[woronczak]

So just to be absolutely 100% certain here. Resolution switching is actually working with Android Marshmallow and Kodi Krypton. ?
The U9-H would then join the Amazon FireTV with working Android resolution switching.

NO, there is no resolution switching on the U9-H. I was just responding to @hdmkv.

Hi wesk05,

I am a bit confused by the above comment, given comments in your review.

In your review, you say that:
- "I also enabled automatic frame rate switching in Kodi and Android settings (HDMI Self-adaption level 3), and it worked very well, which I think is a first amond the 8 or 9 Amlogic S912 I’ve tested so far." - I think you might mean Self-adaption level 2
- the U9-H has "Very good Kodi 17 support with 4K H.265 (10-bit), VP9 and H.264 video playback,automatic frame rate switching"

So the U9-H can automatically switch frame rate (eg if System set to 60Hz and Video is 24, then it switches to 24) but NOT the resolution (eg if the system is 1080p and the video 720, it will not switch to 720) in Kodi 17?

[wesk05]

Hi wesk05,
I am a bit confused by the above comment, given comments in your review.

In your review, you say that:
- "I also enabled automatic frame rate switching in Kodi and Android settings (HDMI Self-adaption level 3), and it worked very well, which I think is a first amond the 8 or 9 Amlogic S912 I’ve tested so far." - I think you might mean Self-adaption level 2
- the U9-H has "Very good Kodi 17 support with 4K H.265 (10-bit), VP9 and H.264 video playback,automatic frame rate switching"

So the U9-H can automatically switch frame rate (eg if System set to 60Hz and Video is 24, then it switches to 24) but NOT the resolution (eg if the system is 1080p and the video 720, it will not switch to 720) in Kodi 17?

Yes, Kodi 17 can automatically switch the refresh rate to match the frame rate of the content on U9-H. However, it can't switch resolutions. It is fixed at whatever you have set to in "Display/Screen Resoltuion" under settings.

BTW, you are referring to CNX-Software review and comments. I am not Jean-Luc

[woronczak]

Hi wesk05,
I am a bit confused by the above comment, given comments in your review.

In your review, you say that:
- "I also enabled automatic frame rate switching in Kodi and Android settings (HDMI Self-adaption level 3), and it worked very well, which I think is a first amond the 8 or 9 Amlogic S912 I’ve tested so far." - I think you might mean Self-adaption level 2
- the U9-H has "Very good Kodi 17 support with 4K H.265 (10-bit), VP9 and H.264 video playback,automatic frame rate switching"

So the U9-H can automatically switch frame rate (eg if System set to 60Hz and Video is 24, then it switches to 24) but NOT the resolution (eg if the system is 1080p and the video 720, it will not switch to 720) in Kodi 17?

Yes, Kodi 17 can automatically switch the refresh rate to match the frame rate of the content on U9-H. However, it can't switch resolutions. It is fixed at whatever you have set to in "Display/Screen Resoltuion" under settings.

BTW, you are referring to CNX-Software review and comments. I am not Jean-Luc

Thanks for clarifying. Sorry about that - I had it in my head that it was ur review.

[nenito2k]

NEWS !

MINIX DEVELOPPER @ken just confirmed to me on their forum that thks device will get android 7 later...at the same time a great article about " nougat " on amlogic pops up! In is a reality as new sdk is coming!

http://www.cnx-software.com/2017/03/14/a...uick-look/

[nenito2k]

@wesk05

Ken dev. at Minix just confirmed to me the greyscale issue you discovered was FIXED; will probably be rolled in the next FW ! I am counting on you to test it when the time comes.
PQ quality should be therefore better with next FW...

- Does U9 correcly and accurately display REC 2020 color space (officially yes...from the SOC anyway); is there anyway you can check ?
- are black levels good enough (ahemm, as debated with the shield...)

[wesk05]

@wesk05

Ken dev. at Minix just confirmed to me the greyscale issue you discovered was FIXED; will probably be rolled in the next FW ! I am counting on you to test it when the time comes.
PQ quality should be therefore better with next FW...

- Does U9 correcly and accurately display REC 2020 color space (officially yes...from the SOC anyway); is there anyway you can check ?
- are black levels good enough (ahemm, as debated with the shield...)

Great! Sure, I will check it when the new firmware comes out.

If the source sends out the colorimetry signal and the digital values of pixels match the input, it is up to the display to represent the color gamut (Rec.2020 in this case). I have only checked the gray scale values for 10-bit output and they seem to be OK on the U9-H. I do notice a difference in saturation on the U9-H when compared to Shield or Zidoo X9S, but haven't yet checked whether there are color errors or not.

[nenito2k]

well please do compare vs shield and zidoo...one the FW004 come up with correct greyscale values....this input will be EXtremely important to me, as i will decide on that criteria almost exclusively.

please just to be sure, the U9/amlogic S912 has a Processing Engine like the himedia right ?

[steelgtr]

Does this Minix suffer from the dark screen issue that the Beelink GT-1 Amlogic S-912 unit does?

bob

[wrxtasy]

Does this Minix suffer from the dark screen issue that the Beelink GT-1 Amlogic S-912 unit does?
bob

The Postman just delivered a U-9H to my house this morning and I've been playing around with it a bit.
Being one of the Kodi Hardware testers - I had to test MINIX's flagship Android product after all - now that I've seen Kodi dynamic refresh switching is working for specific AML Android Krypton boxes

This U9-H is Not a free review sample from MINIX.

Yes this U9 suffers too from the Dark Screen - colorspace issue all S912 boxes have when you are feeding video output to a 8bit display panel (Non HDR) and use a 1080p Resolution. It was the very first thing I noticed compared to other S905 Android devices.

MINIX and AMlogic are aware of the issue, and I believe a fix is already done for the U9's next Firmware release.

For now if I set a Android Resolution of 2160p (4K) - I get a correct colorspace, and brighter video output.

[wrxtasy]

Mini Review of MINIX U9-H
Dated: 2-March-2017

Purchased from Amazon USA - $139.90 - IR remote only.

Before all the MINIX fanboys start frothing at the mouth and sitting on the edge of their seats wondering what I'm going to write. Just sit back and relax, because I've been pleasantly surprised by this U9

The Good:

• Stable AMLogic Marshmallow Firmware. Thermal management looks excellent. I'm seeing about 55 degrees C when using Kodi Krypton
  
• As @wesk05 has said - working Kodi Dynamic Refresh Rate Switching
  
• Smooth video playback of 23.976, 29.97 & 59.94fps video using Mediacodec (surface) & HDMI-self adaptation Level 1 settings selected.
  
• Google IEC Audio Passthrough Support for HD Audio and Kodi Krypton.
  
• Its a snappy, well built box. The Mali-T820 GPU is slightly quicker than the Mali-450 GPU in say a (S905x) Xiaomi Mi Box.
  
• Excellent Dual Band AC WiFi
  
• Numerous External Connectivity options.
  
• Widevine Level 1 & Microsoft Playready DRM certificates. (HDCP 1.x only)
  
• Visually - until I do proper testing - HD Netflix (Hacked Touchscreen App) and HD Stan (Aussie DRM streaming App) works. However 2.0 Audio with Netflix.
  These touchscreen Apps are not remote control friendly. An Air mouse is definitely needed.

The Bad:

• A Highly directional Infra Red remote control, that needs to be pointed directly at the box to work. Its as bad as the WeTek Hub's (without it's IR extender cable) and other budget AMLogic boxes. Why is this so hard to get right ?
  
• (For me personally) - after using the user friendly Android TV OS Interface. The usual Air Mouse Control difficulties with all Android Touchscreen Apps. Non tech Newbies and Frequent drinkers with bad co-ordination are going to have problems.
  
• Thank god you don't need to use an Air Mouse to use Kodi.
  
• The remote control - user friendly Android TV version of Netflix will not work at all.
  
• No Amcodec video acceleration shows up when using SPMC (Jarvis) - this would solve all PVR client deinterlacing issues.
  
• No 1080p > 2160p Resolution switching. A known Android Firmware issue on 99% of Android platforms. (Fire TV2 has this working)
  

The Downright Ugly:

• As previously mentioned 1080p 8bit colorspace output issues. Dark video output is the result. MINIX supposedly has a permanent fix with upcoming Firmware.
  
• Unreliable, broken deinterlacing when using Live TV - Krypton PVR - clients. Tested with TvHeadend PVR and I see the same issues all Android Krypton platforms are having. It's a widespread Android Kodi Krypton problem.

Like all Android touchscreen OS based devices. You have to use an Air mouse remote or Keyboard touchpad to use the Android OS and its Apps properly.
I used a previously purchased, excellent - MINIX A2 Lite Wireless Mini Keyboard Air Mouse remote for this review.
A Wireless Air Mouse definitely needs to be purchased, which then means the minimum required (device usable) price is actually $154.90 or $149.90 for the Keyboard Touchpad version. (Amazon USA / MINIX Pricing)

The U9 is the first AMLogic Marshmallow device I've seen with working Kodi Refresh switching and nice smooth 23.976 / 29.97 / 59.94fps Kodi Krypton video playback. These two features have to be implemented properly IMHO for demanding Kodi users and day to day media player usage.

Its a snappy little box, when used with a nicely integrated MINIX Wireless remote.
MINIX have definitely been Firmware bug busting before releasing this U9 and it shows. This is what you are paying $$$ for. Excellent work !

What remains to be seen is if MINIX will actually upgrade the Android OS on this U9 device going forward. Many users and potential customers are now interested in this sort of Android OS upgrade support - especially when they see what other Android media player competitors are doing.

What would have really been nice is if AMLogic and ARM could come to some sort of Licensing arrangement for Open Source Linux Mali-T820 GPU drivers.
You would then see a nice LibreELEC Kodi Krypton release that uses Amcodec Hardware acceleration for OTA TV viewing. On this U9 and all other AMLogic S912 platforms

[hdmkv]

Straight-shootin' review... nice work! But, as I've commented before, I'm not seeing a compelling enough reason to choose U9-H over Shield, especially as an A2 or A3 remote is really needed. Cost ends up being $160, just $40 shy of Shield. That extra $40 gets you true Android TV experience + game controller + proper HD/4K Netflix/Amazon + Live Channels/DVR.

[wesk05]

@wrxtasy: I thought changes were happening only in the U.S. It now looks like it is spreading to other continents also

Nice review! I have copied your review to post #2

I do have a question for you- why are you using HDMI self-adaption level 1?

[steelgtr]

Does this Minix suffer from the dark screen issue that the Beelink GT-1 Amlogic S-912 unit does?
bob

The Postman just delivered a U-9H to my house this morning and I've been playing around with it a bit.
Being one of the Kodi Hardware testers - I had to test MINIX's flagship Android product after all - now that I've seen Kodi dynamic refresh switching is working for specific AML Android Krypton boxes

This U9-H is Not a free review sample from MINIX.

Yes this U9 suffers too from the Dark Screen - colorspace issue all S912 boxes have when you are feeding video output to a 8bit display panel (Non HDR) and use a 1080p Resolution. It was the very first thing I noticed compared to other S905 Android devices.

MINIX and AMlogic are aware of the issue, and I believe a fix is already done for the U9's next Firmware release.

For now if I set a Android Resolution of 2160p (4K) - I get a correct colorspace, and brighter video output.

My work around on the beelink gt-1 is to play a short 4K video clip. Something gets changed and all is well for that session.

bob

[insync44]

wrxtasy, pardon me but exactly what is the Android TV experience? All I see in Android TV is a lack of Apps, a lot of side loading and then much clicking to launch the App. The featured row in my Mi Box becomes useless the more Apps I download because then I have to search for them elsewhere.
Wouldn't the Minix U1 or U9 solve this hassle?

[wrxtasy]

@insync44, You will still have to click a very similar number of times to launch Apps on regular Android devices. 1 Click to open a Sideload / Launcher touchscreen Apps folder on Android TV devices is not that hard.

And to benefit others...

Only the nVIDIA Shield and Mi Box (+ Sony/Philips TV's) run the Android TV OS (leanback) launcher interface.
Android TV OS has Apps specifically designed for easy use with a simple Voice remote on a TV screen. Amazon, Apple, Roku, Sony, Philips & more - use the same type of simple Graphic User Interface designed for mass market consumer usage.

To Sideload Apps very easily on the Mi Box for example (will not work for the Shield) - just login into the PlayStore with a Browser on a PC / Mac / Tablet and hit the Install Button to wirelessly install touchscreen (non Android TV) Apps.

Actual Android TV OS (leanback) Apps install from included Playstore.

You of course have to install the Android TV - Sideload / Launcher App to get all these touchscreen Apps to show up in a grouped together folder on Android TV devices. And to use these touchscreen Apps an Air Mouse or Touchpad Keyboard needed.

Some of these regular touchscreen Apps do not run properly on Android TV OS devices at all.

---

The MINIX U1 & U9 runs the regular Android touchscreen tablet OS - it is not Android TV. You get access to the regular (touchscreen) Android PlayStore and install Apps from the box. You have to use an Air Mouse or Touchpad Keyboard. Touchscreen Apps Autoupdate.
Some Android TV (leanback) Apps can be installed from a USB - others simply won't work at all.

---

So summing up - Android TV (leanback) Apps - easier to use with a simple Wireless remote, but limited Android TV OS Apps available. Which is good enough for a lot of people that don't like Air Mice or touchpads, especially newbies and non Tech mainstream consumers. Other touchscreen Apps can be easily Sideloaded from a Web Browser Playstore. (Mi Box only it seems)

Regular Android (touchscreen) OS - Apps harder to use on a TV screen with a Air Mouse or Touchpad, but a wider selection of Apps can be directly installed from the Playstore, already on the device. Concentration and good co-ordination needed to control touchscreen Apps.

There is a regular Android (touchscreen) Apps Playstore and then a seperate Android TV OS Apps Playstore.

Confused ?

A lot of people are - blame Google and those that refer to the regular Android touchscreen tablet OS incorrectly as Android TV.
(even though underneath the Graphic User Interfaces both types of devices are running some flavor of Android)