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Hi, so, I have htpc running Kodi (almost always nightly version with AEON MQ 5 skin and quite a few other addons)
-windows 64 build - non-silent but pretty powerful, ssd, dedicated card, optical out, 3.4ghz dual core, it can run 3d, 1080p etc.
-Remote, I use android phones (used ps3 controller and even media/universal remote before).
-4k samsung ue7500 tv and 5.1 hi-fi system
-Media is stored on synology NAS
However, 4k I can run only through tv apps.
Recently I consider switching my htpc to box, something like Neo X8-H plus, goals would be:
-silent/passive or quieter and and requiring less ventilation (right now my htpc is in drawer but I have to open it for fans to dissipate heat)
-powered on all the time (minix is 7w device?)
-keep optical out
-4k support
-24p support
-no playback stutter/issues
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I'm totally in the same boat as you! I'm running a FD Node304 rig HTPC and I'd like to build another HTPC for my media room downstairs, and I'm wondering if I should build another full fledged HTPC or go with a Minix X8 box!!
So I'm interested to see what people will say in response to your thread...because I've heard that there are issues with the Minix X8H plus out of the box and that it takes quite a bit of tweaking to get right which I'm OK with...but I don't want to be a slave to bugs and firmware releases.
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2015-01-12, 18:43
(This post was last modified: 2015-01-12, 18:44 by ozkhan1.)
People will tell you there is no box that is perfect and has optical out especially with 24p support. There are some that claim to have it but most folks here test them and they are found wanting.
If you did not want optical out, a ChromeBox or NUC would have done it for you. I am honestly not sure if there is any such thing out there that satisfies all your criterea
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Thanks for advices, I'll go for windows&BI320, most similar to my current setup.
Also read one of the boards that this digital output needs windows based driver to work properly.
Will just boot directly into kodi and use my android remote on phones.
I do like windows more for supporting everything that I use already (autohotkey scripts etc.),
android device like minix is tempting but
-non-upgradeable
-unnecessary complications to move my current setup
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Wow....this Zotac BI320 is only $250CDN at Walmart!! Much cheaper than the HTPC I was going to build...I may also look into this option.
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I have a few different types of media hubs in my house. I have an Amazon Firetv stick, which runs off android, but you can sideload XBMC/Kodi onto it. As long as you have solid wifi, it works great. I also have an android TV set top box (Minix Neo X8-H Plus) and love that save for one problem I've encountered. I recently started ripping uncompressed MKV files of all of my DVD's and Blu-Rays and XBMC/Kodi on Android doesn't handle VC-1 encoded video well at all. Stutters like crazy. So most times I use my HTPC with windows 7. Though it's not as compact as my other two devices, it's been my go to because the windows environment has been the most troublefree platform in which to run XBMC/Kodi in my opinion. Each has their pros and cons in my experience. Android boxes are among the cheaper option, but it hasn't been the most ideal environment for running Kodi. A full blown HTPC is the most expensive route, but it affords you the opportunity to upgrade components later and has the least amount of problems for me. If you can swing it, go with an HTPC.
