[Wintersdark]

I'm currently running a J1800 Celeron based system as my primary HTPC. It's served me well for the last 3 years, but has taken to randomly rebooting pretty frequently (once or twice a day) and I've been completely unable to figure out why - window's event viewer shows a kernel power fault, but the details just say it didn't shut down cleanly. Memory tests have passed, the SSD is clean, and the system will suddenly reboot even when it's just idle, and this has been getting worse.

So, as I'm becoming ever more convinced there's a hardware fault, and it's an "all in one" sort of mini-itx board (Biostar NH1800) I'm starting to think I'd be better off just replacing it entirely.

My requirements are pretty simple and low-key: I need to play regular 1080p video, and run Netflix. I'm not concerned about OS, so long as I can still get HD video from Netflix.

I'm hoping for something of a comparable price range - that is, under $200CDN - but I've not been watching the market so closely over the last year or so and want to be sure I'm not missing any really good options.

Any suggestions?

I've read through wrxtacy's great thread here: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=252916 but he doesn't really cover my use case above - specifically, running Netflix as well as regular 1080p without hd audio, as this rules out most odroid/raspi setups. I'm somewhat reluctant to use random Android boxes (as much as I love Android!) unless there's a manufacturer offering actual OS updates and of course with HD netflix (damn you, Hardkernel!)

[Wintersdark]

The Xiamo Mi Box seems a reasonable option, but I'm concerned about being saddled with their custom Android TV, is it rootable/modifiable, or is it an "it is what it is" sort of device?

Likewise, the nVidia Shield looks like a strong contender here, but at $200USD it's significantly more expensive.

Would these be a better option than just getting another board similar to my existing j1800?

[hdmkv]

Mi Box, as recommended by @wrxtasy in his thread, is a good "low cost" choice w/HD+4K Netflix, but the lack of automatic refresh rate switching makes it unsuitable for dedicated home theater use IMHO. You can switch manually, but it's a hassle. Unless you plan just connecting Mi Box to a TV for casual use.

The better, and reasonably-priced, Netflix HD + proper refresh rates options would be WeTek's Hub and Play2. Both would be below your $200CDN (~$152USD) limit.

[wrxtasy]

hdmkv pretty much covered it.

The Mi Box will be easier to use because of its remote friendly Android TV OS, that is coded specifically for easy use with Apps on a TV screen and a simple Wireless Bluetooth remote. The Mi Box is NOT rootable, but comes with a faster (x2) version of Android Marshmallow vs slower WeTek's Android Lollipop. The Bluetooth Wireless remote is the best I have used now across 6 Kodi Hardware products I have been testing recently.

The WeTek products will be more flexible, running a Dual boot Android touchscreen OS and LibreELEC Kodi. You will have to sideload a modded Android TV OS Netflix App to get the same, easy remote controllability from the Netflix App as you would with the Mi Box. But I warn you this modded Netflix Android TV OS App can be unreliable on WeTek devices.
WeTek devices come with Infra Red only remotes, that are a bit limited.

The regular touchscreen Netflix App works reliably on the WeTek devices, but you have to buy a seperate Wireless Air mouse remote control to use this touchscreen App properly as you also need to do for all touchscreen Android Apps, on any Android system. Yes even the mighty nVIDIA Shield if you sideload touchscreen regular Android Apps.
Even then some people find Air Mice difficult and a right royal PITA.

Then to really confuse purchasers, you can easily flash an unofficial version of the Android TV OS to the Hub and Play2. No sideloading and purchasing of extra Air Mice needed then for Apps control.

Day to Day, what do I use for mainstream Android Apps and Netflix HD - the Mi Box.
But use an eMMC - ODROID C2 for Kodi Jarvis / Krypton

[Wintersdark]

I liked my C1 for Kodi, but it's limited there with regards to Netflix - in fact, it's upstairs on the kids' TV right now with your OpenELEC build.

I was reluctant to jump to the C2, given Hardkernel's rather unimpressive support for the kernel (how much is their fault and how much is AMLogic's, I don't know) I'm quite hesitant. It's frustrating, as the ODroids are much more impressive than the Raspberry Pi alternatives, but without that software support... eh.

A major hiccup for me is my wife and her Netflix addiction. She's extremely intolerant of anything that adds any complexity, and whatever I use needs to allow her to get back and forth between Netflix and Kodi effortlessly. If not for that, things would be much simpler.

Thanks for the info, though, it's all very much appreciated.

Do you have a link for the modded Android TV Netflix apk?

[wrxtasy]

LibreELEC for the C2 is no longer dependant on HardKernel the same way LibreELEC is not dependant on WeTek because the C2 / Hub / Play2 now use a completely independant common AML Linux Kernel for all three LE devices. Maintained by LibreELEC AML Kernel developers.

https://github.com/LibreELEC/linux-amlogic

As (HDMI connected) Kodi media players they are just fine, especially now a LOT of work has gone into both the Kernel (with AML's help) and the AMLogic Kodi Krypton code. There is not much more you would want out of a pure (non HDR) Kodi media player.

HardKernel / WeTek are dependant on AMLogic for the core Linux Kernel.

If users want to just plug in all manner of modern USB perhipherals and just expect them work, Plug n Play, well then you have branched away from being a core Kodi media player into the multimedia user space and yes its better to buy a RPi3 or Intel Machine. OR be willing to get your hands dirty with some DIY.

AMLogic last year have actually contracted a European company to bring the AMLogic Linux Kernel up to modern mainline status. Already you can run the C2 as a Headless Linux machine on a modern Kernel with no Audio Video drivers. Watch this space in 2017.

---

If you are a Heavy user of Netflix and want a Wife Friendly device, buy the Mi Box - no questions about it. The Voice remote is far superior to what WeTek are offering.

Reliable Android TV OS Netflix for AMLogic S905 devices only comes with Android Marshmallow. Unless you want to use the touchscreen, Wife Unfriendly normal version of Netflix on Android Lollipop.

That means buying the Mi Box, unless WeTek get their act together and start putting out Dual Boot LibreELEC / Android Marshmallow images for the Play2 and Hub. This would then make a LOT of users happy. I asked WeTek repeatedly for a Dual Boot - test LE / updated Marshmallow image for the Hub.

The modded version of Netflix Android TV OS is found HERE

If you want Kodi refresh switching and Wife Friendly Netflix then the only devices that do that are the nVIDIA Shield and Amazon FireTV2. BUT even then the 2015/2017 Shield is having Netflix, Refresh switching & Audio Passthrough issues. That is what you get with new Android Nougat Firmware.

[Tinwarble]

If you want Kodi refresh switching and Wife Friendly Netflix then the only devices that do that are the nVIDIA Shield and Amazon FireTV2. BUT even then the 2015/2017 Shield is having Netflix, Refresh switching & Audio Passthrough issues. That is what you get with new Android Nougat Firmware.

The Netflix issue is not affecting everyone, only seems to be a few people (doesn't affect me) and the frame rate switching/pass-through issue can be easily overcome by adding a delay to playback.

[wrxtasy]

Good to know TW.

Yes recent Android TV Netflix Apps seem to have become a bit unreliable across a number of platforms now. Some Mi Box users have been reporting problems as well. I've not seen any issues personally. I just use a Mi Box connected straight to a HDCP 2.2 / DD+ TV. No AVR involved at all.

[Tinwarble]

Well, to be fair, I have had issues with Netflix, but clearing the data has fixed it. But that's more of recurring thing, every so often Netflix will start acting up either because of something on the server side or the app itself. Over the last 6rys or so I've seen all kinds of various issues, even over the last 6 months or so I've seen:

Images want load in the UI
Video will start stuttering in the middle of playback
Video will freeze
Next Video won't play
Next Video will start to load by only audio will play (even though video is still loading)
Audio and video will go out of sync

And that's just the things that I can remember off the top of my head. Netflix has always had some kind of issue as far back as I can remember, even when I was using it on my old WD Live TVs.