[Sholander]

I´m talking about system responsiveness, network shares browsing speed, overall interface lag, capability to run better skins (acceptably) and handling of big MKVs and compressed files. Of course, for light use it won´t matter much.
To rectify then: For light Kodi use, by all means go to the Amazon sticks, any of them. They are great... just not for what I expect from a Kodi box.

FireTV Sticks are streaming devices, not media player devices, although Kodi works OK on them. To expect full Kodi functionality and fastest response from a dedicated streaming device is not realistic at all.

[JamesX]

FireTV Sticks are streaming devices, not media player devices, although Kodi works OK on them. To expect full Kodi functionality and fastest response from a dedicated streaming device is not realistic at all.

My point exactly. That's why when recommending such devices, one must make clear what to expect. People taking the recommendations most of the time won't know better.

[ExTechOp]

Raspberry Pi 4B supports 4K HDR for HEVC/h.265 content (but h.264 hardware decode is limited to HD, and VC-1 and MPEG2 are software decoded) and HD Audio passthrough now, and deinterlacing has returned (which is great for Live TV and some DVDs and Blu-rays).  It's relatively early days - but the team has done a great job of supporting the new Linux mainline video playback framework on the Pi 4B - so it doesn't require vendor-specific kernel stuff like the CoreElec Odroid stuff?  Raspberry Pi's are quite difficult to get a sensible price at the moment though (at least in the UK) I think they've been hit - like so many others - by the IC supply chain issues caused by Covid.

I tested RPi4 with LibreELEC-RPi4.arm-10.0.2, and although Kodi works very well, the video playback output (for both HD and 4k stuff) was noisy. As if there was a sparkly "snowstorm" going on in the background. Does anyone know what this is about?

[calev]

Raspberry Pi 4B supports 4K HDR for HEVC/h.265 content (but h.264 hardware decode is limited to HD, and VC-1 and MPEG2 are software decoded) and HD Audio passthrough now, and deinterlacing has returned (which is great for Live TV and some DVDs and Blu-rays).  It's relatively early days - but the team has done a great job of supporting the new Linux mainline video playback framework on the Pi 4B - so it doesn't require vendor-specific kernel stuff like the CoreElec Odroid stuff?  Raspberry Pi's are quite difficult to get a sensible price at the moment though (at least in the UK) I think they've been hit - like so many others - by the IC supply chain issues caused by Covid.

I tested RPi4 with LibreELEC-RPi4.arm-10.0.2, and although Kodi works very well, the video playback output (for both HD and 4k stuff) was noisy. As if there was a sparkly "snowstorm" going on in the background. Does anyone know what this is about?

I use a PRI4B 4gb for my main kodi device on a 4k samsung tv. I have it set to output 4k 60fps and I don't get any noisy output. 
 Raspberry Pi 4B supports 4K HDR for HEVC/h.265 content (but h.264 hardware decode is limited to HD, and VC-1 and MPEG2 are software decoded) and HD Audio passthrough now, and deinterlacing has returned (which is great for Live TV and some DVDs and Blu-rays).  It's relatively early days - but the team has done a great job of supporting the new Linux mainline video playback framework on the Pi 4B - so it doesn't require vendor-specific kernel stuff like the CoreElec Odroid stuff?  Raspberry Pi's are quite difficult to get a sensible price at the moment though (at least in the UK) I think they've been hit - like so many others - by the IC supply chain issues caused by Covid.

I tested RPi4 with LibreELEC-RPi4.arm-10.0.2, and although Kodi works very well, the video playback output (for both HD and 4k stuff) was noisy. As if there was a sparkly "snowstorm" going on in the background. Does anyone know what this is about?

I only just yesterday updated from 10.0.1 to 10.0.2 however i've been using kodi on a rpi4 4gb as my main machine for a while on a 4k samsung tv running at 4k/60 and it works fine for me. I don't get any snowstorm. I would check that you are on the hdmi port closest to the usb c port and that it's a high quality cable.

[GreatBizarro]

CoreELEC doesnt have a Odroid N2(+)S922X4G device tree file on their site so can you run it on an Odroid N2+?

[bossanova808]

Yes, the N2/+ are basically the same.  I use both types, can't tell any difference really in practice.

[Sholander]

CoreELEC doesnt have a Odroid N2(+)S922X4G device tree file on their site so can you run it on an Odroid N2+?

The device tree file (dtb.img) which is already present in root partition on all N2 & N2+ installations (no need to copy it from "device_trees" folder) is the same for both boards. It contains both board versions, and that's the reason why it's about twice as big (3 times on CE20) as the others that are prepared for any single device.

[davelee77]

I myself am looking for recommendations but after using a Firestick 4k Max for some time now (sort of like my inability to own a game console after the PS1-yes, I'm that old ), I'm not really even sure what to look for out there. Have some general specs I'd like to see offered in the device. Nothing super specific but curious if there is something out there that could meet ALL the criteria I'm looking for. What do you recommend?(I know a lot could be based on preference)

Price Point: No more than $150
Operating System: Android
Wireless: 2.4 & 5Ghz, preferably Wi-Fi 6 compatible 
Bluetooth: Yes
HDMI: Yes
Ram: 4GB
Storage capacity: Min. 64GB (with expandable option)
Remote: Yes
      Ability to control tv volume and power, as well as sound bar(may be a Bluetooth functionality)
Ability to sideload apps: Yes
Ability to customize
Ease of use with Kodi

I hear a lot of talk about Nvidia Shield? but from there everything is pretty vague from what I'm finding. No hardline preferences or comparisons I could find.

Thanks in advance!

[clarkss12]

Take a look at this device.
Dune Hd Homatics Box R 4k Plus Netflix-certified Streaming Media

[davelee77]

Wow! I think you just hit a homerun on this!!! Dang!!! I've never even heard of this company. lol Thank you so much!! It's in my Amazon cart now! Thank you!!

[clarkss12]

Wow! I think you just hit a homerun on this!!! Dang!!! I've never even heard of this company. lol Thank you so much!! It's in my Amazon cart now! Thank you!!

Is this the one you will be purchasing??  If so, it works great with CoreELEC.
https://www.dune-hd.com/products/homatics-box-r-4k-plus

[davelee77]

It sounds like it checks all the boxes. So yep, I will be. Although the one I thought I put in my Amazon cart was a slightly different one. So I'm searching again because Dune's website shows they are out of stock! 😕

[izprtxqkft]

It sounds like it checks all the boxes. So yep, I will be. Although the one I thought I put in my Amazon cart was a slightly different one. So I'm searching again because Dune's website shows they are out of stock! 😕

the one clarkss is talking about isnt available on amazon.com (us) so you probably found the old one with an S905Y4 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNL2GBY6

the one he means is available from amazon.de (germany) with an S905X4-K - https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0BV7FS48D

(the -K is the new/better one)

[davelee77]

Yep. That is what I'm finding out. Being in the US, the Amazon for Germany says it doesn't allow shipping to my location. Any ideas on what I can do differently there?

[izprtxqkft]

Yep. That is what I'm finding out. Being in the US, the Amazon for Germany says it doesn't allow shipping to my location. Any ideas on what I can do differently there?

i added a USA address to my account, it will ship to it for my account so not sure about yours - maybe a regulation for USA created accounts