 14; apps from outside the Store must be installed via ADB or SAI.

[Artan]

Lol, now Google is claiming via email that it’s the device’s fault and not a Google issue. They say they don’t know anything about it, and that if YouTube or YouTube livestreams are working, then the problem isn’t with Google or their device.
It’s a joke to blame the customer for the issue when it’s clearly a Google bug.

[radix1989]

Interesting as the support replied to me that this h264 issues is a known issue and their tech team is analyzing/working on an update that shall restore this feature. 

[Artan]

In my case, the support team had no idea about this issue at all. They said, "Try using YouTube — if YouTube works, then it’s not the device."

I then said that livestreams are having issues, and if YouTube livestreams aren’t having any problems, then it’s clearly not the device.

[reillysc]

You will get nowhere with Google support. You will get BS such as "the engineering team are aware of the issue and are working diligently on a solution". This is what I got after 2-3 hours on the phone, a number of emails.. 9 months ago! To add to this, there have been several messages here and on the Google TV Streamer thread. We have nothing and we will get nothing.

[Jukebox8]

Just came here and being non american i thought this meant 8th may, so it was yesterday 5th august. So we might grt update soon i hope...

EDIT (8/5): 

We've identified the root cause and are actively working towards implementing a fix in an upcoming update. We'll provide an update on the rollout as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

[Artan]

Google has been saying the same thing for months, and nothing is being done about it. Either Google releases the update and fixes the problem, or Google lets us revert back to Android 12.

[Artan]

Just a question, where did you get the information from or is it official information from Google?

[Jukebox8]

From the recommended answer by googlenestteam on this topic

[AdamKa]

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Streaming/CCwGTV-4K-update-to-Android-14-broke-TV-stream-play...

[gdeamon]

I've been here since the very beginning, when the first update to A14 broke my first CCwGTV 4K. Yesterday, for some unknown reason, the update to A14 automatically installed on the second CCwGTV 4K. Now I have two damaged CCwGTV 4Ks. I've written here many times. If you want the problem solved, you need to publicize the issue widely so that more people know what Google's support and hardware are worth. Only a lack of funds and their hardware left on the shelves will force people to reconsider. Currently, all Google hardware is junk, worthless as their support. This isn't nonsense, as someone here wrote. I bought a working device, and the manufacturer broke it. If it were still under warranty, I would take it back to the seller and let them figure out what to do with it.

[AdamKa]

They've laid off a ton of people from the Android TV department, and these are the results. Cutting costs across various departments and spending billions on AI are their priorities.

[gurabli]

I'm afraid so, you are correct. Shame. 

The problem is, they should not push a new version. A12 is nearly perfect. Some sound issues should have been fixed and rather work on getting rid of bugs from there. It is much more important to have a stable and big bug free version of ATV then new, new, new with all the stupid bugs and limitations. Just look at Shield...

Give the required security patches and keep it rolling. Who cares it is how many years old, it is not a phone but a TV platform. 

[gdeamon]

I will say more, after this problem I bought 2 other devices, 2x Thomson with A12, 1x Homatics with A12, somehow the manufacturer of these devices does not even think about updating to A14

[Artan]

In my opinion, these devices should never be updated because from Android 14 onwards the tvmate app, which is so important to me, no longer works

[reillysc]

I'm looking into buying an ATV12 device and disabling the updates. Vontar on Aliexpress seems to ship the Homatics Box R 4k Plus with ATV14 so I'm not going to risk that. @K70 noted that their Xiaomi Box S 3rd gen was shipped with ATV14 (seems to be playing interlaced video but not perfect). 

Thomson is an option but I don't like that it only has 100 Mbps ethernet.

Do I have to finally give in and buy a Shield Pro?

[gdeamon]

My Homatics Box R 4k Plus has ATV12 (kernel version 5.4.242-ab5221) and now I checked, there is no update to ATV14, maybe they discontinued ATV14 before I bought it.

[spacetimeC]

Homatics has indeed announced that they are going to release ATV 14 soon. So far I've been very satisfied with my Box R 4k Plus with ATV 12, which I swapped to after Google update.

Anyone out there with an updated Homatics watching DVB streams? Please report.

>Thomson is an option but I don't like that it only has 100 Mbps ethernet.
100 Mbps is quite all right for a streaming device, IMHO. Even high end LG OLED TVs have but 100 M Ethernet. 

[reillysc]

100 Mbps is definitely fine for general use but there could be cases (e.g. local video over the network) where higher bitrates are needed. If Homatics and others are offering higher then they will be my preference. That is, if I can find suppliers that will guarantee ATV12 out of the box

[gdeamon]

I found an option to block updates on my Thomson and Homatics, and that's exactly what I've done. I also found this option on my two CCwGTV 4K models, which were damaged after the update to the ATV14. I don't know if this option was available on the ATV12 before the update to the ATV14.

[Artan]

As far as I know, you can only block updates from the Play Store. You can't block software updates, otherwise I would have blocked them on my box a long time ago.

[Artan]

Where do I need to go in the settings to disable system updates? I also have a Thomson streaming box and don't want it to suddenly update its software automatically.

It still runs on Android 12 and is intended to stay on Android 12 for as long as possible.

As long as my apps work, I don't need Android 14.

[gdeamon]

Settings - Device Settings - Google (almost at the bottom) - System Services Update and disable the slider there

[Artan]

I can't find it on the Thomson Streaming Box Plus 270. I have under Settings System, but I can't find Google there

[nsa]

After all this mess, I'm pretty much considering nvidia shield tv pro. I know it's expensive but still a power horse (likely still the one with best performance) and very unlikely to ever update to A14. And I was actually considering the new Google Tv streamer...

[cheesysock]

I personally would never spend that much on a streaming box. Anyway it looks like they've figured out what's causing the issue (going by the latest edit) so hopefully we get a fix soon

[nsa]

Oh, haven't noticed the update. Hopefully yes, we a get fix soon

[Artan]

I feel the same way. Next time, you should let the customers decide for themselves whether they want to install software updates or not. Hope dies last.