[solamnic]

Good News for AppleTV 4K
Now MrMC supports Atmos

Code:

https://mrmc.tv/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4693

Worth reminding people this is compatibility with the lossy E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos flavour (which is sometimes used for secondary language audio tracks on Blu-rays, as well as streaming services) not the Dolby True HD with Atmos flavour usually used for lossless primary tracks.   I guess this is leveraging the tvOS upgrade that added DD+/E-AC3 + Atmos compatibility for streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

AIUI the Apple TV 4K still doesn't support True HD + Atmos or DTS:x lossless spatial audio, nor is there a widespread route to convert True HD with Atmos to E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos. 

 it still plays them over PCM..
and its a great "hassle" free option

[noggin]

Good News for AppleTV 4K
Now MrMC supports Atmos

Code:

https://mrmc.tv/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4693

Worth reminding people this is compatibility with the lossy E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos flavour (which is sometimes used for secondary language audio tracks on Blu-rays, as well as streaming services) not the Dolby True HD with Atmos flavour usually used for lossless primary tracks.   I guess this is leveraging the tvOS upgrade that added DD+/E-AC3 + Atmos compatibility for streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

AIUI the Apple TV 4K still doesn't support True HD + Atmos or DTS:x lossless spatial audio, nor is there a widespread route to convert True HD with Atmos to E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos.  

 it still plays them over PCM..
and its a great "hassle" free option  

Eh? It plays the DTS HD or Dolby True HD 5.1/7.1 stuff in PCM (just like a US$5 Raspberry Pi Zero) but without Atmos or DTS:x extensions?

[solamnic]

Worth reminding people this is compatibility with the lossy E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos flavour (which is sometimes used for secondary language audio tracks on Blu-rays, as well as streaming services) not the Dolby True HD with Atmos flavour usually used for lossless primary tracks.   I guess this is leveraging the tvOS upgrade that added DD+/E-AC3 + Atmos compatibility for streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

AIUI the Apple TV 4K still doesn't support True HD + Atmos or DTS:x lossless spatial audio, nor is there a widespread route to convert True HD with Atmos to E-AC3/DD+ with Atmos.  

 it still plays them over PCM..
and its a great "hassle" free option   

Eh? It plays the DTS HD or Dolby True HD 5.1/7.1 stuff in PCM (just like a US$5 Raspberry Pi Zero) but without Atmos or DTS:x extensions? 

 I hope you are kidding at comparing Rasp Zero with A4K

[noggin]

 it still plays them over PCM..
and its a great "hassle" free option   

Eh? It plays the DTS HD or Dolby True HD 5.1/7.1 stuff in PCM (just like a US$5 Raspberry Pi Zero) but without Atmos or DTS:x extensions?   

 I hope you are kidding at comparing Rasp Zero with A4K  

Only slightly.

My point was that when it come to True HD with Atmos or DTS:x - the ATV 4K and the Pi Zero have the same capabilities (PCM 5.1/7.1 only with no Atmos decode)  To be cheeky - the Pi supports 96 and 192kHz (though is limited to 4.0 at 192kHz).  The ATV 4K is currently 48k only I believe   

The ATV 4K is still a non-starter for lossless True HD with Atmos or DTS:x - the only Atmos compatibility is for lossy DD+/E-AC3 with Atmos (which is used for Netflix and Amazon Prime, but not usually for the primary audio tracks on Blu-rays)  For True HD + Atmos / DTS:x you need HD Audio bit streaming/passthrough, not decode to PCM.

(And yes I am aware the ATV 4K supports UHD, HEVC, HDR10 and DV etc...)

[B_Tank88]

I signed up just to say thank you

After using SPMC on my Mini M8S II, S905X, Amlogic for like the last 2 years, I finally got the latest Kodi but realized DTS passthrough wasn't working. Couldn't carry on using SPMC because some key addon's had lost support.

With the help of this thread I'm now dual booting LibreELEC on SD card, with my Xannytech ROM still running on internal memory. Excellent feature of LibreELEC that let's you reboot into internal.

The Kodi on LibreELEC was quite slow navigating around and installing add on's (my SD card sucks), but doing the mod in the following thread has helped a lot:

https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/9425-h...-for-data/

I now have a very old Amlogic box I got for like £30 2 years or so ago, which can do DD/DTS passthrough and play just about anything!

Thanks again to the Kodi/LibreELEC team!

[B_Tank88]

It also plays 4K HDR files with 7.1 uncompressed bitstreaming like butter!

[Luke Cage]

.........

•  
  
• Users with 100M only Ethernet devices have reported a USB3 > Gigabit UGREEN adapter (click) works and enables higher data transfer rates for high bitrate 4K HDR video playback.
  
•  
  

..........     

  Your UGREEN link is redirecting to the front page of their .com site. They must have moved the USB LAN Adapters here: Products >> Computer Accessories >> USB Lan Adapter. I don't know which one you were linking to though.

[wrxtasy]

Fixed thanks.

Users with 100M only Ethernet devices have reported a USB3 > Gigabit UGREEN adapter (click) works and enables higher data transfer rates for high bitrate 4K HDR video playback.

Looking at the pictures in the Aliexpress advert. It appears there is a new version of this adapter out that also includes a 5V DC power input to power connected USB devices.
It's all a bit confusing.

[Rubytux]

Fixed thanks.

Users with 100M only Ethernet devices have reported a USB3 > Gigabit UGREEN adapter (click) works and enables higher data transfer rates for high bitrate 4K HDR video playback.

Looking at the pictures in the Aliexpress advert. It appears there is a new version of this adapter out that also includes a 5V DC power input to power connected USB devices.
It's all a bit confusing.

I have received one of those with the 5v plug, i havent tried yet, but it is a nice feature

[THRobinson]

Sorry if been asked before, just learning about this stuff now. Another thread someone recommended to me to get a cheap box and wipe it out and install LibreElec, which I have now on an old 10+yr PC. Runs fine, except 10-bit playback sucks on it and it's a giant Silverstone case. I plan to put my 2x3TB media drives in a NAS and downsize my player size.

I was looking at a T95Z S912 Octa-Core 3GB on Amazon.ca (Canada) which was a bit more than wanted to spend compared to the $40 units, but less than the top of the line... not sure if need an Octacore or if Quad will do.

My 2 questions are

1) Would this work for my needs? I only have maybe half a dozen big 4K 10bit H265 movies, stuff like Infinity Wars, the rest is all 8bit H265 1080p, around 4000-5000kbps variable bitrate. I'm getting a new TV next week, TCL 55R617 4K Dolby Vision, 10bit colour, and trying to futureproof a bit.

2) Is it better to take an Android box and install Kodi? or... wipe it and just have LibreElec?  I have no use for stuff like Netflix but, also assume the warranty goes when the OS is wiped. But, if a decent increase in performance and load time, it gets wiped.

EDIT - 3 questions I guess... RK3399 seems to be much better than S912. Better to have an S912 with LibreElec or RK3399 with Android + Kodi?

[wrxtasy]

1) Yes. You need a Gigabit Ethernet media player for high bitrate 4K networked streaming from a file server like a NAS.

2) Use CoreELEC Kodi Leia, a stable fork of LibreELEC.

3) AMLogic devices running LibreELEC / CoreELEC are well proven and stable and fit the "anything you throw at them" criteria.
Rockchip works with LibreELEC but it is compariively immature and has some quirks. It's not as good.

No Kodi capable media player can playback DolbyVision Rips, even the Apple TV 4K. Copy protected DolbyVision video streaming services only.

Android Kodi on any cheap media player will not be as good. LE / CE have complete control over the Linux Kernel & the OS and optimised Kodi for different hardware types. It makes a big difference.

Have a read of this:
S912: Beelink or Vorke/Tanix (click)

[THRobinson]

Sounds like the dif between LibreElec and CoreElec is the version of Kodi? Though my LibreElec is running v18... beta I think though but so far so good. Though if works I'm fine with switching. Only had LibreElec for a month. OpenElec I had for a year or so but realized it never seemed to update then found it it was no longer being worked on.

I think for my box, I was looking at the S912 boxes with 3GB ram, 32GB space and Octacore. Though for video... Octacore and 3GB needed? I mean, how many cores/ram does video need? Hard to tell if it's more a spec for video, or for apps... but if I like the Android GUI and find use for it, then the option is there. Though, if wiped out and replaced with CoreElec, I'm not sure how to get the OS back.

For the other boxes in the house... 2GB Quad, the $40CAD boxes will do. They don't have 4K TVs, won't ever touch the bigger files or fiddle with it. They just turn it on and watch videos, no tinkering. Everything is ethernet connected with Cat6. Should be good that way... except one that'll be WiFi, floor up and directly above the router. Have a cascading network setup... I can literally walk down the street 4 houses and my cell phone still connects.

EDIT - Well, just saw BestBuy.ca has the Bee-Link GT1 Ultimate, 3GB ram, 32GB, Octacore on $71 off. I guess last year's model, says Android 6 not 7, and artwork a bit different than the current version. I suspect since specs read the same, it's the same thing, older OS pre-installed. Checking Beelink now to see if can update it. Looks like a 2 month warranty on this stuff so, will use it for then before I wipe it out.

[solamnic]

......
EDIT - Well, just saw BestBuy.ca has the Bee-Link GT1 Ultimate, 3GB ram, 32GB, Octacore on $71 off. I guess last year's model, says Android 6 not 7, and artwork a bit different than the current version. I suspect since specs read the same, it's the same thing, older OS pre-installed. Checking Beelink now to see if can update it. Looks like a 2 month warranty on this stuff so, will use it for then before I wipe it out.

 Read user reviews - opinions before buying the Beelink...

[THRobinson]

Did... and have for many in that price range. Seems no matter what you buy, 25% of the reviews aren't good. That said, I started this endeavour looking for a $50 box, went up to $80, but being recommended stuff that's $225 (nvidia for example). Hard to know if the recommendation is based on video playback, or people who play games and such as well.... which likely I won't need.  Most of the other $80 boxes (Canadian dollars) I've looked at, I couldn't even find a website for... which makes me think warranty/support is not gonna happen.

Which do you recommend in that price range? if (assuming) not a fan of Beelink?

My other requirement, is trying to find something that is a plain, black, simple box with no display or lights. Shame no one makes nicer boxes... saw a few that were wood, but wrong chip.

[bubblegum57]

http://chigztech.com/charts.html  does reviews of lots of boxes

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...edit#gid=0