That looks interesting, but very limited in storage..... I am tempted to purchase one just to test it.........
Here is my video of the Mecool dongle version, and in my opinion, it is superior, simply for the ram and storage. As with any Amlogic device, they do play the VC-1 video codec natively.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAk4gtatg9Q&t=11s
The USB-C port on the T-Mobile dongle should allow for adding a USB stick or similar as adoptable storage. The Mecool dongle you reviewed is definitely better RAM & storage wise, but no Netflix certification for those who care.
(2021-12-18, 19:32)hdmkv Wrote: [ -> ]The USB-C port on the T-Mobile dongle should allow for adding a USB stick or similar as adoptable storage. The Mecool dongle you reviewed is definitely better RAM & storage wise, but no Netflix certification for those who care.
Yes, that is true about the lack of Netflix, and a killer for most people, that just wants a streamer.
Maybe I am making a false statement, but I think most if not all smart TVs, have a Netflix app that does automatic frame rate and resolution switching. When watching Netflix, Vudu, etc, I prefer the native app on my Vizio TV.
My TV supports all of the HD audio codecs passthrough using the eARC standard. So, when I watch Netflix, I get Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, with the correct framerate and resolution.
Unfortunately, the Visio OS, is not the greatest, NO Kodi or Emby apps, so HAVE to use an external devices for those apps that Vizio does not support.
I am still searching for the holy grail of media players.
(2021-12-18, 19:45)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]I am still searching for the holy grail of media players.
That search will never end, my friend
... though I have settled on nVidia Shield TV Pro, and for 3D use, Zidoo Z9S. However, now getting into HDFury to take full advantage of Dolby Vision for projector use, only Apple TV 4K supports forcing DV to take full advantage. But of course ATV4K has limited Kodi w/MrMC & no HD audio support. So, there probably will never be a perfect player for those of us who want it all.
(2021-12-18, 19:45)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ] (2021-12-18, 19:32)hdmkv Wrote: [ -> ]The USB-C port on the T-Mobile dongle should allow for adding a USB stick or similar as adoptable storage. The Mecool dongle you reviewed is definitely better RAM & storage wise, but no Netflix certification for those who care.
Yes, that is true about the lack of Netflix, and a killer for most people, that just wants a streamer.
Maybe I am making a false statement, but I think most if not all smart TVs, have a Netflix app that does automatic frame rate and resolution switching. When watching Netflix, Vudu, etc, I prefer the native app on my Vizio TV.
My TV supports all of the HD audio codecs passthrough using the eARC standard. So, when I watch Netflix, I get Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, with the correct framerate and resolution.
Unfortunately, the Visio OS, is not the greatest, NO Kodi or Emby apps, so HAVE to use an external devices for those apps that Vizio does not support.
I am still searching for the holy grail of media players.
In my experience Sony Android TVs don't all support frame rate switching in Android TV - and instead run at a fixed 59.94/60Hz in their Android TV OS.
However HbbTV apps DO run at 50Hz on the same Android TV sets... (HbbTV is one of the standards used for broadcast streaming/catch-up/interactive TV in Europe alongside DVB, replacing the earlier MHEG5 and MHP interactive platforms)
In my experience Sony Android TVs don't all support frame rate switching in Android TV - and instead run at a fixed 59.94/60Hz in their Android TV OS.
However HbbTV apps DO run at 50Hz on the same Android TV sets... (HbbTV is one of the standards used for broadcast streaming/catch-up/interactive TV in Europe alongside DVB, replacing the earlier MHEG5 and MHP interactive platforms)
Thanks for that information. Since my Vizio supports AFR, I assumed all NEWER smart TVs supported that function. I have a Hisense and Philips smart TVs running the Android OS. Have not tested to see if they support the AFR.
(2022-01-01, 17:24)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that information. Since my Vizio supports AFR, I assumed all NEWER smart TVs supported that function. I have a Hisense and Philips smart TVs running the Android OS. Have not tested to see if they support the AFR.
If the Android TV Netflix app supports Android TV's frame rate switching API - it's interesting it doesn't do it on nVidia Shield TVs. Some TVs are good at removing the 3:2 cadence of 24-in-60 (and 23.976-in-59.94) so this is less of an issue in North America (as the fixed 59.94/60.00 becomes less visible), but for 25-in-60 it's a real problem.
I wonder if Vizio TVs have an OS-level frame rate detection system rather than using the Android TV API?
(2022-01-01, 17:41)noggin Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 17:24)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that information. Since my Vizio supports AFR, I assumed all NEWER smart TVs supported that function. I have a Hisense and Philips smart TVs running the Android OS. Have not tested to see if they support the AFR.
If the Android TV Netflix app supports Android TV's frame rate switching API - it's interesting it doesn't do it on nVidia Shield TVs. Some TVs are good at removing the 3:2 cadence of 24-in-60 (and 23.976-in-59.94) so this is less of an issue in North America (as the fixed 59.94/60.00 becomes less visible), but for 25-in-60 it's a real problem.
I wonder if Vizio TVs have an OS-level frame rate detection system rather than using the Android TV API?
Your information is way over my head. But my Vizio does not use the Android TV OS, unfortunately, but does use the OS level framerate detection. All the streaming apps switch to the framerate they are created in, as far as I can tell.
(2022-01-01, 18:23)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 17:41)noggin Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 17:24)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that information. Since my Vizio supports AFR, I assumed all NEWER smart TVs supported that function. I have a Hisense and Philips smart TVs running the Android OS. Have not tested to see if they support the AFR.
If the Android TV Netflix app supports Android TV's frame rate switching API - it's interesting it doesn't do it on nVidia Shield TVs. Some TVs are good at removing the 3:2 cadence of 24-in-60 (and 23.976-in-59.94) so this is less of an issue in North America (as the fixed 59.94/60.00 becomes less visible), but for 25-in-60 it's a real problem.
I wonder if Vizio TVs have an OS-level frame rate detection system rather than using the Android TV API?
Your information is way over my head. But my Vizio does not use the Android TV OS, unfortunately, but does use the OS level framerate detection. All the streaming apps switch to the framerate they are created in, as far as I can tell.
Ah - I thought we were talking about Android TV. All bets are off if your manufacturer implements its own OS. (Vizio TVs are not widely seen in the UK)
(2022-01-01, 19:21)noggin Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 18:23)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 17:41)noggin Wrote: [ -> ]If the Android TV Netflix app supports Android TV's frame rate switching API - it's interesting it doesn't do it on nVidia Shield TVs. Some TVs are good at removing the 3:2 cadence of 24-in-60 (and 23.976-in-59.94) so this is less of an issue in North America (as the fixed 59.94/60.00 becomes less visible), but for 25-in-60 it's a real problem.
I wonder if Vizio TVs have an OS-level frame rate detection system rather than using the Android TV API?
Your information is way over my head. But my Vizio does not use the Android TV OS, unfortunately, but does use the OS level framerate detection. All the streaming apps switch to the framerate they are created in, as far as I can tell.
Ah - I thought we were talking about Android TV. All bets are off if your manufacturer implements its own OS. (Vizio TVs are not widely seen in the UK)
I would have thought that AFR switching would be an industry standard. My understanding, Android 12 has implemented AFR switching.
(2022-01-01, 20:02)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 19:21)noggin Wrote: [ -> ] (2022-01-01, 18:23)clarkss12 Wrote: [ -> ]Your information is way over my head. But my Vizio does not use the Android TV OS, unfortunately, but does use the OS level framerate detection. All the streaming apps switch to the framerate they are created in, as far as I can tell.
Ah - I thought we were talking about Android TV. All bets are off if your manufacturer implements its own OS. (Vizio TVs are not widely seen in the UK)
I would have thought that AFR switching would be an industry standard. My understanding, Android 12 has implemented AFR switching.
AFR is far from an industry standard - app driven frame rate switching is used by Android TV, Amazon's Fire OS and Apple's tvOS (so that switching quickly between trailers of 24, 25 and 30fps content doesn't constantly cause a TV to resync and blank for a couple of seconds each time) - but it's very poorly supported on Android TV. Roku implemented actually Automatic frame rate switching on their UHD TV Sticks, then had to disable it for Netflix because of this... Apple's tvOS seems to have much better app support for this (but still there are apps that just stick to the system frame rate). However for Smart TVs it may be more standard (outside of Android TV?) because you don't necessarily have a resync (because you're not using an HDMI interconnect from source to screen as you are with an external box)
AIUI Android TV 12 adds support for HDMI 2.1's new transparent frame rate switching, which avoids the resync, but still requires the API to be used by apps to 'consciously' change frame rate.
Recall reading somewhere that Apple TV 4K does frame rate switching well across the key streaming services... Netflix, Disney+, etc.
@
hdmkv Yes , works with Kodi too
