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START HERE - Pick the Right Kodi Box (updated Dec 2020)
Hi all

After abit of advice

Want to do 4k HDR videos with Atmos through a receiver to my q9fn.

Looking at the N2 or the shield. Which should I get?

Thank you
Either device will do. If you want pure Kodi, then N2. If you want 4K Netflix, Amazon, etc., then Shield TV.
Apologize if this has been asked. My general searches didn’t pull up anything meaningful. 

Anyway, I want a box that will passthrough all audio, 4K HDR with auto dynamic range and frame switching, wireless 802.11 AC, IR remote support, and can handle the Plex connect add-on. Basically I want an Apple TV 4K (which I own) that can passthrough audio from my Plex server without having to be transcoded to FLAC and gives me ATMOS again. So dedicated Kodi for Plex box. 

And yes I’ve thought about the Shield, but that can’t auto switch. Still. 

Thanks folks.
(2019-10-21, 02:45)ionblue Wrote: Apologize if this has been asked. My general searches didn’t pull up anything meaningful. 

Anyway, I want a box that will passthrough all audio, 4K HDR with auto dynamic range and frame switching, wireless 802.11 AC, IR remote support, and can handle the Plex connect add-on. Basically I want an Apple TV 4K (which I own) that can passthrough audio from my Plex server without having to be transcoded to FLAC and gives me ATMOS again. So dedicated Kodi for Plex box. 

And yes I’ve thought about the Shield, but that can’t auto switch. Still. 

Thanks folks.

Easy choice these days for dedicated 4K HDR Atmos Kodi Leia ...

ODROID N2 - CoreELEC edition with a 16GB eMMC Flash module and AC WiFi module 5A (click) (or similar chipset). I also suggest a MINIX A2 lite remote which makes life real easy.

Yes - then simply run CoreELEC Kodi on it with the PlexKodiConnect Addon( click)

Why ?

- Powerful hardware with well sorted out Audio and 4K HDR video for Kodi/Plex. Also has an easily user configurable inbuilt front facing IR port.
- With Linux Kodi you avoid Android TV OS or Apple tvOS 48kHz Multichannel LPCM audio constraints too.

- And especially the seemingly ongoing, never ending Android Firmware problems - particularly when a new Google OS is released each year.

- Much much easier to backup your whole Kodi/Plex setup for external storage safe keeping and restoration. Much much easier to update/downgrade/sidegrade the Firmware, OS and Kodi.

- A dedicated bunch of Linux (CoreELEC) Kodi developers that quickly fix bugs and optimise Kodi for media player usage, you get all the power of a well sorted out 4K HDR Atmos Kodi Leia release to installed the Plex connect Addon upon with backend Plex server support.

W.

(2019-10-21, 05:26)wrxtasy Wrote:
(2019-10-21, 02:45)ionblue Wrote: Apologize if this has been asked. My general searches didn’t pull up anything meaningful. 

Anyway, I want a box that will passthrough all audio, 4K HDR with auto dynamic range and frame switching, wireless 802.11 AC, IR remote support, and can handle the Plex connect add-on. Basically I want an Apple TV 4K (which I own) that can passthrough audio from my Plex server without having to be transcoded to FLAC and gives me ATMOS again. So dedicated Kodi for Plex box. 

And yes I’ve thought about the Shield, but that can’t auto switch. Still. 

Thanks folks.

Easy choice these days for dedicated 4K HDR Atmos Kodi Leia ...

ODROID N2 - CoreELEC edition with a 16GB eMMC Flash module and AC WiFi module 5A (click) (or similar chipset). I also suggest a MINIX A2 lite remote which makes life real easy.

Yes - then simply run CoreELEC Kodi on it with the PlexKodiConnect Addon( click)

Why ?

- Powerful hardware with well sorted out Audio and 4K HDR video for Kodi/Plex. Also has an easily user configurable inbuilt front facing IR port.
- With Linux Kodi you avoid Android TV OS or Apple tvOS 48kHz Multichannel LPCM audio constraints too.

- And especially the seemingly ongoing, never ending Android Firmware problems - particularly when a new Google OS is released each year.

- Much much easier to backup your whole Kodi/Plex setup for external storage safe keeping and restoration. Much much easier to update/downgrade/sidegrade the Firmware, OS and Kodi.

- A dedicated bunch of Linux (CoreELEC) Kodi developers that quickly fix bugs and optimise Kodi for media player usage, you get all the power of a well sorted out 4K HDR Atmos Kodi Leia release to installed the Plex connect Addon upon with backend Plex server support.

W. 
Fantastic! I started looking at exactly that after starting to read though the thread. Sounds like the perfect fit. Thanks!
Hi,. Thank you for the information above. In terms of the shield and auto switching is there a work around or is it fixed?

I use netflix and Amazon through my TV so not massively bothered

Thank you
Hi, I am looking for an cheap Kodi Box to connect to my NAS.

I need:
4k
FHD
HDR -> SDR conversion without decoding the files
DTS-HD and AC3 Output, somehow. As long as I get the Sound out I don´t care if it´s converting it down. PCM or something like that.
automatic Frame switching
available in Germany

Plus Points:
HDR10+, Dolby Vision
HD-Sound
I guess for 4k I need a Cable?
x264 10bit (for Anime)


Is there any reason to not take the 4k Fire TV Stick + Ethernet Adapter?
I have seen the Odroid N2, but it would cost 100€ + whatever Gadgets I need. And in one month the Shield Stick will come out which should be an competitor for the N2.
Additionally there is the Fire TV Cube, but it doesn´t add any advantages over the Stick.
i Could be wrong but amazon hardware struggles with high bit rate files. The new cube might be different.
I own the stick and it struggles with a 60 GB blu ray copy but plays lower bit rate files fine.
(2019-10-22, 00:34)ozkhan1 Wrote: i Could be wrong but amazon hardware struggles with high bit rate files. The new cube might be different.

I had an 2016 Stick that I have sent back. I got regularily lags when playing FHD files no matter what I did, but from NAS to PC it was possible, so no Network problem.
If that´s still not fixed it would be a shame.

What are high-bitrates for you?

Then what else Streamer would be recommended?
(2019-10-21, 20:55)JustATest Wrote: Hi, I am looking for an cheap Kodi Box to connect to my NAS.

I need:
4k
FHD
HDR -> SDR conversion without decoding the files
DTS-HD and AC3 Output, somehow. As long as I get the Sound out I don´t care if it´s converting it down. PCM or something like that.
automatic Frame switching
available in Germany

Plus Points:
HDR10+, Dolby Vision
HD-Sound
I guess for 4k I need a Cable?
x264 10bit (for Anime)


Is there any reason to not take the 4k Fire TV Stick + Ethernet Adapter?
I have seen the Odroid N2, but it would cost 100€ + whatever Gadgets I need. And in one month the Shield Stick will come out which should be an competitor for the N2.
Additionally there is the Fire TV Cube, but it doesn´t add any advantages over the Stick.

High bitrate 4K Rips needs Gigabit LAN for Network streaming reliability, otherwise you are just a Gamblin' man.

10bit H264 aka Anime need either a DIY Rockchip RK3328 or RK3399 device or a media player with a decent CPU package to CPU Software decode it.

DolbyVision, HDR10+ forget about it unless you are streaming from copy protected paid for Apps like Netflix, Prime Video etc.
HDR10+ will need Amazon FireTV Stick 4K / 2019 Cube devices. DolbyVision - a FireTV Stick 4K / 2019 Cube or an Apple TV 4K.

As for the rest, likely the best bang for the buck is a AMLogic S905X2 box and then run CoreELEC Kodi on it from a Class 10 U1 microSDHC.
CE Kodi will pretty much do everything that Android struggles with.

Something like the 4GB versions of the S905X2 - MECOOL KM3 or KM9 Pro Deluxe - however a USB3 > Gigabit LAN adapter would be needed - same as all such cheap devices these days that have 100Mbit only LAN.

Gigabit LAN is why people are just biting the bullet and getting a pre-packaged ODROID N2 - CoreELEC edition with an optional 16GB eMMC flash module.
You do not need to worry about anything not being able to play then.
@wrxtasy    Could you explain what is a "16GB eMMC flash module" and what it does , for a layman like myself please ?
Android devices, entry level Intel, and some Linux type boards comes with varying degrees of quality of internal eMMC Flash storage, that the Firmware, OS, Software & Apps runs from.

There is also cheaper microSDHC cards that can be used for device storage, but they are slower for day to day usage, especially when saving Random bits of Artwork, Thumbnail data etc, that Kodi does regularly - and long term regular, cheap microSDHC is not as reliable.

So it's a trade off, do you want cheap - or something faster, with better long term reliability.

The ODROID N2 has removable high quality, fast eMMC flash storage modules available that can be user configured to any OS you want easily.
The CoreELEC edition of the N2, uses a more robust, Industrial spec. Sandisk microSDHC - but it will still be a bit slower vs eMMC flash storage.
(2019-10-22, 05:47)wrxtasy Wrote: Android devices, entry level Intel, and some Linux type boards comes with varying degrees of quality of internal eMMC Flash storage, that the Firmware, OS, Software & Apps runs from.

There is also cheaper microSDHC cards that can be used for device storage, but they are slower for day to day usage, especially when saving Random bits of Artwork, Thumbnail data etc, that Kodi does regularly - and long term regular, cheap microSDHC is not as reliable.

So it's a trade off, do you want cheap - or something faster, with better long term reliability.

The ODROID N2 has removable high quality, fast eMMC flash storage modules available that can be user configured to any OS you want easily.
The CoreELEC edition of the N2, uses a more robust, Industrial spec. Sandisk microSDHC - but it will still be a bit slower vs eMMC flash storage.

Thank you, so eMMC flash storage can be installed on the N2 simply as plug and play purchasable piece of hardware and swapping the Corelec OS from the default SD card to the new flash drive us doable from a layman's perspective ? Asking because an about to order an N2,
(2019-10-22, 09:59)ontap Wrote:
(2019-10-22, 05:47)wrxtasy Wrote: Android devices, entry level Intel, and some Linux type boards comes with varying degrees of quality of internal eMMC Flash storage, that the Firmware, OS, Software & Apps runs from.

There is also cheaper microSDHC cards that can be used for device storage, but they are slower for day to day usage, especially when saving Random bits of Artwork, Thumbnail data etc, that Kodi does regularly - and long term regular, cheap microSDHC is not as reliable.

So it's a trade off, do you want cheap - or something faster, with better long term reliability.

The ODROID N2 has removable high quality, fast eMMC flash storage modules available that can be user configured to any OS you want easily.
The CoreELEC edition of the N2, uses a more robust, Industrial spec. Sandisk microSDHC - but it will still be a bit slower vs eMMC flash storage.

Thank you, so eMMC flash storage can be installed on the N2 simply as plug and play purchasable piece of hardware and swapping the Corelec OS from the default SD card to the new flash drive us doable from a layman's perspective ? Asking because an about to order an N2,

Yes you follow the instructions HERE (click) after SSH logging into CE running on the N2. (all further info is on the CE forums)

The 16GB eMMC modules are faster vs the smaller 8GB ones.

Just be aware if you want to flash any other OS to eMMC you will need one of these (click) You then use a microSDHC > SD card adapter as well.

Also I highly recommend a separately purchased MINIX A2 lite mini keyboard remote. It makes for a seamless OFF / ON functionality with CE on the N2 once setup.

MINIX are about to release an updated, backlit version of that A2 lite remote.

Hi All,
I am struggling between the ODROID-N2 4GB CoreELEC Edition and the Vero 4K +
- I have a gigabit LAN NAS for movie and music storage
- I would like to play the best quality music through hdmi (flac 24/192)
- I currently own a 1080p projector, planning to upgrade to 4K in the near future, so I would like to play my movie rips in the best quality
- I do not want to tinker, I would really like an out of the box plugnplay system that updates itself automatically, etc.

I read that the ODROID has stronger HW, but I do not know how much you have to tinker with it, also it doesnt look good Smile
The Vero looks much better and as far as I have read it is PnP right out of the box.
Can you please help which one is OK for me?
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