START HERE - Pick the Right Kodi Box (updated Dec 2020)
(2016-05-20, 00:47)winterfell44 Wrote:
(2016-05-19, 23:37)sebvalmontx360 Wrote:
(2016-05-19, 23:27)winterfell44 Wrote: Extensively tested the MXQ Pro earlier; briefly:

- No issues with any of the x264 or x265 up to 1080p files I tested at all
- No weird playback issues; 23.976 works and I notice no judder in Kodi 16.1; there is a HDMI setting to enable in settings
- No crashes or overheating
- Default Kodi (got rid of the preinstalled apps) is slick. No sluggishness
- General UI is equally slick; the important settings bits are blown up as part of the skin so easily to see on a TV
- Glaring bright blue LED for the power which also seems to be the IR, can't be disabled, dims for soft off by remote
- No hardware power button as with the WD; soft off by remote then wall
- Remote is functional although poor compared to the WD - no play/pause buttons just seek which is just odd
- Power adaptor is at least 25% smaller than the WD, which is welcome
- Despite running Lollipop, this is running an old kernel. Doesn't really matter for playback, just a note.

Didn't test the WiFi although looking at reviews online (cnx-software) its functional at best, don't expect speed. Ethernet recommended. Not interested at all in anything online so can't comment there. I set up a Google Account with a plugged in USB mouse and it was fast enough, no hang ups of slowdowns so the browsing part seems to work. Lastly, the actual cost price for these is around $33 USD, if you are paying more than roughly $50 delivered to your door after accounting for shipping, any taxes, and markups you are getting ripped off. I picked one up for just under $63 delivered in 24 hours with a local seller. Box is pre-rooted and comes with an .apk installer so installing apps is easy offline. For the price this is exactly what I wanted - an offline WD media replacement. In a year I may even pick up a new S912 or newer model with Marshmallow. However, if you want a perfect slick polished all rounder for online and offline buy a Shield.

Good review

But the big problem with these chinese boxes is that you don't know what you are buying. I can buy a MXQ Pro from the same retailer that you bought and it can come with a completly different PCB board.

I bricked a MXIII-G because it was a MXIII-G outside but a M8S inside.

Buy from a reputable seller. The one I purchased from had a 3000 rating, a stack of good reviews, and plenty of feedback. It wasn't from somebody opening up shop for 3 weeks on Aliexpress.

In general the problem is not the reseler. I bought my one from a very reputable reseler from amazon.com.

These chinese boxes do not have brands. You have a lot of small factories producing the "same" units.

If the original firmware was good for you, you are lucky. Because, if you need to change your firmware, it is going to be a mess...

The first thing to do is to open the box, take a pic of the PC Board and send it in freaktabs in order to check which one is yours.

I tried to flash openelec that was designed to MXIII-G... my one, in theory, was MXIII-G... and it bricked my box.

When I opened it, its board was very similar to M8S.

In practice, there is no reputable reseller for chinese boxes. In almost all cases, the seller does not know exactly what he is selling.


Messages In This Thread
The right box for me - by tyem - 2016-01-13, 15:29
Jesus Box - by kellyvb - 2016-03-04, 20:18
RE: Pick the Right Kodi Box (updated April 2016) - by sebvalmontx360 - 2016-05-20, 14:05
Thanks for the Help! - by jmc15john - 2016-11-09, 16:44
Jarvis crashes and wipes - by gotthis2000 - 2017-01-10, 22:14
RE: Jarvis crashes and wipes - by nickr - 2017-01-10, 22:58
T95Z Plus Android TV Box - by gooner1971 - 2017-03-17, 13:04
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