Budget AMLogic S9xx Media Player Options
(2016-08-18, 07:56)wrxtasy Wrote:
(2016-08-17, 16:09)gsmtech Wrote: The other option a Odroid C2 is hideously expensive for Kodi usage once you add all the parts up, over priced EMMC modules for one....on paper it's the exact same spec as a cheap android box S905, 2Gb Ram, on the board...everything else will cost more 16GB EMMC, power supply WiFi, Case, SD Card ...etc....Do the math .. it works out out to 4 times the cost of an Android box wth the same spec, in a neater one box solution. Considering the android boxes can run LibreElec and openelec in dualboot with android...wheres the benefit in building a Odroid C2 in kit form spending 4 x the cash ?
Let get a few facts out:
  • 2.4 GHz WiFi on these cheap Android boxes should be considered useless in a crowded RF Environment. I can kill any video streaming dead just by starting a Microwave oven in the Kitchen, that operates at 2.45GHz.
    I would not use 2.4GHz WiFi if you gave it too me for free, Ethernet only thanks for reliable streaming. Smile
  • CSR 4.0 BT dongles can be had for next to nothing. I think I payed $3 for mine a while back.
  • Unless you are Flashing LibreELEC / OpenELEC to eMMC you are not going to notice any difference between AML S905 platforms when running LE/OE Kodi from a SD card. No dual boot then of course.
    Even then, day to day, the Kodi usability differences are pretty minimal if you use a decent micro SDHC like a Samsung EVO+ or Sandisk Class 10 UHS-1.
  • A C2 comes with 4xUSB2.0 and 40pin GPIOs + 7pin I2S, its a far more flexible device than a cheap Android Box.
  • You also get properly engineered hardware that includes a quality, reliable power supply.
  • What about running a fully fledged Ubuntu distro or many others on a cheap Android box ?
  • Can I embed a Android Box into my project to run a cheap server farm like the C2. I see a bunch of people doing this as well as using the C2 in a wide variety of projects.
  • The C2 has a far more active Multi image development forum than any S905 AML device I've seen. Its been the heart of the AML S905 LibreELEC project.
  • How about using your own XBOX, MCE or self programmable IR remote with these Android boxes, using Lirc ?
    I can easily custom programmed my own spare Sony quality remote with LE use on the C2.

Cheap Android AML devices vs the C2 really are catering to different users with different needs and wants.
The C2 really is more of a direct competitor to the RPi3. Particularly in the Linux / Kodi development space.


(2016-08-17, 23:02)gsmtech Wrote: This is a budget amlogic devices topic, wetek is not in the budget category. Stay on topic.
We are on topic...the WeTek Hub is listed on Page #1 of this very thread, maybe you "conveniently" missed that !

As there has been no definition of "Budget" I will say around $100 or less retail (exc. shipping, taxes) would be considered budget for a bunch of people.
WeTek I believe consider the Hub as their budget AML S905 box too.
If users need proper DRM + HDCP for HD Netflix + more for video streaming and Audio Licences in Android, Proper Support and Quality Software then yes you do have to pay extra. This sort of stuff cost money last time I looked.

Others don't need HD Netflix or proper Audio or Software support in Android and are more of the DIY kind and like to tinker. Well then a cheap AML Android device may be fine for them then too, even if a bunch of features don't work properly. Its High Risk vs Low Price.

If Newbie users are too lazy to even do basic research and want to be spoon fed all the time then they deserve what they end up with.

Thorough Hardware reviews, cutting through all the bullshit and including nearly all the gotchas are far more valuable to most users in the end than gambling with unknown Hardware and listening to Spin from a bunch of marketing rubbish. Emanating from Pirate box Android sellers.

Peace Wink

These specs for $100 USD (wetek Hub) are rubbish considering $40 USD elsewhere gets you the Same SOC double the RAM and double the EMMC flash, this is scrimping on hardware, if this had been 2GB RAM and 16Gb Flash with the added features that DRM etc brings the extra cost can be explained somewhat, not with half the RAM and storage though :

RAM Memory: 1 GB DDR III
Flash memory: 8 GB eMMC
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Messages In This Thread
RE: Budget AML S905 Boxes Shootout! - by 808? - 2016-06-14, 07:02
RE: Budget AML S905/S905X/S912 Media Player Options - by gsmtech - 2016-08-18, 13:40
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