[ghostofsparta]

Hi everyone. I've been reading over the forums for the last few days and could use some help. I'm going to be building my first unRAID server soon and could use some help picking out a media player to use with Kodi. This will be my first time using Kodi so I'm not super familiar with all the ends and outs. Any way, I'll give a quick rundown of my current setup and what I am trying to achieve with this new setup.

So for the next 6-12 months I'm going to be staying at my in laws. I'm currently using an old HTPC running windows 7 and Mediabrowser 2 hooked up to my older Samsung HDTV (LN46C530) to watch my media in the bedroom. A good amount of my media is in 480p/720p/1080p in h264. I do have a mix of MPEG4, and some MPEG2, MPEG1 and a few WMV files. As far as audio its a mix of DTS (5.1 & a few 7s), AC3, AAC, MP3 and a few VORBIS mixed in. Maybe a few others I haven't seen.

As I said I will be hosting all of my media on my new unRAID server. Since WiFi is spotty at best in this bedroom, I will be hooking the media player up to the server via an ethernet switch. So I will need to have an ethernet connection on the media player but a WiFi option would be nice for down the road. I will probably end up using a powerline adapter to supply the internet connection to the server.

For this KODI box, I want something that I can boot straight into KODI (via libreELEC?). I need something that will be able to "downmix" the audio files from 5.1 ect to stereo. It would also be a plus if I was able to "boost" the central channel of the audio so the voices aren't so low on these files. I'm looking for something that has low power consumption but snappy when browsing a decent size media library. I don't need netflix or amazon prime ect.

Also looking for something with a decent remote. I do have anynet+ on my TV but have never used it. I would be fine with buying a third party remote. I just need something that would make it easy for my wife to browse the media and if needed to easily switch on/off subtitles and switch audio tracks.

I was looking at the RPi3, the ODROID C2 or the WeTek Hub. I would also be open to other suggestions. I would like to stay around or under $100 if possible. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[nickr]

Rpi3 will do everything you want, and is exceptionally well supported. But if you want to future proof for h265 content get a c2.

[wrxtasy]

+ MINIX A2 NEO Lite - Wireless Mini Keyboard Remote - simply press the T Key to switch subtitles ON / OFF

I'm actually finding a Mini Keyboard pretty handy - Space bar for example to Pause / Play video.
You can use all sorts of Kodi shortcuts out of the box as well in addition to the usual remote controls.

http://kodi.wiki/view/keyboard_controls

[ex_directory]

Is there a minimum version/gen of NUC in order to get Atmos?

I only want a device for Kodi to get Atmos/Dts bit streamed as my Denon amp does not seem to like audio decoding by Kodi. It is ok with DD5.1

I think my cheapest options are Mi, Intel. I suspect Intel booting directly to Kodi is best option with a harmony remote. I will buy a 2nd hand NUC if older ones work ok.

Wrxtasy, as a note, in your OP your list of Atmos supported devices does not match that list for Atmos in your Audio/3D thread, or am I missing something?

[marhutchy]

Rpi3 will do everything you want, and is exceptionally well supported. But if you want to future proof for h265 content get a c2.

I'm not seeing that on Amazon. I'm only seeing ODROID-XU4

Also, they support SMB, right? I have a desktop where my files are hosted until I get myself a NAS.

[tmihai20]

Why don't you use Ameridroid or any of the other distributors http://www.hardkernel.com/main/distributor.php for oDroid C2?

[wrxtasy]

I only want a device for Kodi to get Atmos/Dts bit streamed as my Denon amp does not seem to like audio decoding by Kodi. It is ok with DD5.1

I think my cheapest options are Mi, Intel. I suspect Intel booting directly to Kodi is best option with a harmony remote. I will buy a 2nd hand NUC if older ones work ok.

Plenty of hardware will give you Atmos and HD Audio passthrough.
If you want to boot straight into Kodi you should be using LibreELEC Kodi for a no nonsense Appliance like OS with superior networking capabilities.

Cheapest hardware with a Atmos & nice Wireless remote will be the Mi Box - however it lacks Kodi dynamic refresh switching for ultra smooth video playback & deinterlacing is broken if needed for OTA TV usage with Kodi. There may be some ancient codecs that may not be 100% too.

This is where AMLogic S905 boxes step in running LibreELEC Kodi, as those issue melt away. If you want to future proof a bit with 1080p / 4K - 10bit HEVC(H265) Hardware decoding and HDMI 2.0 this is where the bargains lie.

A good AML S905, running LibreELEC Kodi with GigaE and a nice sensitive Infra Red receiver is the ODROID C2. A Harmony programmed as a MCE remote will work out of the box with LibreELEC. I still prefer Wireless remotes tho. Infact I use both at the same time.

To get the equivalent in Intel you need either Apollo Lake or Kaby Lake Hardware. Anything older will be limited to either 8bit HEVC Hardware decoding or Software decoding of 10bit HEVC content. This area is where detailed Intel self research would need to be done if HEVC decoding is a must have requirement, particularly if looking for HDMI 2.0 as well.

If you don't need 10bit HEVC decoding - simply get a 1080p Chromebox and run LibreELEC on it - that will give you Atmos - HD Audio passthrough.

Wrxtasy, as a note, in your OP your list of Atmos supported devices does not match that list for Atmos in your Audio/3D thread, or am I missing something?

Not purposely missing anything - it just too hard keeping up with all the updates, combo's and OS permutations that comes with Kodi Hardware. The only 100% way to be absolutely sure is to ask in individual hardware threads.

[marhutchy]

Why don't you use Ameridroid or any of the other distributors http://www.hardkernel.com/main/distributor.php for oDroid C2?

Will the below suffice?

[nickr]

No. You want the c2, not the xu4. It is not rocket science.

[marhutchy]

No. You want the c2, not the xu4. It is not rocket science.

I love the internet. Insults from strangers

[wrxtasy]

Plus there is an extra, un necessary eMMC flash and adapter in that list.

16GB eMMC is plenty.

I do not recommend 2.4GHz only WiFi either as it an be subject to Electro magnetic interference in a modern household with a lot of electrical equipment present.

GigaBit Ethernet if you want video streaming reliability.

[marhutchy]

Thanx
I was a bit confused, because of all the options they offer.

I'm going with the C2. It's perfect for what I want. The XU4 is a bit of a overkill, and when it comes to HEVC, I read that the C2 is better. Plus what you mentioned above.

[tmihai20]

I have a XU4, I use it as a NAS. Get the C2 because it can do H.265 4K/60FPS and H.264 4K/30FPS. XU4 is more powerful, but it is not media ready, C2 is media ready.

[ex_directory]

I only want a device for Kodi to get Atmos/Dts bit streamed as my Denon amp does not seem to like audio decoding by Kodi. It is ok with DD5.1

I think my cheapest options are Mi, Intel. I suspect Intel booting directly to Kodi is best option with a harmony remote. I will buy a 2nd hand NUC if older ones work ok.

Plenty of hardware will give you Atmos and HD Audio passthrough.
If you want to boot straight into Kodi you should be using LibreELEC Kodi for a no nonsense Appliance like OS with superior networking capabilities.

Cheapest hardware with a Atmos & nice Wireless remote will be the Mi Box - however it lacks Kodi dynamic refresh switching for ultra smooth video playback & deinterlacing is broken if needed for OTA TV usage with Kodi. There may be some ancient codecs that may not be 100% too.

This is where AMLogic S905 boxes step in running LibreELEC Kodi, as those issue melt away. If you want to future proof a bit with 1080p / 4K - 10bit HEVC(H265) Hardware decoding and HDMI 2.0 this is where the bargains lie.

A good AML S905, running LibreELEC Kodi with GigaE and a nice sensitive Infra Red receiver is the ODROID C2. A Harmony programmed as a MCE remote will work out of the box with LibreELEC. I still prefer Wireless remotes tho. Infact I use both at the same time.

To get the equivalent in Intel you need either Apollo Lake or Kaby Lake Hardware. Anything older will be limited to either 8bit HEVC Hardware decoding or Software decoding of 10bit HEVC content. This area is where detailed Intel self research would need to be done if HEVC decoding is a must have requirement, particularly if looking for HDMI 2.0 as well.

If you don't need 10bit HEVC decoding - simply get a 1080p Chromebox and run LibreELEC on it - that will give you Atmos - HD Audio passthrough.

Wrxtasy, as a note, in your OP your list of Atmos supported devices does not match that list for Atmos in your Audio/3D thread, or am I missing something?

Not purposely missing anything - it just too hard keeping up with all the updates, combo's and OS permutations that comes with Kodi Hardware. The only 100% way to be absolutely sure is to ask in individual hardware threads.

Thanks for the detailed reply. Makes more sense now

This is where being in the uk does not help, chrome box circa £220, mi circa £70, c2 circa £50. So your cheap option is not the cheapest here.

For me, I only rip from bluray to a nas (like everything on the nas) and I only have 1080p pj/tv, with no plans to change for 3 years or so. Since I really need bitstream/pass through to get Atmos, am thinking c2 sounds best with a fire stick style remote.

Did you agree?

I have a 30gb rip of fantastic beasts with Atmos, my laptop can play it but too jerky, so hoping a new box will solve this too.

[JohnWB]

Would the ODROID C2 work any better than, say the Wetek Hub (or Play2) if both were using LibreELEC.

I guess either would do full HD Audio and 1080p / 4K - 10bit HEVC(H265) Hardware decoding and HDMI 2.0.

Would you only go for the ODROID C2 if you didn't mind doing the hands on work to get it going, or if you wanted to save money.