Convince me! Benefits of Custom ROMs vs Disadvantage of losing OTA

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henihazbay

Senior Member
Hi all

Actually the subject speaks it self but,
As you probably know, after you install a custom ROM, you'll lose OTA eligibility which includes flash support for browser, bug fixes and much more.

Still, I know you'll keep on installing custom ROMs... So Convince me to install a custom ROM...
 

kylez64

Senior Member
May 25, 2009
252
2
Las Vegas
you lose (I was wrong you get OTA on custom roms) ota but anything OTA is gonna be on this site in seconds ;)
 
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david1171

Senior Member
Apr 29, 2009
3,202
166
When you are ready to void your warranty then install a custom ROM. What makes you think that these OTA updates won't magically find a place into custom ROMs?

With a custom ROM you get root access. You will never have root access with an OTA ROM, if you know enough about android and how to use root access then that should be enough for you.
 

SpyderMS

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
149
0
El Mirage, AZ
Hi all

Actually the subject speaks it self but,
As you probably know, after you install a custom ROM, you'll lose OTA eligibility which includes flash support for browser, bug fixes and much more.

Still, I know you'll keep on installing custom ROMs... So Convince me to install a custom ROM...

Chances are, anything included in an OTA update will be on XDA (by way of custom ROMS) before it hits phones via OTA. For example, multi-touch in the browser was already in Cyanogen's Rom (and possibly others). Sure, maps didn't have it, but only cause Cyanogen didn't enable it yet, posssibly because he figured Google would get to it in a short time anyway, who knows. The patch to enable full access to your memory was here first as well, and (at this time) we still don't know if today's OTA update includes this. Lots of other reasons to root, but if all you're worried about is getting OTA updates, you can stop worrying.
 

Raymond77

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2008
152
9
In fairness I've not noticed any performance increase on my Nexus One, since adding the Cyanogen rom on Sunday.

There are a few more apps, some extra options, and a really dodgy multitouch in the browser app, but I have to admit I don't really think it was worth it for me.

Fortunately I've got the nandroid backup of my stock rom, so in a week or so I'll probably restore that and get the OTA updates anyway...:)
 

sherifone

Senior Member
May 29, 2009
53
0
the difference between cooked multitouch and the native one in the OTA is quite noticeable.

rather than estimating the pinch to zoom (like on the Hero/Sense UI) the new 2.1-update1 is extremely accurate zooming where your fingers are placed, as well as being smooth as butter.
 

henihazbay

Senior Member
In fairness I've not noticed any performance increase on my Nexus One, since adding the Cyanogen rom on Sunday.

There are a few more apps, some extra options, and a really dodgy multitouch in the browser app, but I have to admit I don't really think it was worth it for me.

Fortunately I've got the nandroid backup of my stock rom, so in a week or so I'll probably restore that and get the OTA updates anyway...:)

Is this possible? I think once you rooted, you can't get the OTAs anymore
 

r8zer

Senior Member
Jun 18, 2008
585
50
London
if you are rooted but have stock bootloader and stock rom you can receive OTA updates still, and still install them aswell,
 

Eclair~

Senior Member
Dec 21, 2009
1,183
30
You do know that the features included in the official OTA that just was released a few days ago have already been placed into most of the available ROMs, when you root, you're really not "losing" the ability to get OTAs, you just are losing the ability to get them automatically sent to your phone. It just means you must install then manually, or, i.e, update the ROM your using.

When Flash 10.1 comes, do not worry, it will be in every ROM in a matter of hours. Or even before it is officially released - everything is possible after rooting. Also, after rooting, you are allowed to just do "more". Like have custom trackball colors, Nexus Torch, other apps that require ROOT access - and, for those who like installing different Android Builds, like Sense, that is all possible too.
 

gtrplr71

Senior Member
Jul 6, 2009
1,086
44
TEXAS.
this should do it look at the bottom 281 megs of free memory
 

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ianken

Senior Member
Jun 15, 2007
211
4
Redmond
this should do it look at the bottom 281 megs of free memory

Yep. But free memory is memory not being used for anything, so what's the point? It's an e-peen thing, like the guys who build triple SLI I7 gaming rigs with 12 gigs and use it to run WoW. :D

But one thing to consider is that an OTA update is generally well tested. Cooked ROMs are frequently not. The current Cyanogen 5.0 "stable" one has gone through three revisions in one day or so to correct for things that would normally be caught in a regression test pass for the "real bits."

The advantages of staying stock is that GOOG, HTC and TMO will have releases processes in place, quality gates for changes to pass, etc that the cooked rom scene does not.

The advantage of going rooted with a custom rom is you get new cool stuff sooner.

So. Root, nandroid and then try it out. If you don't like the result, restore. Done.

I'm running Cyan 5 beta 4. Have not installed the "stable" release build as I'm waiting for the bug churn to slow.
 

octap

New member
Mar 8, 2010
2
0
Looking over the whole net to get an answer to this question.

What are the benefits of going rooted and installing a custom rom?

There is totally NO answer, cause the answer that EVERYBODY gives "you gain all the benefits of have your phone rooted" is just not an answer. What ar those benefits damn?

I know there's no straight answer, but I am looking for some examples....things that will show me some actual benefits in everyday use. And please dont give me the second most popular answer "you are able to install custom Roms"....
Yes...ok....but I want examples of the benefits of that, too...

(I have rooted my phone and installed Leedroid rom......and still trying to figure out why all that fuzz...)
 

liam.lah

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2010
653
31
Nevada
Theres a whole search engine out there.

You serious? You necro'd a year and a half old thread to ask this?

If you go to any custom rom thread in this forum, you will be given access to a list of features.

Or you could google the rom in question, an example might be "Cyanogenmod features"

This was the second result:
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=Features

You say you have leedroid, which makes me suspect that A: you don't have a Nexus One, and B: You should have read the first post of the thread, where the features of the custom rom are included
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=842802


Rooting gives you all the features of the custom rom you choose to install. Every rom has it's own set of features, which may explain why there is no single 'answer' you are looking for.

Rooting without installing a custom rom limits you to extra features like Nandroid back ups, and things like setCPU.
 
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octap

New member
Mar 8, 2010
2
0
thanks for taking the time to reply. I figured that I was on a wrong phone thread only after I posted (I have HTC desire). I guess I have to spend some time with my rooted+rom phone to understand the real benefits myself.
 

datboycuong

Senior Member
Jun 16, 2009
52
4
If you don't root, you don't get the 'H'!! LOL

If you ask everyone the forum, why they rooted their phone, 1/2 will not know why.

Some, surprisingly, believe they need to root their phone to get the 'H' to get faster internet speed.

Some believe their 'stock, non-rooted' phone always gets 'H' and that is how it comes from the store.

Some believe that if you root your phone, it will transform into a power ranger.
 

crachel

Retired Senior Moderator
Jul 13, 2008
3,880
3,029
Texas
There are 2 reasons to root your phone as I see it

  1. To access hardware you otherwise couldn't
  2. To extend the life of your device by installing the latest/greatest custom ROM

For example, a stock N1 without root access can not utilize trackball wake, so if that is important to you, gain root access to the phone.

Also, the N1 is getting a little long in the tooth by smartphone standards and Google will presumably stop pushing updates one day. So if Android v5.0 is important to you, you will need root access to install CyanogenMod 9, which might help you squeeze more functionality from the phone.

The rest is software stuff. Notification power widgets, overclocking, toggle GPS via software are all dependent on root. But these things are just "niceties" and aren't necessarily limiting your hardware, IMO.
 
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    Theres a whole search engine out there.

    You serious? You necro'd a year and a half old thread to ask this?

    If you go to any custom rom thread in this forum, you will be given access to a list of features.

    Or you could google the rom in question, an example might be "Cyanogenmod features"

    This was the second result:
    http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=Features

    You say you have leedroid, which makes me suspect that A: you don't have a Nexus One, and B: You should have read the first post of the thread, where the features of the custom rom are included
    http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=842802


    Rooting gives you all the features of the custom rom you choose to install. Every rom has it's own set of features, which may explain why there is no single 'answer' you are looking for.

    Rooting without installing a custom rom limits you to extra features like Nandroid back ups, and things like setCPU.
    1
    There are 2 reasons to root your phone as I see it

    1. To access hardware you otherwise couldn't
    2. To extend the life of your device by installing the latest/greatest custom ROM

    For example, a stock N1 without root access can not utilize trackball wake, so if that is important to you, gain root access to the phone.

    Also, the N1 is getting a little long in the tooth by smartphone standards and Google will presumably stop pushing updates one day. So if Android v5.0 is important to you, you will need root access to install CyanogenMod 9, which might help you squeeze more functionality from the phone.

    The rest is software stuff. Notification power widgets, overclocking, toggle GPS via software are all dependent on root. But these things are just "niceties" and aren't necessarily limiting your hardware, IMO.