Kodi on Nvidia Shield vs CoreElec on Amlogic box?
#1
Kodi from play store (thus Android build) on Nvidia Shield vs CoreElec on Amlogic S922x box (like Odroid N2, Ugoos AM6) - how would the 2 compare?

Looking for device with 4K HDR + lossless audio + good speed.

Both of these are recommended as the best in class options to run Kodi. The hw seems pretty comparable w.r.t cpu speeds, of course Tegra K1 has faster cpu for games etc but it shouldn't matter that much. I'd imagine CoreElec has more optimizations and less limitations imposed by Android as well as less overhead. Everyone seems to recommend Shield and its a very fine device but for those who do not need it for official streaming apps (for which there are much cheaper options anyway) or gaming, I believe it costs a lot.

Both of these also seem to support lossless audio bitstreaming, but from I read may be differences in PQ and color output/refresh rate issues (again maybe due to Android). Based on '4K HDR10 - State of Play thread' thread there seems to be a few issues with the Shield 2019 but S922X boxes like Odroid N2/Ugoos AM6 have none, except 'High bitrate Disney Atmos and audio Bluray Rips may have problems'.

I'm mostly interested in performance of browsing really large libraries when using one of the complex Kodi skins. This is where slower devices cannot keep up e.g. the FireStick which otherwise is quite capable.

Its very hard to find comparisons on these 2 esp for large library users, e.g. those who may be using it with something like Emby for Kodi addon.

How do the 2 compare w.r.t speed, playback issues, stability, format support, HDR etc. If we add S905X3 (also recommended by sticky thread) then how will it stack up?
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#2
(2020-10-06, 11:49)MrCrispy Wrote: Kodi from play store (thus Android build) on Nvidia Shield vs CoreElec on Amlogic S922x box (like Odroid N2, Ugoos AM6) - how would the 2 compare?

Looking for device with 4K HDR + lossless audio + good speed.

Both of these are recommended as the best in class options to run Kodi. The hw seems pretty comparable w.r.t cpu speeds, of course Tegra K1 has faster cpu for games etc but it shouldn't matter that much.

The 2019 Shields Tegra X1+ still has a beast of a Maxwell 1.27GHz GPU vs the 800 MHz ARM Mali-G52 GPU in the S922X chipset in the ODROID N2+
That is where the Shield gets it's Android media player class leading gaming performance from.

But when it comes to single core CPU performance the 6 core A73/A53 package in the ODROID N2 is 25% faster vs the pretty old 4 core A57 package in the Nvidia Shield. (4 - A53 CPU cores are un-used in the Shield)

See the Shield (click) and ODROID N2(click) Geekbench scores for RAW grunt. There is also this CoreELEC thread (click) that has more info.

Quote:Both of these also seem to support lossless audio bitstreaming, but from I read may be differences in PQ and color output/refresh rate issues (again maybe due to Android). Based on '4K HDR10 - State of Play thread' thread there seems to be a few issues with the Shield 2019 but S922X boxes like Odroid N2/Ugoos AM6 have none, except 'High bitrate Disney Atmos and audio Bluray Rips may have problems'.

Multichannel LPCM will not have a 48kHz audio output limitation on the Linux based ODROID N2 running CoreELEC. The Shield's Android OS Audio mixer gets it's sticky fingers into audio on the Shield and limits kHz output.

You do get AI upscaling with decent bitrate 720/1080p content with the Nvidia Shield. Some like it.
Others thinks it's nothing better than a sharpening filter, that interferes with their Premium 4K HDR TV's inbuilt - AI upscaling, that works for all video content.
Then there is also DolbyVision on the 2019 Shield.

The AMLogic chipset family running CoreELEC with a Linux v4.9 Kernel counters with HLG HDR and HDR10+ and on the ODROID N2 a pretty decent inbuilt DAC.

Quote:I'm mostly interested in performance of browsing really large libraries when using one of the complex Kodi skins. This is where slower devices cannot keep up e.g. the FireStick which otherwise is quite capable.

You want to look at devices then that have great Single Core CPU performance to run the Single threaded - Python coded Kodi Addons & Skins and really the best for that is Intel or AMD desktop class hardware.
See HERE (click) for CPU Python testing:

As a rough comparison I'm getting a Python v2.7 score of ~ 34884 on a 2.0GHz ODROID N2 (CoreELEC) vs the 2.0GHz Nvidia Shield score I see of of 31432
The 2.4GHz ODROID N2+ would be a bit faster than that again.

Device usability & speed also depends a lot on using a Wireless remote control, NFS home networking and using fast eMMC flash storage.

In the end it might come down to availability and price.

W. Smile

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#3
Thank you very much wrxtasy!

I'd like to get an Odroid N2+, but after looking at adding all the parts (emmc, wifi, case, psu, remote etc) cost ends up being same as the other Android S922x boxes.

From another post by you I remember you said that Ugoos AM6 is in some ways better than N2 due to its firmware, and that CoreElec on both is virtually identical. Also that on Android the Ugoos fw has enabled hd audio passtrhu. However in Ugoos review theead (https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid2975087) I see - "Latest firmware is v.0.3.7 and atmos and dts-hd are not fixed yet"

Granted this is in Android and not CE but that was supposed to be one of the advantages. 

I also consider the Beelink GT-King. I'm in US and its on Amazon for $139 with 1 week delivery vs 1 month and no support from sellers abroad. Its cheaper than AM6. But it seems the firmware as well as hardware may not be as good as Ugoos?

Also it looks like none of these are available and prices seem to have gone up due to demand or maybe Covid. Hard to decide.
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#4
Just be aware the newer, faster AML S922X chipsets are capable of 2.4GHz ie. the Ugoos AM6 Plus, Minix U22-XJ, ODROID N2+

https://ugoos.com/ugoos-am6-plus-s922xj-tvbox-android9

MINIX, Ugoos and ODROID will be higher quality hardware, inc. properly designed and tested heatsinks vs Beelink.

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#5
is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere
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#6
(2020-10-17, 07:35)knives of ice Wrote: is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere

If you buy the N2+ and a compatible eMMC module AND the USB reader/writer for the eMMC module, it's VERY simple to flash the eMMC on a Mac or Windows PC using Etcher. I wouldn't let the lack of a pre-installed CoreElec version put you off doing it yourself.
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#7
(2020-10-17, 10:46)noggin Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 07:35)knives of ice Wrote: is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere

If you buy the N2+ and a compatible eMMC module AND the USB reader/writer for the eMMC module, it's VERY simple to flash the eMMC on a Mac or Windows PC using Etcher. I wouldn't let the lack of a pre-installed CoreElec version put you off doing it yourself.

thanks...i keep looking and searching is there a guide anywhere on the steps needed?  i've flashed a rasberry pi in the past with etcher a long time ago so I'm sure I can handle it.  I'm just not sure what is needed for the N2+.  Would love to order everything on Amazon but can't tell if the model numbers I need are on there
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#8
(2020-10-17, 20:22)knives of ice Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 10:46)noggin Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 07:35)knives of ice Wrote: is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere

If you buy the N2+ and a compatible eMMC module AND the USB reader/writer for the eMMC module, it's VERY simple to flash the eMMC on a Mac or Windows PC using Etcher. I wouldn't let the lack of a pre-installed CoreElec version put you off doing it yourself.

thanks...i keep looking and searching is there a guide anywhere on the steps needed?  i've flashed a rasberry pi in the past with etcher a long time ago so I'm sure I can handle it.  I'm just not sure what is needed for the N2+.  Would love to order everything on Amazon but can't tell if the model numbers I need are on there
You fit the eMMC module to the USB interface and plug it into the PC or Mac. Open Etcher, select the image you've downloaded (usually an img.gz file - which Etcher handles all the decompression of without you needing to know about) and select the USB eMMC drive as the destination. It then flashes it.

I bought my stuff from odroid.co.uk in the UK as I wanted to be covered by EU sales legislation (rather than the joke warranty that Odroid themselves offer) - I don't think the N2+ or eMMC modules and interfaces are sold on Amazon UK.
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#9
(2020-10-17, 10:46)noggin Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 07:35)knives of ice Wrote: is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere

If you buy the N2+ and a compatible eMMC module AND the USB reader/writer for the eMMC module, it's VERY simple to flash the eMMC on a Mac or Windows PC using Etcher. I wouldn't let the lack of a pre-installed CoreElec version put you off doing it yourself.

You do not even need the extra USB reader/writer for eMMC module anymore.
If you boot CoreELEC from a microSDHC card you can then SSH login and issue an installtoemmc (click) command to copy CoreELEC from SD card to eMMC flash storage.

As @noggin said it's all pretty simply, with lots of guides and help available online if you ever get stuck.

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#10
(2020-10-18, 04:35)wrxtasy Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 10:46)noggin Wrote:
(2020-10-17, 07:35)knives of ice Wrote: is there anywhere I can buy the Odroid N2+ with COREelec preloaded?  I've seen it listed but sold out everywhere

If you buy the N2+ and a compatible eMMC module AND the USB reader/writer for the eMMC module, it's VERY simple to flash the eMMC on a Mac or Windows PC using Etcher. I wouldn't let the lack of a pre-installed CoreElec version put you off doing it yourself.

You do not even need the extra USB reader/writer for eMMC module anymore.
If you boot CoreELEC from a microSDHC card you can then SSH login and issue an installtoemmc (click) command to copy CoreELEC from SD card to eMMC flash storage.

As @noggin said it's all pretty simply, with lots of guides and help available online if you ever get stuck.

Yep - if you are confident with stuff like logging in to a command line via SSH (which is kind of useful to learn anyway for other Kodi stuff) - as wrxtasy says, you don't need the eMMC to USB adaptor.
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#11
So is there anything more I need other than the N2 and case? I think I can handle ssh

Need to find somewhere in stock too seems like stock arrives later this month
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#12
Can anyone please point me to a proper guide on how to load CoreElec on the n2+?  I keep googling but have yet to find one.  apologies just really new to this n2 and its arriving early next week
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#13
(2020-10-23, 08:04)knives of ice Wrote: Can anyone please point me to a proper guide on how to load CoreElec on the n2+?  I keep googling but have yet to find one.  apologies just really new to this n2 and its arriving early next week

https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/how-to-...reelec/677
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Kodi on Nvidia Shield vs CoreElec on Amlogic box?0