[bogolisk]

Hi

I'm looking for recommendations between odroid-c2 vs mi box (vs others...) I'd like to know the pros and cons for each choice.

I'm a long time xbmc/kodi user but don't really follow the development nor the different hw platforms. Right now I'm using osmc (Jarvis) on a Pi3 and minix-kodi (15) on a minix-x8h. I think it's time for an upgrade. The minix seems to be a dead end and Pi3 is slow (jumping back and forth) I want a box with an evolution path to Krypton (and maybe beyond.)

• Something I can mount/hide behind the TV (no laptop)
  
• Something capable of playing 4K contents (Pi3 can't) from NAS.
  
• Something good a doing a slideshow of hundreds 16Mpixel photos from NAS (Pi3 is horrible at this)
  
• Something quick enough to handle media from NAS (I have gigabit LAN but the Pi3's ethernet is too slow)
  
• CEC support (eliminates all Intel boxes)
  
• Judder-free with 24p material
  
• Don't care for 3D at all.
  
• DTS,DD5.1 pass-through. Don't care for HD audio (Seriously I would rather have good stereo and harsh surround)
  

So right now I set my aim on the C2 and the Mi. I'd like to know the pros and cons of each.

Hardware

• TV: Vizio P50-c1 (4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10, builtin chromecast)
  
• Audio: sony soundbar - DTS, DD5.1
  
• Media Source: NAS on gigabit LAN (nfs)
  

Non-kodi factors such as Netflix HD provided by the Mi are irrelevant because I can cast Netfix HD to the TV. However, non-kodi factors such as Voice-Search or the lack of ethernet on the Mi are very relevant.

thank you

--
Bogolisk

[wrxtasy]

In short (or long) - the Xiaomi Mi Box is a better Android Box - supporting Voice Search (including SPMC), and all those Android Apps & online streaming services up to a 4K resolution.
Where it is let down currently when using Kodi vs the ODROID C2 is:

• No Kodi dynamic refresh switching.
  
• No 24p video playback
  
• 720/1080p 10 bit HEVC will not play when using Kodi. MX player can do this but only with a direct physical Hard Drive connected.
  
• No Auto 2160p resolution switching when playing back 2160p content. Its fixed @ 2160p. Has to be done manually in Android settings.
  
• No Hardware deinterlacing. Forget about deinterlacing anything over a 576i resolution with Kodi. 576i is OK for DVD, using Software deinterlacing. Playback of Interlaced HD TV streams are an issue.
  
• Unknown Firmware updates from Xiaomi going forward.
  

The ODROID C2 is a far better Kodi box running LibreELEC Kodi Jarvis. All those issues listed above do not exist. It will play anything you throw at it apart from outputting HDR10 clips with the correct colorspace. The S905 AMLogic chipset does not support HDR. But there is very little HDR10 content anyway apart from Netflix Ultra-HD HDR.

You could easily mount the C2 behind a TV and control it via its comprehensive HDMI-CEC implementation or buy a nice RF Wireless remote like I just did recently - the MINIX A2 Lite. This will give you a nice responsive little beastie, especially if you use eMMC Flash Storage :-)

There is a LOT of AMLogic S905 LE Kodi development now occurring with various AML LibreELEC developers. Improvements are coming through steadily for what is a very capable Hardware platform. A recent LE 7.1 Jarvis update I did on my C2 has it virtually as quick as my SSD equipped i5 iMac. :-)

Its difficult to speak for Kodi Krypton on either platform as development is not yet complete. But those same issues will still apply on the Mi Box unless Xiaomi bring out a Firmware update to fix them. Its AMLogic's Android mediacodec - decoding API that needs fixing.

I'm interested in a testing a 16MPixel Photo on both devices if you have a sample ?
These is probably a slideshow Addon for Kodi that displays photos.

[bogolisk]

In short (or long) - the Xiaomi Mi Box is a better Android Box - supporting Voice Search (including SPMC), and all those Android Apps & online streaming services up to a 4K resolution.
Where it is let down currently when using Kodi vs the ODROID C2 is:

• No Kodi dynamic refresh switching.
  
• No 24p video playback
  
• 720/1080p 10 bit HEVC will not play when using Kodi. MX player can do this but only with a direct physical Hard Drive connected.
  
• No Auto 2160p resolution switching when playing back 2160p content. Its fixed @ 2160p. Has to be done manually in Android settings.
  
• No Hardware deinterlacing. Forget about deinterlacing anything over a 576i resolution with Kodi. 576i is OK for DVD, using Software deinterlacing. Playback of Interlaced HD TV streams are an issue.
  
• Unknown Firmware updates from Xiaomi going forward.
  

The ODROID C2 is a far better Kodi box running LibreELEC Kodi Jarvis. All those issues listed above do not exist. It will play anything you throw at it apart from outputting HDR10 clips with the correct colorspace. The S905 AMLogic chipset does not support HDR. But there is very little HDR10 content anyway apart from Netflix Ultra-HD HDR.

You could easily mount the C2 behind a TV and control it via its comprehensive HDMI-CEC implementation or buy a nice RF Wireless remote like I just did recently - the MINIX A2 Lite. This will give you a nice responsive little beastie, especially if you use eMMC Flash Storage :-)

There is a LOT of AMLogic S905 LE Kodi development now occurring with various AML LibreELEC developers. Improvements are coming through steadily for what is a very capable Hardware platform. A recent LE 7.1 Jarvis update I did on my C2 has it virtually as quick as my SSD equipped i5 iMac. :-)

Its difficult to speak for Kodi Krypton on either platform as development is not yet complete. But those same issues will still apply on the Mi Box unless Xiaomi bring out a Firmware update to fix them. Its AMLogic's Android mediacodec - decoding API that needs fixing.

I'm interested in a testing a 16MPixel Photo on both devices if you have a sample ?
These is probably a slideshow Addon for Kodi that displays photos.

thank you. I think C2 it is.

When you say the S905 cannot do HDR, is it "it cannot do HDR10, but can do DolbyVision" or "it cannot do HDR, period" ?
Is there something, other than 3D, that the Pi3 can do but the C2 cannot?
How CEC on the C2 compares to CEC on the Pi3?
Also, I have a Harmony remote (the cheapo 300 iirc, bought it for $4.00), what is the best way to use it with the IR receiver on the C2?

Thank you again

[wrxtasy]

Read from this post onwards about how HDR is a complete Kodi media player Marketing con job, unless you plan on streaming HDR Netflix or watching endless repeats of HDR test clips:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=...pid2471234

I know of no Kodi media player that can do DolbyVision. Again Netflix I believe has some DolbyVision content.
No HDR on the AML S905. It really is a non issue.

You get the same HDMI-CEC control you have on the RPi with LibreELEC AMLogic S905 devices at the moment.

Wireless remote are the best, especially if mounting a device behind a TV. It is possible to self program an IR remote via Lirc on the C2, but once you have used a Wireless remote there is no comparison, especially when talking about Kodi GUI superior responsiveness via RF Wireless.