This Google TV app demonstrates how to do embed live TV PIP.
During Google I/O 2012, one of the Google TV engineers explained how to do PIP video (jump to 56:30). You can use com.google.tv.mediadevices.MediaDeviceView to access the live TV video. Doing a Google search provided another bit of information: you need the com.google.tv.mediadevices.permission.MEDIA_DEVICES_CLIENT permission for this to work.
I managed to get the PIP video working by using android.widget.VideoView and using 'hdmi://localhost?port=2' as the video URI.
Limitations:
- This approach is not documented by Google and therefore not supported, but it is a good way to prototype design ideas for Google TV apps.
- The PIP video cannot be started while the live TV app is active, so starting of the video is delayed to let the live TV app release its resources.
References:
- Developing for Google TV
- Google TV Media Playback
- The ultimate Google TV remote: Able Remote