[SilverBlade]

Best Buy (Canada) has this in stock and on Boxing Week sale (until the 29th).

Regular $129.99 for $109.99.

I plan on putting Libreelec on it (Dual boot). Should I jump on it now, or wait until Libreelec has the memory leak fixed?

[bogolisk]

Hi

From a pure libreelec view, does this hub have any advantages over the odroid-c2?

Thanx

[wrxtasy]

Best Buy (Canada) has this in stock and on Boxing Week sale (until the 29th).
Regular $129.99 for $109.99.

I plan on putting Libreelec on it (Dual boot). Should I jump on it now, or wait until Libreelec has the memory leak fixed?

I'm on long overdue Holidays, so hand over releases to other LE devs.
@kszaq has a 32bit version of LibreELEC Jarvis for the Hub that has the memory leak fixed for 1GB AML devices.

https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread-3103.html

@Raybuntu also has a 32bit LibreELEC Kodi Krypton that is working nicely as well with recent LibreELEC dev. patches.

All you really need for the Hub is to budget for a Wireless Remote control, because the included IR remote is pretty poor. I use a MINIX A2 Lite Mini Keyboard. Responsiveness is excellent once you go wireless.

@bogolisk, Dual Band AC WiFi and Bluetooth included with the Hub, but only 1 USB2 port compared to 4 on the C2. Both use fast high quality Samsung eMMC flash storage. They will both be using the same AML Linux Kernel and LibreELEC patches from Kodi Krypton onwards.

Boot time is quicker on a eMMC C2 due to no Dual Boot selection / wait time. The Hub is not slow once is gets past the initial boot screen especially when used with a Wireless remote.
The C2 does have Linux Lirc working to custom program your own IR remote if needed. MCE IR remotes work out of the box.

[wrxtasy]

Ricardo's Android TV OS ROM already has Netflix HD outputting 5.1 DD on the Hub and Play2.
Marshmallow Firmware combined with the Android TV OS Netflix App on the Hub will give you up to 4K Netflix with 5.1 DD+ if an AVR is connected.

As that CNX article states...

...still requires both a Netflix HD subscription and a device supporting Widevine Level 1 DRM. Sadly that also means the trick will still not work on most cheap Android TV boxes that are limited to Level 3 security.

hi I am on the verge of buying a couple of Hubs and just wanted to double check something - I haven't read the entire thread so forgive me if it was mentioned somewhere.

Does this post mean that the hub can play Netflix in 4K ? I didn't see anything listed in the OP so was just curious.

I don't have 4K right now but would be good to be a little future proof !

4K Netflix on approved WeTek devices comes with Android Marshmallow 6.0 which uses HDCP 2.2. Users need to ensure their 4K TV / AVR is also HDCP 2.2 compatible for 4K Netflix output. My 4K TV needed a Firmware update to work properly. Netflix works really well with just the standard Sideloaded Android TV OS version.

However AMLogic's Android Marshmallow Firmware, that gets released to AML Android developers is as per usual - pretty poor, especially for serious Kodi compatibility. Its the primary reason why you have not seen WeTek or MINIX officially release Android Marshmallow Firmware on their devices yet.

Basically AMLogic need to get their Android Marshmallow act together.

@WeTek, It would be really nice if you could get your U-Boot man to implement Dual Boot with the test Marshmallow Firmware for those of us that just want to use Marshmallow & a reliable version of Android TV OS 4K Netflix and then Dual Boot to LibreELEC for superior Kodi use. Dual boot is currently broken for test Marshmallow the last time I looked.

[PTMD]

can anyone help? post #704

[g0ran]

@WeTek, It would be really nice if you could get your U-Boot man to implement Dual Boot with the test Marshmallow Firmware for those of us that just want to use Marshmallow & a reliable version of Android TV OS 4K Netflix and then Dual Boot to LibreELEC for superior Kodi use. Dual boot is currently broken for test Marshmallow the last time I looked.

I am also waiting for this to happen. Currently on MM but eager to try new LE builts.

[mmpp]

I got classic dual boot on my hub with marshmallow by using a kszaq libreelec SD card and the toothpick. It would then boot from SD. Reboot from hand from libreelec worked as well.

[noonzascript]

Is it possible to use a USB TV Tuner with the Hub? I'm having a hard time choosing between the Hub and the Play 2.

Just after a device that can:
- play live tv
- play up to 4K content locally (with audio passthrough, change refresh rate, etc)
- play up to 1080p or above content online (not sure about the 4k situation for video streaming with the hub/play 2)
- has Netflix, similar apps (I know Netflix won't do 4K)
- most importantly a device that is easy for a non-tech person to use.

I have had experience with a NUC + Kodi but it can be difficult for a non-tech person to switch to Netflix or a similar service.

Edit: Right now I am leaning towards to the Play 2 since I found local Australian stock on eBay.

[wrxtasy]

The old PS3 PlayTV Dual DVB-T Tuner is compatible with the v3.14 Linux Kernel used with the AMLogic S905 devices running LibreELEC Kodi.

EB Games in Australia usually has second hand stock, works well with all Oz channels.

The Hub's IR remote is poor, you really need to use the IR extender cable. The IR Play 2's remote is overly complicated with too many buttons that are easily and mistakingly pressed. Some are not even mapped to anything on the Play2 which really needs to be fixed by WeTek. Both remotes cannot use Android touchscreen Android Apps properly, same problem as all Android boxes using Infra Red remotes.

I've increasingly become super critical since switching to Wireless remote controls, combined with sensible, simple responsive GUI layouts. WeTek got this right with their Wireless remote on the WeTek Core, but it's been downhill ever since IMHO for WeTek remote quality.

The cheap Xiaomi Mi Box as an example may be a bit of an ordinary Kodi playback device for serious Kodi use, but Xiaomi nailed the simple responsive Bluetooth remote and Android TV OS implementation they have.

[noonzascript]

I may end up just getting the Mi Box since it looks very user friendly (perfect for parents). I can live without the auto refresh rate change and HD audio passthrough.. I hope :p

Thanks for the in depth reply.

Edit: is it possible to replace the remote of the Play 2 to something similar like the Mi Box? The local Mi Box is $168 and the local Wetek Play 2 is $189 so it seems like the Play 2 would be the better choice.

[g0ran]

@wrxtasy
willing to share how-to setup Neo A2 Lite on MM Hub?
I just cant get Home, F1 buttons to work. Also volume_up & down triggers android volume up&down not SPMC one.
Tnx.

[wrxtasy]

@wrxtasy
willing to share how-to setup Neo A2 Lite on MM Hub?
I just cant get Home, F1 buttons to work. Also volume_up & down triggers android volume up&down not SPMC one.
Tnx.

Android remote control remapping is a right royal pain in the Ass as the remote codes are Android OS Global no matter what App you are using.

I'm not home at the moment, but before going on holidays I did experiment with the MINIX official .kl aka keyboard layout file for the Neo A2 Lite remote. Results were not 100% satisfactory either, but I only tested briefly.

Suggestion would be to use whatever Kodi Keyboard Keystrokes on the Mini Keyboard work for Kodi volume.

The other problem users now have on WeTek devices with WeOS 2.0 is the OS tools - Telnet and FTP has been ripped out. This makes it pretty difficult for non technical end users to modify and replace things like Android Keyboard Layout files.

Yes its a right royal mess at the moment. Its one of the reasons why why Android TV is popular.

I'm a BIG fan of the KISS philosophy, aka Keep It Simple Stupid.

[wrxtasy]

I may end up just getting the Mi Box since it looks very user friendly (perfect for parents). I can live without the auto refresh rate change and HD audio passthrough.. I hope :p

Thanks for the in depth reply.

Edit: is it possible to replace the remote of the Play 2 to something similar like the Mi Box? The local Mi Box is $168 and the local Wetek Play 2 is $189 so it seems like the Play 2 would be the better choice.

Yes the WeTek Core's Wireless Microphone remote works nicely with Ricardo's Android TV ROM on the Play2. Voice Search and the microphone is excellent when used with SPMC.

Bombard @droidELEC's Kodi mailbox and ask why WeTek are not selling it as a separate purchase ?
Its a very strange way for WeTek to market a touchscreen Android OS device and not provide a separate purchase option, WeTek Wireless remote control to actually use touchscreen Android Apps properly.

[SilverBlade]

Has anyone use the new Libreelec version which fixes the memory leak issue?

[wrxtasy]

Yes we have.

Both @kszaq's LE 7.x Jarvis and @raybuntu's LE 7.9.x Krypton which are both 32bit userspace versions have fixed the memory leak issues.

@codesnake from WeTek is trying to pinpoint the 64bit LE Kodi memory leak cause, but its proving damn elusive.

Kodi Krypton for LE AML devices is looking very nice with a bunch of excellent work plugged into it from a talanted dev. called @peak3d
I would even recommend 32bit Krypton as a daily LE Kodi OS.

Use @raybuntu's 32bit Krypton version from here:
http://raybuntu.libreelec.tv/images/beta/