[wrxtasy]

Now here is a bit of a revelation for all those looking to grab a cheap H265 decoding device.

It appears that my ODROID-C1 with its Amlogic S805 SoC, plays back both 23.976fps Netflix and H265 coded video perfectly synced to my 24p Sony TV when the Android GUI is set to 24Hz. Or when video playback is set to dynamically refresh rate switch by using the Android SPMC 14.2.0 distro. A Kodi distro forked by Koying. No 40 second or so hiccups are at all evident like I see when playing 23.976fps / H264 video at 24Hz.

Happy times
I definitely falling in love with the ARM Mali™ - 450 MP2 GPU in this Amlogic beastie now.

Further details will be in this thread..

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=224539

[noggin]

Happy times
I definitely falling in love with the ARM Mali™ - 450 MP2 GPU in this Amlogic beastie now.

Though it isn't the GPU doing the video decoding is it? You need to be careful with ARM SoCs because the VPU - which does video decoding - and the GPU - which does screen stuff like the GUI and 3D rendering - are separate, unlike the x86 world where they are usually the same (though Crystal HD is an exception to this as it is a separate VPU)

So AIUI two different Mali 450 MP2 boxes with identical GPUs could have different VPUs - one well supported by Kodi, the other not? (So you could have hardware decode on one but not the other)

Unless things have changed that was my understanding - and why SoCs can be so confusing.

[wrxtasy]

Not too sure if its the VPU or GPU, here is the Tech Schematic if you can make sense of it....

http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/...&tab_idx=2

Reading the S805 datasheet.....

The Amlogic Video Engine (AVE) is a dedicated hardware video decoder and encoder capable of decoding 1080p resolution video with complete Trusted Video Path (TVP) for secure applications. The AVE supports full formats including MVC, MPEG-1/2/4, VC-1/WMV, AVS, RealVideo, MJPEG streams, H.264, H265 and also JPEG pictures with no size limitation. The independent encoder is able to encode in JPEG and H.264 up to 1080p at 30fps.

[DocG]

Nice. Still haven't really tested out the C1 properly, but this sounds like it's about time.

[wrxtasy]

I'm about to post a very comprehensive review, suggest grabbing a coffee before reading it tho

[noggin]

Not too sure if its the VPU or GPU, here is the Tech Schematic if you can make sense of it....

http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/...&tab_idx=2

Reading the S805 datasheet.....

The Amlogic Video Engine (AVE) is a dedicated hardware video decoder and encoder capable of decoding 1080p resolution video with complete Trusted Video Path (TVP) for secure applications. The AVE supports full formats including MVC, MPEG-1/2/4, VC-1/WMV, AVS, RealVideo, MJPEG streams, H.264, H265 and also JPEG pictures with no size limitation. The independent encoder is able to encode in JPEG and H.264 up to 1080p at 30fps.

Yep - the AVE is the bit that makes the AMLogic SoCs special rather than the Mali GPU. AIUI AMLogic have provided much better support for Open Source drivers for hardware acceleration in their AVE, compared to say Allwinner and their Cedar decoders which do the same thing roughly? The Allwinner stuff also uses Mali GPUs, but because their video decode engine (which is separate) has poorer driver support, they are nowhere near as good a platform for Kodi.

[wrxtasy]

Yes got to agree with the better support provided for Amlogic SoC's.

Wetek who also use Amlogic SoC's in their Wetek Play have an ex-Amlogic coder in their midst, Mr Codesnake. Their tight collaboration with the OpenElec team is benefitting all Amlogic owners as well, and for that we are very grateful.

I'm about to post a very comprehensive review, suggest grabbing a coffee before reading it tho

ODROID-C1 Review HERE

[theplunger]

When it comes to the Chromebox it seems the Samsung brand isn't advised. You see, I'm looking for something to work with a DVI / 3.5mm audio or RCA jacks type TV. Should I look into getting box that does Hevc and works with the TV this will be hooked? If so what would that box be? Or, should I abandon hope and get a new TV.

[nickr]

Anything with an HDMI out will connect to DVI.

[theplunger]

Anything with an HDMI out will connect to DVI.

Ok, so the Asus Chromebox has an Hdmi output and the TV has a DVI input. I get a cable from ebay that can work with each end and that would take care of the video, right? As far as the audio goes, the Asus Chromebox has a headphone jack on the back, and I know the TV has a 3.5mm audio input. I guess that would work for my audio? ...if I get a male to male 3.5mm audio wire. When a new TV has been gotten, I'm sure just the HDMI would be used for audio and video.

[nickr]

Anything with an HDMI out will connect to DVI.

Ok, so the Asus Chromebox has an Hdmi output and the TV has a DVI input. I get a cable from ebay that can work with each end and that would take care of the video, right? As far as the audio goes, the Asus Chromebox has a headphone jack on the back, and I know the TV has a 3.5mm audio input. I guess that would work for my audio? ...if I get a male to male 3.5mm audio wire. When a new TV has been gotten, I'm sure just the HDMI would be used for audio and video.

That should work. HDMI and DVI are electrically equivalent, so there is no conversion. A hdmi-dvi converter is simply a normal HDMI cable with a dvi plug on one end.

[theplunger]

Anything with an HDMI out will connect to DVI.

Ok, so the Asus Chromebox has an Hdmi output and the TV has a DVI input. I get a cable from ebay that can work with each end and that would take care of the video, right? As far as the audio goes, the Asus Chromebox has a headphone jack on the back, and I know the TV has a 3.5mm audio input. I guess that would work for my audio? ...if I get a male to male 3.5mm audio wire. When a new TV has been gotten, I'm sure just the HDMI would be used for audio and video.

That should work. HDMI and DVI are electrically equivalent, so there is no conversion. A hdmi-dvi converter is simply a normal HDMI cable with a dvi plug on one end.

I'm guess the only bad thing about DVI really is it doesn't do audio?

[noggin]

Ok, so the Asus Chromebox has an Hdmi output and the TV has a DVI input. I get a cable from ebay that can work with each end and that would take care of the video, right? As far as the audio goes, the Asus Chromebox has a headphone jack on the back, and I know the TV has a 3.5mm audio input. I guess that would work for my audio? ...if I get a male to male 3.5mm audio wire. When a new TV has been gotten, I'm sure just the HDMI would be used for audio and video.

That should work. HDMI and DVI are electrically equivalent, so there is no conversion. A hdmi-dvi converter is simply a normal HDMI cable with a dvi plug on one end.

I'm guess the only bad thing about DVI really is it doesn't do audio?

You can end up with a bit of work on 0-255 vs 16-235 levels, and most devices with DVI inputs don't support audio (though some graphics cards with DVI outputs can support audio output on them when they detect an HDMI display on the other end - or more usually a special DVI to HDMI dongle), but this is the reverse situation. You may occasionally final a device with an HDMI output that doesn't support 0-255 4:4:4 RGB output over HDMI - which is what DVI devices may expect to receive, but the Chromebox should be fine. (The most common standard HDMI output standard for consumer gear is 16-235 4:2:2 YCrCb - though most devices will negotiate with the display over EDID to find a common format )

The other thing to be aware of, though not relevant here, is that not all DVI inputs support HDCP, whereas most HDMI inputs do (it's very unusual to find a display with HDMI without HDCP).

[theplunger]

That should work. HDMI and DVI are electrically equivalent, so there is no conversion. A hdmi-dvi converter is simply a normal HDMI cable with a dvi plug on one end.

I'm guess the only bad thing about DVI really is it doesn't do audio?

You can end up with a bit of work on 0-255 vs 16-235 levels, and most devices with DVI inputs don't support audio (though some graphics cards with DVI outputs can support audio output on them when they detect an HDMI display on the other end - or more usually a special DVI to HDMI dongle), but this is the reverse situation. You may occasionally final a device with an HDMI output that doesn't support 0-255 4:4:4 RGB output over HDMI - which is what DVI devices may expect to receive, but the Chromebox should be fine. (The most common standard HDMI output standard for consumer gear is 16-235 4:2:2 YCrCb - though most devices will negotiate with the display over EDID to find a common format )

The other thing to be aware of, though not relevant here, is that not all DVI inputs support HDCP, whereas most HDMI inputs do (it's very unusual to find a display with HDMI without HDCP).

I have to confess I'm quite to layman. I really don't understand you very well. I just look behind the TV and it has a box drawn and states HD Video 7. Inside this drawn box is a female DVI port and a red and a female white and red RCA audio jack. So, I'm thinking I'm going to need a "Y" adapter. Again, thank you for your help.

[wrxtasy]

What does HDMI / DVI have to do with HEVC ?

It would be nice to keep this a pure HEVC thread as there are not many users testing cheap small devices.

---

More testing with HEVC and the AMlogic S805 - ODROID-C1....
This time with the Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS / Lubuntu image, results:

- very quick OS, naturally. Logout of Ubuntu and login again as "Kodi" produces best results as usb - Flirc and the remote control then works properly with Kodi 15 Alpha2
- GUI set to 24Hz upon bootup results in virtually perfectly synced playback of 23.976fps(24p) - H264/H265 content. No 40 second or so video hiccups noticeable.
- the Ubuntu version of Kodi 15A2 plays every H265 (HEVC) test file I throw at it.
- dynamic refresh rate switching does not work, I will have to do more investigation.

Looking forward now to OpenElec / Kodi 15x Isengard / HEVC testing on this device when the image becomes available.