[movie78]

@hdmkv

I think the Zidoo X6 Pro needs to get bump to B or B+

[hdmkv]

Not so sure. Just finished watching a movie with the family... so, thought what heck, I'll use the Zidoo X6 w/the latest firmware even if it's a 2D movie. It was 'Christmas Vacation' w/Chevy Chase. Had to turn it off within 5 minutes as the lip-synch was so bad... and ended up watching on nVidia Shield TV instead.

Still need to test X6 for 3D via latest FW, but I'm already skeptical ... but, will try to keep an open mind.

[ArieS]

Ok, I need some help. I can't decide between the Pi2 and the Q5 so I have a few questions and I hope you guys can shine some light

- First, are both box controllable via Json? I use iRule right now and I want something that I can control with my iPad Mini.

- For the Q5, the 1st page says the PQ is Oppo like and that's great to hear as I have an Oppo BD player and the quality is amazing. But is it Oppo like only when using the external player or is it the same using Kodi?

- For the Q5, it says no MKV chapter, again is it only for the external player or using Kodi too?

- For the Q5, when playing a 3D ISO, will my PJ auto switch to 3D or do I have to switch it manually like a SBS in Kodi?

- For the Q5, is there chapter function for 3D ISO?

- For the Pi2, I'm not sure if I need to buy a kit because I already have a spare HMDI cable, the Micro SD is only 8gb.
And I will have it wired for Network so I problably don't need the WIFI adaptor, correct?

- For both, can I modify the skin XML easily? Like will I see either box on my Network Windows PC so I can access the Appdata folder or something?

Finally, I've only always used Windows, so how hard is it to use OE? Will I be over my head on this one?

Sorry for all the questions and thank you for any help I can get...

[noggin]

Ok, I need some help. I can't decide between the Pi2 and the Q5 so I have a few questions and I hope you guys can shine some light
<snip>

- For the Pi2, I'm not sure if I need to buy a kit because I already have a spare HMDI cable, the Micro SD is only 8gb.
And I will have it wired for Network so I problably don't need the WIFI adaptor, correct?

No need for a WiFi dongle if you are using a cabled network connection on a Pi 2. I don't run any of my regular OpenElec Pi 2s with WiFi so none of them have WiFi dongles.

I would stress the importance of a decent PSU (and USB cable if not integrated with the PSU) - as most issues with a Pi 2 come down to poor power supplies.

Apart from that you'll need an HDMI cable - and if you aren't using CEC control (i.e. controlling the Pi 2 via your TV remote control over the HDMI cable) some form of remote control solution. There are too many to go into here - from GPIO IR receivers, USB dongles, RF keyboards etc.

- For both, can I modify the skin XML easily? Like will I see either box on my Network Windows PC so I can access the Appdata folder or something?

The Pi 2, like all OpenElec platforms, appears as a network share called "OpenElec" which you can remotely connect to from a Windows PC. If you enable SSH you can also remotely log in via SSH (to get a command line) using Putty on a PC, and also remotely file transfer using FileZilla and SFTP should you prefer that method.

Finally, I've only always used Windows, so how hard is it to use OE? Will I be over my head on this one?

Sorry for all the questions and thank you for any help I can get...

Key thing to know about OpenElec is that it is designed as an appliance, so should be robust. However this means that by default the main filesystem is read only, with only user data stuff read/write.

In daily use OpenElec is great - but if you want to delve beneath the surface it is worth getting your head around Linux and OpenElec in general, but the support is there, and the OpenElec community is very good at advising and helping. Ditto the Raspberry Pi community.

[hdmkv]

@noggin replied about Pi well, so let me address HiMedia Q5 (great questions BTW @ArieS):

• Controllable via Json: I believe so, but I'm not certain. If someone here can't say for certain, check at Futeko
  
• Oppo-like PQ settings are in the player's Android settings (here's what it looks like, and here's the split screen mode to test difference), so it applies to everything. But, don't get Q5 if you don't plan to use the external player for most video playback as that's the whole appeal of this player (using Kodi only as the front-end to manage your movie/TV library, then via HiMedia's wrapper, automatically calling up the HiSilicon external player to enjoy 3D ISO's and HD audio)
  
• Lack of MKV chapter support is for external player only; when using Kodi's dvdplayer (or now videoplayer) for playback, you get all the Kodi player functions
  
• Yes, the external player will auto-switch and trigger your TV/PJ to 3D "frame packing" mode automatically. It won't switch to 3D mode however for HSBS and HTAB (as it just ignores the 3D tags in the filenames), so you'll need to press 'Menu' to call up HiMedia's BD-lite menu, then toggle to "SBS to 3D" or "TAB to 3D" options
  
• Yes, Q5 has chapter function in BD-ISO. Press 'Menu' button and use BD-lite menu (here's what it looks like)
  

Also, in Q5, you can customize HiMedia's wrapper (playercorefactory.xml); here's an example.

[langostino]

@noggin replied about Pi well, so let me address HiMedia Q5 (great questions BTW @ArieS):

• Controllable via Json: I believe so, but I'm not certain. If someone here can't say for certain, check at Futeko
  
• Oppo-like PQ settings are in the player's Android settings (here's what it looks like, and here's the split screen mode to test difference), so it applies to everything. But, don't get Q5 if you don't plan to use the external player for most video playback as that's the whole appeal of this player (using Kodi only as the front-end to manage your movie/TV library, then via HiMedia's wrapper, automatically calling up the HiSilicon external player to enjoy 3D ISO's and HD audio)
  
• Lack of MKV chapter support is for external player only; when using Kodi's dvdplayer (or now videoplayer) for playback, you get all the Kodi player functions
  
• Yes, the external player will auto-switch and trigger your TV/PJ to 3D "frame packing" mode automatically. It won't switch to 3D mode however for HSBS and HTAB (as it just ignores the 3D tags in the filenames), so you'll need to press 'Menu' to call up HiMedia's BD-lite menu, then toggle to "SBS to 3D" or "TAB to 3D" options
  
• Yes, Q5 has chapter function in BD-ISO. Press 'Menu' button and use BD-lite menu (here's what it looks like)
  

Also, in Q5, you can customize HiMedia's wrapper (playercorefactory.xml); here's an example.

I think Himedia has got better image quality and it's compatible with audio HD, but it can't manage samba shares protected with user-password and it can't play mvc files in 3d (only on iso 3d, but not in mts files).

However Raspberry pi can manage mvc files in 3d, and it has no problems with samba shares, but it can't manage audio hd formats (DTS HD, TRUEHD...)

I don't know what's the better choice...

[Kendos]

I think Himedia has got better image quality and it's compatible with audio HD, but it can't manage samba shares protected with user-password and it can't play mvc files in 3d (only on iso 3d, but not in mts files).

However Raspberry pi can manage mvc files in 3d, and it has no problems with samba shares, but it can't manage audio hd formats (DTS HD, TRUEHD...)

I don't know what's the better choice...

You can mount the network shares as local and then you can use smb protected with user-password and you can use nfs too.

The Pi can decode DTSHD and TrueHD and pass it as LPCM, but not as bitstream.

I had the Q5 and now Im using the Pi because I dont need 4K, Atmos and bitstream.
With the Pi all addons work better now and Im using Ambilight (Hyperion on OE) on my Panasonic TV

[noggin]

However Raspberry pi can manage mvc files in 3d, and it has no problems with samba shares, but it can't manage audio hd formats (DTS HD, TRUEHD...)

The Pi 2 has enough CPU power to losslessly decode DTS-HD MA/HRA and Dolby True HD to 5.1 or 7.1 PCM and can output 5.1/7.1 PCM at 48kHz 24 bit and 96kHz 24 bit. It is limited to 4.0 output of 192kHz content - but there are only a handful of multichannel 192kHz releases. Apart from Dolby Atmos/DTS:x stuff (which needs to be bitstreamed), or a situation where you need AVR processing, the Pi 2 handles HD Audio in pretty much an identical way to the audio decoder in your AVR.

So although the Pi 2 can't bitstream HD Audio, all that means is that the lossless decoding process is handled in the Pi 2 not the AVR/Amp (the HD Audio has to be decoded to PCM somewhere in the chain). So the quality, in many cases, will be identical. This is the same situation as HD Audio played on a first generation PS3 or when connecting a Blu-ray player to an early HDMI Audio amp that only coped with PCM audio and didn't include DTS HD/Dolby True HD decoding.

The Pi 2 also has no problems with other HD Audio formats like FLAC, PCM, WAV etc.

So I don't think it is correct to say that the Pi 2 can't 'manage audio HD formats'. The work done by the Kodi developers in integrating DTS HD decoding (Dolby True HD has been there for a while) will also be available for other platforms - like the Windows situations where you get 7.1PCM output but no HD Audio bitstreaming (Baytrail and Cherry Trail SoCs appear to often have this limitation)

[ArieS]

Thanks all for the replies! Greatly appreciated.
The biggest con (for me at least) with the Pi2 is no Atmos/DTS-X support. With more and more movies coming out with either, that really is the deal breaker. That would mean I need to have a Pi2 for 3D with no Atmos, then keep my Windows HTPC for 2D movies with Atmos and use my 3D Bluray player for movies in 3D with Atmos lol. Let's hope for a Pi3

Regarding the Q5,
I will ask in the Futeko forums regarding Json commands and I'm also wondering if you can use WOL to turn on the Q5 from sleep or from off state, anyone knows that?
A couple more questions...
- Will they add mkv chapter support?

- If you stop a 3D ISO half way, can you resume from the last spot?

- You guys are talking about using a NAS, I want to make sure that I understand correctly that I indeed can stream my movies via smb as long as they are not password protected, correct?
@hdmkv, you said:
"But, don't get Q5 if you don't plan to use the external player for most video playback as that's the whole appeal of this player (using Kodi only as the front-end to manage your movie/TV library, then via HiMedia's wrapper, automatically calling up the HiSilicon external player to enjoy 3D ISO's and HD audio)"

What's the point of using the external player for anything else than the 3D though? No chapter support on mkv, no Watched flag once you are done with an episode/movie.
Isn't the appeal of this player the perfect 3D playback from ISO?
Thanks again for the infos

[noggin]

Thanks all for the replies! Greatly appreciated.
The biggest con (for me at least) with the Pi2 is no Atmos/DTS-X support. With more and more movies coming out with either, that really is the deal breaker. That would mean I need to have a Pi2 for 3D with no Atmos, then keep my Windows HTPC for 2D movies with Atmos and use my 3D Bluray player for movies in 3D with Atmos lol. Let's hope for a Pi3

It's interesting. I'm amazed at how many people have upgraded their amps and speaker systems to Atmos already. It's not even on my radar. We're still running a 5.0 set-up here, and I'm not sure I own any Blu-rays with Atmos or DTS:x tracks. (That said, I have a Chromebox as well so am covered for HD Audio bitstreaming of 2D content should I need it in the future - but first rule of Kodi is buy for the present, not the future... Second rule of Kodi is don't spend too much.)

[Skank]

Hdmkv
We never thought of this:

Theres an experimental built for android devices to get passthrough, so hd-audio.. That works already almost flawless...
It might go into final jarvis even.
Why dont we use this with q5 and adjust playercoregactory to only use wrapper for 3d?
The q5 might be best device then..

[movie78]

Buy for present...
ATMOS and DTS:X are the present!

[movie78]

Thanks all for the replies! Greatly appreciated.
The biggest con (for me at least) with the Pi2 is no Atmos/DTS-X support. With more and more movies coming out with either, that really is the deal breaker. That would mean I need to have a Pi2 for 3D with no Atmos, then keep my Windows HTPC for 2D movies with Atmos and use my 3D Bluray player for movies in 3D with Atmos lol. Let's hope for a Pi3

Regarding the Q5,
I will ask in the Futeko forums regarding Json commands and I'm also wondering if you can use WOL to turn on the Q5 from sleep or from off state, anyone knows that?
A couple more questions...
- Will they add mkv chapter support?

- If you stop a 3D ISO half way, can you resume from the last spot?

- You guys are talking about using a NAS, I want to make sure that I understand correctly that I indeed can stream my movies via smb as long as they are not password protected, correct?
@hdmkv, you said:
"But, don't get Q5 if you don't plan to use the external player for most video playback as that's the whole appeal of this player (using Kodi only as the front-end to manage your movie/TV library, then via HiMedia's wrapper, automatically calling up the HiSilicon external player to enjoy 3D ISO's and HD audio)"

What's the point of using the external player for anything else than the 3D though? No chapter support on mkv, no Watched flag once you are done with an episode/movie.
Isn't the appeal of this player the perfect 3D playback from ISO?
Thanks again for the infos

That gets a little complicated to implemented,you might want look at @looun solution to see if you are comfortable run those scripts....

[opeters]

Maybe I should start a new thread, but it can't hurt to ask here first.

Just thinking about a possible solution to the 3D ISO / MVC subtitle "mis"placement.
Like others I have a need for this feature and don't want to re-encode the video for SBS.

Should it be possible to code, to overlay two subtitle tracks (.sup), one for the left eye and one for the right eye so we can enjoy real 3D subtitles?
With this great tool "BD3D2MK3D" I can extract the PGS subs and convert them to .SUP with the use of the 3D Plane info stored on the BluRay Disk. It generates two files: <moviename>.3D.LEFT.SUP and <moviename>.3D.RIGHT.SUP.

If this is feasible we can enjoy correct 3D subs with both 3D Bluray ISO and 3D MVC MKV.

[jmalcolm001]

DUNE just announced their new Dune HD Solo 4K, which "is the most universal solution for playback of 4K and FullHD video, high-quality audio, IPTV and VOD content, digital TV channels. Supporting most digital audio and video formats, including the most modern HEVC video codec with the support for 1 billion of colors (10-bit color encoding), all modern 3D video standards such as MVC, SBS and TnB, audiophile HD audio with high resolution up to 24-bit /192 KHz, Dune HD Solo 4K sets an entirely new standard. Dune HD Solo 4K is equipped with two USB ports, an internal 2.5” SATA HDD bay with hot swap function, 1Gbit Ethernet, 802.11ac Dual Band 2T2R Wi-Fi. It uses the latest Sigma Designs SMP8758 chip from the famous vendor of high-end media processors, with the new Dual Core ARM CPU (4x more power than before); the first and the only chip from Sigma Designs with real 4K support. It dual boots Linux + Android."

Here is a link:

http://dune-hd.com/eng/products/full_hd_...players/48

It sounds like it has many premium features, but is expected to have a premium price also with a suggested MSRP of EUR 299. Expected availabilty in February 2016.