Login at Kodi Home

Bri1270 · (This post was last modified: 2015-02-23, 20:57 by Bri1270.)

Hi guys, new to this forum, but I've been over at AVS for many years now. Anyway, I'm currently using a media player that I'd like to replace, and I'm considering Bi320. I'm not very computer savvy so I was thinking of getting the Windows 8 version and simply downloading kodi, though I'm not entirely opposed to getting the barebones version adding some memory and a ssd and trying my hand at OE.

Okay, I've read enough I think to know that this will work with Kodi to play mostly mkv files with hd audio sitting on some external hdd's attached to the usb ports. What I'm unsure of now is installing OE. A couple of reviews say that it can't be booted with a thumb drive. Isn't that how I would load OE onto the ssd? I don't have a ton of spare anything lying around and I don't really want to buy more than I need. Would it make more sense to get the Windows version with more memory and add the ssd? I do plan on only using this for Kodi so I would think the OE route would make more sense, but again, I'm techno limited to a degree.

The other thing that concerns me is operating using a Harmony one with the flirc...can I power on and off using those?

kmarq · 2015-02-23, 18:59

(2015-02-23, 06:50)flhthemi Wrote: Thought of that too, but those settings don't exist on this low end TV
Great idea though!

Sam's Club (discount membership store) tomorrow for something around 40 inches with 1080p.

I had the same issue. If you change the screen resolution to below max (it only offered me one other resolution choice), apply that. Then go into the Advanced Settings from the resolution screen. Somewhere in there (sorry can't find the exact screen while at work) there will be an option to adjust the screen scaling (vertical and horizontal). Adjust that so the image fits how you want. Then apply that and close the advanced properties window. Now bump the resolution back up to full. It managed to keep my scaling settings.

Be warned if you go back into the advanced properties window the scaling will get wiped out.

Pain in the butt work around, but worked for me at least.

harvey21 · 2015-02-23, 21:13

Just got mine yesterday (barebones). I installed the RAM and HD but so far I'm having great difficulty just getting windows 7 installed and installing drivers.....multiple crashes and freezes. I'm wondering if it's a problem with the RAM since it's standard DDR3, 1333 MHZ and not the DDR3L version that they recommend.
Right now I'm thinking of returning it. Are there any BIOS settings that I should be changing that could be the cause of all these crashes.

z31fanatic · 2015-02-23, 21:38

I doubt it's the memory. I put 4gb of regular 1333mhz ddr3 memory in mine and no problems. Though I am running Win 8.1.

flhthemi · 2015-02-23, 22:02

Problem solved with a new Hitachi 40 inch 1080p TV!

@kmarq tried all that but at 1080i it was locked out couldn't adjust width and height.

Thanks everyone for all the help. My granddaughters will be happy too, now they have their own TV to watch Frozen on Wink

harvey21 · 2015-02-23, 23:45

(2015-02-23, 21:38)z31fanatic Wrote: I doubt it's the memory. I put 4gb of regular 1333mhz ddr3 memory in mine and no problems. Though I am running Win 8.1.

Not sure what else it could be. May be it's just a bad unit.

Stereodude · 2015-02-24, 06:27

(2015-02-23, 21:13)harvey21 Wrote: Just got mine yesterday (barebones). I installed the RAM and HD but so far I'm having great difficulty just getting windows 7 installed and installing drivers.....multiple crashes and freezes. I'm wondering if it's a problem with the RAM since it's standard DDR3, 1333 MHZ and not the DDR3L version that they recommend.
Right now I'm thinking of returning it. Are there any BIOS settings that I should be changing that could be the cause of all these crashes.

Did you increase the RAM voltage in the bios? I'd put Memtest86+ on a USB stick, boot from that, and see if it can stable for 24 hours without any errors.

harvey21 · 2015-02-24, 14:09

(2015-02-24, 06:27)Stereodude Wrote:
(2015-02-23, 21:13)harvey21 Wrote: Just got mine yesterday (barebones). I installed the RAM and HD but so far I'm having great difficulty just getting windows 7 installed and installing drivers.....multiple crashes and freezes. I'm wondering if it's a problem with the RAM since it's standard DDR3, 1333 MHZ and not the DDR3L version that they recommend.
Right now I'm thinking of returning it. Are there any BIOS settings that I should be changing that could be the cause of all these crashes.
Did you increase the RAM voltage in the bios? I'd put Memtest86+ on a USB stick, boot from that, and see if it can stable for 24 hours without any errors.

I tried increasing the RAM voltage to 1.5 but it didn't help. I will try the Memtest and see what happens.

Stereodude · 2015-02-24, 14:26

(2015-02-24, 14:09)harvey21 Wrote: I tried increasing the RAM voltage to 1.5 but it didn't help. I will try the Memtest and see what happens.

It could be trying to run the RAM at 1600MHz, not 1333MHz. I don't remember seeing any speed settings in the BIOS. Hard to say. Did Win8 work with that RAM?

harvey21 · 2015-02-24, 14:44

(2015-02-24, 14:26)Stereodude Wrote:
(2015-02-24, 14:09)harvey21 Wrote: I tried increasing the RAM voltage to 1.5 but it didn't help. I will try the Memtest and see what happens.
It could be trying to run the RAM at 1600MHz, not 1333MHz. I don't remember seeing any speed settings in the BIOS. Hard to say. Did Win8 work with that RAM?

I don't think there's anything in the BIOS for speed setting but I'll double check when I get home. I don't have a copy of Win8 to try.

flhthemi · (This post was last modified: 2015-02-24, 19:34 by flhthemi.)

Well, new TV, new problems.

Seems this Hitachi doesn't like talking to the Zbox on HDMI. I have to switch back and forth between HDMI1 and HDMI2 several times to get it (Box on HDMI2) to see/show the Zbox on screen. Sometimes I have to power the TV off/on to get it to show up.

Anyone know of any settings in BIOS to that might improve this situation?

I have all the sleep modes turned off
I have tried no less than 5 different HDMI cables (one was a megabuck Monster cable I borrowed)
Windows is set to screen on all the time, no sleep or hibernate

Peja · 2015-02-24, 20:59

(2015-02-23, 15:31)Bri1270 Wrote: Hi guys, new to this forum, but I've been over at AVS for many years now. Anyway, I'm currently using a media player that I'd like to replace, and I'm considering Bi320. I'm not very computer savvy so I was thinking of getting the Windows 8 version and simply downloading kodi, though I'm not entirely opposed to getting the barebones version adding some memory and a ssd and trying my hand at OE.

Okay, I've read enough I think to know that this will work with Kodi to play mostly mkv files with hd audio sitting on some external hdd's attached to the usb ports. What I'm unsure of now is installing OE. A couple of reviews say that it can't be booted with a thumb drive. Isn't that how I would load OE onto the ssd? I don't have a ton of spare anything lying around and I don't really want to buy more than I need. Would it make more sense to get the Windows version with more memory and add the ssd? I do plan on only using this for Kodi so I would think the OE route would make more sense, but again, I'm techno limited to a degree.

The other thing that concerns me is operating using a Harmony one with the flirc...can I power on and off using those?

I have never used OE and decided to go for the Bi320 with windows 8 installed on it. Bumped up the ram on one unit to 8gb by buying extra and used the original 2gb to make my second unit 4gb. Haven't noticed a lag in either one.

I set my unit to boot directly into Kodi on startup but I hardly ever power down my units. I just leave them on the Kodi home screen. The fan in the bi320 is quiet enough you can't hear it unless in a really quite room.

I am also controlling mine via Harmony 650 and flirc. You can't power on and power off but there is a wake on lan feature in the bios I believe. But like I said, I don't use it because I just leave mine running 24/7.

Hope this helps.

Stereodude · 2015-02-24, 21:12

(2015-02-24, 14:44)harvey21 Wrote: I don't think there's anything in the BIOS for speed setting but I'll double check when I get home. I don't have a copy of Win8 to try.

Oh, I figured you bought one that came with Windows 8.1 Bing Ed.

If it passes Memtest86+ you could try an Ubuntu Live USB stick and see if that works.

Stereodude · 2015-02-24, 21:15

(2015-02-24, 19:33)flhthemi Wrote: Well, new TV, new problems.

Seems this Hitachi doesn't like talking to the Zbox on HDMI. I have to switch back and forth between HDMI1 and HDMI2 several times to get it (Box on HDMI2) to see/show the Zbox on screen. Sometimes I have to power the TV off/on to get it to show up.

Anyone know of any settings in BIOS to that might improve this situation?

I have all the sleep modes turned off
I have tried no less than 5 different HDMI cables (one was a megabuck Monster cable I borrowed)
Windows is set to screen on all the time, no sleep or hibernate

You could try a DVI to HDMI cable. I didn't have any issues with my first BI320 driving either of my Samsung HDTVs directly or through a receiver from the HDMI port. I haven't taken the 2nd out of the box yet.

What is your power sequence? Is the TV on before the BI320 or are you turning it on after?

Stereodude · 2015-02-24, 23:29

(2015-02-24, 14:44)harvey21 Wrote: I don't think there's anything in the BIOS for speed setting but I'll double check when I get home.

I double checked the BIOS and it doesn't let you change the RAM speed. It will show you what speed the RAM is running at on the first screen in the BIOS now. Memtest86+ will show you the memory speed and the RAM timings (also not BIOS adjustable).