How to Set an Android TV Box Video Output to Portrait Mode

Most buyers who buy an Android TV box just want to use it to watch videos, browse the web, play games, and so on, so landscape mode seems to be the best choice, and the orientation option in the firmware is often disabled. However, TV boxes can also potentially be used as digital signage players, which may require landscape or portrait modes if the screen is positioned vertically. Since I’ve just been asked that question, I’ve checked for a solution, and luckily there’s an app called Set Orientation that does the job. [Update August 2021: The app has been removed from the Google Play store, it might be worth trying Screen Rotation Control app instead]

Click for Original Size
Click for Original Size

When you first start the app, it will show the option “Disabled”, but you can click on the arrow to reveal more options, and select Portrait to rotate the screen.

Click for Original Size
Click for Original Size

In case the screen is upside down, simply select Portrait (reverse) option, click OK, and you’re done! Easy.

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23 Comments
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Teiko
Teiko
8 years ago

Original Android is made for phone and tablet and always support portrait. But many firmware for TV box has patch to force landscape. Some have settings to disable force.

But .. big problem: for portrait video play, 1. VPU must support hardware decode of reverse width*height in 2K or 4K and 2. VPU postprocessor must bufffer and rotate VPU output.

Chips with no PP cannot play natural oriented portrait video. Many manufacturers going away from tablet market and drop postprocessor. Check before buy!

debasish
debasish
5 years ago

How can we do any suggestion

Victor
Victor
8 years ago

On my Ugoos UT3s this function implemented in firmware in video settings. And it works just fine

Jibril
Jibril
8 years ago

I use Adaptive Rotation Lock on Android x86 to force or avoid screen’s rotation.

gencap
gencap
8 years ago

I’ve used that app to fix broken sensors orientation in Android x86 on my Acer Switch 10 (90 degrees mis-rotated) before I recompiled the source with some patched lines.
Anyway, nice and simple app with no frills.

Jack
Jack
8 years ago

I have a MiniM8S and can’t change the screen orientation using the app described above… Is Tieko right, do only some Android boxes now support portrait mode? I used to use Minix Mini Neo X5 and had to flash a different ROM to enable this feature. Is this possible with the MiniM8S?

Robert
7 years ago

The i68 does not work. The V88 has a System Settings > Display > Rotate the contents of the screen that gives the options of 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees and works fine.

ZahJani
ZahJani
7 years ago

Thank you for the great information. I was looking for it.

Hartley
7 years ago

Hi have purchased several HiMedia H8 media players at Samsung Canada’s Suggestion. I need them to run in portrait mode for digital signage. I have downloaded this Set Orientation app and set it to portrait and it is not working. Any idea why? Is there something more I need to do? There is an additional situation the screens I am using do not even have a Portrait Mode so I am stuck.

Thank for any help\

MAx
MAx
7 years ago

@Teiko
Do you know a set top box that support portrait mode.

Bob Snelgrove
Bob Snelgrove
6 years ago

My new beelink GT-1 with android 7.1 has all play stor installed apps sideways (landscape) My GT-1 with android 6 was fine.

Side loaded apks are fine. I’ve tried auto rotate in accessability but it doesn’t work.

Any ideas?

bob

Krishan kumar arora
Krishan kumar arora
6 years ago

I recently purcased online s912 octva andriod tv box please intimate me how to set vedio in portrait mode

to set

Harshad
Harshad
6 years ago

By using the above mentioned application when i rotate my screen to portrait mode in my MXQ pro 6.0.1 i am getting a error that, “Unfortunately, system UI has stopped”

Any suggestion?

tess
tess
6 years ago

that stupid app is not even showing install option while trying to install it.

Anuj
Anuj
5 years ago

Hi, this can done, rotation is just a property that is disabled in TV Boxes, so no need to worry, just check if your Device is Rooted, 1) install the RootBrowser App 2) Go to the Systems Folder, in there you will 3) find a file named build.prop, 4) Open the file in any editor and edit the line with the property (any of these three properties will be there depending on the firmware) – ro.sf.disabledrotation=1 (change the value to zero to enable rotation) , – ro.sf.disablerotation=false(change value to true), – ro.sf.hwrotation=0 to (any of the values 0,90,180,270,360) , 5)… Read more »

AndroidTVBoondoggle
AndroidTVBoondoggle
5 years ago

This is not true. Android v7+ has removed the ability for Android TVs to be set in portrait mode. Boxes must first stay below Android 7 and then have firmware that allows portrait / can be rooted and changed accordingly. This was bad advice that lead me down the wrong path.

sany
sany
2 years ago

it’s not working x96 mini

Mamun
Mamun
2 years ago

Mr. Qmatic sany bd, What is solution and text code? Please help me???

jordan
jordan
1 year ago

hello Jean-Luc/CSN Soft,

I’ve been a reader but now want to ask a question – I tried the methods (sideloading the above apks, or similar ones) and couldn’t get them to work.

Do you know of another method or perhaps Android TV is better at blocking this behavior?

Thanks.

jordan
jordan
1 year ago

Thanks Jean-Luc, I will keep an eye on those, as a possible way to enable rotation. When I say blocking, I mean built-in behaviors from Android (Android TV specifically) that disable or block the ability for some of these apps to rotate screen orientation into portrait (or the other 2 directions). I thought I might find this capability in accessibility but I did not. Chrome OS supports rotation very easily. And no, not on a phone. An Android TV box. While I’m not seeking to use my Android TV box permanently in portrait, I would like to be able to… Read more »

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