2016-06-21, 09:29
Mini-Review by hdmkv - 30 June
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Review of WeTek Hub (AML S905-H Rev C) Android Kodi Media Player
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Overview:
This will be an evolving review based on users' and developers' feedback, and upcoming firmware updates. Huge thanks to WeTek for sending me a review unit
.
When I posted my initial impressions, I had issues with DTS-HD MA and Dolby ATMOS not working properly, or just not working (no audio). I also had issues with Hub's UI (launcher) blanking out after playing 4K videos, either forcing me to physically un-plug/re-plug the HDMI cable or the power supply. WeTek developer @ChristianTroy reached out and suggested I do a full factory data reset, and use 'Level 2' for the automatic refresh rate setting.
I've also upgraded to the newer 2016-06-24 build/firmware WeTek shared with me.
Did all of the above, sideloaded the latest WeTek Media Player, and re-did all tests below... with much better results this time. The 1080p <> 2160p (4K) switching, while improved, is still slow to synch/re-synch, and I also still get occasional lock-ups forcing un-plug/re-plug of power. When wired, network sometimes comes up as disconnected when it is connected, with reboot resolving the issue. I expect Hub to get more stable, reliable with firmware updates over the coming weeks by WeTek.
Using @wrxtasy's LibreELEC build, performance is even (mostly) better; read below.
Overall verdict: A-
This is my combined score for Hub for Android and LibreELEC performance. Pretty damn neat even at this pre-release stage! Based on WeTek Media Player Kodi fork under Android, and @wrxtasy's LibreELEC build under Linux.
Photos and screenshots gallery:
The player and remote:
@wrxtasy already covered this well in post #1 of this thread, so I'll only mention a couple of things. Had seen photos of the Hub, but holding it in the palm of your hand, you realize how tiny it is (see photo in gallery above). The build quality is better than I'd expected, with what appears to be a mix of brushed aluminum and hard plastic. It feels really solid, and heavier than you initially expect. As usual with WeTek, they've taken great care in packaging and contents, with inclusion of worldwide compatible plug adapters, IR extension cable, and RS232 cable, none of which you normally expect from other manufacturers. With WeTek, with Hub being the 3rd generation player I've evlauated, you mostly just feel a sense of overall professionalism with h/w, s/w and reliable support. A HDMI cable is also included, but it's one of the thinnest I've seen. Maybe still okay for 4K@60, but I opted to use my own 'premium' 26AWG HDMI cable.
I did notice that the top metallic surface of the Hub gets rather hot after about 45 minutes or so of use. But, temperature remained steady (not any hotter) after that. I didn't notice any ill-effects on usability or performance.
The IR remote is as @wrxtasy described, and its range is also kind of poor. It needs a direct line of sight. But, when you're close and pointing directly at the Hub, the remote is responsive and works well. But, I don't bother with manufacturer remotes anyway as I rely on my Harmony Ultimate with Hub, which takes care of 99% of almost all remote functions well. Also, having IR made it easier to teach my Harmony all of Hub's remote functions. With the Core and its RF remote, I ended up having to a FLIRC attached in order to use with my Harmony.
User experience:
The Hub boots up quickly (haven't timed it yet), and WeTek's Android launcher (home screen UI, settings) are simple and intuitive (once you get used to it; unless you've used Core, then it's the same). The Hub is snappy, and I haven't noticed any lags. This includes usage in WeTek Media Player (WMP) and SPMC, including navigating large movie/TV libraries, like mine with 2K+ titles.
The OTA update feature is handy, easy for updating the Hub. There is no new firmware as of this writing. The useful refresh rate switcher introduced with the Core is also carried over to Hub. Make sure you have Kodi and Kodi forks (like WMP and SPMC) selected (highlighted in blue), as you want Kodi itself to manage refresh rate switching. The refresh rate switcher app should be used instead for YouTube, Netflix and, in my case, sideloaded Amazon Instant/Prime Video app.
@wrxtasy had mentioned a 1080p to/from 2160p auto-switch and video display sizing problem, which I also noticed. On my 4K display, the picture blanks out, forcing me to un-plug the HDMI cable and plug it back occasionally between video playback/stop and being in the UI. Bit of a pain, until this issue is fully resolved. For now, using 'level 2' setting in the automatic refresh rate setting helps. In addition, as I mentioned, another annoying issue, Hub craps outs (for lack of a better description) every once in a while, with no picture on screen, forcing physical un-plug/re-plug of power supply.
Using LibreELEC:
With @wrxtasy's LibreELEC 7.0.2 build, the 1080p <> 2160p (4K) switching synch issues are no more, and even DolbyVision videos surprisingly play! Not to mention AAC and FLAC 5.1 and LPCM 5.1/7.1 multichannel capabilities also working (as under Android, see chart below). This is apparently a first on any AMLogic platform. I haven't kept up, but good to know Hub breaks new ground for AML audio performance.
Only thing is the supplied WeTek remote does not function with LibreELEC. Had to use my Logitech K400 keyboard.
3D MVC MKV didn't play well. Initially, my projector switched to 3D mode, sensing a proper 3D signal, but then it went out of 3D mode and the picture was blank. When I pressed the 'Enter' key on my K400, I could see it was in SBS mode. 3D ISO just played in 2D mode. Honestly, I'd stop worrying about 3D MVC for AML S905... looks like S905X/S912 may finally support it properly, if Xiaomi's Mi Box specs are to be believed.
Didn't notice any real performance bump in LibreELEC, maybe except for 200Mbps Jellyfish bitrate clip now playing fine (vs. 180Mbps max w/Android), after initial pre-buffering. VC-1 29.970 for example played about the same, with slight judder as w/Android. @wrxtasy mentioned loading LE to the internal NAND would yield that performance bump.
Once you have the mSD card loaded with LibreELEC on it, on subsequent reboots and power-on's, Hub now asks you if you want to load from internal NAND. If you do nothing, it boots into LE. With Core, I recall having to press 'power' to boot from OE upon each boot. This behavior seems different, but I think better. Basically, just pop the mSD card out if you want Android, or leave it in if you want to continue using LE.
A/V Tests:
A/V test suite results...
4K choices round-up: WeTek Core vs. nVidia Shield vs. HiMedia Q5/Q10 Pro:
Wrap-Up:
The WeTek Hub is a very exciting and relatively cheap (at just about $100) AMLogic S905-H Revision C media player. It has improved h/w over all those Chinese-manufacturer S905-based players we've seen to date, and even Minix U1 (at $130). It gets most things already right at this pre-release stage, but there are some stability/reliability improvements for WeTek devs to work on. As with the Core, I expect WeTek to mature with firmware updates, and be one of the best S905-class media players on the market (if not the best). Just need to be a little patient as users get their hands on their Hubs and as WeTek continues to tweak performance and reliability.
And, as I've mentioned @wrxtasy several times in above review, his inputs for the Hub, obviously with @CT's and others at WeTek doing the heavy lifting, have really all contributed to making Hub that versatile bang-for-the-buck 4K media box it is.
================================================
Review of WeTek Hub (AML S905-H Rev C) Android Kodi Media Player
================================================
Overview:
This will be an evolving review based on users' and developers' feedback, and upcoming firmware updates. Huge thanks to WeTek for sending me a review unit
.When I posted my initial impressions, I had issues with DTS-HD MA and Dolby ATMOS not working properly, or just not working (no audio). I also had issues with Hub's UI (launcher) blanking out after playing 4K videos, either forcing me to physically un-plug/re-plug the HDMI cable or the power supply. WeTek developer @ChristianTroy reached out and suggested I do a full factory data reset, and use 'Level 2' for the automatic refresh rate setting.
I've also upgraded to the newer 2016-06-24 build/firmware WeTek shared with me.
Did all of the above, sideloaded the latest WeTek Media Player, and re-did all tests below... with much better results this time. The 1080p <> 2160p (4K) switching, while improved, is still slow to synch/re-synch, and I also still get occasional lock-ups forcing un-plug/re-plug of power. When wired, network sometimes comes up as disconnected when it is connected, with reboot resolving the issue. I expect Hub to get more stable, reliable with firmware updates over the coming weeks by WeTek.
Using @wrxtasy's LibreELEC build, performance is even (mostly) better; read below.
Overall verdict: A-
This is my combined score for Hub for Android and LibreELEC performance. Pretty damn neat even at this pre-release stage! Based on WeTek Media Player Kodi fork under Android, and @wrxtasy's LibreELEC build under Linux.
Photos and screenshots gallery:
watch gallery
The player and remote:
@wrxtasy already covered this well in post #1 of this thread, so I'll only mention a couple of things. Had seen photos of the Hub, but holding it in the palm of your hand, you realize how tiny it is (see photo in gallery above). The build quality is better than I'd expected, with what appears to be a mix of brushed aluminum and hard plastic. It feels really solid, and heavier than you initially expect. As usual with WeTek, they've taken great care in packaging and contents, with inclusion of worldwide compatible plug adapters, IR extension cable, and RS232 cable, none of which you normally expect from other manufacturers. With WeTek, with Hub being the 3rd generation player I've evlauated, you mostly just feel a sense of overall professionalism with h/w, s/w and reliable support. A HDMI cable is also included, but it's one of the thinnest I've seen. Maybe still okay for 4K@60, but I opted to use my own 'premium' 26AWG HDMI cable.
I did notice that the top metallic surface of the Hub gets rather hot after about 45 minutes or so of use. But, temperature remained steady (not any hotter) after that. I didn't notice any ill-effects on usability or performance.
The IR remote is as @wrxtasy described, and its range is also kind of poor. It needs a direct line of sight. But, when you're close and pointing directly at the Hub, the remote is responsive and works well. But, I don't bother with manufacturer remotes anyway as I rely on my Harmony Ultimate with Hub, which takes care of 99% of almost all remote functions well. Also, having IR made it easier to teach my Harmony all of Hub's remote functions. With the Core and its RF remote, I ended up having to a FLIRC attached in order to use with my Harmony.
User experience:
The Hub boots up quickly (haven't timed it yet), and WeTek's Android launcher (home screen UI, settings) are simple and intuitive (once you get used to it; unless you've used Core, then it's the same). The Hub is snappy, and I haven't noticed any lags. This includes usage in WeTek Media Player (WMP) and SPMC, including navigating large movie/TV libraries, like mine with 2K+ titles.
The OTA update feature is handy, easy for updating the Hub. There is no new firmware as of this writing. The useful refresh rate switcher introduced with the Core is also carried over to Hub. Make sure you have Kodi and Kodi forks (like WMP and SPMC) selected (highlighted in blue), as you want Kodi itself to manage refresh rate switching. The refresh rate switcher app should be used instead for YouTube, Netflix and, in my case, sideloaded Amazon Instant/Prime Video app.
@wrxtasy had mentioned a 1080p to/from 2160p auto-switch and video display sizing problem, which I also noticed. On my 4K display, the picture blanks out, forcing me to un-plug the HDMI cable and plug it back occasionally between video playback/stop and being in the UI. Bit of a pain, until this issue is fully resolved. For now, using 'level 2' setting in the automatic refresh rate setting helps. In addition, as I mentioned, another annoying issue, Hub craps outs (for lack of a better description) every once in a while, with no picture on screen, forcing physical un-plug/re-plug of power supply.
Using LibreELEC:
With @wrxtasy's LibreELEC 7.0.2 build, the 1080p <> 2160p (4K) switching synch issues are no more, and even DolbyVision videos surprisingly play! Not to mention AAC and FLAC 5.1 and LPCM 5.1/7.1 multichannel capabilities also working (as under Android, see chart below). This is apparently a first on any AMLogic platform. I haven't kept up, but good to know Hub breaks new ground for AML audio performance.
Only thing is the supplied WeTek remote does not function with LibreELEC. Had to use my Logitech K400 keyboard.
3D MVC MKV didn't play well. Initially, my projector switched to 3D mode, sensing a proper 3D signal, but then it went out of 3D mode and the picture was blank. When I pressed the 'Enter' key on my K400, I could see it was in SBS mode. 3D ISO just played in 2D mode. Honestly, I'd stop worrying about 3D MVC for AML S905... looks like S905X/S912 may finally support it properly, if Xiaomi's Mi Box specs are to be believed.
Didn't notice any real performance bump in LibreELEC, maybe except for 200Mbps Jellyfish bitrate clip now playing fine (vs. 180Mbps max w/Android), after initial pre-buffering. VC-1 29.970 for example played about the same, with slight judder as w/Android. @wrxtasy mentioned loading LE to the internal NAND would yield that performance bump.
Once you have the mSD card loaded with LibreELEC on it, on subsequent reboots and power-on's, Hub now asks you if you want to load from internal NAND. If you do nothing, it boots into LE. With Core, I recall having to press 'power' to boot from OE upon each boot. This behavior seems different, but I think better. Basically, just pop the mSD card out if you want Android, or leave it in if you want to continue using LE.
A/V Tests:
A/V test suite results...
4K choices round-up: WeTek Core vs. nVidia Shield vs. HiMedia Q5/Q10 Pro:
- PQ: About all equal
- AQ: Q5/Q10 Pro > Shield = Hub
Why? Slight edge to Q5/Q10 Pro, which bitstream HD audio very reliably overall, and support 192kHz multichannel fully
- Usability performance: Shield > Q5/Q10 Pro > Hub
Shield is the most powerful, fastest. Q5/Q10 Pro is perhaps a couple notches below, and Hub a couple of more notches below that
- Versatility: About all equal, for different reasons
- [The bang-for-the-buck option!] Hub only costs about $100, supports Netflix HD, allows easy Android/OpenELEC switching, and there's excellent support by WeTek
- [The powerful and almost all-in-one option] Shield cost almost twice Hub, but does Netflix 4K, and is much more powerful for gaming to running a Plex server. Just lacks MVC 3D, which doesn't appear will ever come
- [Top choice for your own 4K and 3D videos] Q10 Pro costs about as much as Shield or more (with Q5 Pro about $160), lack 4K or even HD online streaming apps, but support all types of 4K formats, have HDR, and play 3D ISO's. But, refresh rate switching and 23.976 still need work, unlike Shield and Hub, which already do this well. Also, Q5/Q10 Pro use a wrapper via Kodi to play videos (external player solution); not a native solution
Wrap-Up:
The WeTek Hub is a very exciting and relatively cheap (at just about $100) AMLogic S905-H Revision C media player. It has improved h/w over all those Chinese-manufacturer S905-based players we've seen to date, and even Minix U1 (at $130). It gets most things already right at this pre-release stage, but there are some stability/reliability improvements for WeTek devs to work on. As with the Core, I expect WeTek to mature with firmware updates, and be one of the best S905-class media players on the market (if not the best). Just need to be a little patient as users get their hands on their Hubs and as WeTek continues to tweak performance and reliability.
And, as I've mentioned @wrxtasy several times in above review, his inputs for the Hub, obviously with @CT's and others at WeTek doing the heavy lifting, have really all contributed to making Hub that versatile bang-for-the-buck 4K media box it is.
