[wrxtasy]

@hopel118,

You can side load a (Sony TV) Amazon (Prime) Instant Video App for HD playback and 5.1 Audio to cover that too.

I tried that as detailed in this guide and it installs correctly and everything but it hangs on the startup page and the browse UI never materialises. I'm wondering if this apk is perhaps not compatible with the latest Shield firmware (v 3.3 which auto-installed when I first booted up). Any insight into this, anyone else run into it and perhaps found a solution?

Really if you need absolute certainty that Amazon (Prime) Instant Video is going to work on any device now and going forward into the future you really should be buying Amazon Hardware to supplement whatever other (non Amazon) Kodi Hardware you are going to be using.

A newly released version2 FireTV Stick would be a good option if Amazon Video is an absolutely essential requirement.

[wrxtasy]

Alright guys, so I'm a bit hesitant in buying the NVIDIA SHIELD. I can't find it on stock anywhere I live (Norway), but I can buy the Apple TV? Not sure which of these TV boxes to get honestly. Should I wait for the NVIDIA SHIELD to come in stock or just get the Apple TV? Need the best Android TV box for family use.

Best Android TV Kodi box = nVIDIA Shield.

You need to list what you want a Kodi box to do first to narrow down the choices like:
1) Android Apps and Kodi with a simple Wireless remote control and family friendly interface ?
2) What Sort of Audio - is there an 5.1/7.1 Audio Amplifier involved ?
3) Do you need to watch Live or recorded TV from a backend TV server like TvHeadend or a HDHomerun ?

If you want a family friendly Android Kodi box then the choices narrow to:

• nVIDIA Shield (Android TV)
  
• Xiaomi Mi Box (Android TV)
  
• FireTV2 (Fire OS)
  
• AppleTV4 (Apple tvOS)

Be aware the AppleTV4 will need to run MrMC a Kodi modded version for the ATV4. There are limitations with MrMC, such as No Python scripted Addons and you cannot install extra Skins. Python had to be dropped as it was the only way to get the MrMC App into Apple's restrictive App store.

If its just a device to run Kodi only with a simple interface then any number of boxes running LibreELEC Kodi are available.

[KoopaTroopa]

Alright guys, so I'm a bit hesitant in buying the NVIDIA SHIELD. I can't find it on stock anywhere I live (Norway), but I can buy the Apple TV? Not sure which of these TV boxes to get honestly. Should I wait for the NVIDIA SHIELD to come in stock or just get the Apple TV? Need the best Android TV box for family use.

Saying you need the best Android TV box is literally a direct contradiction to getting an Apple TV.

They are not the same thing, are not compatible with each other, and do different things for different people.

Also, wrxstasy already covered everything else that you should consider. I just wanted to point out that Apple TV is not and never will be an "Android TV box", just in case you had some sort of confusion.

[mika91]

ok, another question

I currently have a couple of rpi and odroid C2, but I'd now like to have a user-friendly android box to get both kodi/spmc and motolotv.tv, a new free and public French online television service.

It seems Nvidia shield TV is a good (and the only one) candidate, but maybe i'm wrong.

• User-friendly
  
• Android only (no dual boot)
  
• Silent: shield TV has a fan, but inaudible at 15 cm according to reviews
  
• Logitech Harmony supported: need some custom remapped buttons (i.e channelUp and channelDown for delaying subtitle + or -)
  
• Auto refresh rate
  
• Audio 2.0 output only (boost center channel as in kodi rpi buils would be gret)
  
• h264 and h265 @1080p
  
• interlaced mpeg2 and h264 (french broadcast)
  

Any comment wrxtasy ?

[hansolo]

@wrxtasy: Amazon UK does not deliver to Romania, Amazon France does deliver, but it would be 78 euros more than I paid for the Q10 Pro that I chose over the Beelink. Even the nVidia Shield TV would not be 100% suited for me, because I want to use it as a seedbox. If I get HBO Go to run on my Q10 Pro (which it does not, although it did on the Beelink GT1, surprisingly), then I can consider myself satisfied (I managed to get Netflix to run on my Q10 Pro). Thanks anyway.

Well, in Romania HBO Go is SD quality. Of course it's better than other (illegal) streaming services but it's nothing to write home.
Netflix on Q10 pro is also SD quality.
But of course, I wouldn't use Shield as a seedbox.
I also looked for Shield in Romania (only a nonofficial reseller with big prices). I would't buy one now, there are rumors that it will have a hardware refresh.

Well, I beg to differ. I use HBO GO on my non-webOS LG smart TV and it is at least HD (I used the wired network). I have the 10 euro plan for Netflix and it is also running in HD at least. A good 720p stream in Netflix or HBO Go at a high bitrate is better than a 1080p at a lower bitrate. I could see the drop in quality with these Android TV boxes, but it is good enough for me. Even the nVidia Shield TV has limitations, you still have to sideload some apps (HBO Go included). I would be royally pissed to sideload HBO Go and to notice that it is not working just as it does not work on the Q10 Pro with Lollipop.

Well, no: link HBO Go SD
For Android devices: Netflix in SD
I have Himedia Q5 and Netflix and HBO Go are SD, on my Samsung HU7500 TV Netflix is 4k and HBO Go... SD.
You can't even have Youtube 1080p for q5pro, at least not with official app and unreliable with OGYoutube.
These subjects were frequently mentioned in these forums.

[tmihai20]

Well, no: link HBO Go SD
For Android devices: Netflix in SD
I have Himedia Q5 and Netflix and HBO Go are SD, on my Samsung HU7500 TV Netflix is 4k and HBO Go... SD.
You can't even have Youtube 1080p for q5pro, at least not with official app and unreliable with OGYoutube.
These subjects were frequently mentioned in these forums.

Well, that is a shame. Maybe they will fix it in the future. I really think my non-WebOS LG TV is showing HBO Go at the same quality as my TV (definitely better than the app, it can be seen with the naked eye). I can practically cannot tell the difference between HD broadcast and the app from the TV. Thank you for clarifying it. I missed that post on Mobilissimo forum.

[AnalyzeQ]

Hi all,

Did anyone test "KII PRO", can it play Netflix 4k ?

http://www.videostrong.com/productshow.a...59&sid=258

[zival]

Hi all,

Did anyone test "KII PRO", can it play Netflix 4k ?

http://www.videostrong.com/productshow.a...59&sid=258

No you can't, only few TV box plays Netflix HD or 4k, nvidia shield, xiaomi mi box and maybe Wetek players

[wrxtasy]

From Post #1...

Q. I need a Kodi box that can play 720/1080p or 4K DRM copy protected video streams such as Netflix, HBO etc. ?

• nVIDIA Shield (4K + HDR)
  
• Xiaomi Mi Box (4K + HDR)
  
• Amazon Stick/FTV1 + FTV2 (4K)
  
• Intel machines running Win10, using either dedicated Apps or a Web Browser (Eg. Amazon Prime), very likely other OS's as well.
  
• WeTek's Core , Hub, Play2 (audio is 2.0 only, unless you use this ROM on the Play2)
  
• Apple TV4
  

[AnalyzeQ]

Hi all,

Did anyone test "KII PRO", can it play Netflix 4k ?

http://www.videostrong.com/productshow.a...59&sid=258

No you can't, only few TV box plays Netflix HD or 4k, nvidia shield, xiaomi mi box and maybe Wetek players

Thanks for the quick reply !
But on the product page they say it support DRM ? or is it more complicated...

[wrxtasy]

Netflix 720/1080/2160p(4K) boxes need Widevine Level 1 DRM - most cheap Android devices come with Level 3 only.
Then you need Netflix Approval of the Hardware itself. Small scale Asian Manufacturers don't stand a chance getting this.

Also needed are HDCP Keys to protect the Video Display path from the Netflix Box to the TV.
And for 4K Netflix you need HDCP 2.2 that comes with an OS like Android Marshmallow 6.0

Yes its a bit more complicated

[AnalyzeQ]

Netflix 720/1080/2160p(4K) boxes need Widevine Level 1 DRM - most cheap Android devices come with Level 3 only.
Then you need Netflix Approval of the Hardware itself. Small scale Asian Manufacturers don't stand a chance getting this.

Also needed are HDCP Keys to protect the Video Display path from the Netflix Box to the TV.
And for 4K Netflix you need HDCP 2.2 that I believe comes with an OS like Android Marshmallow 6.0

Yes its a bit more complicated

Definitely more complicated



Thanks !

[AnalyzeQ]

Just to point out, you can edit Post #1...

from:
Q. I need a device with a built in TV Tuner that has basic PVR functionality ?

WeTek Play2


to:
Q. I need a device with a built in TV Tuner that has basic PVR functionality ?

WeTek Play2
Kii Pro
(You can also buy TV Tuner like D202 DVB-T2 with a micro USB female to USB male adapter, and plug it to any android TV box...)

[KickMeInTheJunk]

First off thanks for the comprehensive content! Almost too comprehensive as now I'm struggling to narrow down my options.

I'm looking to finally upgrade from old Apple TV 1 (still kicking!) w/CrystalHD which has been running various flavours of Kodi over the years (ATV OS, OpenELEC, Crystalbuntu and currently OSMC). My biggest driver to upgrade is ability to play HEVC content as well as more consistent 1080p content.

What'd I'd like to gain:
- HEVC as well as future proof support for 4K content when I upgrade my TV/AVR in a year or so
- Netflix

Current setup:
- Sony 1080p TV
- AVR that does HDMI passthrough (no audio switching)
- ATV1 w/Crystal HD
- All media on separate Win10 media server (via SMB)
- Hardwired ethernet
- Harmony Ultimate One

Budget: As little as possible

Based on the info here, I'm leaning towards Wetek Hub w/HDMI to optical audio extractor running a dual boot with LibreELEC.

Based on my setup/needs any reason this won't be a suitable setup? Any reason to go to the Play2 instead (which as far as I can see gives me a bump in RAM and negates the need for audio extractor)?

Any input appreciated!

[wrxtasy]

Just to point out, you can edit Post #1...

from:
Q. I need a device with a built in TV Tuner that has basic PVR functionality ?

WeTek Play2

to:
Q. I need a device with a built in TV Tuner that has basic PVR functionality ?

WeTek Play2
Kii Pro
(You can also buy TV Tuner like D202 DVB-T2 with a micro USB female to USB male adapter, and plug it to any android TV box...)

I'm aware of Videostrong KII Pro, but this device is not going to make Post#1 because:

a) Doubtful Firmware support from Videostrong (see the CNX-software.com website comments)
b) Android Kodi still has serious Bugs on this box due to Firmware issues.
c) AC3 audio on some HD channels will not output any sound due to no Dolby Digital (AC3) licence to allow this box to decode AC3 to 2.0 PCM when using Android.
d) No English support forum from Videostrong. This is definitely needed for after sales TV Tuner support.
e) The primary AMLogic Community LibreELEC developer kszaq is not interested in developing for this DVB device.

Its a DIY device and belongs in that category with all the other DIY AMLogic S905 boxes.

I will however look into that TV Tuner - the D202 DVB-T/T2 you mentioned, especially if it is Plug and Pray for Android devices.
There are even cheaper OTG attached tuners like this DVB-T only one I found here
Reliability looks questionably though.