GrapheneOS on Pixel + HDMI-Dongle as "Smart TV Box"

roms3700

Hi there,

I’m wondering if a newer Pixel phone with USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode (i.e., HDMI output via an adapter or USB-C dock), together with GrapheneOS, would be a decent alternative to a “smart TV box” or “streaming stick” (Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, Roku, etc.). I’d like to avoid the lock-in effect, built-in trackers, and advertisement-filled interfaces of those ready-made solutions.

GrapheneOS appears to provide stable Widevine L1 support for apps like Netflix or Browsers. The new Catapult TV launcher from the LineageOS project could offer a nice, clean, “smart-TV-like” experience (that’s what I hope).

I only have a Pixel Tablet as a GrapheneOS-compatible device, which unfortunately has no USB-C DP Alt mode. So I can’t test the following: Would it be possible to mirror the display and have the Catapult launcher displayed on the HDMI-attached screen? Is it possible to have the external screen set the resolution for both mirrored screens? Or can I even disable the built-in phone display entirely in this setup?

Has anyone already tried a setup like this? Could there be other problems I haven’t thought of? Is this over-engineered and a nag-free and somewhat privacy-friendly setup (while still allowing access to apps like Netflix/Disney+ and retaining Widevine L1) could be achieved more easily?

BTW1: Shout-out to the GrapheneOS project and its developers/maintainers. Thanks a lot for your work! My next phone will probably be a Pixel running GrapheneOS.

BTW2: Personally, I think Widevine should be broken for good or abolished/sidelined for hurting paying customers (instead of being accommodated as I’m trying to do here ...). But that’s another discussion.

N1b

I connect to the Beamer via "mirror display" sometimes. Unfortunately it doesn't use the full screen space and so far I couldn't find an option for it, but otherwise it works like expected. I didn't put much effort into this so far, because I'm waiting for the next big Desktop mode uptade that will hopefully take this whole experience up a notch.

user2025

N1b may i ask whats the next biggg desktop update!??

roms3700

user2025
I think N1b was referring to improvements that should be released in Android 16 QPR2:
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr2-universal-cursor-3596761/

Foggy

I'm guessing it doesn't have HDMI-CEC support for using your TV remote control as an input device to the connected 'TV box'? So you'd need a Bluetooth remote control to send keypresses directly to the phone, but that means you wouldn't be able to control the TV as well with the same remote (eg for watching live TV broadcasts)?

bellaph

I mean it's not android TV, so expected features will probably be missing. Some of which may be replaceable with a third party launcher. A GrapheneOS android TV build would be great, but I don't think it will be made for a device that isn't a dedicated android TV box.