[arindamchoudhury]

Hi,

I recently bought a 4K TV and Onkyo HT-S3800 home theatre. Now I am missing a media streamer. I mainly want to play files.

Is Minix neo z83-4 is good? or I should go for something else?

[DEcosse]

No-one any experience of this box?
On paper it looks really good - Cherry Trail Processor and Intel Graphics and Windows 10, 4G + 32G EMMC; HDMI + SPDIF; 3 x USB2 +1 x USB 3
All for $170!
And Minix is one of the better supported companies.

I have a NUC and an Android S905X box personally but looking for something 'in between' for a friend that doesn't have the Android quirks & foibles that require frequent tweaking and updates (whether running Android or LE)
So at the price, the Minix looks like great value for a pretty much 'out of the box' capability under Windows with std Kodi, as opposed to custom ROM's etc.
And on top of course you get Full Browser capability as well as ability to load whatever other personal apps might be desired
So value for capability & simplicity looks to be excellent.

Are there any holes in my 'paper review' of this box?

[wrxtasy]

Tel me how are there going to be "more updates and tweaking required" on an Intel machine running LibreELEC Kodi compared to using Windows ?

I'm not talking about AMLogic here at all.

Then there is the small matter of 2160p (4K) output being limited to 2160p@30Hz due to HDMI 1.4. Which is fine if all you are going to be doing is watching 23.976fps movies.

But there is the big issue of no 10bit 2160p HEVC content being able to be Hardware decoded at all on the X8300 in the MINIX NEO Z83-4.
That box really needs to be ticked for 4K support.

Also No HD Audio Passthrough with Win10 on the X8300
http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=292240
EDIT this may have changed with a very recent Intel High Definition Audio drivers update. But it's all untested.

So as a HTPC, the Win10 X8300 combo is a quite limited if you have an AVR and 4K TV.

You really are better of buying a nVIDIA Shield.

[DEcosse]

Tel me how are there going to be "more updates and tweaking required" on an Intel machine running LibreELEC Kodi compared to using Windows ?...

That comment by me was in respect to Android boxes

Your other observations are appreciated

I do believe the latest audio drivers should resolve pass-through for everything from 4th gen Intel
The user does not have 4K TV currently but will review how much forward looking capability he might want.

p.s. Good luck finding an Nvidia Shield currently - they are like Hen's Teeth.
Rumour has it a new one will be released early 2017.