What is the best Android TV box with XBMC running smoothly?

Munster D 187

Hi lads, i'm really interested in buying a Android TV Box but i dont know exactly which brand or model is the best!? Can anyone please advise me on which to go for? I would pay around €150 and would like one that could run XBMC smoothly in 1080p.
Thanks in advance

celtic_oz

no experience myself .. looks good though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTrPPAEldoU

richardw001

G Boxes are getting very good reviews lately

http://www.amazon.co.uk/G-Box-Midnight-Android-Box-Streaming/dp/B009BWC3J4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366211262&sr=8-1&keywords=HTPC

about 90 euros

eamonnq

celtic_oz wrote: »

no experience myself .. looks good though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTrPPAEldoU

Jesus, no !! Don't touch that with someone else's bargepole even!!

Thread here: http://tabletrepublic.com/forum/android-mini-pc/tronsmart-prometheus-first-amlogic-dual-core-tv-box-review-3441-2.html

celtic_oz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xGJEhIptuM

stephendevlin

You need something with a dual core CPU & Supported Hardware Decoding. Otherwise your HD experience will be piss.. OH and Wifi isnt that great on most of those units so ethernet would be best if possible

PogMoThoin

Wait for the Ouya
http://www.ouya.tv/

stephendevlin

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Wait for the Ouya
http://www.ouya.tv/

Just priced it @ €95 delivered not bad as its supported by XBMC also, been watching this unit for a while.

PogMoThoin

stephendevlin wrote: »

Just priced it @ €95 delivered not bad as its supported by XBMC also, been watching this unit for a while.

Yeah the XBMC developers have one and are aiming to have xbmc stable on it at launch with hardware acceleration

BionicRasher

Been looking at some of these and my top choices at the moment are

http://www.archos.com/products/home/archos_tv_connect/index.html?country=gb&lang=en
see it running XBMC here

Also spotted these 2 and I think the Pivos is actually the box of choice for XBMC

http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/hometheater/media-players/GTV100.aspx
and
http://www.pivosgroup.com/xios.html

PogMoThoin

Any Android device can run XBMC, having it running with full hardware acceleration is the key. This means it renders the video on the graphics card, otherwise the cpu gets used which will be slow and laggy.

BionicRasher

Yes it seems that things like MXPlayer and possibly the Archos media player on the device I linked to will play 1080p and can use hardware acceleration but XBMC is still getting to grips with this. However looks like XBMC is not far off doing this.
I think if you purchase a decent unit with the best specs possible in your budget then in the coming months it will do the 1080p through XBMC.

I have plugged my Sony Xperia S in to the TV and it plays 1080p from NAS through MXPlayer with no issues but XBMC would be my player of choice for a unit as I want the unit to be as family friendly as possible and we already have XBMC running on a PC and Laptop so we are all familiar with it.

stephendevlin

tui0hcg wrote: »

I think if you purchase a decent unit with the best specs possible in your budget then in the coming months it will do the 1080p through XBMC.
.

Provided it has H/W support!, that Ouya will be a great contender with support and price point.

BionicRasher

stephendevlin wrote: »

Provided it has H/W support!, that Ouya will be a great contender with support and price point.

Is there a spec that will do H/W and maybe a list that could be referenced of the devices that fit the bill for H/W support? I think that would help people make the decision on what to buy.

TBH - I dont have much full HD content (as it takes up too much space on my storage and I don't really notice the difference watching it on a 22 inch bedroom TV anyway) and it seems that any SD content I have plays without issue on my Xperia phone at present through XBMC. But I do think that to future proof your device as much as possible it will need the H/W support

PogMoThoin

Another thing to consider is the manufacturers support, whether they get long term support and software updates from the manufacturer. Android is evolving, it gets changes and updates every 6-12 months.

BionicRasher

stephendevlin wrote: »

Just priced it @ €95 delivered not bad as its supported by XBMC also, been watching this unit for a while.

Can you post a link to this and where it can be pre ordered?

It seems to have gotten mixed feedback from early adopters but I suppose the real thing is not ready for public consumption yet.

Only issue I have with it is that it wont fit nicely behind a TV for example if you have the TV mounted on the wall

Leiva

...also what would the options be for remote controlling say XBMC.

Yes there will be mobile apps etc but would this slot into your existing setup without adding another remote control / controller ?

stephendevlin

tui0hcg wrote: »

Is there a spec that will do H/W and maybe a list that could be referenced of the devices that fit the bill for H/W support? I think that would help people make the decision on what to buy.

TBH - I dont have much full HD content (as it takes up too much space on my storage and I don't really notice the difference watching it on a 22 inch bedroom TV anyway) and it seems that any SD content I have plays without issue on my Xperia phone at present through XBMC. But I do think that to future proof your device as much as possible it will need the H/W support

There is a list on openelec.tv or xbmc.org can't remember which

stephendevlin

tui0hcg wrote: »

Can you post a link to this and where it can be pre ordered?

It seems to have gotten mixed feedback from early adopters but I suppose the real thing is not ready for public consumption yet.

Only issue I have with it is that it wont fit nicely behind a TV for example if you have the TV mounted on the wall

Not much will fit nicely behind a TV on a wall to be honest.. There's a link in this thread to the Ouya if you look back

Dummy

I have XMBC up & running on Raspberry Pi and it works brilliantly.

Off the top of my head, the Pi costs £35, a 16GB SD €12, made my own patch cable, a mini USB phone charger was knocking around the house.

I also splashed out and bought a case for my Pi - £5.99

There is a mixture of £ (Stg) & € up there - bear the exchange rate in mind when you are doing your sums.

BionicRasher

stephendevlin wrote: »

Not much will fit nicely behind a TV on a wall to be honest.. There's a link in this thread to the Ouya if you look back

Is the Ouya available in Ireland/UK? I presume we will be hit for duties etc if its coming in from the States?

I was thinking of fitting something like the Pivos or similar shaped box behind the TV rather than a cube which looks to be about the size of a Rubix cube. The shape is whats awkward. At least with a box like the Pivos it will sit on the back of the TV with a bit of velcro

spotted this new box also - might be worth looking into. http://www.thelittleblackbox.nl/en/#

nigelnevins

nigelnevins wrote: »

I got one of those minix x5 boxes a while back, bargain at €99 of adverts bought myself an air-mouse for it and I use nothing but XBMC and it runs perfect u won't best those minx devices for android tv.. Picks up my wifi from the other side if the house..

I got mine from the link below!!

adverts.ie/media-players/minix-neo-x5-mini-smart-tv-box-android-4-2-2-8gb-dual-core-1-6ghz-fully-loaded-with-xbmc-and-other-essential-apps/4310625

this poster seems to have only posted trying to sell stuff on adverts...

flutered

i got an mx5 box, as i know nothing about tech stuff, i got steveon from the limerick fourm to get it up and running, it runs on my wifi no bother, it handles the hd stuff fine, it is small it will fit anywhere, the bad, it is slow to answer the remote at times, ok they advise a different remote is it should be included, the first night some moovies were not advailable, Ichanell especially, sunday nite and last nite the movies picked loaded quickly, bit i did not try Ichanell, i have wireless broadband, it was regestering as 2.4 on download, i got the supplier to up the speed to 3.4, there was no apparent difference in the download quality, am i happy with this little box, yes i am very happy.

eamonnq

glasso wrote: »

this poster seems to have only posted trying to sell stuff on adverts...

If you report the post it will be removed, but if you quote it in your post it will stay..........................forever!!! (unless you edit it of course!!).:P

the_syco

eamonnq wrote: »

Jesus, no !! Don't touch that with someone else's bargepole even!!

Thread here: http://tabletrepublic.com/forum/android-mini-pc/tronsmart-prometheus-first-amlogic-dual-core-tv-box-review-3441-2.html

I've put the heatsink "mod" on, as well as the Finless rom, and find it runs grand, but would only recommend it to someone that knows how to put a small heatsink on it. I found it good as it has an inbuilt ethernet port, as well as a couple of USB ports, and the SD card slot.

Before this I had a Neo G4, which I found grand, but found that just one USB port didn't suit me that well (the micro USB port is for the power).

/edit; a shill called "nigelnevins" resurrected this thread. They have since been banned.

exercise

Here is a few ones i was looking at<

http://lacuna.ie/epages/950002183.sf/en_IE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002183/Products/Nano2Slim


http://www.ebay.ie/itm/321306270195?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/141145624508?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
http://lacuna.ie/epages/950002183.sf/en_IE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002183/Products/%22Cyclone%20Android%20X2%22

http://lacuna.ie/epages/950002183.sf/en_IE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002183/Products/Micro3

corglass

Can someone please recommend one please?

exercise

corglass wrote: »

Can someone please recommend one please?

Minix neo x5 Or if you can afford the minix neo x7 these are very good well supported gadgets.

WIne Gums

Here's another link.

They look good, any ideas ?


http://androidsticks.co.uk

leemaree

Can anyone tell me what is the most up-to-date box around?

exercise

Here ya go mate,

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057189113