[wrxtasy]

Teased at IFA Berlin, which is running at the moment...

MINIX NEO T5 - expected price approx. €85 October 2019.

• SoC - AMLogic S905X2
  
• CPU - ARM A53 Quad Core 1.8GHz
  
• GPU - ARM Mali-G31 MP2
  
• RAM - 2GB of DDR3
  
• Storage - 16GB of eMMC 5.1 Flash
  
• Google Certified - Android TV Pie 9.0 inc. Chromecasting & legit DRM
  
• Dolby Audio Licensed
  
• Netflix Approval unknown ?
  
• WiFi - Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi supports 2x2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  
• Bluetooth 4.2
  
• Gigabit Ethernet
  
• 1 x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0
  
• SPDIF / Optical
  
• microSDHC support
  
• HDMI 2.1
  

Strangely for a legit Android TV device - the remote looks like the standard MINIX Infra Red one !
I would have expected a Wireless Voice remote for Android TV.

Just be aware legit, Google Certified AMLogic Android TV devices virtually always have their bootloaders locked, and are unrootable which means NO CoreELEC / LibreELEC Kodi possible at all in a dual boot setup. Same restriction as the Mi Boxes.
EDIT: However I've seen the recent MECOOL KM3 / KM9 - both legit Google Certified devices - able to boot and run CoreELEC Kodi.

---

MINIX NEO U22-XJ - expected price approx. €170 - November 2019

• SoC - AMLogic S922XJ
  
• CPU - ARM A73 Quad Core @ 2.2GHz + Dual Core ARM A53 @ 1.8 GHz
  
• GPU - ARM Mali-G52 MP6
  
• RAM - 2GB of DDR4
  
• Storage - 32GB of eMMC 5.1 Flash
  
• Google AOSP - mobile/tablet Android Pie 9.0 with a custom MINIX launcher.
  
• SoC licensing for DolbyVision & Dolby Audio.
  
• Unknown DRM ?
  
• WiFi - Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi supports 2x2 MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  
• Bluetooth 4.2
  
• Gigabit Ethernet
  
• 3 x USB 3.0, 1x USB C
  
• SPDIF / Optical
  
• microSDHC support
  
• HDMI 2.1
  
• Looks like a new MINIX Backlit - mini keyboard wireless remote
  

As potential Kodi Android devices at that price i would expect Kodi auto Frame Rate matching & IEC61937 Firmware support for Android Kodi HD audio.

Both - see HERE (click) - One of which apparently works on the similar Google Tablet Android Pie 9.0 - $120 - AML S922X UGOOS AM6 (click)

AMLogic Android Kodi auto Frame Rate Matching is now working on AML devices that can be Rooted - see the following https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid2891405 for DIY details.

W.

[DNKK]

Does it support Netflix add-on at 4k is the question for me. In Nvidia Shield the pie update has curtailed the input stream add-on though I am not sure if it is because of pie or Netflix hardened it drm.

[clarkss12]

That box would be hard for me to resist....................  I have an addiction to those boxes....  I purchased the MINIX NEO X8H plus when it first came out (but rarely used it).  I ended up giving it away to my daughter since it JUST worked.  Haven't purchased a Minix since, but it is now on my radar.

Thanks for the heads up, Wrxtasy

[Sjors125]

New ones from Minix!  That is always worth a look.
This S922XJ one could be the next best thing, though it is far more expensive than the Odroid N2. Is there any important difference between a S922X and a S922XJ SoC?

[Sholander]

New ones from Minix!  That is always worth a look.
This S922XJ one could be the next best thing, though it is far more expensive than the Odroid N2. Is there any important difference between a S922X and a S922XJ SoC?

Main difference is increased CPU clock -> from 2.0 to 2.2 GHz... No difference worth triple price of Odroid N2 CE edition.

[Sjors125]

New ones from Minix!  That is always worth a look.
This S922XJ one could be the next best thing, though it is far more expensive than the Odroid N2. Is there any important difference between a S922X and a S922XJ SoC?

Main difference is increased CPU clock -> from 2.0 to 2.2 GHz... No difference worth triple price of Odroid N2 CE edition. 

Price wise, that could be the case indeed, yes. Though I like Minix very much and they've always delivered with great mediaplayers.
I couldn't find the differences and thus suspected that the "J" stood for something like "junior". Like with the Synology NAS where the J-named ones are lower clocker/have lower specs. Couldn't be farther from the truth if the Minix with the J SoC is the faster one.

Still this Minix is one to watch.

I've looked at the prices (including taxes) that I can buy the Odroid N2 for in The Netherlands and then it is:

Odroid N2 2GB for € 79
or Odroid N2 4GB for € 95

clear or black case for € 10

EMMC module reader € 3

EMMC module 32GB Linux € 39
or EMMC module 64GB Android € 55

So depending on the specs, it would cost me between € 131 and € 163, which converts to about $ 144 and $ 180.
Then the price difference isn't that big anymore and it includes a remote, which the N2 doesn't.

[Sholander]

New ones from Minix!  That is always worth a look.
This S922XJ one could be the next best thing, though it is far more expensive than the Odroid N2. Is there any important difference between a S922X and a S922XJ SoC?

Main difference is increased CPU clock -> from 2.0 to 2.2 GHz... No difference worth triple price of Odroid N2 CE edition.    

Price wise, that could be the case indeed, yes. Though I like Minix very much and they've always delivered with great mediaplayers.
I couldn't find the differences and thus suspected that the "J" stood for something like "junior". Like with the Synology NAS where the J-named ones are lower clocker/have lower specs. Couldn't be farther from the truth if the Minix with the J SoC is the faster one.

Still this Minix is one to watch.

I've looked at the prices (including taxes) that I can buy the Odroid N2 for in The Netherlands and then it is:

Odroid N2 2GB for € 79
or Odroid N2 4GB for € 95

clear or black case for € 10

EMMC module reader € 3

EMMC module 32GB Linux € 39
or EMMC module 64GB Android € 55

So depending on the specs, it would cost me between € 131 and € 163, which converts to about $ 144 and $ 180.
Then the price difference isn't that big anymore and it includes a remote, which the N2 doesn't.   

I was referring to the price of 2GB Odroid N2 CoreElec edition
Apart from that N2 is a SBC, so no way to brick the device, and a choice of 10 operating systems at the moment...

[Sjors125]

I don't know what kind of OS'es you would like to have, but with Android (TV) out of the box and I presume the possibility of Linux based OS'es like CoreElec, what more could we need?

I was very interested in the N2, but with HDMI 2.1, Dolby Vision, etc for the U22-XJ, that is even better. I hope it gets google WideVine certification and is able to run Netflix officially and in 4k.

Anyway, these 2 boxes (N2 and U22-XJ) are hard to beat at the moment. I hope Minix can deliver, like they did in the past.

[wrxtasy]

I was very interested in the N2, but with HDMI 2.1, Dolby Vision, etc for the U22-XJ, that is even better. I hope it gets google WideVine certification and is able to run Netflix officially and in 4k.

The J in 922XJ = the SoC is DolbyVision & Dolby Audio licenced I believe. You still need appropriate Software to playback dual layer DV 4K rips. And there is none available.

Disappointingly for some, it also looks like the U22-XJ will not be a legit Android TV certified device, but regular Android AOSP mobile/tablet.
This is a real shame if that turns out to be the case, being a real missed opportunity IMHO to have legit Android TV Pie running on a powerful modern ARM based Chipset media player. All be it a relatively expensive one.

I don't know what kind of OS'es you would like to have, but with Android (TV) out of the box and I presume the possibility of Linux based OE's like CoreElec, what more could we need?

Be aware the ODROID N2 & other dev. Boards running CoreELEC Kodi from eMMC flash storage will be faster vs any Android device running CE from an external microSDHC.

I will repeat this again - legit Google certified AMLogic chipset based Android TV OS devices virtually always have their bootloaders locked and secured, due to certification requirements which means no other OS can be run, even from a microSDHC. There is no rooting available on such legit devices, they are locked up tight.

CE & LE "Install to internal" EMMC is not supported this time around for (bootloader unlocked) Oreo / Pie devices due to different internal storage partition layouts associated with Google's Project Treble. Developers do not want to risk "bricking" devices.

---

Currently the (Dutch produced) $120 UGOOS AM6 looks to have the edge in S922X boxes with quality AMLogic Android Pie firmware, supporting (see Freaktwb website also):

- Android Kodi HD audio
- Android Kodi auto Frame Rate Matching, possibly Resolution switching as well.
- an inbuilt SMB / NFS / CFS File server
- plus a bunch of other nice Android OS custom tweaks, like Root toggling.
- however no WideVine L1, which means even the Kodi Netflix Addon will be limited to 540p Max resolution.

W.

[lightsout]

Seems like we won't get the perfect device. I would love to see an N2, running Coreelec that can dual boot to certified Android that runs Netlix with full 4k/DV support. I guess my best option now 
will be the N2 with netflix and other apps on the Roku TV.

The shield is going to start sitting idle more, as the N2 is better for local and the roku tv app can do DV.

[Sjors125]

Thanks wrxtasy. I'll look into the UGOOS too.

[lightsout]

Currently the (Dutch produced) $120 UGOOS AM6 looks to have the edge in S922X boxes with quality AMLogic Android Pie firmware, supporting (see Freaktwb website also):

- Android Kodi HD audio
- Android Kodi auto Frame Rate Matching, possibly Resolution switching as well.
- an inbuilt SMB / NFS / CFS File server
- plus a bunch of other nice Android OS custom tweaks, like Root toggling.
- however no WideVine L1, which means even the Kodi Netflix Addon will be limited to 540p Max resolution.

W. 

Hmmm, not sure I am seeing the advantage of this box over the N2, it does have a nice case with all the options built in so thats nice for sure. 

But it seems like most of the features listed are available in the N2, plus the ability to flip a switch and boot into coreelec (not sure if this one can or not?)

[SilverBlade]

MINIX NEO T5 - expected price approx. $85 October 2019.

 

• Netflix Approval unknown ?
  

Without Netflix certification, it's simply no better than the $30 cheapo chinese boxes..

[wrxtasy]

Currently the (Dutch produced) $120 UGOOS AM6 looks to have the edge in S922X boxes with quality AMLogic Android Pie firmware, supporting (see Freaktwb website also):

- Android Kodi HD audio
- Android Kodi auto Frame Rate Matching, possibly Resolution switching as well.
- an inbuilt SMB / NFS / CFS File server
- plus a bunch of other nice Android OS custom tweaks, like Root toggling.
- however no WideVine L1, which means even the Kodi Netflix Addon will be limited to 540p Max resolution.

W. 

Hmmm, not sure I am seeing the advantage of this box over the N2, it does have a nice case with all the options built in so thats nice for sure. 

But it seems like most of the features listed are available in the N2, plus the ability to flip a switch and boot into coreelec (not sure if this one can or not?)

Did you notice I mentioned - Android 3 times ?

That is what I was referring to - Ugoos - Android Firmware quality to run Android Kodi, with auto Frame Rate Matching and Android Kodi HD audio.

[hdmkv]

Hi @wrxtasy, is this the Android TV ROM you were referring to?