[RRaoD]

Update:

After much deliberation, I wanted to buy Nvidia Shield, but it was not available on Amazon. So I narrowed on Droidbox T8-S Plus as it was close to my requirements and all of your recommendations. A big thanks.

The one spec which tilted my decision towards it was the internal 2.5" HDD bay for future use. I bought it from Amazon in the first week of January, but I received it in Riyadh (my city of residence) through one of my friend on 22nd.

I am putting it through testing phases and so far I am happy with the performance albeit some initial hiccups. Once I fully set-up the device, I will post my experience with this box.

[wrxtasy]

Be aware....

If this is the "Fully Loaded" Droidbox T8S, advertised on Amazon I think it is, any review you post will be deleted.

We do not allow discussion of Piracy Devices here on the Kodi Forums as per forum rules.
You will not even get any help for such a box if it's running Fully Loaded version of Kodi.

[RRaoD]

Thanks for your advice.

This box is sold by Droidbox US through Amazon. It is a blank box directly from the manufacturer in UK with just android, DBMC, Kodi along with standard android apps you will find on any new tablet, phone along with dual boot LibreELEC Kodi.

It is not (I repeat NOT) a "Fully Loaded" box with illegal addons encouraging piracy. I am aware of the forum rules and will abide by them.

I am planning to use this box as anyone uses the Kodi box legally.

[wrxtasy]

Well a clean box is NOT what DroidBOX UK themselves are advertising....

https://droidbox.co.uk/droidbox-t8s-plus...-s812.html

Fully Loaded

Our devices are fully loaded with the right systems in place to allow customer to easily install the code they need to provide never-ending online entertainment. Whether applications to stream your favourite films and TV series, or software to ensure you see the latest Hollywood blockbusters with just a few taps, DroidBOX load their models with JUST the right software. Legal, efficient and designed with the customer in mind, the DroidBOX range of devices will meet all your needs.

[RRaoD]

I have opened the link from your post and read what you have quoted. This is giving a vague meaning for "Fully Loaded". You are right, anyone like you (who have not actually seen/used this device) will understand that it is preloaded with illegal pre-configured addons on Kodi/Kodi derivatives for immediate use by a layman for watching pirated streams. This is really damaging the company's reputation. I feel the company should correct their statements on their website if they want to remain in business.

But the truth is something else. Their meaning of "Fully Loaded" means it comes with three flavors of Kodi software preloaded. These are clean without any addons (legal or illegal) installed.

I have made my decision to buy this box only after reading reviews on amazon and independent forums like avforums.com and also after confirming that the box is clean.

For everyone's benefit I am giving below the software preinstalled on the brand new device I received.

Android 5.1.1
AirPlay
AppInstaller
Internet Browser
DBMC 16.6-0 GIT:2016-12-21 (a rebranded version of Kodi based on SPMC)
DBMC Control Box
Droidbox Market
Droidbox Share
Droidbox Switch (LibreELEC (community) Kodi version: 7.0.3 based on Kodi 16.1)
ES File Explorer
Gallery
Google Settings
IPVanish
Kodi Jarvis 16.1
Media Center
Miracast
4K Movie Player
Music
MX Player
Office Suite
OTA Updates
Play Services Info
Google Play Store
PPPoE
Quick Support
Reboot
Remotr
Settings
SmartRemote
SuperSU
Update&Backup
Youtube

Any of above software also does not directly support illegal streaming out of the box. Even the Droidbox Market is clean without any illegal software/addons.

This is a new android Kodi box clean from the manufacturer like any other reputed manufacturers. It is upto the owner how he moulds it whether for legal use or illegal use.

This is my personal experience with this device and I see nothing illegal in owning this box.

[nickr]

What addons are in kodi?

[RRaoD]

When I run Kodi and selected Videos - Addons, it gave me a message saying that

First run help...
This tab signifies that there is a menu off to the side of this window
that contains extra options for this section. To access the menu,
navigate to the left with your remote control or keyboard or place your
mouse pointer over the tab.

Click "OK" to close this dialogue. It will not appear.

Below there is a OK button.

After clicking the OK button, I got the Get more... option.
after pressing Get More...
There is a long list of items like
3B Meteo
4Players Videos
7TV
.....etc....
ending with Zee TV

and none were enabled by default...

[wrxtasy]

The responsibility here lies solely with DroidBOX to STOP advertising their device as "Fully Loaded" to attract customers such that the Google Web Crawler search engine picks it up when it trawls the Web.

DroidBOX themselves should be fully aware of Team Kodi's stance on "Fully Loaded" boxes. To advertise as such shows either complete arrogance/stupidity or they simply do not care about the Kodi project themselves.

It not as though this policy against 'Fully Loaded" is hidden either, the relevant post is in plain sight at the very top of the main Forum page.

http://forum.kodi.tv/index.php

The Piracy Box Sellers and Youtube Promoters Are Killing Kodi

If you see somebody selling a box that’s “fully loaded” or comes with the phrase “Free movies and TV with Kodi,” please, ask them to stop. And let us know. It’s OK to sell a vanilla Kodi box. It’s OK to sell a fully loaded box that doesn’t have Kodi installed or fully rebrands Kodi to something else entirely. It is not OK to sell a fully loaded Kodi box.

I will shut down any links, reviews & discussions about DroidBOX products until this company corrects its advertising. AND proves to us that it is not selling Pirate Kodi boxes. That modded LibreELEC Kodi version they are using needs to have published GitHub source code as well to satisfy GPL Licence requirements.

They have lost my trust in them as a reputable seller.

DroidBOX should know better

[RRaoD]

I found the GitHub source code on the LibreELEC version of Kodi.

LibreELEC (community) - Version:7.0.3 (kernel:Linux 3.10.99)
Build: Kodi 16.1 Git:c327c53
Compiled: Dec 6 2016

Yes, I fully agree with your view point and this forum's view points on pirated Kodi boxes. I also strongly discourage these practices by unscrupulous sellers of these boxes.

Droidbox Company should mention their honest policies on their websites and declare that they are not making any hardware/software boxes which directly encourage piracy. This will help in clearing their tarnished image and help boost acceptance, popularity and sales of their products.

[wrxtasy]

I found the GitHub source code on the LibreELEC version of Kodi.

LibreELEC (community) - Version:7.0.3 (kernel:Linux 3.10.99)
Build: Kodi 16.1 Git:c327c53
Compiled: Dec 6 2016

If you have found it please post the http link to the LE source code here please.

[RRaoD]

I am not a linux programmer but an electrical engineer by profession. This interest in Kodi is one of my hobby.

When I said I found the GitHub source code for LibreELEC, I mean I found the version information on the screens of my box while booted into LiberELEC. The same information I have posted.

Anyway, I have searched on internet for LibreELEC Version 7.0.3 and am posting a link below. I am not sure whether it is the same one used on my android kodi box or not. Atleast the date of compilation is almost same.

https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.t.../tag/7.0.3

I hope this information is useful to you.

[wrxtasy]

Thx.
That is just the standard LibreELEC GitHub code base Repository we all use. I'm looking for a Branch of that code that would have been modded by DroidBOX. Don't stress about it, I doubt they have anything worthy to add to the codebase anyway

Also please don't take what I post here personally. I'm having a go at DroidBOX themselves, for obvious reasons.
Enjoy Kodi

[RRaoD]

Thanks.

[Lippy2016]

Hi, love what you guys do, but I think I've got to mention that I've got 3 droidboxes for myself and the kids and I can assure you that they come completely naked with no addons whatsoever. Only standard google play store apps are on the GUI. They've got dual boot into either Kodi or LibreElec and both systems are completely blank. I would never buy a fully loaded box.

Only time I rang uk support they were very helpful and went to great pains to point out they were unable to make any recommendations for any addons/third party stuff!

Also I can't see any reference to fully loaded on the amazon uk site. I'm sure there is a misunderstanding here. give them a call - they're nice tech guys and they'll fix your box remotely if you can't do it.

I did see a comment on their website from some guy complaining his fully loaded box didn't work and their response was we don't sell preloaded boxes and have no record of selling you this box.

-------------

Also, see this quote from their forum last friday (sic):-

OP: so I can't the standard channels with this. I have had a play with Kodi on my laptop and struggled to add-on to get anything to work. Do I assume that if I buy the T8-S Plus, will all the basic dd-ons will be already loaded and what will a be able to see/hear?

Answer: No, xxxxx, the box will not come with addons preinstalled as they have to be installed by the users.
--------------------

I'm happy with mine and so are my kids ( well 40 yr old kids)

Keep up the great work - as I get older I'm really pleased that you guys are part of the future.

[RRaoD]

Hi, love what you guys do, but I think I've got to mention that I've got 3 droidboxes for myself and the kids and I can assure you that they come completely naked with no addons whatsoever. Only standard google play store apps are on the GUI. They've got dual boot into either Kodi or LibreElec and both systems are completely blank. I would never buy a fully loaded box.

Only time I rang uk support they were very helpful and went to great pains to point out they were unable to make any recommendations for any addons/third party stuff!

Also I can't see any reference to fully loaded on the amazon uk site. I'm sure there is a misunderstanding here. give them a call - they're nice tech guys and they'll fix your box remotely if you can't do it.

I did see a comment on their website from some guy complaining his fully loaded box didn't work and their response was we don't sell preloaded boxes and have no record of selling you this box.

-------------

Also, see this quote from their forum last friday (sic):-

OP: so I can't the standard channels with this. I have had a play with Kodi on my laptop and struggled to add-on to get anything to work. Do I assume that if I buy the T8-S Plus, will all the basic dd-ons will be already loaded and what will a be able to see/hear?

Answer: No, xxxxx, the box will not come with addons preinstalled as they have to be installed by the users.
--------------------

I'm happy with mine and so are my kids ( well 40 yr old kids)

Keep up the great work - as I get older I'm really pleased that you guys are part of the future.

Thanks for clarifying as a Droidbox user.

My Droidbox T8-S Plus came to me totally blank without any add-ons preloaded. I don't see any illegal add-ons on the box. I have also done a factory reset on the box and it is clean.