[wrxtasy]

As I own both devices, a little comparison: Updated 15.Jan.16

ODROID-C1[+] click HERE

• Faster than a RPi2 (RAM and eMMC, plus higher CPU/GPU clock speeds)
  
• Gigabit Ethernet vs 100Meg for RPi2 (important if you run this device as a server)
  
• Broadcast TV Deinterlacing using the AMlogic S805 VPU (Video Processing Unit)
  (VPU does Advanced motion adaptive Edge enhancing de-interlacing)
  
• The C1+'s VPU hardware deinterlacing does not slow the Kodi GUI down like the RPi2 does for similar deinterlacing quality.
  
• Hardware decoding of 8-bit 1080p HEVC (H265)
  
• Android Apps if you choose to go with that OS release. Stable Android KitKat Firmware.
  Be aware 720x480p Netflix only, and even then its not the best.
  
• 23.976/59.94Hz video output in Android and Linux / OpenELEC
  (Works well, no 3:2 pulldown judder, just like the RPi2 !)
  OpenELEC Releases HERE
  
• You can run a full blown Ubuntu OS plus about 13 other distributions. Boot straight into Kodi when running Ubuntu.
  
• The HiFi Shield is an interesting piggy back board for Audiophiles !
  
• IR receiver, program your own IR remote easily.
  
• Real Time Clock
  
• Basic HDMI CEC control from a TV remote, if a cheap RTC backup battery is connected to the C1
  (battery not needed on the new C1+)
  
• Needs quite a bit less power, runs happily from a Phone Charger with FLIRC + Bluetooth usb and a usb Keyboard attached.
  
• Nice and cheap peripherals from HardKernel that are guaranteed to work with the device.
  (I would only buy WiFi USB dongles from them for 100% compatibility)
  
• No need to purchase cheap, additional mpeg2 / VC-1 licenses like you have to with the RPi2

Note: AMLogic S8xx SoC's like the one found in the C1(+) can only output lossy 5.1 AC3 / DTS Audio only.
No 7.1 HD Audio Passthrough (bitstreaming) on either device.

Known Issues:

• OpenElec currently does not have the new AMLinux Kernel that does video output of 23.976/59.94Hz. FIXED
  
• Very Slight Kodi GUI tearing evident on white coloured Kodi Skins, OpenGLES drivers need tweaking. No issues during video playback. FIXED with Mali GPU video drivers update !
  
• Interlaced mpeg2 DVD ISO rips play with stutters, this is due to the .vob containers.
  Shortly to be Fixed, same as WeTek Core has had fixed with OpenELEC recently. mpeg2/h264 TV playback no issues.
  
• 29.97fps VC-1 has micro judders during playback. A lot of Kodi platforms have issues with this combo.
  

RPi2:
Jarvis / OpenELEC:

• Better support for HDMI CEC control on a wider variety of TV's and Amps, control an Amp's volume from the TV remote. Pulse8's USB <-> HDMI CEC adapter works on the C1(+)
  
• 7.1 HD Audio decoding to lossless multichannel PCM Audio output.
  
• Lossless multichannel FLAC Audio playback
  
• 3D MVC decoding for full 1080p 3D video playback. (Framepacked)
  
• More extensive support for WiFi dongles and DVB usb tuners due to a running a newer Linux Kernel
  
• The best support for a Kodi media player ever.

Interesting Reading:
Do you actually need HD audio, or HD to PCM. Can you even hear the difference with the speakers you have ?
Informed discussion HERE

[MediaPi]

wrxtasy what about colour reproduction of C1 compared to Pi2?

Why are openelec reluctant to support this device? I would get one instantly if openelec supported this, I'm guessing most of the work is already done.

[wrxtasy]

Already answered...

This is a subjective thing but using the same settings and same HDMI port on the TV, I see the C1 having a little bit more color saturation than my RPi2.

Noggin is eagle eye video guru, so he may be able to answer some more.

OpenElec have now teamed up with Wetek, who have the older less capable AMlogic AML8726-MX Dual-Core ARM Cortex A9 in their Wetek Play.
I was seriously considering a Wetek Play at one stage, but wanted 1080p HEVC that the cheap S805 provides. Excellent Deinterlacing was a surprise bonus.
It may be a business decision on OpenElec's part. I don't know.

http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/04/25/a...-and-s812/

Now if OSMC came to support the new C1+ as a cheap 1080p HEVC decoding distro, well that would make life interesting....
(The C1 has a Debian Jessie image available already)

Once the new Kernel for Linux / Ubuntu gets sorted out to support 23.976/59.94Hz video output properly and HEVC support is added to the Unofficial OpenElec (being slowly worked on), this will be the distro to go for.

[sandogo1]

Where is the best place to order one from I'm never happy with what I have. Can you dual boot the openelec and the android fw?....

[MediaPi]

sorry wrxtasy, missed that completly thanks

[wrxtasy]

Where is the best place to order one from I'm never happy with what I have.

I got mine straight from the HardKernel Webstore, shipped straight from S. Korea as shipping charges were quite a bit less than anywhere else I could find.

http://www.hardkernel.com/main/shop/good...hp?lang=en

Distributors Worldwide would be here:
http://www.hardkernel.com/main/distributor.php

The only issue is they are currently sold out till the new improved C1+ comes out early August. Maybe some of the distributors are taking pre-orders.
You would only need a case, Sandisk UHS-1 Class 10 microSDHC and possibly the cheap Remote control to get started if you don't have a usb FLIRC.
The new C1+ can be powered through the micro usb OTG port if you have one of those cables. I just used the USB-DC Plug Cable.

Can you dual boot the openelec and the android fw?....

Yes Dual or even Triple boot is possible, if you have a keyboard attached to select the Distro at boot. A Linux machine or Virtual Box is needed to make your own Triple Boot image though. I will be possibly posting an up to date Dual image soon.

I also use a FLIRC usb dongle mapped as a Kodi keyboard to select boot options. FLIRC can be IR mapped to any spare remote you have lying around the house. It a brilliant piece of Kit.

https://flirc.tv

Triple Boot:
http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=112&t=8740

[sandogo1]

On the new ones is that the only difference is the charge port I need to find one now unless the new one is that much better to wait

[MediaPi]

are you from the UK sanogo1? If so check out the HP 260 G1,
for not much more you got the gold standard in KODI

[noggin]

ODROID-C1:
- Noggin had issues with getting rare mpeg2 Interlaced DVD rips to hardware decode.

Rare? I don't think pop concerts, entertainment shows, classic TV shows, UK sitcoms and sporting DVDs are that rare... Basically anything shot interlaced video (aka 'tape' back in the day) and released on DVD is native interlaced.

Also re : Pi 2

- HD Audio decoding to multichannel PCM or bit streamed to an Amp

The Pi 2 doesn't bitstream HD Audio to an amp, only legacy DD/DTS (same as ODroid in OpenElec) The Pi 2 will losslessly decode HD Audio to PCM for 48/96kHz tracks, though the couple of multichannel 192kHz tracks will be down sampled.

The Pi 2 will also replay multichannel FLAC losslessly, whereas the C1 can only transcode them to DD 5.1 lossy, or output them as PCM 2.0

I haven't checked whether the C1 can output 96 or 192kHz and 20/24 bit audio as the Pi 2 can (albeit limited to 2.0 on the C1)

I'd also put 23.976/59.94Hz support in Linux/OpenElec as a Pi 2 pro at the moment, and the CEC implementation appears to be better in OpenElec on the Pi 2. (Even if you have a v2 C1 with the modifications to fix the original design fault that stopped CEC working)

[sandogo1]

No I'm in the us... What do they cost and u know where I can get one in the US?

[noggin]

No I'm in the us... What do they cost and u know where I can get one in the US?

I don't think there is much point in getting one in the US. For some reason the Celeron and Pentium HP 260 G1s are being sold VERY cheap in the UK and EU. I think they are EOL and there was a lot of UK/EU stock in the channels. They don't seem to be anywhere near as cheap in the US.

They are very similar to the Asus Chromebox, but the Celeron comes with Windows 8.1 (and they have DP + VGA not DP + HDMI video output so you need DP to HDMI adaptor for most HTPC uses) They also don't come with WiFi or Bluetooth. In the US I think Chromebox is usually a better value solution - particularly if you can find a discount or rebate that gets it down further in cost.

[wrxtasy]

ODROID-C1+
The ODROID-C1+, released in August 2015, offers several new
features and improvements over the original ODROID-C1:

• HDMI connector was changed to Type A from Type D
The Type A connection allows a standard HDMI cable to be used with any compliant
HDMI monitor without the need for a Type D adapter or cable.

• Expanded microSD card compatibility
The original C1 model worked optimally with a specific set of microSD cards,
and using a non-compliant card would sometimes results in a slow-booting or
non-booting image. The C1+ is compatible with a wider array of microSD cards.

• Improved CEC functionality
The CEC harware has been updated to operate regardless of the presence of
an RTC backup battery.

• USB OTG power path
A small hardware modification could be performed on the original C1 model to
allow it to be powered via the USB OTG port. This modification is now standard
with the C1+ model.

• I2S signals exposed for external audio DAC
The I2S signals can be easily accessed on the C1+ model in order to permit the
use of an external audio Digital-To-Analog Converter (DAC).

[wrxtasy]

ODROID-C1:
- Noggin had issues with getting rare mpeg2 Interlaced DVD rips to hardware decode.

Rare? I don't think pop concerts, entertainment shows, classic TV shows, UK sitcoms and sporting DVDs are that rare... Basically anything shot interlaced video (aka 'tape' back in the day) and released on DVD is native interlaced.

Yes Rare like Cucumber Sandwiches and Rocking Horse Poo !
Maybe I'm just not an Archiver of ancient memorabilia.

I'd also put 23.976/59.94Hz support in Linux/OpenElec as a Pi 2 pro at the moment, and the CEC implementation appears to be better in OpenElec on the Pi 2. (Even if you have a v2 C1 with the modifications to fix the original design fault that stopped CEC working)

Yes agreed. I'll add those.

[noggin]

ODROID-C1:
- Noggin had issues with getting rare mpeg2 Interlaced DVD rips to hardware decode.

Rare? I don't think pop concerts, entertainment shows, classic TV shows, UK sitcoms and sporting DVDs are that rare... Basically anything shot interlaced video (aka 'tape' back in the day) and released on DVD is native interlaced.

Yes Rare like Cucumber Sandwiches and Rocking Horse Poo !

Music concerts aren't that rare are they?

Buying sitcoms on DVD isn't that unheard of is it?

(I agree not everyone watches lots of 70s and 80s BBC SciFi shot on tape... Err... Move along. Nothing to see here...)

[oWarchild]

(I agree not everyone watches lots of 70s and 80s BBC SciFi shot on tape... Err... Move along. Nothing to see here...)

Does that include Red Dwarf? I used to watch that on TV, loved it!