I turned my old Pixel into a TV box and security camera — only one was worth it

I turned my old Pixel 3 XL into a TV box and a security camera to see which recycling project was worth it. Spoiler: only one delivered. With an 8-year-old phone, the gap between a useful hack and a frustrating mess comes down to software support and hardware wear.

Context: giving an old phone a second life

My Pixel 3 XL from 2018 was gathering dust. With sustainability trends and rising device prices, I wanted to repurpose it. TV boxes and security cameras are the two most popular uses for an old Android, so I tested both.

Details: TV box vs security camera

For the TV box, I installed LineageOS and a TV launcher app. The experience was mediocre: the Pixel 3 XL has only 4 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 845, which struggles with 4K streaming and smooth navigation. Plus, the battery swelled after a few days of being plugged in 24/7—a real risk in old phones. For the security camera, I used AlfredCamera and it worked much better: the phone as an IP camera ran flawlessly, with motion detection and acceptable night vision. Power consumption is low and it requires no constant interaction.

Analysis: which use makes more sense?

Using an old phone as a TV box is a bad idea: the battery degrades, the software isn't optimized for big screens, and performance is poor. A security camera, however, is an ideal use case: the hardware is still competent for basic video tasks and the phone can stay plugged in without issue (though you should check the battery). The winner is repurposing as a security camera; the loser is the TV box, where a $30 Chromecast or Fire TV Stick performs better.

Implications: the future of phone recycling

This experiment highlights a bigger problem: manufacturers don't make refurbishing easy. Without long-term software support, old phones become obsolete even if the hardware is fine. If Google and others extended support, we'd see more successful reuse projects. For now, the security camera is the most realistic option.

My Pixel 3 XL now watches my home. The TV box was a failure I won't repeat. Got an old phone? Try it as a camera, not a media center.

Source: Android Authority