[noggin]

@ hdmkv
sorry for my stupid question 
What are the benefits of CPM builds? can they be installed on any device?

The CPM builds give you access to a lot more DV features than the mainline CoreElec builds - allowing you to configure SDR/HDR10/(HDR10+?)/HLG to DV conversion in the Dolby VS10 Universal Playback engine, as well as to inject custom DV metadata (I think?)

They also give you a more comprehensive video output details overlay with more DV-specific information I think.

Others here will know better I'm sure!

[foxy6800]

@noggin and @hdmkv

Thanks for your repiles / help

I will be getting (bought) an Ugoos SK1, off a friend who no longger needs it, as he has bought a new Minix box.
I still use my very old Minix Neo U1, with Coreelec 9.8.2 (I Think) , to watch my local collection of tv series / films off my Qnap server.
It has been very good box, but it is time to move on to something new for me.
I am looking forward to receiving the box and installing latest coreelec on it. No dought I will be back here asking for your help

Thanks again for your help everyone

[clarkss12]

@noggin and @hdmkv

Thanks for your repiles / help

I will be getting (bought) an Ugoos SK1, off a friend who no longger needs it, as he has bought a new Minix box.
I still use my very old Minix Neo U1, with Coreelec 9.8.2 (I Think) , to watch my local collection of tv series / films off my Qnap server.
It has been very good box, but it is time to move on to something new for me.
I am looking forward to receiving the box and installing latest coreelec on it. No dought I will be back here asking for your help

Thanks again for your help everyone

You will NOT be disappointed, great media player with the newest Amlogic chipset.   CoreELEC does run on that media player using a flash drive as a bonus.

[hdmkv]

From our very own @clarkss12

[MediaPi]

great review @clarkss12 but I was expecting a different take on the question "is it worth the premium price". You are paying for the SOC but you have that SOC in a much cheaper alternative.
It's most notable competitor is X96 X10 (need to get 8GB for DV, some lucky folks got DV in 4GB version but are having issues? @hdmkv?)
The latest prices are as follows from aliexpress, $194 (SK1) vs $125 (X10). I'm not sure on Android side but X10 is in most developers hands from CoreELEC, so support will be second to none in fixing bugs?

so is the SK1 worth $69 extra. Seems hard justified unless you can show where the value comes from. being the same chipsets should give you the same features on CoreELEC.
Amlogic S928X is the platform for the latest CoreELEC, it'll never have DV FEL without some breakthrough luck but no other chipsets will too.

If someone was to choose between SK1 and X10, what would you guys pick and why. thanks

[clarkss12]

Ugoos has been around since the beginning of these media players.  It, by far, has the BEST firmware support of any of these "Chinese" media players.  The hardware in the Ugoos media players are also, top notch.  I have been purchasing these boxes/sticks for many, many years, and have thousands of $$$$ wrapped up in them.  

Sure, you can get a Yugo for a lot less $$$ than a BMW and they do the same thing, get you from  point A to point B.  Everyone like choices.  I don't have an X10 to compare.  

I also have a Dune HD Pro One 8k plus and a Pro 8k Plus, both using the latest Amlogic S928X K/J.

[hdmkv]

I'm curious what everyone's ranking of media players they own, from most used to least. For me, at least at this point in time :

1. [60%] Ugoos AM6B+ w/CE: For movies, TV shows & most live music/concerts (anything not AV1 4K or VP9 P2 4K)
   
2. [15%] Dune HD Real Vision 4K Plus: For 3D movies & occasionally SACD/hi-res music playback
   
3. [10%] Fire TV Cube 3: For SmartTube, home videos & some live music/concerts (haven't found anything, other than 3D, that Cube 3 can't play); occasionally Prime Video streaming
   
4. [10%] Homatics Box R 4K Plus for mostly CE use: Similar to #1, but including AV1. Mainly testing to gauge if this could possibly replace my AM6B+
   
5. [5%] Boxes for testing. Have en route:
   • Zidoo Z9X Pro (mostly as a backup for 3D & occasional SACD/hi-res music playback)
     
   • TOX3 S905X4 (got one for just $27 shipped)
     
   • (Possibly) Vero V
     

[signde]

• 85% Homatics Box R - my daily driver, does almost everything i need with android tv 12
  
• 10% Ugoos AM6B+ - if i know i want to watch a rip that is DV P7
  
• 5% AFTV Cube 3 - only device i own that is provisioned for live 1080p HDR in certain apps (peacock sunday night football, prime tv thursday night football)
  

[himey]

• 85% Homatics Box R - my daily driver, does almost everything i need with android tv 12
  
• 10% Ugoos AM6B+ - if i know i want to watch a rip that is DV P7
  
• 5% AFTV Cube 3 - only device i own that is provisioned for live 1080p HDR in certain apps (peacock sunday night football, prime tv thursday night football)
  

What do you give up formatting the Homatics to be your DV P7 box? Or is it just a case to leave the former on A 12 and the Ugoos on CE, since you already own both boxes, and it just makes it easier that way?

Has anyone compared the Nvidia Shield to the Homatics for only Android use?

[clarkss12]

I really don't have a specific player for a specific media. I have a tough time swapping these media back and forth to see what they do. I keep forgetting which one plays what.

Strangely enough, I ordered the Blu-ray version of the family Man. It came today, Guess what, That dagnabbit horrible VC-1 video codec. So first instinct was to open my Vero V because it plays that nasty codec, since it is the only device that I have that will play with hardware decoding. I think my Nvidia shield will play that also with hardware decoding but I forget.

I was testing my Ugoos AM6B+ with a new CPS firmware. So I am watching this movie using this device. It is software decoding but it is playing without any missing frames or skipped frames. And a lip sync is okay.

[MediaPi]

@clarkss12 thanks and you are right X96 have been known for cheap hardware that they cut corners such as with thermal design, just It's been said by a CoreELEC team member that they are working on that particular device.
I just recalled minix had their "U8K-ULTRA 8K UHD Al Media Hub Powered by Android" for $349 with the same S928X, apparently it sold out
https://www.minix.com.hk/products/u8k-ultra
I wonder if they plan to restock, it was close to sold out early on.
I do agree Ugos is great for software suppot and good hardware.

@hdmkv always great to see how you rate these boxes, I've only had experience with Odroid N2/+. honestly would love if I had access to smartube.
I've been considering those mini PC N100, you can get them in fanless case designs too
https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/28097-...ess-boxes/

I don't have DV tv. I mainly play torrents and I'm curious if for my needs It can play everything, I'm sure I've seen DV files and maybe N100 can play them.
the GMKtec G3 Mini PC Intel Alder Lake N100 Windows 11 Pro Mini PC 8GB/256GB went as low as $83.80 shipped on sales
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-...gb-4465113

was thinking their should be some launcher in windows that can play kodi and some way to launch things like YouTube in a TV like interface.
I'm very hesitant to try (heard issues pop up but I'm not playing the best files on best hardware, I'd like faster single threaded performance for python addons), but the best developer of the best banned addon ever uses a i3 NUC. you love to tinker, you ever had the itch to see what they can do?

[himey]

 

• [10%] Fire TV Cube 3: For SmartTube, home videos & some live music/concerts (haven't found anything, other than 3D, that Cube 3 can't play); occasionally Prime Video streaming
  
  
• [10%] Homatics Box R 4K Plus for mostly CE use: Similar to #1, but including AV1. Mainly testing to gauge if this could possibly replace my AM6B+
  

What are the Android deficiencies in the Homatics vs the FTVC3?

[MediaPi]

I've also come across this
https://open-netlab.de/minipc-passive-co...rivatives/



was thinking to get the GMKtec G3 Mini PC and modify it to run fanless.

Have a look here to modify GMKtec G3 that uses a fan but it should be near silent for Kodi with the N100
https://makerworld.com/en/models/1061808...Id-1067835

sleek design




they used a USB adapter and a $10 fan and the tools like 3d printer. If you have access to those and get the $84 GMKtec G3, you got a beefy N100 for $100 say. Other easier mods out their for this hardware and I've heard
some good results in Kodi. Maybe enough for my addons that I won't even be able to tell the difference compared to any arm powered devices while still having very low power consumption and faster than any arm device for single core performance

But have been looking at this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10050064...ry_from%3A
It starts to come close to the price of Ugoos SK1, but keeping an eye on prices and if it will drop to around $120 shipped with RAM and storage shipped and In future might try to see if it will be a good device

[himey]

I've been considering those mini PC N100

I have 2. They are great as a server. For playback, they are great for local media until you get a TV with Dolby Vision. I recently got an LG B4 65 inch. The built-in media player does surprisingly well streaming from Plex, but you can't do Dolby Vision+Lossless. The OLED quality forces you to squeeze out every bit of performance possible which you simply can't do from the Mini PCs.

[MediaPi]

@himey yeah if I had DV tv then 100% I would get the best hardware for the job, probably an AM6B+ at that point. 
but my dilemma (and probably the vast majority of people that use Kodi) is that I don't have DV and I don't have the best files to play
would it give me on my hardware the same experience (or close to it) than the S229X AM6B+ or even the slower Homatics 
I'll be ready to upgrade in future. right now buying the higher chip S928X isn't worth it for meagre increase in power