START HERE - Pick the Right Kodi Box (updated Dec 2020)
So far I was looking for an "all-in-one" device, that has DVB-S2 tuner, Android OS with official DRM support (for Netflix, DAZN) and the possibility to dual boot LibreELEC and asked for advice here

Such a solution seems to be problematical, as the replies in the linked thread above already suggested, especially since Wetek is about to disappear from the radar, so I'm now thinking about the best alternative.

I think I can keep my current SAT receiver for the TV part, so that the new device should be covering as many as possible of these parts:
- official DRM support (for Netflix, DAZN)
- dual boot for LibreELEC or at least an app for KODI (or one of the forks)
- SPDIF output in order to utilize my poor man's 5.1 surround sound speaker system "Logitech Z906"
- NAS support (as in playing video content from the NAS via network)
- For reference: I still have an old HDReady TV, which can do 1080i

Have been looking at the first post several times, but despite it having a lof of information, I'm struggling to figure out, what would fit my requirements. Only older Weteks are listed with the dual boot functionality (although below some devices seem to offer this as well). Weteks, however, are dead and not among the candidates.

Starting point will have to be this list of devices supporting DRM, I think:
NVIDIA Shield (4K HDR Netflix / 4K HDR Amazon Prime Video / 4K VUDU)
Apple TV 3/4 (1080p) & Apple TV 4K (4K HDR & DolbyVision Netflix / 4K HDR Amazon Prime Video / 4K HDR VUDU / 4K DolbyVision iTunes)
Xiaomi Mi Box (4K HDR Netflix / 4K HDR Amazon Prime Video)** Buggy Oreo Firmware
Amazon Stick / FTV1 + FTV2 (4K) + 2017 FireTV 4K Gen3(4K HDR Netflix / 4K HDR Amazon Video)
Intel / AMD x86-64 computers with GeForce GT 1030 or later Nvidia graphics card solution running Win10, using either dedicated Apps or a Web Browser.
MECOOL "Pro" series of devices (1080p SDR Netflix, possibly 1080p SDR Amazon Prime on recent Pro L devices)
MINIX U9-H (1080p SDR Netflix, 1080p Amazon Prime Video also works)

Striked out the PC option as that's not what I would like to use.

As for the others, that's what I could figure out (some parts are still to clarify). Any comments, corrections, additions are welcome:

NVIDIA Shield:
- DRM support: official
- Netflix: official
- DAZN: yes
- dual boot LibreELEC: no
- Kodi or SPMC
- Android Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: yes
- Android Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: ?
- Kodi (or the fork's) skins & addons installable
- SPDIF: no
- SD-card: no
- NAS support: yes
- OS: AndroidTV 7
    - custom ROMs available?
- Support (updates, bug fixes): ?

ATV4 / ATV4k:
- DRM support: official
- Netflix: official
- DAZN: yes
- dual boot LibreELEC: no
- MrMC costs 7,99 €
- MrMC Auto Framerate Switching: yes
- MrMC Auto Resolution Switching: ?
- MrMC skins & addons not installable
- SPDIF: no
- SD-card: no
- NAS support: yes
- Support: Ongoing, regular tvOS Firmware & MrMC updates, that fix bugs and add new features

Xiaomi Mi Box:
- DRM support: official
- Netflix: official
- DAZN: probably yes
- dual boot LibreELEC: no, because it's bootloader is secured / locked according to one of the posts here
- Kodi, SPMC or MrMC
- Android Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: no
- Android Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: no
- Kodi (or the fork's) skins & addons installable
- SPDIF: yes
- SD-card: no
- NAS support: yes
- OS:
    - released with AndroidTV 6.0.1
    - AndroidTV 7.0 according to some (older) articles planned, but not available yet?
    - Was ATV7 skipped, because ATV 8.0 is available, although as a heavily buggy verson?
    - Stable, less buggy custom ROMs of ATV7 or ATV8 with functional DRM available?
- Support (updates, bug fixes): ?

Amazon FireTV(4k):
- DRM support: official
- Netflix: official
- DAZN: yes
- dual boot LibreELEC: no
- Kodi(-fork): ?
- Kodi (or the fork's) skins & addons installable?
- Auto Framerate Switching: ?
- Auto Resolution Switching: ?
- SPDIF: no
- SD-card: no
- NAS support: ?
- OS: Fire OS based on Android

Mecool M8S PRO L:
- DRM support: some say official, some say not?
- Netflix: official
- DAZN: probably yes
- dual boot LibreELEC: yes
- Kodi or SPMC
- Android Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: no
- Android Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: ?
- LE Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: yes
- LE Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: yes
- Kodi (or the fork's) skins & addons installable
- SPDIF: no
- SD-card: yes
- NAS support: yes
- OS: AndroidTV 7.1.1
    - custom ROMs available: yes
        - DRM keys remain functional?
- Support (updates, bug fixes): ?

MINIX NEO U9-H:
- DRM support: Play Ready 3.0 + Google Widevine Level 1, officially licensed
- Netflix: inofficial (480p), modified (1080p)
- DAZN: yes
    - Some are reporting issues with deinterlacing of live tv content - especially football etc. Is it only related to LE or a general issue? I wouldn't be using the device / LE for live tv, as I said, but DAZN is a sports streaming app, so I would be streaming football etc. via it. Would I be affected by the deinterlacing issues in that case?
- dual boot LibreELEC: yes
    - "you cannot select a system resolution for the Kodi GUI of 720p with S912 LE Kodi Krypton." -> Is that a problem for my HDReady TV? I run it on 1080i.
- Kodi or SPMC
- Android Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: yes
- Android Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: no
- LE Kodi Auto Framerate Switching: yes
- LE Kodi Auto Resolution Switching: yes
- Kodi (or the fork's) skins & addons installable
- SPDIF: yes
- SD-card: yes
    - Samsung SD cards problematical, apparently, SanDisk cards work better
- NAS support: yes
- OS:
    - released with Android 6.0.1
    - A decent Android TV ROM available...
        - ... "when 1080p ATV Netflix works with 2.0 Audio." What does that mean exactly?
        - version of the ATV ROM is 6.0.1 as well?
        - DRM keys remain functional?
    - Official Android 7.1 based firmware available since a few days according to Minix's FB post
        - DRM still supported?
        - minixfreak's fresh and untested AndroidTV 7.1 custom ROM the only one so far? How are the chances for more in the future?
- Support (updates, bug fixes):
    - not very resnposible apparently
    - continual OTA Firmware updates
    - quick bug fixing?

If there aren't any major flaws in this summary, then it looks like MINIX NEO U9-H is the best option I have at the moment, I think. Was concerned about Android 6.0.1 first, but then got to the part about Android 7.1, which is good. Bummer that it has the mobile Android version as OS, but maybe with custom ATV ROMs the whole experience with the device could be improved.


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
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
RE: START HERE - Pick the Right Kodi Box (updated Sep. 2018) - by shad - 2018-09-21, 13:35
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