Client options for Hisense 'VIDAA U3.0 AI' TV OS

[TonkaTuff 9]

Hi emby community.

 

Sadly my much loved Sony Android TV died last weekend.

The emby Android TV OS did just about everything I wanted and was great.

 

I've replaced my TV with a Hisense 65R8 -  https://hisense.com.au/product/65-series-8-65r8/

 

Unfortunately this doesn't run Android TV, instead using Hisense's own 'VIDAA U3.0 AI' OS.

It has an app store named 'AppsNOW' with a very small library that doesn't include emby, nor kodi.

There's an inbuilt browser but it won't load the web client either.

 

So, my questions are:

 

1. What is the likelihood that an emby client app might be developed for this OS in the future?

2. What are my best options for getting back to the Android TV experience without huge expense? I'm thinking along the lines of some sort of Android TV box.

 

In the meantime I can use my Windows 8.1 HTPC, which is running WMC with emby classic. This gets the job done but lacks a lot of the features and love that I enjoyed with the Android TV emby client.

 

I've tried using the emby theatre (desktop) app. This gets me close but doesn't work very well with my remote and I can't work out playback controls during playback (seeking, stats for nerds, view progress, time-shifting for live tv, mini guide, etc). It also seems to make the HTPC work pretty hard with the cooling fan spinning up to annoying levels. The Windows store app doesn't appear to be available on Windows 8.1 so I haven't tried that.

 

Ember for emby looks like another option that might be worth exploring.

 

(BTW, my HTPC is a gen 3 core-i3 NUC - https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/76978/intel-nuc-kit-d34010wyk.html)

 

Thanks for your input.

TT

Edited September 10, 2019 by TonkaTuff

[ebr 15667]

Hi.  I would get a Mi at Walmart for around $60 if you don't require HD audio (which I'm assuming since you were using the TV before).  You will get the same interface and app you had before and it will probably even run better .

[TonkaTuff 9]

Thanks ebr.

I'll look into that. We have a similarly priced device in Australia 'Vodafone TV Box' which seems to compare favourably too.

Am I overlooking something with the emby theatre desktop app playback? Is a playback overlay implemented in that app?

Cheers.

[Vynash 1]

I'm moving away from them, but FireTV is always an option. I'm moving towards Roku, though, and that's a solid platform. It's not Android, but there's plenty of apps for it and works well.

[TonkaTuff 9]

Well, I've got a zero cost solution for now 

I hadn't realised the theatre app was availble for the xbox one.

I now have it running on my original xbox one and it works great.

I also hadn't realised the xbox one has an IR receiver in it, so I can even use it with my universal remote.

This won't allow me to play UHD content but is fine for now. Apparently a new version of the Nvidia Shield is on the horizon so maybe I'll splash out on that when it becomes available.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

-TT

[Beubeu 2]

Hello, is there any chance of seeing Emby arrived on Hisense TVs under VidaaU?

Thanks

[Luke 40094]

Hi, hopefully in future updates. In the meantime if it has a browser you can use http://app.emby.media

 the smart TV apps are all web based anyway.

[simonmason 17]

Another vote for this

[Valiuum 1]

Hello  

Great community and support on top of great product 
I love using Emby !!

I saw this thread and I also want to vote for Hisense TV app

Until that I'll continue to use it on web browser 

 

Thank you !

[m2refalomr 0]

I generally use a Chromecast for Emby, but wouldn't mind a native app for my Hisense.

The use of the browser if fine, but navigation is taxing with the mouse being moved in increments by the dpad on the remote, and search being an on screen keyboard.

[Zohaann 0]

Another upvote for this! Web browser works a treat, but doesn't work with 4K media.

An app would be amazing.

[EZEd 59]

I have Hisense "A" series TVs which I assume from this thread means "US" version and where my TVs did come with the Vidaa app store loaded (that I don't use) the actual operating system is Google/Android TV. Is it the case that Hisense TVs not made for US have some other operating system natively loaded? And can that operating system be re-flashed to Google TV or other through an external process? Just asking for a friend.

[simonmason 17]

19 minutes ago, EZEd said:

I have Hisense "A" series TVs which I assume from this thread means "US" version and where my TVs did come with the Vidaa app store loaded (that I don't use) the actual operating system is Google/Android TV. Is it the case that Hisense TVs not made for US have some other operating system natively loaded? And can that operating system be re-flashed to Google TV or other through an external process? Just asking for a friend.

I am not sure what the OS is or the setup?  My mother has two Hisense TVs in the UK and as I recall - I am not in the UK - it does have some proprietary App Store.

[EZEd 59]

@simonmasonIf your TV has Google/Android TV OS you may can get your apps from Google Play Store as opposed to Vidaa app store. That's what we do here in the states. Or if confirmed Google/Android TV OS, you could possibly side load the Emby app from USB or other method.

[hmanDT 1]

Another vote for this

[Donnylad45 1]

Another here as well 

[GrimReaper 4153]

On 11/1/2023 at 5:50 AM, Beubeu said:

Hello, is there any chance of seeing Emby arrived on Hisense TVs under VidaaU?

 

On 12/29/2024 at 10:00 PM, simonmason said:

Another vote for this

 

On 1/8/2025 at 11:29 PM, Valiuum said:

I also want to vote for Hisense TV app

 

On 1/10/2025 at 6:22 PM, Zohaann said:

Another upvote for this!

 

5 hours ago, hmanDT said:

Another vote for this

 

1 hour ago, Donnylad45 said:

Another here as well 

Quote

"Like" the posts of the thread starter to vote for a request.

 

[Przemek 64]

Hello, any changes in that topic? I want to buy Hisense projector with vidaaOS and will be great to have native emby app.

Regards.

[EZEd 59]

For my US based Hisense TV even with Google/Android TV OS, I had to turn "Developer Mode" on through the TVs settings before I could sideload anything.  You can check to see if your TV has a method (usually some remote control button press sequence) to turn on Developer Mode.  Then I would just download the Emby APK from their website and just try a sideload - it might work.  I'm just betting that Vidaa is some special version of Android at heart.  Similar to Tizen being a special version particular to Samsung.  But it still might work.  Good luck

[sydlexius 268]

On 3/28/2025 at 10:53 AM, EZEd said:

I'm just betting that Vidaa is some special version of Android at heart.

Don't take up the habit of gambling. It's not particularly smart, and "betting" on something where the outcome is well-known (apps for this OS are HTML5-based) and contrary to your position indicates you might be bad at it!

Edited March 29 by sydlexius
Reduced response verbosity level.

[Luke 40094]

Everything in vidaa is web based, just FYI. That means an Emby app would just be a repackaging of our hosted web app http://app.emby.media

[simonmason 17]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Everything in vidaa is web based, just FYI. That means an Emby app would just be a repackaging of our hosted web app http://app.emby.media

So this means it would be easy to do?

[Przemek 64]

16 hours ago, Luke said:

Everything in vidaa is web based, just FYI. That means an Emby app would just be a repackaging of our hosted web app http://app.emby.media

Sorry, but it's not even close. That's all I got with that vidaa browser.

[visproduction 283]

I don't use this brand.  It's similar to many problems with TV browser apps.

see: https://raspberrytv.net/help/guides-for-tv:guides-for-other-tvs/installing-third-party-apps-on-tvs-with-vidaa-os
You can try to hack through to make the playback work.  One way that may work is to install Kodi and have it running and then see if Emby can find the TV. 

Or give up trying to use HSense limited App options and get a 4K Streaming box like Onn starting at $20.  The TV will start to appear as a 'cast to' option and Emby Android should easily load.

Try using a mobile, tablet or workstation browser to control casting to the TV.

[EZEd 59]

On 3/29/2025 at 2:28 PM, sydlexius said:

Don't take up the habit of gambling. It's not particularly smart, and "betting" on something where the outcome is well-known (apps for this OS are HTML5-based) and contrary to your position indicates you might be bad at it!

No skin off my nose - my TV works just great - just trying to help OP with his particular problem - did you have a suggestion for the OP?