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

+- Kodi Community Forum (https://forum.kodi.tv)
+-- Forum: Discussions (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=222)
+--- Forum: Hardware (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=112)
+--- Thread: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) (/showthread.php?tid=94268)



RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-23

I saw a chromebox on Amazon selling new for $119, so I went ahead and just bought that. I guess I'll see how it goes.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - Ned Scott - 2015-05-23

If you have a converter for the old TV already, then it certainly won't hurt to get a Chromebox. Even if it is overkill, it's still really cheap for a set-top-box/PC. I get the impression that a new box will inspire you to upgrade the TV soon :)


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-23

Very possibly. Now I just need to figure out what remote to get.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - nickr - 2015-05-23

Then again the pi will drive the old TV without the converter as it has composite out.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-23

That's true. I strongly considered the pi, but then I'd have to look at getting a box, heatsink, wifi, power supply, sd card...and I've seen a lot of people talking about needing to overclock it...it sounded like getting that would be more of a hassle than I wanted to deal with. And if the chromebox is better, it seemed like grabbing it at $119 was the smart move (granted, I do have to figure out the remote thing, so there will be an additional expense). If I don't like it, I can just return it and try again with the pi.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - nickr - 2015-05-23

Yeah the chromebox will be better for everything except 3D (and you clearly don't have a 3D TV).

Remotes can be as little as $15.00. This one is great, I have 10 of them. I bought extra in case they crap out or we get a ridiculous number of TVs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Windows-XP-7-8-Linux-XBMC-MCE-Media-Center-PC-Remote-controller-USB-IR-Receiver-/400858194750


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-23

(2015-05-20, 21:42)wrxtasy Wrote: Alert !
Some people including Noggin and myself are having serious issues with HDMI sync and HDMI Audio glitches, especially with a refresh rate of 50Hz or greater on the ODROID-C1. Support to fix this issue is severely lacking on ODROID's part. Sad
I would only buy one for perfectly synced 24p HD Netflix and HEVC decoding to play content that an RPI2 cannot. And even then run only with a refresh rate of 24Hz and no AVR.

I also disagree with Wintersdark about Android and bulletproof in regards to reliable HEVC decoding when using Kodi, which is far more reliable running Ubuntu 14.04 & Kodi Isengard on this device.

De-interlacing on the OC1 / S805 is very good. It does Advanced motion adaptive edge-enhancing de-interlacing, producing nice results. Pity the 50Hz Audio glitch ruins viewing tho.

I retract my statement about poor support from ODROID/Hardkernel...

For those looking for a cheap $35 1080p HEVC media decoder. Hardkernel have released a test Kernel/Firmware update for this device that seems to have fixed all the HDMI Audio issues I had. Very good quality deinterlacing of 1080i / mpeg2 TV and a speedy AMlogic S805 that has a really good VPU/GPU plug all the holes and play content my RPi2 cannot.

Ubuntu/ Kodi / Android / SPMC / HD Netflix run really well on this device now Smile


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-23

(2015-05-23, 07:06)nickr Wrote: Yeah the chromebox will be better for everything except 3D (and you clearly don't have a 3D TV).

Remotes can be as little as $15.00. This one is great, I have 10 of them. I bought extra in case they crap out or we get a ridiculous number of TVs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Windows-XP-7-8-Linux-XBMC-MCE-Media-Center-PC-Remote-controller-USB-IR-Receiver-/400858194750


That gave me an idea. I have an old laptop that came with a remote. Unfortunately, I don't have an IR receiver for it. I also have an MCE remote from an old Dlink box that died. But, of course, I have no IR receiver for that either since it was built in, same as the laptop. If I could get my hands on a receiver, I could use either of those remotes. Or I could splurge a little and get a FLIRC receiver and try out all the junky, old remotes I have lying around.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-23

The beauty of Flirc is once programmed its very easily transferrable to any other Kodi or Android device without further re-programming.
If you map the full keyboard controls of Kodi to Flirc, you can even navigate around an Android desktop easily with just a remote control.

Best bit of versatile hardware I have ever bought. Excellent IR receiver sensitivity as well. Recommended Smile


Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - tredman - 2015-05-23

(2015-05-23, 07:26)wrxtasy Wrote:
(2015-05-20, 21:42)wrxtasy Wrote: Alert !
Some people including Noggin and myself are having serious issues with HDMI sync and HDMI Audio glitches, especially with a refresh rate of 50Hz or greater on the ODROID-C1. Support to fix this issue is severely lacking on ODROID's part. Sad
I would only buy one for perfectly synced 24p HD Netflix and HEVC decoding to play content that an RPI2 cannot. And even then run only with a refresh rate of 24Hz and no AVR.

I also disagree with Wintersdark about Android and bulletproof in regards to reliable HEVC decoding when using Kodi, which is far more reliable running Ubuntu 14.04 & Kodi Isengard on this device.

De-interlacing on the OC1 / S805 is very good. It does Advanced motion adaptive edge-enhancing de-interlacing, producing nice results. Pity the 50Hz Audio glitch ruins viewing tho.

I retract my statement about poor support from ODROID/Hardkernel...

For those looking for a cheap $35 1080p HEVC media decoder. Hardkernel have released a test Kernel/Firmware update for this device that seems to have fixed all the HDMI Audio issues I had. Very good quality deinterlacing of 1080i / mpeg2 TV and a speedy AMlogic S805 that has a really good VPU/GPU plug all the holes and play content my RPi2 cannot.

Ubuntu/ Kodi / Android / SPMC / HD Netflix run really well on this device now Smile

Any link to discussion about this? Very tempted to buy myself another kodi box Smile

Seconded above about flirc too - makes everything so much easier, especially if you use live TV, you can program single keys to launch EPG and recordings


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - wrxtasy - 2015-05-23

ODROID - HDMI Video Fix discussion:
http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=117&t=12827

HDMI Audio Fix discussion
http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=117&t=9134

I'm very happy now these HDMI issues have been fixed. The Gigabit Ethernet makes a difference streaming from my TVHeadend server too.
Plays everything I throw at at without the need for extra purchased licences.
You need to get a cheap RTC backup battery for preliminary CEC support, although the IR receiver works well anyway.

See the link below for an early review before HDMI issues were fixed:
!!
V


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-24

Has anyone used a Dell Inspiron Micro? http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-3050-micro-desktop/pd


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - Matt Devo - 2015-05-24

(2015-05-24, 20:06)megamawax Wrote: Has anyone used a Dell Inspiron Micro? http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-3050-micro-desktop/pd

it's an overpriced BayTrail box, not particularly interesting from a Kodi POV.


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - megamawax - 2015-05-24

OK, thanks. Is there anything that runs Windows that can compete with the Chromebox on both price and capability as far as running Kodi? The only mentions of Windows devices that I recall seeing are the NUCs, which are quite a bit more expensive. Do you think Windows 10 on the Chromebox will be a good option down the line?


RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015) - Soli - 2015-05-24

Windows 8.1/10 run buttery fine, but hdmi sound doesn't work. I can also confirm that server 2012r2 is no go when it comes to hdmi sound.