Which device fits my requirements?
#1
Hey guys,

i've read the important stickies but i'd love your help narrowing my choices down to just a few.
I've been using a HTPC for the last 10 years, always running XBMC as my media player but now i'd like to switch to an android box and put my 2 hard drives into a NAS.

what i have:
- Panasonic 55" 1080p 3D TV
- Denon 5.1 AVR 1713 (3.0 speaker setup)
- Logitech Harmony One

what i need:
- HD audio passthru to my AVR
- Ethernet port so i can stream from my nas and to get the android box online (instead of using wifi)
- Kodi
- FullHD Youtube
- Amazon Prime Video FullHD
- I want to be able to use my logitech harmony (at least for simple things like controlling kodi)
- dynamic refresh rate switching, no stuttering...

what else do i want:
- use an internet browser to surf every now and then on the TV
- have access to android play store (for apps and simple games, not games that require the Shield)
- a nice user interface like the FireTV or Shield. i don't want to see an android smartphone like screen with app icons. everything should be made for a TV. The UI of the Minix Neo U1, the HiMedia Q10, Zidoo X9S, Matricom g-box q2 are also fine. If there are some kind of "android tv launchers" then perhaps any android box could change its UI into a TV like design.

what i don't want/need (don't mind if it brings the extra features though):
- a device only running openelec/libreelec
- 4K capability (4K HEVC, HDMI 2.0)
- MVC/frame-packed 3D iso (i only have standard FullHD mkvs, 3D top/bottom and side-by-side which any player should be able to handle, right?)
- TV tuner

Devices i've considered so far are or at least which fit most of the requirements above are:

- Nvidia Shield (too expensive i'm afraid, but i'm not considering the costs yet. I want to know what my options are in the first place).
Taken from the "start here" sticky:
"No 4K or 1080p Amazon Prime video streaming officially supported, but a Sony TV Amazon App can be sideloaded to give 1080p and 2.0 Audio for Prime streaming. How long this lasts until cracked down on by Amazon is anyone's guess."

But it also says (in the "good news section"):
"Amazon Instant Video App (Android TV OS - Sony TV App) - now confirmed with 1080p playback on the nVIDIA Shield, audio reported as 5.1 as well"

- Amazon FireTV 2
- WeTek Core, WeTek Hub
- Minix Neo U1
- Zidoo X8
- Matricom g-box q2 also? (didn't check out a full review yet on the matricom)

Is there any device that I'm forgetting or that i can cross off here?

By the way, i have no problems sideloading, rooting (if necessary) or doing any other kind of extra work as i'm used to doing that with my smartphones in the past years. I enjoy customizing devices and feel somewhat imprisoned if i can't change certain aspects.

I'm greatful for any help guys and girls!

greetz,
vercetti.
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#2
(2016-11-07, 23:52)vercetti Wrote: - Nvidia Shield (too expensive i'm afraid, but i'm not considering the costs yet. I want to know what my options are in the first place).
Taken from the "start here" sticky:
"No 4K or 1080p Amazon Prime video streaming officially supported, but a Sony TV Amazon App can be sideloaded to give 1080p and 2.0 Audio for Prime streaming. How long this lasts until cracked down on by Amazon is anyone's guess."

But it also says (in the "good news section"):
"Amazon Instant Video App (Android TV OS - Sony TV App) - now confirmed with 1080p playback on the nVIDIA Shield, audio reported as 5.1 as well"

With the just released Amazon Video app (4.1.20) from the Sony TVs you can get Amazon Prime with 1080p and 5.1 DD+, but it does require that your AVR/TV supports DD+ or it will crash.

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic...v-1-2016-/

As for how long it lasts, it's been 4 months and the new update does not break the app on the Shield.

For what you want, you're probably going to have to drop at least one requirement, 3D MVC is going to be your biggest hurdle.

But for everything else, less the TV tuner (get a HDHomeRun), the Shield.
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#3
Hey Tinwarble:

thx for your answer!

But what do you mean with "3D MVC is going to be my biggest hurdle"? I don't need that feature. I also don't need a tuner.
Don't quite get what you are trying to say.

Thx,
vercetti.
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#4
Sorry, I kept having scroll up and down and thought you had that in your "want" list.Tongue

Anyway, the answers still the same.
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#5
:-) got it!

But i thought the

- Amazon FireTV 2
- WeTek Core, WeTek Hub
- Minix Neo U1
- Zidoo X8

were capable of what i needed. What can't they do from my list?

thx,
v.
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#6
Amazon FireTV 2, no access to the Google Play Store (if that what you meant by "android play store")

The others, everything is not "made for a TV". With the Shield the UI and apps are made for the TV and to be used with a remote.

This does mean that there are not some limitations, such as not every app in the Play Store will work with the Shield (not with a remote or controller anyway), though you can sideload a good deal of them and use them with a mouse/keyboard, but that's less than a stellar way of interacting with at TV.

You also have to take into consideration of what Android versions are running on devices since going forward Kodi will require at least Android 5.0 and for things like HD audio it will need Android 6.0 or above, see here: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=289735

Making a decision of what device is right for you is purely a personal decision once you find something(s) that meet your criteria. You just have to decide on what will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

I'm not saying you should go out and buy a Shield, but that is my personal recommendation from my own experience.
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#7
Quote:what i don't want/need (don't mind if it brings the extra features though):
- MVC/frame-packed 3D iso (i only have standard FullHD mkvs, 3D top/bottom and side-by-side which any player should be able to handle, right?)
Do you want full MVC 3D or not? If yes, changes your options considerably.
[H]i-[d]eft [M]edia [K]een [V]ideosaurus
My Family Room Theater
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#8
If Amazon Prime is your absolutely essential requirement then bite the bullet and get a FireTV2.
It's unknown how long 1080p/5.1 Amazon Prime will last on the nVIDIA Shield.

Not sure on the HD Audio passthrough status on FireTV2 but I do know HD Audio can be decoded to Multichannel Bit perfect PCM and output to an AVR, so no loss in Audio quality. 4K HEVC (for 23.976fps movies) & Refresh Switching is working with Kodi forks SPMC, MrMC and Kodi 17 beta 5 onwards.

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=296080

If the Harmony One is IR only it will not work out of the box on the FireTV
https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harm...on-fire-tv

A FLIRC USB IR Receiver would be needed to be purchased separately.

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#9
(2016-11-08, 02:16)hdmkv Wrote: Do you want full MVC 3D or not? If yes, changes your options considerably.

How can i tell if my files are full MVC 3D or not? I doubt they are, but i still haven't realized how to find out. All i have so far are top/bottom and side by side mkv files. Once i start them in kodi my 3D TV recognizes that it has to put the 2 videos together and then i have a 3D video.

@Tinwarble: Actually i thought i can put all of the Play Store apps onto the FireTV 2 via sideloading. No?


greetz,
v.
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#10
http://www.aftvnews.com/tag/sideload/

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#11
(2016-11-08, 10:04)vercetti Wrote: How can i tell if my files are full MVC 3D or not? I doubt they are, but i still haven't realized how to find out. All i have so far are top/bottom and side by side mkv files. Once i start them in kodi my 3D TV recognizes that it has to put the 2 videos together and then i have a 3D video.
Those are not MVC (full resolution 3D) videos. Almost any box w/Kodi can play them in 3D mode (assuming the MKV's are named properly).
[H]i-[d]eft [M]edia [K]een [V]ideosaurus
My Family Room Theater
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#12
(2016-11-08, 10:04)vercetti Wrote: @Tinwarble: Actually i thought i can put all of the Play Store apps onto the FireTV 2 via sideloading. No?

You can sideload apps to nearly any device, but that not what you stated. You stated "have access to android play store", which means the device itself can install from the Play Store.
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#13
(2016-11-08, 10:36)wrxtasy Wrote: http://www.aftvnews.com/tag/sideload/

Thanx! I'll be sure to look into the site.

(2016-11-08, 16:31)hdmkv Wrote: Those are not MVC (full resolution 3D) videos. Almost any box w/Kodi can play them in 3D mode (assuming the MKV's are named properly).

Thanx for confirming this.

(2016-11-08, 16:55)Tinwarble Wrote: You can sideload apps to nearly any device, but that not what you stated. You stated "have access to android play store", which means the device itself can install from the Play Store.

You're absoluteley right, I wasn't precise with my post. I should have said: Any box is fine with me as long as I can install android apps on it. I don't really mind sideloading.

Tinwarble Wrote:With the just released Amazon Video app (4.1.20) from the Sony TVs you can get Amazon Prime with 1080p and 5.1 DD+, but it does require that your AVR/TV supports DD+ or it will crash.

I need to figure out then if my Denon AVR 1713 is even capable of playing DD+. Have not found a site yet where i can check this.


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@all:
Are there devices that I haven't mentioned in my original post that I should consider as well? Or are there some that i need to cross off my list?


Thanx for all your input,
greetz,
vercetti.
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#14
(2016-11-08, 20:54)vercetti Wrote: I need to figure out then if my Denon AVR 1713 is even capable of playing DD+. Have not found a site yet where i can check this.

Yes, according to your owners manual it supports DD+.

https://usa.denon.com/us/product/refurbi...ef/avr1713
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#15
(2016-11-08, 21:23)Tinwarble Wrote: Yes, according to your owners manual it supports DD+.

Total facepalm! haha
Why would I even consider looking at the owners manual?! :-D
Not that it's the first place where one should check!
Boy, the internet has really altered my thinking...

You made my day :-))

Thx,
v.
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