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Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - Printable Version

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RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - SABERZAID - 2015-05-04

(2015-05-04, 18:51)noggin Wrote:
(2015-05-04, 18:47)SABERZAID Wrote: i see

so the 2nd option ASUS VivoPC will play the full 3d?

the first option is a chrombox with Intel i3-4010U Processor 1.7 GHz anyway

AIUI Windows is the only platform that supports 3D MVC on Core i CPUs, and there are issues with HDMI audio and HDCP paths on the Chromebox series. Suspect you'd be better off with a proper Windows box if you want 3D MVC support via an external player (no internal Kodi support for 3D MVC replay on Intel, only on Raspberry Pi)

i see

well my 3d movies is the one in the addons and torrent

are they MVC ? and about the OS im going to install kodibuntu i think

anyway the 2nd option ASUS VivoPC with 4th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with NVIDIA GeForce 820M Optimus discrete graphics will it play fine with the 3d and the full hd movies ? or still will hv the same prob


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-04

No they will not be 3D MVC, likely Half-SBS. Just get Option 1 or 2. It will be all you need for just a Kodi playback device.

Options:
  • 1) RPi2 = Full Resolution 1080p MVC 3D + perfect 23.976fps video sync + HD Audio decoded to PCM and then passed to an AVR
    Quote:The Pi 2 with the latest Milhouse OpenElec builds can happily decode both Dolby True HD and DTS HD MA/HRA to multichannel PCM - and this is lossless for 48kHz and 96kHz 5.1 tracks, and 192kHz tracks that are 4.0 or less (>4.0 192kHz tracks will be down sampled I believe)

  • 2) Chromebox = Half Resolution-SBS 3D + perfect 23.976fps video sync + HD Audio passed through to a AVR. (not decoded)
    Plus H.264/MPEG-2/VC-1 video playback at up to 2160p24/p30 (4K)
    .
  • 3) HiMedia Q5 4K - English Version detailed over in this thread for Full Resolution 1080p 3D playback from BluRay iso rips + HD Audio and more. Be aware of its limitations tho.
http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=207730&pid=1954055#pid1954055

Options 1 +2 will not decode 720p/1080p HEVC codec video at a decent bitrate. The ASUS VivoPC VM62N-G050R will be able to decode some HEVC 1080p content, but it will not be able to do Full Resolution 1080p 3D MVC inside Kodi. Its not worth the extra $550 over a RPi2 just for HEVC decoding. Intel Skylake microarchitecture, that decodes HEVC in Hardware that will be released later this year will make the expensive ASUS VivoPC obsolete very quickly.

All these devices are a compromise, work out what are the most important features you really need and go from there.

Support is everything too. The RPi2 and the Chromebox are the best supported Kodi playback devices period. Smile



Personally I have two Kodi devices:
- a RPi2 running OpenElec for perfect mpeg2 Live TV, as it deinterlaces well. Plays every video file I throw at it and is HDMI CEC compatible.
- a Hardkernel ODROID-C1 running Kodi Isengard on Ubuntu. That plays 23.976fps 1080p HEVC video well and can also run 23.976fps Netflix on Android perfectly. It has some limitations tho.

These are both $35-40 devices before extras are included. You don't need to spend a fortune. Smile


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-05

Just a reminder for those looking at splashing out on expensive Intel hardware now. This will be obsolete by the 3rd quarter of this year as Intel Skylake microarchitecture is released...

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-lga-cpu-roadmap-shows-broadwell-skylake-broadwell-release-dates_162722


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - visata - 2015-05-08

The only thing that bothers me about RPi2 that it cannot be powered on with a remote. Any solution for this?


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - bluenote - 2015-05-08

(2015-05-08, 22:40)visata Wrote: The only thing that bothers me about RPi2 that it cannot be powered on with a remote. Any solution for this?

You might be able to rig something with this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IR-Infrared-Power-Adapter-Remote-Control-AC-Power-Socket-Outlet-Switch-Plug-/311335598809?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item487d0c3ad9

But of course, you're not supposed to willy nilly cut power on the pi, so..


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - popcornmix - 2015-05-08

(2015-05-08, 22:40)visata Wrote: The only thing that bothers me about RPi2 that it cannot be powered on with a remote. Any solution for this?

Leave it on. It uses less power than most PCs do when powered off.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - visata - 2015-05-08

Cutting the power doesn't sound like a good solution, it may corrupt your memory card. I will leave it just on as popcornmix suggested.

Are there any nice cases around with power on/off switch?


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - AKFaris - 2015-05-09

What about RPi1, can you play full 3D MVC with RPI1?


Re: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - nickr - 2015-05-09

Yes the video engine in the pi1 and pi2 are the same.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-09

(2015-05-08, 23:33)visata Wrote: Cutting the power doesn't sound like a good solution, it may corrupt your memory card. I will leave it just on as popcornmix suggested.

Are there any nice cases around with power on/off switch?

Ditch that power hungry HTPC way of thinking man.
This thing will use less power than a lightbulb over the course of a year. Leave it on !
With HDMI CEC control you can even set up a screensaver on the RPi that will turn a HDMI CEC compatible TV off when the screen saver activates.

Press a button on an attached remote and TV starts up again and your instantly ready to go. Could not be easier. Smile


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - agender - 2015-05-09

(2015-05-05, 05:08)wrxtasy Wrote: Just a reminder for those looking at splashing out on expensive Intel hardware now. This will be obsolete by the 3rd quarter of this year as Intel Skylake microarchitecture is released...

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-lga-cpu-roadmap-shows-broadwell-skylake-broadwell-release-dates_162722
True, but then that become the game of waiting and never really buying. I got my 5th gen NUC back in March and I dunno where I would be without it. So, unless the new hardware offers something better(maybe newer ports) or is enough of an upgrade gpu wise, I think most will be fine with a 5th gen NUC.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - visata - 2015-05-09

Hehe, I need power switch when Kodi crashes Smile

Im not sure why but my old Phillips TV with CEC support for some reason doesnt work. Where I can see whether it passes anything to Kodi? There should be logs somewhere?

On a side note, I picked fire tv stick, installed isengard but IPTV laggs pretty badly. Is that fixable with future updates? No issues with RPi2 though...


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - bluenote - 2015-05-10

For some clients I need netflix and mpeg live tv. This seems to mean android for the netflix, but is there a android box that can handle 1080I?


Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - tredman - 2015-05-10

(2015-05-10, 16:47)bluenote Wrote: For some clients I need netflix and mpeg live tv. This seems to mean android for the netflix, but is there a android box that can handle 1080I?

If you want live TV on Android go for wetek play.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - bluenote - 2015-05-10

(2015-05-10, 16:48)tdw197 Wrote:
(2015-05-10, 16:47)bluenote Wrote: For some clients I need netflix and mpeg live tv. This seems to mean android for the netflix, but is there a android box that can handle 1080I?

If you want live TV on Android go for wetek play.

I'm in ATSC land, and if I were going client & server on wetek I'm not aware of any backend software that works with it as yet?
But for this case I'm looking for something that can handle the client job, which isn't always a given using MPEG2-1080i.
thx