Hey guys,
I've been slowly crawling through the forums and learned so many new things about Kodi which I absolutely love it!!
Before I ask any question, I should mention that I did read the sticky and based on the advice, I ended up buying Nvidia Shield as a Android TV box which I'll use for certified content pretty much along with some games content. Now it seems like given my needs ie free to air tv, HDR content, lightweight and effective system etc, I am thinking of buying another box entirely for kodi use which brings me to my current dilemma. As per the recommendations, Libreelec seems to be sweet spot on either s905x or s912. Money is not issue and I am after a box which can be 'future proof' for a while. I know Vero 4k comes with software support but no ethernet is a let down.
Between Vero 4K and Minix u9h, I cant seem to make my mind based on the following factors:
- I personally prefer the Vero 4k polished software however no ethernet and keyboard remote.
- Compatible USB tuner for Vero 4k and tvheadend
- Minix build seems to be pretty good including the large heat sink, definitely helpful in Australian heat
I personally would like to buy Minix u9h and run Libreelec with USB tuner however LE seems to be buggy and there not many compatible tuners AFAIK.
My first preference is S912 box however LE and USB tuner issues can't be sorted out with bit if tinker then I'll buy a Vero 4k. Alternatively, if there are any other options, please feel to suggest.
Thank in advance and what a great community.
Welcome. You are picking the right combo's of hardware !
The "one box does it all" is still not quite there yet. The closest is the new Apple TV 4K.
I'm probably more qualified than most to answer for both the Vero 4K vs MINIX U9-H.
Vero 4K's target market = Plug N Play with excellent often personalised after sales support. Krypton works out of the box. Quality Hardware. Vero 4K has Fast Ethernet = 100M LAN
You have to use NFS Networking for medium bitrate 4K HDR video streaming with the Vero 4K. Lowish bitrate 4K Remux's should pose no problem.
LibreELEC AMLogic S9xx Kodi Krypton = DIY box. Pretty easy these days if you can read instructions carefully.
LibreELEC Kodi Krypton on the MINIX U-9H with LE Kodi data partition copied to internal eMMC storage. Now equals the ODROID C2 for the fastest AMLogic / Linux / OSMC / LibreELEC box I've used. Especially now that another very recent GPU drivers update by @
kszaq for LE on the S912 chipset has been released, the Kodi GUI is reasonably snappy.
Had no issues Audio and Video playback wise either. Never seen Kodi crash. I would not classify this combo as buggy.
Vero 4K & AMLogic S9xx LibreELEC both share a LOT of the underlying AML Linux Kernel and Kodi Krypton patches. 1080p 3D will come to the Vero 4K first sometime in the future before the open source code filters into LE platforms.
If living in Australia the excellent old cheap Sony PlayTV DVB-T Dual Tuner is Plug N Play compatible with the LE on the U9 and if I tested it I'm almost 100% sure Plug N Play compatible with the Vero 4K. Both when running a TvHeadend server.
The Sony PlayTV would be one of the most compatible 2nd hand DVB-T tuner combo's you could buy for AMLogic devices. Do not have any problems with mine once setup.
$15 Sony PlayTV Tuner from EBGames (click)
If you are setting up a TvHeadend server you need a Dual Tuner. Single tuner only combo's are too limiting, especially when it comes to recording and viewing other channels on a different
transponder mux.
(2017-12-18, 05:29)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]Welcome. You are picking the right combo's of hardware !
The "one box does it all" is still not quite there yet. The closest is the new Apple TV 4K.
I'm probably more qualified than most to answer for both the Vero 4K vs MINIX U9-H.
Vero 4K's target market = Plug N Play with excellent often personalised after sales support. Krypton works out of the box. Quality Hardware. Vero 4K has Fast Ethernet = 100M LAN
You have to use NFS Networking for medium bitrate 4K HDR video streaming with the Vero 4K. Lowish bitrate 4K Remux's should pose no problem.
LibreELEC AMLogic S9xx Kodi Krypton = DIY box. Pretty easy these days if you can read instructions carefully.
LibreELEC Kodi Krypton on the MINIX U-9H with LE Kodi data partition copied to internal eMMC storage. Now equals the ODROID C2 for the fastest AMLogic / Linux / OSMC / LibreELEC box I've used. Especially now that another very recent GPU drivers update by @kszaq for LE on the S912 chipset has been released, the Kodi GUI is nice and snappy.
Had no issues Audio and Video playback wise either. Never seen Kodi crash. I would not classify this combo as buggy.
Vero 4K & AMLogic S9xx LibreELEC both share a LOT of the underlying AML Linux Kernel and Kodi Krypton patches. 1080p 3D will come to the Vero 4K first sometime in the future before the open source code filters into LE platforms.
If living in Australia the excellent old cheap Sony PlayTV DVB-T Dual Tuner is Plug N Play compatible with the LE on the U9 and if I tested it I'm almost 100% sure Plug N Play compatible with the Vero 4K. Both when running a TvHeadend server.
The Sony PlayTV would be one of the most compatible 2nd hand DVB-T tuner combo's you could buy for AMLogic devices. Do not have any problems with mine once setup. $15 Sony PlayTV Tuner from EBGames (click)
If you are setting up a TvHeadend server you need a Dual Tuner. Single tuner only combo's are too limiting, especially when it comes to recording and viewing other channels on a different transponder.
@
wrxtasy I was hoping you'll reply to my thread. lol It's always a pleasure reading your detailed replies either here or on Whirlpool forums. Great Work!!
I don't mind tinkering a bit however kind of got sick of finding solutions for buggy builds. I'm referring to unofficial android mobile builds.
I do like Vero 4k however having no Ethernet is bit of sour point. In the future, I'll be investing into a NAS and in your opinion, what do you think about lack of Ethernet? Is there much disadvantage?
Also much difference in between 905x and 912?
I can easily follow instructions although I'm linux newbie.
You made a really good point about vero 4k support which brings me to another question, what do you think about LE support for s912. Is that something which will keep improving over time or going to stagnate due to Amlogic not releasing proper codes(If thats a applicable term?)
So If the buy the above mentioned tuner, Tvheadend 'should' work on minix u9h?
(2017-12-18, 06:29)gurusev Wrote: [ -> ]I do like Vero 4k however having no Ethernet is bit of sour point.
Erm' the Vero 4K does have an Ethernet Port - it is 100Megabit only. Unless you are playing high 55Mbps+ 4K HDR rips I do not see that being too much of a problem BUT you have to use a NFS file server and networking. Standard 4K Remux's (lowish bitrates) will be fine.
Quote:Also much difference in between 905x and 912 ?
Not much really, the S912 U9 seems a little bit snappier. Has the Wireless Keyboard Remote. It may get LE DolbyVision support somewhere down the line.
The differences between the cheap S9xx boxes vs the well known Branded ones end up being faster higher quality DDR3 RAM and eMMC flash storage in every single box sold. Hardkernel for example with their S905 ODROID C2 - will only manufacturer those devices when they can get enough high quality DDR RAM chips.
Not all devices have the same quality internal components.
Quote:You made a really good point about Vero 4k support which brings me to another question, what do you think about LE support for s912. Is that something which will keep improving over time or going to stagnate due to Amlogic not releasing proper codes(If thats a applicable term?)
Going forward, the AMLogic S9xx Linux Kernel at the moment is transitioning to a
mainline status (click) - think current Linux Intel / RPi. Hardware video decode support still has to be added yet by BayLibre.
AMLogic still has to help out too for AML OSMC / LibreELEC Kodi Leia (final version) - video decode driver support as well.
@Sam.Nazarko might know more about long term support for the Vero 4K going forward.
Quote:So If the buy the above mentioned tuner, Tvheadend 'should' work on minix u9h?
Yes it works on the U9 with LE. And I would be very surprised if it did not work on the Vero 4K, considering they are using very similar Linux Kernels.
(2017-12-18, 05:29)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]If you are setting up a TvHeadend server you need a Dual Tuner. Single tuner only combo's are too limiting, especially when it comes to recording and viewing other channels on a different transponder.
If you are talking about DVB-T/T2 tuners then you are talking about a mulitplex/mux not a transponder (as is also the case for DVB-C cable).
Transponders are the equivalent concept for DVB-S/S2 satellite, but use a different physical process, which is what the word transponder refers to.
Yes I meant MUX, but brain was having a hard time without coffee !
Thanks guys for such a comprehensive reply.
One more noob question so please bear with me, out of these two boxes which would you pick? Or would you go with another option? I know the C2 is a good contender.
No HDR - BT.2020 output possible with the AMLogic S905's like the C2 - you need the latter AML chipsets - S905X / S912 /S905D
Both devices will be fine for what you want to do.
All things being equal look at what else comes with both devices, Wireless remotes, TV mounts, Worldwide power supplies, connectivity ports etc.
Then weigh up after sales support and if you need that.
One device is DIY, one is Plug n Play.
In the end it comes down to personal preference.
(2017-12-18, 07:49)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]@Sam.Nazarko might know more about long term support for the Vero 4K going forward.
Quote:So If the buy the above mentioned tuner, Tvheadend 'should' work on minix u9h?
Yes it works on the U9 with LE. And I would be very surprised if it did not work on the Vero 4K, considering they are using very similar Linux Kernels.
We will maintain the Vero 4K until at least February 2022, with regular monthly updates.
Linux 4.9 will probably be ready for testing by early January. Testing with Android 8 has already begun at AML's end. It's not mainline, but 4.9 is LTS, so will be maintained for a long time.
Regarding DVB: we add support for more DVB devices regularly. Currently, we're backporting 4.9 DVB stack to our current kernel so that we can move to 4.9 when the time is right and not in a rushed way.
Sam
How’s work on 3D MVC coming along?
It’s getting there. I have been travelling for the last week and we are about to release our Stretch update, so it got pushed back slightly.
Sam
Off topic and now duplicated post deleted.
(2017-12-19, 04:33)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]No HDR - BT.2020 output possible with the AMLogic S905's like the C2 - you need the latter AML chipsets - S905X / S912 /S905D
Both devices will be fine for what you want to do.
All things being equal look at what else comes with both devices, Wireless remotes, TV mounts, Worldwide power supplies, connectivity ports etc.
Then weigh up after sales support and if you need that.
One device is DIY, one is Plug n Play.
In the end it comes down to personal preference.
Thank you and that's where the dilemma is. One provides excellent support however limited by LAN speed and chipset differences. Other one requires a bit of tinkering and still needs polishing around the edges.
You made a good point about Dolby vision which may be implemented down the track but who knows.
I would really like a nice remote with a keyboard ie A3 lite, I'm assuming it wont have troubles working with Vero 4k.
Also does LE on minix u9h capable of receiving automatic updates.
Merry Xmas
(2017-12-21, 13:26)gurusev Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-12-19, 04:33)wrxtasy Wrote: [ -> ]No HDR - BT.2020 output possible with the AMLogic S905's like the C2 - you need the latter AML chipsets - S905X / S912 /S905D
Both devices will be fine for what you want to do.
All things being equal look at what else comes with both devices, Wireless remotes, TV mounts, Worldwide power supplies, connectivity ports etc.
Then weigh up after sales support and if you need that.
One device is DIY, one is Plug n Play.
In the end it comes down to personal preference.
Thank you and that's where the dilemma is. One provides excellent support however limited by LAN speed and chipset differences. Other one requires a bit of tinkering and still needs polishing around the edges.
You made a good point about Dolby vision which may be implemented down the track but who knows.
I would really like a nice remote with a keyboard ie A3 lite, I'm assuming it wont have troubles working with Vero 4k.
Also does LE on minix u9h capable of receiving automatic updates.
Merry Xmas
The LAN should be fine. The next update (coming this Christmas) will improve buffering further.
You could attach a Gigabit Ethernet adapter if you wanted, but it's not necessary.
The remote will work on the 4K.
Personally I would grab a MINIX A2 lite vs the A3 because the A3, dissapointingly has had mini wake from sleep delays when you pick it up - a similar issue 2017 NVIDIA Shield wireless remote owners would be familiar with. The A2 has no such issue at all.
@kszaq's LE Kodi Krypton now supports auto updating.