[SABERZAID]

hello

i want to have the best box for kodi , with 4k and hd audio etc

i have the minix android box and im sick of it cuz its slow and i want to try a better device and openelec etc

i have some of the options:

http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-ZBOX-EN760-P...ZBOX+EN860

or

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDXQJ1U/ref=...B00LATIY6C

any recommendation ?

[DocG]

If money isn't an issue maybe consider the new NUC i7 as well. You'll still be limited to 30fps for 4K over HDMI, but you're not going to get any better in Mini PCs until next gen.

[SABERZAID]

mostly im going to use it as a media center , kodi , etc

so i want a good hardware that support all the codec etc and without any problem in performance , i have an android device and its really no good in terms of speed

im not that interesting on the 4k now , but the most its supported

[DocG]

Then I'd recommend reading Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015), some good info there. The Chromebox plays just about anything I need it to play.

[shabuboy]

Also look into the BI320 and the HP stream mini. There are some threads about them...

Those two systems you mentioned, personally, I think are overkill for just media player.

[SABERZAID]

Hmm . Thank you. But im looking for one time investment on a device . Can run 4k . Full hd . 3d. And all the new codecs. And going to put on it a kodiubuntu etc. So my budget now is 600usd

Thank you for your help

[robo989]

Hmm . Thank you. But im looking for one time investment on a device . Can run 4k . Full hd . 3d. And all the new codecs. And going to put on it a kodiubuntu etc. So my budget now is 600usd

Thank you for your help

intel i5 NUC
8GB DDR3L (2x4GB 1600Mhz+)
SSD (any small one will do, media can be stored on usb external if you don't have a NAS etc)

Perfectly capable of 60fps/4K, but tv will need display port as doesn't have HDMI2.0.

[wrxtasy]

Chromebox or the Zotac BI320 or the HP Mini Stream if you need a Kodi device right at this very moment.
What you buy now will be obsolete before the end of the year when Intel release their Skylake microarchitecture that will fully support HDMI 2.0 and full 60fps/4K/UHD and also full hardware decode the new HEVC codec.

I would not be spending serious coin till that happens.

[Henchmanc]

I'm confused, first DocG wrote...

If money isn't an issue maybe consider the new NUC i7 as well. You'll still be limited to 30fps for 4K over HDMI, but you're not going to get any better in Mini PCs until next gen.

Then robo989 says...

intel i5 NUC
8GB DDR3L (2x4GB 1600Mhz+)
SSD (any small one will do, media can be stored on usb external if you don't have a NAS etc)

Perfectly capable of 60fps/4K, but tv will need display port as doesn't have HDMI2.0.

If an i7 is more powerful than an i5, then why can the i5 do 60fps for 4k and the i7 limited to 30fps?
And does the i7 only have display port and no HDMI as well?

[DocG]

The new NUC i7 is equally capable of 4K at 60fps over DP, yet, how many TVs have DP?

[noggin]

I'm confused, first DocG wrote...

If money isn't an issue maybe consider the new NUC i7 as well. You'll still be limited to 30fps for 4K over HDMI, but you're not going to get any better in Mini PCs until next gen.

Then robo989 says...

intel i5 NUC
8GB DDR3L (2x4GB 1600Mhz+)
SSD (any small one will do, media can be stored on usb external if you don't have a NAS etc)

Perfectly capable of 60fps/4K, but tv will need display port as doesn't have HDMI2.0.

If an i7 is more powerful than an i5, then why can the i5 do 60fps for 4k and the i7 limited to 30fps?
And does the i7 only have display port and no HDMI as well?

The i7 and i5 Broadwell NUC will support a max of 2160/30p via HDMI 1.4 and a max of 2160/60p via Displayport (using MST still I believe). As most 4K UHDTVs are HDMI only (there are some with Displayport but they aren't the norm) the first comment was based on the assumption you would want 2160/60p HDMI 2.0 output - which is currently only available via a separate GPU solution.

I'm not sure how well either of the NUCs handle 2160/60p HEVC encoded content though.

[noggin]

The Chromebox and other Celeron 2955/2957U boxes will support, 2160/30p max over HDMI 1.4 and H264 2160p VAAPI hardware decoding - so you get 4K at 24p (which is the rate drama and movies in general is shot in) and H264 decoding You also get HD Audio bitstreaming (so you get DTS HD-MA/HRA and Dolby True HD bitstreamed over HDMI. You get perfect 23.976p output in my experience too. You will get half-res 3D SBS/TAB decoding (as they are effectively 2D resolution streams). AIUI none of the Celerons support 3D MVC decoding with Frame Packed 1080/24p 3D output. (You can get Frame Packed 3D output and MVC decode on the Raspberry Pi believe it or not - and that is the only current platform that supports 3D MVC and Frame Packed output natively within Kodi. If you want 3D MVC/Frame Packed on the I3/5/7 boxes you need to run an external player, usually under Windows...)

Personally I'd ignore 4K - and unless you are a real 3D enthusiast, 3D too - and go for a Chromebox or similar Haswell Celeron 2955/7U box. They are ridiculously good value compared to the Core i stuff - and will last you until HEVC and HDMI 2.0 platforms have settled down a bit.

If you really want 3D then the Raspberry Pi 2 shouldn't be discounted. Particularly as it will now play 48 & 96kHz DTS-HD MA/HRA and Dolby True HD content losslessly with software decode to multichannel PCM. The Chromebox has the edge in deinterlacing performance (MCDI VAAPI is very good) and the GUI renders at a higher frame rate. However the Pi 2 is insanely good for the money.

[robo989]

I'm confused, first DocG wrote...

If money isn't an issue maybe consider the new NUC i7 as well. You'll still be limited to 30fps for 4K over HDMI, but you're not going to get any better in Mini PCs until next gen.

Then robo989 says...

intel i5 NUC
8GB DDR3L (2x4GB 1600Mhz+)
SSD (any small one will do, media can be stored on usb external if you don't have a NAS etc)

Perfectly capable of 60fps/4K, but tv will need display port as doesn't have HDMI2.0.

If an i7 is more powerful than an i5, then why can the i5 do 60fps for 4k and the i7 limited to 30fps?
And does the i7 only have display port and no HDMI as well?

The i7 and i5 Broadwell NUC will support a max of 2160/30p via HDMI 1.4 and a max of 2160/60p via Displayport (using MST still I believe). As most 4K UHDTVs are HDMI only (there are some with Displayport but they aren't the norm) the first comment was based on the assumption you would want 2160/60p HDMI 2.0 output - which is currently only available via a separate GPU solution.

I'm not sure how well either of the NUCs handle 2160/60p HEVC encoded content though.

Just wanted to point out a mistake and it's one a lot of people seem to keep making.

DisplayPort 1.2 (anything less than a few years old that has DisplayPort) is capable ot 2160/60p WITHOUT using MST.
The reason people don't realize this is because all the 4K panels on PC excluding a couple are MST based - this is an issue with the panels being used, NOT the DisplayPort output standard reaching it's maximum bandwidth etc.

Currently using an SST 40 inch Philips 3840x2160 monitor as we speak over DisplayPort

It doesn't really change the overall point you make though and I agree, unless you specifically need 4K...it's not really ready for the taking just yet without jumping hoops and compromises.

[robo989]

Just wanted to add, a potential option will be a DisplayPort 1.2 -> HDMI 2.0 cable.
Not available at retail yet but due for release next few months, according to a certain companies press release from CES earlier this year...

"DP-to-HDMI 2.0 Legacy Adapter – DisplayPort is designed to provide backward compatibility for existing display types. This video adapter converts DisplayPort 1.2
to HDMI 2.0, driving a 4K@60Hz monitor with full 24 bit video."

That would solve all problems.

[noggin]

Just wanted to add, a potential option will be a DisplayPort 1.2 -> HDMI 2.0 cable.
Not available at retail yet but due for release next few months, according to a certain companies press release from CES earlier this year...

"DP-to-HDMI 2.0 Legacy Adapter – DisplayPort is designed to provide backward compatibility for existing display types. This video adapter converts DisplayPort 1.2
to HDMI 2.0, driving a 4K@60Hz monitor with full 24 bit video."

That would solve all problems.

It will be a great solution IF it supports 4:2:2 / 4:4:4 Displayport 2160/60p to 4:2:0 HDMI 2.0 as many UHD TVs don't support 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 2160/60p (and 50p) under HDMI 2.0 (as they have grafted HDMI 2.0 4:2:0 using an HDMI 1.4 interface bandwidth)