Related
Hi,
so question is:
(Fire TV) Snapdragon 8064 + Adreno 320 VS Amlogic S802 + Mali-450MP6 (Tronsmart Vega S89)
for 1080 TV?
which is better? support more video, audio formats?
EvgeniX said:
Hi,
so question is:
(Fire TV) Snapdragon 8064 + Adreno 320 VS Amlogic S802 + Mali-450MP6 (Tronsmart Vega S89)
for 1080 TV?
which is better? support more video, audio formats?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Going on past experience, not having used the Vega, I would say the Qualcom is the better processor. I consider the Amlogic processors great work horses. Not always the fastest but strong.
kairnage said:
Going on past experience, not having used the Vega, I would say the Qualcom is the better processor. I consider the Amlogic processors great work horses. Not always the fastest but strong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx!
still can not decide Fire TV or Vega... I think Fire TV will get more devs supports when rooted....
EvgeniX said:
Thx!
still can not decide Fire TV or Vega... I think Fire TV will get more devs supports when rooted....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Vega seems a bit to spend $30 to $60 more just for 8GB more storage, but I am sure it will comes down. I was reading some stuff and even though benchmarks are not the be all end all it scores a lot lower, but that goes back to what I think about Amlogic processors. Honestly if both had been $99 I might have considered the Vega, but I have Prime so that would have tipped it.
kairnage said:
The Vega seems a bit to spend $30 to $60 more just for 8GB more storage, but I am sure it will comes down. I was reading some stuff and even though benchmarks are not the be all end all it scores a lot lower, but that goes back to what I think about Amlogic processors. Honestly if both had been $99 I might have considered the Vega, but I have Prime so that would have tipped it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Vega 8gb = $105 or $114 with shipping
Vega 16gb = $120 or $128 with shipping
VS
Fire TV 8gb = $99
so not big difference... just what to get more power
Also one big plus of Vega - it has Miracast
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
EvgeniX said:
Vega 8gb = $105 or $114 with shipping
Vega 16gb = $120 or $128 with shipping
VS
Fire TV 8gb = $99
so not big difference... just what to get more power
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually hadn't seen an 8GB version only the 16.
---------- Post added at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 PM ----------
EvgeniX said:
Also one big plus of Vega - it has Miracast
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
koush ported Allcast to the Fire TV.
kairnage said:
koush ported Allcast to the Fire TV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but it does not cast full screen... chrome... when miracast do and do this great...
EvgeniX said:
Hi,
so question is:
(Fire TV) Snapdragon 8064 + Adreno 320 VS Amlogic S802 + Mali-450MP6 (Tronsmart Vega S89)
for 1080 TV?
which is better? support more video, audio formats?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not sure about multimedia side of it, but the snapdragon definitely has the stronger gpu:
http://kyokojap.myweb.hinet.net/gpu_gflops/
EvgeniX said:
Thx!
still can not decide Fire TV or Vega... I think Fire TV will get more devs supports when rooted....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
robclark said:
not sure about multimedia side of it, but the snapdragon definitely has the stronger gpu:
http://kyokojap.myweb.hinet.net/gpu_gflops/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tough times. I am a Minix Neo X7 owner, and if it wasnt to freaktab.com, it would end up being a useless box. I use a KitKat rom which has really revolutionized my Minix but nevertheless, i want to extend and upgrade
BUT...i have conditions. For as why? cause ive seen various devices that amazed me in something, and totally destroyed it with something else. Let me explain myself...
Geniatech has a box that can fit a 2.5/3.5 HDD with a Sata 3 controller, and even has an eSata interface, want the drawback? It runs Android 2.3
Ive seen devices with even analogue A/V output for old TV's (or ppl who prefer stereo over surround, like me), drawback, stupid manufacturers scared to release sources due to the competition in China not giving a damn of stealing.
not to mention rip offs, nearly all RK3188 use 802.11b/g/n chips. when you see 802.11n and no 802.11a, that means it is a draft 11n chip, DRAFT VERSION wifi chips, just amazing. Lately RK3188-T has been found, a locked CPU that does not offer more then 1.4ghz, yet they are sold as 1.6 ghz. and the best one, since we deal with unreleased sources, every time they release a new platform, the old one is totally ignored. At least phones are supported for up to 2-3 years, my Minix is not even a year old and as soon as X8 is out it will be forgotten. and we are talkin about Minix, the company that does the best community support, which is still BULL SH!T.
anyway, Fire TV is future proof as they have started on the right foot (especially by releasing sources), AMLogic just kicked RK3188 out of the game, nevertheless, RK3288 which is ringing the door bell is very powerful, featuring the best Mali GPU that seems to be used only by the RK3288 platform (something specifically done for RK, might end up causing headaches on the community) and even supports HDMI 2.0 which is a prerequisite if you are going for 4K.
This area of products is growing, and the manufacturers better listen to the feed back of the guinea pigs.
I would pay 200 Euros without hesitation if a device featured these as fundamental:
USB 3.0
Gigabit Ethernet
enough space to fit a 2.5" SSD or mSata/mPCIe so we can get rid of slow EMMCs
802.11 a/n/ac - b/g/n with at least 4 Antennas
i'd even go further with details such as dual hdmi/dp, or hdmi in (rk3288 has it), or multiple Ethernet ports. You'd have an Android Computer which acts as a HTPC and as a NAS as well and even as a Wireless Router and Switch.
PS, regarding the vega, s802 does not support DTS and DD, s802-h does, Minix X8 will be released with an elite version that beholds the new s802-h.
PlutoDelic said:
I would pay 200 Euros without hesitation if a device featured these as fundamental:
USB 3.0
Gigabit Ethernet
enough space to fit a 2.5" SSD or mSata/mPCIe so we can get rid of slow EMMCs
802.11 a/n/ac - b/g/n with at least 4 Antennas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, if you are willing to make your own case, in return for having something that is completely unlocked
http://www.inforcecomputing.com/product/moreinfo/ifc6410.html
(basically same chip as in firetv, but ddr3 vs lpddr2, plus sata and gigabit ethernet)
of course, you are then DIY on the software front.. shouldn't be much of a problem if you just wanted xbmc.
robclark said:
well, if you are willing to make your own case, in return for having something that is completely unlocked
http://www.inforcecomputing.com/product/moreinfo/ifc6410.html
(basically same chip as in firetv, but ddr3 vs lpddr2, plus sata and gigabit ethernet)
of course, you are then DIY on the software front.. shouldn't be much of a problem if you just wanted xbmc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Snapdragon 600, same chip as the one in Galaxy S4, that is powerful. Unfortunately anything that as to do with coding and electronics is above my scope of knowledge , it does look quite good this one. Above that, i dont use XBMC tbh and i use it as a Desktop Replacement Tool in combination with a LED TV and a Logitech k400 keyboard. Of course i dont do desktop-class processing, but it is enough for my needs to explore the internet, basically a basic computer .
ps, Fire TV has LPDDR2?
PlutoDelic said:
Snapdragon 600, same chip as the one in Galaxy S4, that is powerful. Unfortunately anything that as to do with coding and electronics is above my scope of knowledge , it does look quite good this one. Above that, i dont use XBMC tbh and i use it as a Desktop Replacement Tool in combination with a LED TV and a Logitech k400 keyboard. Of course i dont do desktop-class processing, but it is enough for my needs to explore the internet, basically a basic computer .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, fedora runs quite nicely on it: https://github.com/freedreno/freedreno/wiki/Fedora
(as would, I imagine, ubuntu/debian/gentoo/etc..)
PlutoDelic said:
ps, Fire TV has LPDDR2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, it has cell phone type low-power ddr stacked on top of the snapdragon 600, vs external DDR3 chips (which I assumed would be cheaper and sufficient since there isn't really a constraint on pcb size..)
but in the end, I guess the different memory won't make so much difference. The firetv does have larger emmc (iirc, ifc6410 was only 4G or 2G?), but that never bothered me as I just use a ssd harddrive anyways.
Why FTV and Not a 802 device
I been using different boxes like the Matricon and RK3188 based ones. Rockchip suck at video but Amlogic excel at video playback. The problem is buggy firmware and that my friends is what makes or breaks a device. I was looking into an S802 but the only worthy one seems to be the upcoming Minix 8 with S802-H. One thing I like about the Roku and FTV is how well they behave and I don't miss the buggy Chinese devices' firmware.
I own a FTV (living room), a Roku and a Chromecast (bedroom, Roku for almost everything and the Chromecast to stream XBMC from android using Moliplayer and Y2Cast free app). Even though Roku have a dual core, it kicks any other box including the FTV at handling video and working with Plex. If there was XBMC for Roku I would considered it the perfect box.
The FTV handles video very well but the user interface is not as smooth as the Roku. Plex sucks on the FTV but XBMC works great (I'm on 13.1 RC-1). Instead of using Plex on FTV I now access my WD My Cloud storage using XBMC via SMB and it works like a charm.
So in short, I will keep my FTV as I'm very pleased with it specially because of XBMC, except if in the future there is an XBMC channel for Roku (doubt it) then I will trade my FTV for another Roku.
Hi,
have the minix but not happy because some bugs, remote and the interface.
My main use is xbmc, will fire tv be as good or better ???
007xico said:
Hi,
have the minix but not happy because some bugs, remote and the interface.
My main use is xbmc, will fire tv be as good or better ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're VERY similar. Fire TV has some bugs, some quirks, and a pretty ineffective remote. The best XBMC is probably like a ECS LIVA mini-PC or a bay trail tablet (Dell venue 8 pro) which run full Linux or Windows with much greater speed and stability. An Intel X86 build is probably going to smoke any ARM+Android implementation.
That said, the Neo X8h and FireTV are probably about even for being the best XBMC ARM devices, in my opinion.
cmdrfrog said:
They're VERY similar. Fire TV has some bugs, some quirks, and a pretty ineffective remote. The best XBMC is probably like a ECS LIVA mini-PC or a bay trail tablet (Dell venue 8 pro) which run full Linux or Windows with much greater speed and stability. An Intel X86 build is probably going to smoke any ARM+Android implementation.
That said, the Neo X8h and FireTV are probably about even for being the best XBMC ARM devices, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying.
A quick question, do i need to be rooted to have xbmc?
007xico said:
Thanks for replying.
A quick question, do i need to be rooted to have xbmc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope. just need to sideload via ADB.
Root is only needed to make XBMC your default launcher at startup.
The mini x8h apparently has Mali,which is less bad than Fire TV's Qualcomm Adreno.
It also has higher standards for resolution than Fire TV. (I wish I had a mini x8h!)
Can mini x8h run Reicast without causing it to reboot?
Can it run any version of Dolphin Emulator? (It has KitKat 4.4,which means OpenGL ES 3.0 support)
retroben said:
Root is only needed to make XBMC your default launcher at startup.
The mini x8h apparently has Mali,which is less bad than Fire TV's Qualcomm Adreno.
It also has higher standards for resolution than Fire TV. (I wish I had a mini x8h!)
Can mini x8h run Reicast without causing it to reboot?
Can it run any version of Dolphin Emulator? (It has KitKat 4.4,which means OpenGL ES 3.0 support)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually the adreno 320 is better than the mali 450 in all tests
http://www.antutu.com/view.shtml?id=7356#2
http://kyokojap.myweb.hinet.net/gpu_gflops/
adreno 320 APQ8064T 400 MHz 86 gflops
vs
Mali-450 MP8 --- 600 MHz 71 gflops (thats if its using the best mali 450 processor)
You forget the main point.
Stability and compatibility is much better with Mali according to a Dolphin Emulator blog post.
https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2013/09/26/dolphin-emulator-and-opengl-drivers-hall-fameshame/
Qualcomm is deemed horrible while Mali is called bad,but can now actually run Dolphin Emulator because of driver workarounds.
I bought a Minix 8H and returned it 10 days later. The air mouse is a piece of junk which is what really attracted me to the unit to begin with. Their launcher is clunky and yes, you can go back to the default Android launcher, which I did. It just feels unfinished and unpolished. I know I could have customized it but I didnt pay that much for a box to re-invent the wheel.
MadFlava said:
I bought a Minix 8H and returned it 10 days later. The air mouse is a piece of junk which is what really attracted me to the unit to begin with. Their launcher is clunky and yes, you can go back to the default Android launcher, which I did. It just feels unfinished and unpolished. I know I could have customized it but I didnt pay that much for a box to re-invent the wheel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this^^^. plus you can snag an FireTV for $85 or less while the Minix 8 is like around $120ish I believe.
Well, im right now waiting for my minix8 to be delivered, which i ordered just two days before preorder launch of the atv here in germany.
I did some research beforehand and for my main use xbmc the minix seems to be best, as they are supplied with special minix versions of xmbc featuring a better mali hardware support.
But for a dicouted prime price of just €50 i ordered an atv as well
I only wonder if i should cancel the minix order and wait a month or two for my atv batch to arrive or go with both units and sell one later.
retroben said:
You forget the main point.
Stability and compatibility is much better with Mali according to a Dolphin Emulator blog post.
https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2013/09/26/dolphin-emulator-and-opengl-drivers-hall-fameshame/
Qualcomm is deemed horrible while Mali is called bad,but can now actually run Dolphin Emulator because of driver workarounds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i had a rk3188, works ok but it always feels heavy and slow compared to my galaxy s2, galaxy s3 and firetv.
but i guess compatibility will be higher since mali is very widespread although i have yet to run something not compatible..
Anyone with a mini x8h please try out Dolphin and Reicast with any game like Luigi's Mansion on Dolphin,but specifically Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 on Reicast since they gave me the most trouble with reboots on my Fire TV.
I am curious if it does not reboot at all with Reicast and if Dolphin actually works since there is KitKat and OpenGL ES 3.0 support on mini x8h.
retroben said:
Anyone with a mini x8h please try out Dolphin and Reicast with any game like Luigi's Mansion on Dolphin,but specifically Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 on Reicast since they gave me the most trouble with reboots on my Fire TV.
I am curious if it does not reboot at all with Reicast and if Dolphin actually works since there is KitKat and OpenGL ES 3.0 support on mini x8h.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi retroben i bought a x8-h just for reicast and sa1 and sa2 run really good, no reboots only after applying beta 8 firmware and hardware guru's firmware patch. :good:
Did it have issues before patching?
Are you going to try Dolphin emulator to see if it even runs?
My Fire TV has started running at superb speed since I applied a certain UI tweak.
If you are reading this rbox,I can confirm that nothing bad has happenned since that forced GPU tweak,and I am hoping that you will tell others how to apply said tweak.
retroben said:
My Fire TV has started running at superb speed since I applied a certain UI tweak.
If you are reading this rbox,I can confirm that nothing bad has happenned since that forced GPU tweak,and I am hoping that you will tell others how to apply said tweak.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you elaborate on what the UI tweak is and does? I'm always looking for ways to improve the Fire TV experience.
Lol Rbox holding out on us
I have a MINIX X8-H, Minix Neo Z64 and the Fire TV. I have to say out of the three the Z64 is my favourite. It fixed some of the quarks that the X8-H had and is a lot more customizable than the Fire TV. I actually only use the Fire TV for games now. I just got tired of going to the systems pane to access my apps. In this regard both the Z64 and X8-H are much better. I also absolutely love the air mouse and keyboard remote, light years ahead of the Fire TV's remote. Anyway, grab the Z64, its defiantly the winner, you can also install Windows 8 or Linux, which the Fire TV can't do.
calden74 said:
I have a MINIX X8-H, Minix Neo Z64 and the Fire TV. I have to say out of the three the Z64 is my favourite. It fixed some of the quarks that the X8-H had and is a lot more customizable than the Fire TV. I actually only use the Fire TV for games now. I just got tired of going to the systems pane to access my apps. In this regard both the Z64 and X8-H are much better. I also absolutely love the air mouse and keyboard remote, light years ahead of the Fire TV's remote. Anyway, grab the Z64, its defiantly the winner, you can also install Windows 8 or Linux, which the Fire TV can't do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, it fixed some quarks? Far enough, I'm in!
Seriously though, the Chinese boxes look tempting but their support is somewhat lacking. They move to a new model and abandon the last, bugs and all are left unfixed and you are relying on enthusiasts to make them usable. Also, look at the price difference, in Europe the Z64 is 50% more expensive than an AFTV.
the_chinaman said:
Wow, it fixed some quarks? Far enough, I'm in!
Seriously though, the Chinese boxes look tempting but their support is somewhat lacking. They move to a new model and abandon the last, bugs and all are left unfixed and you are relying on enthusiasts to make them usable. Also, look at the price difference, in Europe the Z64 is 50% more expensive than an AFTV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but your also getting a lot more, specifically, a customizable UI, which is, to me anyway, worth every penny. I got absolutely sick of having to go to the System menu to access my side loaded apps. There is also a plethora of ports, another area in which the Fire TV falls extremely short. Each to his own tbough but I guarantee that you'll be a lot more happier with the MINIX than the Fire TV. The Fire TV is still better than the Apple TV though, I'm actually dumbfounded as to why people by that thing, just a horribly inadequate TV set box. Oooohhh we now have HBO, says the bloggers on Apple extremist sites, yeah, well I've had it since its incarnation with my MINIX and Fire TV.
How's it going Android community? I purchased an Amazon Fire TV partly to mirror my Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 to my TV. Unfortunately, when I try it doesn't work. Has anyone been able to make this work, and if so, how? Thanks.
It also didn't work with my Nexus 5 at first.
Try in the settings, wifi, advanced to force just the 2,4 ghz band.
This helped me
magdap said:
It also didn't work with my Nexus 5 at first.
Try in the settings, wifi, advanced to force just the 2,4 ghz band.
This helped me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying. Are you referring to the wifi settings on the Fire TV, or on the tablet? I looked in the Fire TV settings and didn't an option for it, or on my Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. I think I read that the next big update for the Fire TV will be this month on the 15th.
will4958 said:
Thanks for replying. Are you referring to the wifi settings on the Fire TV, or on the tablet? I looked in the Fire TV settings and didn't an option for it, or on my Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. I think I read that the next big update for the Fire TV will be this month on the 15th.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
on the galaxy tab. settings, wifi, advanced, wifi frequency - only 2.4 ghz. the settings at your device might be different
I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. I have an adapter that connects the tab to my tv via HDMI. The cable on the adapter is very short, so I bought a 15 ft. HDMI cable from Amazon for $15. This allows me to sit on the sofa and use the tablet.
Whatever I'm doing on the tablet shows on the tv. Works fine.
Jacksmyname said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. I have an adapter that connects the tab to my tv via HDMI. The cable on the adapter is very short, so I bought a 15 ft. HDMI cable from Amazon for $15. This allows me to sit on the sofa and use the tablet.
Whatever I'm doing on the tablet shows on the tv. Works fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I know I could've done something like that, but the Amazon Fire TV look so cool, I thought I'd give it a shot. I know in the specifications for the Fire TV on Best Buy's site says you can mirror the Fire HD Tablet to it, but then the Fire TV Stick says you can mirror any Android phone to it. I went for the Fire TV because of it's ability to add external storage, which would let me install more than what the internal storage allows. If the Stick offered the same feature, I would've gone with that. My main purpose for mirroring the tablet is for gaming, and I have a lot of games on the thing, over 50 I think.
will4958 said:
Yeah, I know I could've done something like that, but the Amazon Fire TV look so cool, I thought I'd give it a shot. I know in the specifications for the Fire TV on Best Buy's site says you can mirror the Fire HD Tablet to it, but then the Fire TV Stick says you can mirror any Android phone to it. I went for the Fire TV because of it's ability to add external storage, which would let me install more than what the internal storage allows. If the Stick offered the same feature, I would've gone with that. My main purpose for mirroring the tablet is for gaming, and I have a lot of games on the thing, over 50 I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Considering how much fun I'm having with the stick version, the box, with it's additional capabilities, I'm sure is even moreso. I bought the stick primarily for Amazon Prime. Any additional apps, etc., are icing on the cake. If all the stick did was play Prime content, I still would have bought it, even at the regular price (got it at Best Buy for $25).The only games I have installed on my tablet right now are solitare, a word game called Jumbline 2, a crosswords game, and a hidden oblects game called The Room. I have a few dozen others on my Amazon cloud but I really don't play them enough to warrant installing them. Movies are my passion (TCM is the most watched channel in our house). As long as the stick continues to play movies from Amazon Prime, and from my PC ( which it does perfectly using Vimu player) I'm a happy camper. But I'm still reading and learning about things that can be done with both the stick version and the box version, so it's very possible I'll buy the box. If I do I'll connect the stick to a second tv.
Happy Gaming!
I want another player - for Kodi and occasional simple games.
I have the FTV and although I'm happy with the performance, I don't like the inability to root (inc. custom recovery etc) and to use external storage.
Any alternative suggestion at a nearby price? Or is FTV the only way to go at that price mark?
Id wait now, unless you're desperate.
There may be some android tv boxes coming out soon which may be better than the fire tv or amazon might have a sale.
Amazon might cut a tenner out of the price of FTV, but I really want to have the ability to root and not to be afraid that my box will one day be locked forever.
The minix X8 looks tempting
papars said:
Amazon might cut a tenner out of the price of FTV, but I really want to have the ability to root and not to be afraid that my box will one day be locked forever.
The minix X8 looks tempting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do this. search on ebay for new sealed firetv's. ask the sellers to send you the serial number. Pick up a rooted one. Once rooted you are golden. I essentially got an extra rooted new one in my bunker for future use or I may hook it up in the bedroom in future. I'm glad I picked up an extra rooted one when I could.
The biggest thing you will loose when getting out of an architecture from amazon is the native apps like Netflix, bbc etc. I would stick with amazon ftv and find a rooted one. I'm sure if you look hard you will find yourself a rooted one If you disable the updates you should be fine.
Your suggestion is valid but I'm in europe and not really in need for netflix.
The price for sealed older FTVs seems somewhat high and by reading articles I see that even the SN wont warranty a rootable box.
In the meantime I will try to h/w root my box and see what comes out of this.
I recently shelfed my Fire Tv for the same reason. I have to many streaming boxes kind of a habit of mine (Fire Tv, Google Adt1, Ouya, Madcatz Mojo, Tronsmart Draco). Fire Tv still has the best commercial content but the hardware is getting outdated for games and the OS is way to restrictive. AndroidTV devices are still open to root and side loading but the commercial content is lacking has a great interface. On the opposite end is the Mojo and Draco with raw Android out of the box. They allow root without risk to warranty. I have gone with the Draco for now as it is very fast, Antutu test out at almost 60,000 with Power VR graphics. Madcatz has great quality and controller.
There are allot of consoles coming in the next few months, Razer Forge, Snail Games Obox, Nvidia Shied, Roku 4, Apple TV, others. You will be able to take your pick. My opinion for what its worth
Pure xbmc, get a rasp pi 2. Fast, cheap and simple with openelec And no amazon os to deal with. My living room fire tv has been relegated to the drawer since getting one.
I have raspberry pi first gen. It works ok and decoding is great but is sloooooow as death.
I've replaced it with AFT and I don't want to go back.
pi 2 could be faster but the cost of getting it operational (case, psu, remote etc) is near the cost of a commercial box. I will check out the options listed in above posts.
papars said:
I have raspberry pi first gen. It works ok and decoding is great but is sloooooow as death.
I've replaced it with AFT and I don't want to go back.
pi 2 could be faster but the cost of getting it operational (case, psu, remote etc) is near the cost of a commercial box. I will check out the options listed in above posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've moved my fire TV to a bedroom and have been running 2 s802 m8n china boxes and if you dont care about android and games.. openelec is flawless on it for me, full CEC control, refresh rate changing, etc etc.. best 75$ i've spent so far.. after using these for a while you really notice how much better openelec runs than kodi on android.
nhumber said:
i've moved my fire TV to a bedroom and have been running 2 s802 m8n china boxes and if you dont care about android and games.. openelec is flawless on it for me, full CEC control, refresh rate changing, etc etc.. best 75$ i've spent so far.. after using these for a while you really notice how much better openelec runs than kodi on android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Openelec is an operating system which runs the XBMC/Kodi program the same way that Android is an operating system that runs XBMC/Kodi. The only difference is that Openelec is a minimal operating system that uses just enough to run XBMC/Kodi, while Android is a full operating system able to run several programs. A couple years ago when XBMC came to Android it sucked and I quit using it after about a week, but it has came along way since and my Openelec system running Kodi cannot compare to my Fire TV running Kodi.
papars said:
I have raspberry pi first gen. It works ok and decoding is great but is sloooooow as death.
I've replaced it with AFT and I don't want to go back.
pi 2 could be faster but the cost of getting it operational (case, psu, remote etc) is near the cost of a commercial box. I will check out the options listed in above posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to chime in here. With some smart shopping ill bet you could get all you need for 60 or less. My rpi is still the most consistent , reliable kodi device but like you, i thought it was too slow (even running off usb 3.0)
But ive heard good things about rpi 2 just running it on a class 4 sd card. My advice--dont use a case, its not needed unless theres reason to think itll get damaged. My tv remote works fine with it and this might not matter cuz if you have b+ you should have a lot of the stuff u want or need. I heard you might want to upgrade the power supply. I bought one for the b+ that worked great for 8 bucks on ebay. If i didnt care about netflix thatd be the way imight go. Of course that could change in the upcoming months.
porkenhimer said:
Openelec is an operating system which runs the XBMC/Kodi program the same way that Android is an operating system that runs XBMC/Kodi. The only difference is that Openelec is a minimal operating system that uses just enough to run XBMC/Kodi, while Android is a full operating system able to run several programs. A couple years ago when XBMC came to Android it sucked and I quit using it after about a week, but it has came along way since and my Openelec system running Kodi cannot compare to my Fire TV running Kodi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, im aware of the setups, had a firetv since day one.. had fedora installed on it at one point even, what im saying is that Kodi for linux (openelec in my case) is much more stable than kodi for android or maybe its just linux stability vs android stability.. i dunno. but you dont get hangs or freezes like you can sometimes get with the android boxes, i also said the main things that are better with openelec than with kodi on the fireTV are fulling working CEC control, refresh rate changing since im kind of an videophile and watching any movie on the fireTV results in less than perfect playback, and HD audio support is also another nice feature you cant get on a fireTV.
porkenhimer said:
Openelec is an operating system which runs the XBMC/Kodi program the same way that Android is an operating system that runs XBMC/Kodi. The only difference is that Openelec is a minimal operating system that uses just enough to run XBMC/Kodi, while Android is a full operating system able to run several programs. A couple years ago when XBMC came to Android it sucked and I quit using it after about a week, but it has came along way since and my Openelec system running Kodi cannot compare to my Fire TV running Kodi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depend on the hw that your OE is running on, got myself an Asus Chromebox that costs slightly more than the Fire TV when it was on sale last Black Friday, it runs like a dream.
As for running Kodi/XBMC on FireTV vs generic Android box vs OpenElec/Xbmcbuntu/Linux + XBMC I'd say it doesn't matter any longer. I've run all 3 ways, and it used to make a difference. A cheap booksize miniPC running OpenElec or Xbmcbuntu was much better than any Android based solution for a variety of reasons. That just isn't the case any longer. Of course if you have better hardware things like menus or the time it takes to start streaming a show will be a bit quicker, but otherwise you can get a solid stable Kodi/XBMC environment on any of these.
Back to the original question, personally I'd hold out until some of the Google Android TV boxes (not generic Android boxes) start shipping. Not because I think they will be better than GATV boxes, but because there should be a better selection of options and one might be a better fit than your two AFTV choices. Either way, it's hard to beat AFTV and I expect similar results from GATV boxes. Side-loading isn't as easy as just installing from the app store, but there are options that have all the plug-ins ready to go. Unlike other setups, you don't have to figure out which remote to use or how to get it configured (yes, I know some generic Android boxes come setup for XBMC and even have their own customized XBMC, I have one).
In short, I used to have a mix of generic Android boxes and mini HTPCs running OpenElec/XBMCbuntu. Now I have AFTV boxes in daily use and two Rokus that are almost never used. For the price point, ease of use, stability and extra functionality above and beyond Kodi the AFTV and presumably GATV boxes just make more sense.
One last thing I almost forgot - the space limitation on the AFTV is a huge drawback. Until (unless) Amazon releases an update to let us use USB drives for apps and data this could be a big issue. If for some reason you absolutely require plenty of disk space, perhaps you don't have network storage and need all your media on the device itself, then AFTV may not be an option.
GATV might have the same lock as amazon regarding custom updates / root.
I would like to escape the proprietary ecosystem opposed by amazon and google if possible to avoid possible lockouts in the near future.
I like the amazon box, is fast and easy to use with its remote. I use a NAS for my media but I would like to have root and extra storage option on it.
The mojo looks like a good option, I might go for this.
I've been using a Fire TV Stick for about a week now, after you sideload Kodi (and then use your Amazon account to install Kodi on another device, so you trick the FireTV into showing Kodi in your Recent apps on the home screen) I don't think you can beat the bang for the buck.
I'm about to order the Minix X8-H Plus. This thing seems a lot better than the AFTV! I have a 256gb SD card lying around, so I can't wait to throw it in this thing. It has 2gb RAM, 2.0ghz Quad-Core Processor, SD slot, three USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet, 16gb eMMC, 4K2K UHD video playback, Octo-Core Mali-450 GPU, Dual-Band Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 4K H.265 / HEVC Hardware Decoding Support.
It looks like they're going for around $150-$160. Check it out:
http://www.minix.com.hk/Products/NEO-X8-H-Plus-Android-TV.html
papars said:
Your suggestion is valid but I'm in europe and not really in need for netflix.
The price for sealed older FTVs seems somewhat high and by reading articles I see that even the SN wont warranty a rootable box.
In the meantime I will try to h/w root my box and see what comes out of this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got a firetv from ebay and its rootable. I've done about 28 mods and haven't seen one with series 305 which are the incorrect ones.
shutterslaps said:
I'm about to order the Minix X8-H Plus. This thing seems a lot better than the AFTV! I have a 256gb SD card lying around, so I can't wait to throw it in this thing. It has 2gb RAM, 2.0ghz Quad-Core Processor, SD slot, three USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet, 16gb eMMC, 4K2K UHD video playback, Octo-Core Mali-450 GPU, Dual-Band Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 4K H.265 / HEVC Hardware Decoding Support.
It looks like they're going for around $150-$160. Check it out:
http://www.minix.com.hk/Products/NEO-X8-H-Plus-Android-TV.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a sweet box for sure.. I am not too sure its a fair comparison though.. My AFTV cost me $80 and came with a remote. The $145 standalone box is more than twice as much if you get a controller. My Android MiniPC's (older) have been disappointing when trying to run Kodi etc.. which led me to the snappy performance of AFTV.. This box looks to have all the power you could need. Should be fun to have
This note on the webpage should be noted as well - The NEO X8-H Plus only supports standard definition Netflix. Netflix 1080p HD and 4K UHD resolution are not available on any MINIX NEO Series devices
I have been watching the Razer Forge TV box as well it looks to be a beast for $99
I was super excited to finally get a 4K tv. But kodi and vlc run at 1080p. What's going on? It's set to auto 4K resolution.
jateshk said:
I was super excited to finally get a 4K tv. But kodi and vlc run at 1080p. What's going on? It's set to auto 4K resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only apps that amazon allows can run in 4k. It is what drove me to get a Shield TV, and I do NOT regret it at all!
I guess I'll be selling my 2 fire Tv. Looking at the minx box
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
jateshk said:
I guess I'll be selling my 2 fire Tv. Looking at the minx box
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm telling you, you will NOT go wrong with the Shield, especially if you like to game. The quality of the interface and video output in 4k is phenomenal and Nvidia has been doing excellent on the updates area.
OK let me think about it. Not sure i want to spend another $200-300. I just ordered this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NQCFXGA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Will use it with my XPS 18
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-xp...lack/5942012.p?id=1219174624599&skuId=5942012
Any thoughts of using an actual PC for an HTPC experience in 4K??
arunningpir8 said:
Only apps that amazon allows can run in 4k. It is what drove me to get a Shield TV, and I do NOT regret it at all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure, this is a limitation that can be circumvented when rooted - it's IMHO only a question (of a
short period) of time - but of course one can't promise this.
And you're right - if one wants 4k on kodi immediately out of the box - shield tv isn't a bad idea - albeit more expensive.
I bought the Fire TV(2) Gaming bundle while it was on sale (first week of the new year) - Shield TV + Gamecontroller + Remote would have been at least twice the price...
Greetings
Medizinmann