Hi, this is my first post to these forums, although I did spend a couple of hours browsing after finding them last night.
Having played with my wife's month old Mio168/TomTom5 and loved it, I decided that when my CPW/o2 contract was up I'd go for a pda/phone rather than the SE K750i I had previously been planning on.
I did just a little research and went for the XDAIIi over the MDAIII (don't like T-Mobile's pricing!) and XDAIIs (no wi-fi, slower and unnecessary keyboard).
I initially thought I had a great unit but things haven't been as smooth as I expected.
http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk supplied me with a Holux combined GPS receiver/cradle, Kingston 512MB SD card and screen protector at very reasonable prices and with swift delivery.
First thing I noticed was that whenever the phone utility was brought on-screen, it showed me that my last caller was the very first person I had phoned on it. After any call, the same info would pop back to the display, too.
Another little thing that surprised me was the SIM code entry. I have set an 8 digit code. When I enter the first number it appears on the display as an asterisk but when I hit the second, the first two numbers appear (the asterisk changes to the digit). Is this normal or a quirk of having '08' as the first two digits of my code?
TomTom5 installed fine but kept randomly freezing (whenever a call or txt msg came in it was certain to happen) so I contacted o2 Customer Support who told me to take it back to be checked out.
Three days after installing the card (and before I had taken the unit for its o2 'inspection') the SD card suddenly 'disappeared'. Actually, it's shot; it isn't recognised by my XDAIIi, my work supervisor's XDAIIi, my wife's Mio168 or my computer's USB card reader. I researched this a little and found it a fairly common occurence but the only recommendation seems to be to format it. HELLO? How does one format something that no equipment recognises? Fools!
Actually, while googling the SD card problem I found people recommending the removal of o2 Active to cure TomTom lockups. o2 Tech-Supp were very helpful with this - instructing me how to hard reset and install 'corporate' using the 0506 password. This appears to have cured almost all TomTom problems although I need more than the old 128MB MM card I currently have for storage!
This also fixed the 'last call' bug I'd been experiencing.
Having found this marvellous forum, I set about finding info for the XDAIIi and promptly discovered that the wikki bears little specifically for it. I would update it but don't know enough yet!
I did read a post last night that pointed out to a user that the cradle charges the battery from just the USB port, and not requiring the AC supply so I decided to check it out. Sure enough, the battery is shown as 'charging' but after leaving it overnight, I find that the charge has actually dropped to 87% (still says 'charging', too) from the 95% I left it on.
Perhaps I have a faulty cradle.
It also seems a little odd to me that I can use mp3s for ringtones but can only use wav files for the alarm!
Is there a way to stop the wi-fi 'do you want to connect' popup appearing when TomTom is running other than disabling wi-fi before running it? It's a right pain having TT freeze until I get rid ot the popup.
One other little thing - anyone know how I can ensure that GPRS isn't going to be used for web surfing? I don't want it to be activated accidentally and certainly don't want to go surfing on it for an hour thinking I'm using wi-fi!
Don't get me wrong - overall I'm still happy with the XDAIIi (look -> ) but there's just a few doubts as to whether I went the right way creeping in.
Hi there, im pretty much a "new" user of the XDA 2i aswell but have learnt alot from using this forum.
I have almost the same setup as you now as far as the "corporate" install, TomTom5 etc etc .... but i have updated the ROM on mine to the latest Imate version, which you can find in one of these forums , its called PDA 2K ROM streight from I-MATE or something along them lines.
I would recommend that you update also as it fixed a few problems was having with lockups, but make sure to do alot of research before you attempt it cos you dont want to knacker it up
Anyway .... my cradle charges fine just using the USB (no AC adapter)
Passord thing .... this has came up before , it for some reason displays the digits when the numbers 08 are first , i seem to remember it being something to do with emergancy calling features, although i didnt think that they started with "08" but there ya go
GPRS ... will only activate when you cannot get a Wireless signal, the hirachy is WiFi then GPRS, but to be on the safe side i removed all the setting configurations for the GPRS so it can never connect, i never use it anyway.
Im not sure about the "Do you want to connect" popup you get when running TomTom as it doesnt happen to me , perhaps you have wireless enabled all the time, id tun it off to save your batteries anyway.
well .... i think ive covered a few of the things your asking as good as i can, best of luck with it
Thanks for the reply, Danny.
I haven't had any TomTom problems since 'going corporate' so I'll wait and see how it goes before trying another ROM - taking warranty into consideration too.
Mind you, I haven't received any calls or texts while running TT either so all may not be as it seems.
Hmm. I'm plugged into a 4-port USB hub that came with an external power supply I don't use, so I wonder if that makes a difference. I'll have to pull out the base unit and plug the cradle in there to check charging on that.
I've double checked that I have no settings for GPRS so unless o2 'push' them to me I should be OK.
Yes, I do have wi-fi on all the time and the battery still lasts all the work day with a little usage when time permits. My cradle/GPS receiver charges the pda when it's in there on the way to/from work, so I don't really have to worry about that.
I'd just like to not be bothered by the connection dialogue box rather than have to turn off wi-fi for navigation purposes... have you seen how many networks are open out there? Not just the city centre ones, there are loads of not-very-secure company and household networks that can be connected to and utilised. Free broadband internet - almost makes you want to get a laptop!
the computer to which the cradle is connected via USB must be turned ON, or else there will be no current passing through the cable. Thus, no charging the PDA. The Ipods have the same "handycap". You can always use the AC power adapter...
Karbono said:
the computer to which the cradle is connected via USB must be turned ON, or else there will be no current passing through the cable. Thus, no charging the PDA. The Ipods have the same "handycap". You can always use the AC power adapter...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite true, but my charging test was performed while the computer was on and defragmenting my 5 partitions.
Actually, my Soltek motherboard has 'hot' USB ports at the rear that still supply a little 'juice' when the power is off - my USB hub, BT dongle and Intellimouse 4 stay alight when the main machine is off, although I've not bothered to check exactly how much voltage is supplied.
Hi all, after months of try&error and buying 2 (TWO!) MDAs (Wizard & Charmer) i finally found out WHY sometimes GPRS data flow stops and no incoming calls will be put throught (they land on mailbox):
It's the docking stations! Just let me explain that a little bit more: Both Wizard & Charmer will be delivered without any docking stations, so I bought two different on Ebay + one active holder from Brodit for my car.
After I put Wizard or Charmer in one of the docking station it's necessary to call 2 or 3 times until the call gets through, also in the car (Brodit), and - GPRS data flow, that means even I'm connected (2 GPRS arrows are there), stops after 2 or 3 minutes. I see that with a network monitor called Phatnet (very recommended!)
So now comes the real scurillic thing: If I use the original AC adapter from T-Mobile nothing of the above happens... GPRS data packets flow hours and hours without any breaks, and calls come through.
The docking station definitly loads the devices, but it takes longer. So here's my conclusion: The AC Adapters and the car adapter give to little current for the radio part in the devices - sounds strange, but I have no other ideas.
So now what? Try yourself please, anyone who owns Wizard or Charmer and some other AC adapters than the originals should tell here - it's easy, just put the devices in, surf a little bit for just a couple of minutes and you'll see surfing stops. It's not dependend of the loading status (orange or green led).
I tried different Rom updates, different devices and now it seems that power is the reason, really annoying. Tell us your experience!
Yours B.
Here are the links of the 2 docking stations:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Dockingstation-f...861020033QQcategoryZ15396QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.de/Dockingstation-f...ryZ70769QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Must be a Charmer/Wizard flaw as my Magician doesn't act at all like this.
What I really don't understand is how you can even make a phonecall or use gprs when there's no original AC-adapter connected to your device, when a car charger doesn't give you enough current to have the radio operating as it should be. So your devices must be pretty crap then lol.
I think the cradle's are somehow interfering with the radio. The current can't be the main issue, otherwise the device wouldn't be functioning on a battery only. Guess it comes in a strange state, I noticed that my magician doesn't hold a gprs connection while Act.Sync is running, maybe this is something simular.
But it sure must be a pain in the rear bottom I agree to that.
M
Well there's some additional information I researched:
When connecting the device to the original AC adaptor it does NOT switch on the display, when connecting to the cradle it does. So the pinout of the connector must be different and Wizard/Charmer maybe (half way) believes that it has been connected to USB of a PC, but not in a defined state. Remember that my docking station IS NOT connected to a PC, it's only there for power.
Somebody maybe knows the pinout of the delivered USB sync cable and the AC adaptor?
Yours B.
Yo!
I have a PC at home connected to the interent & I have a BlueTooth USB Dongle plugged in.
Simply (yeah, right) how do you configure my home WinXP Pro PC & my Xda Exec such that the Xda Exec can browse the internet using the home PC internet connection over a BlueTooth connection????
I have spent all day trawling forums & internet, but any reference made to Windows operating system does not seem to relate to the one I have installed??!?!?!?!???!
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!
Andy
(PS I have manage to create a 'partnership' between the two, but that's all.
Won't ActiveSync 4.1 do this now? I've got my XDA Mini S connected to my laptop via BT right now and I can get Exhange email and surf the Web without WiFi or GPRS as my Laptop is connected to the internet
No special settings required...
However, makesure you pair your phone from your PC for BT Active Sync support... if you already have a pairing delete it on both the PC and Phone and repair etc etc...
However, makesure you pair your phone from your PC for BT Active Sync support... if you already have a pairing delete it on both the PC and Phone and repair etc etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
erm, Okeey dokee, piggy in a pokey.....
Exactly, in words of less than one syllable, how do you do that.
Assume nothing, as I know nothing.
I have been pulling my hair out & shouting at everything ALL day trying to get this sodding thing to work... BT ActiveSync support <- what is that??? Is this the golden goose I'm missing?!?!?!?!
So far I have managed to, but have now lost a very unstable internet connection (that GPRS kept constantly trying to overrule) I've been messing with COM ??? for the last 2 hours (my latest discovery) but (for whatever utterly unknown reason) I simply CANNOT get my PC COM port to be in an acceptable range (i.e. COM<=9)
ARRRRRGGGGGG!!!!
You are one LUCKY little bunny if this 'just worked' for you!!!!
well done :wink:
Andy
1. Download and install ActiveSync 4.1 from Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/activesync41.mspx
Follow the instructions you will need your sync cable
While you do that I'll erm go write it all down
Hey thanks m8.
Jolly decent of you ol' bean.
BTW ActiveSync 4.1 slapped in already...
BRB
Andy
OK went to write the stuff and thought I'd unpair mine need to make sure I can get the connection back seems that somthing is remembering pairing somwhere.
Gimmie a few more mins think I'll need to reset phone to get this to work TBH...
Oh and you should not need any COM ports defined in Local or Client as Active Sync creates one...
Yes hard reset fixed the problem.... so you will need to do that too I guess as it seems not to work as somehow the AS link to the phone gets ignored...
Sec should upload a Word Doc.
Cool
I am learning >many< things about BlueTooth USB Dongles.
All of them dodgy to say the least.
One biggy is removing the Microsoft driver from the PC (& issues concering COM port assignment). Once this is done, install the correct driver. THEN DO NOT USE THE DONGLE IN ANOTHER USB PORT.
Poor, poor, POOR programming.....
Andy
Here it is... A bit ragged but what you expect!
Now I gotta fix all my phone back hehe
The key thing is the Phone should show ActiveSync as a service on the PC if it only shows Serial Port it ain't going to work.
Thank you VERY much.
I'll have a look & get back for feedback.
Regards,
Andy
BTW,
This'll make you laugh.
BT.... For about an hour there I was in 'phone mode' (and why not). aka British Telecom (my excuse: I've been trying to unravel anachronims ALL day!)
Then it finally dawned on me. BT. BLUE TOOTH
Dozey sod!
Andy
ROFL
Well I got my phone back up and did sommit similar as I had reasigned I.E. button to OK and was wondering why I.E. kept popping up lots
[email protected]
Their marketing guys must have had a field day with this device.
(The stuff I design has only 9 buttons on it and Jesus, don't even mention marketing to my team - they all get nervous ticks).
Andy
Dunno how you cope with the weight of the Exec but tis nice
Look at my sig.
For the price I got it for I couldn't give a flying fart how much it weighs...
Anyway the mobile phone part of it is just for kicks (I hide myself on the very rare occasions that someone rings me when I'm out because I feel an utter pratt with that lump glued to the side of my nut. Note to self: must get a headset... hold on these are BlueTooth devices as well... arrrrrgh).
For the 2 weeks I've had it since fixing it, mainly used it for:
Showing off.
Mentioning how much I paid for it, and then showing off some more.
Playing 'Age of Empires', Quake, Doom, Tetris, Worms on the Bog. (did I say 'worms'??? )
Fiddling with 'WiFi' connections to the internet (at Work)
Fiddling with 'BlueTooth' Connections to the internet (at Home)
Working out why someone has decided the red 'X' now does NOT shut a program down.
And ultimately used it as a thing to be shouted at.
Weight?? It's lighter than my ZX Spectrum - Kids of today!
Andy
I need to replace my parents 7 year old Windows PC with a new one. I was thinking of getting a Android stick instead since their uses are limited to Skype, Hangouts, Facebook, occassional browsing and YouTube. Besides, at least my mom has become pretty familiar with her Android phone.
What I have in mind is this:
Buy a monitor with HDMI port or DVI. The monitor will have built in speakers as well. Connect the stick to it.
Attach a USB hub to the stick.
Attach webcam, keyboard and mouse to the hub. Alternatively, attach keyboard and mouse to the USB ports in the monitor (if available). I don't want to use bluetooth because they will find recharging the keyboard/mouse difficult.
My questions are:
How effective this setup will be for the above mentioned purposes? The reason I ask this is because most people seem to be using Android stick primarily as a media player.
I tried hooking up two tablets to my TV, neither of them gave full screen. Will I face such problems with the stick? Do I need to look for any specific monitor resolutions or aspect ratios?
If I attach keyboard and mouse to the monitor's USB port, will it work?
Are there any sticks which will support touch screen monitors out of the box?
Will it play the sound through monitor out of the box?
In case I have to use bluetooth, can I pair both keyboard and mouse at the same time?
Do I need to shutdown the stick just like a PC or will a simple mains switch off be enough? Or can I leave it running all the time without worrying about the power consumption?
Please recommend a good stick for this purpose.
Am I overlooking something? Will I need any extra components?
I will most likely be telling them over the phone on how to set up the whole thing. So any kind of tinkering with software (like rooting or some form of modding) will not be possible.
unni_kmr said:
I need to replace my parents 7 year old Windows PC with a new one. I was thinking of getting a Android stick instead since their uses are limited to Skype, Hangouts, Facebook, occassional browsing and YouTube. Besides, at least my mom has become pretty familiar with her Android phone.
What I have in mind is this:
Buy a monitor with HDMI port or DVI. The monitor will have built in speakers as well. Connect the stick to it.
Attach a USB hub to the stick.
Attach webcam, keyboard and mouse to the hub. Alternatively, attach keyboard and mouse to the USB ports in the monitor (if available). I don't want to use bluetooth because they will find recharging the keyboard/mouse difficult.
My questions are:
How effective this setup will be for the above mentioned purposes? The reason I ask this is because most people seem to be using Android stick primarily as a media player.
I tried hooking up two tablets to my TV, neither of them gave full screen. Will I face such problems with the stick? Do I need to look for any specific monitor resolutions or aspect ratios?
If I attach keyboard and mouse to the monitor's USB port, will it work?
Are there any sticks which will support touch screen monitors out of the box?
Will it play the sound through monitor out of the box?
In case I have to use bluetooth, can I pair both keyboard and mouse at the same time?
Do I need to shutdown the stick just like a PC or will a simple mains switch off be enough? Or can I leave it running all the time without worrying about the power consumption?
Please recommend a good stick for this purpose.
Am I overlooking something? Will I need any extra components?
I will most likely be telling them over the phone on how to set up the whole thing. So any kind of tinkering with software (like rooting or some form of modding) will not be possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Minix X7, which is my first android mini pc.. here's my thoughts regarding your list:
1. If you connect the mini pc (stick or otherwise) using HDMI cable to the monitor, you will have audio through the monitor.
2. If you buy a mini pc instead of a stick, you wouldn't need an additional usb hub (see X5 or X7)
3. You will need to use a logitech webcam (at least to use stock roms on Minix)
4. For browsing, Facebook, and Skype, the X7 will handle that easily, on a wired/wireless connection
5. Full screen works fine (either 1080p or 720p)
6. I have never used a touch screen monitor, but this thread has some guidance (http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?1802-Touchscreen).. a little more involved than plug-and-play
7. The X7will pair both a keyboard and mouse via bt at once, though I would recommend using the usb ports if you are setting it up at a desk
8. My X7 almost never gets shut off. Usually just shut off the monitor and let it stay on. The power consumption is minimal, especially when not being used.
Also, as far as a recommendation, I find the X7 to be pretty good. You'd probably be ok with an X5 if they aren't planning on using it as a media center and want to save some $$$. A lot of the cheap sticks are made by manufacturers who do not provide updates or product support, but since the end of July, Minix has come out with 3 firmware updates, and another one is almost ready. (They would have released update 005 except Rockchip released an update to their code and Minix want to integrate it prior to their next release, as it improves video playback).
On the negative side, the firmware does still have occasional glitches. Although my X7 has been up for days on end, every once in a while it just freezes up, and i have to pull the power cable, plug it back in, and turn it on. Also, the X7 had some early issues with SD cards, but if you don't plan on using an SD card, that shouldn't be an issue.
If you believe an android device will do everything your parents need in a PC, I think it's a great idea. Low power consumption (4W vs the 160-220W of my HTPC), low heat, no noise, low price, and decent reliability.
One more thought, if you wish to root/update firmware, etc, get the device shipped to you, then ship it to your parents. It'll take a few more days, but you can set it up and make sure everything suits their needs prior to delivery..
Mike_77 said:
I have a Minix X7, which is my first android mini pc.. here's my thoughts regarding your list:
1. If you connect the mini pc (stick or otherwise) using HDMI cable to the monitor, you will have audio through the monitor.
2. If you buy a mini pc instead of a stick, you wouldn't need an additional usb hub (see X5 or X7)
3. You will need to use a logitech webcam (at least to use stock roms on Minix)
4. For browsing, Facebook, and Skype, the X7 will handle that easily, on a wired/wireless connection
5. Full screen works fine (either 1080p or 720p)
6. I have never used a touch screen monitor, but this thread has some guidance (http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?1802-Touchscreen).. a little more involved than plug-and-play
7. The X7will pair both a keyboard and mouse via bt at once, though I would recommend using the usb ports if you are setting it up at a desk
8. My X7 almost never gets shut off. Usually just shut off the monitor and let it stay on. The power consumption is minimal, especially when not being used.
Also, as far as a recommendation, I find the X7 to be pretty good. You'd probably be ok with an X5 if they aren't planning on using it as a media center and want to save some $$$. A lot of the cheap sticks are made by manufacturers who do not provide updates or product support, but since the end of July, Minix has come out with 3 firmware updates, and another one is almost ready. (They would have released update 005 except Rockchip released an update to their code and Minix want to integrate it prior to their next release, as it improves video playback).
On the negative side, the firmware does still have occasional glitches. Although my X7 has been up for days on end, every once in a while it just freezes up, and i have to pull the power cable, plug it back in, and turn it on. Also, the X7 had some early issues with SD cards, but if you don't plan on using an SD card, that shouldn't be an issue.
If you believe an android device will do everything your parents need in a PC, I think it's a great idea. Low power consumption (4W vs the 160-220W of my HTPC), low heat, no noise, low price, and decent reliability.
One more thought, if you wish to root/update firmware, etc, get the device shipped to you, then ship it to your parents. It'll take a few more days, but you can set it up and make sure everything suits their needs prior to delivery..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a great wright up of x7 I love mine and agree 100 % with what you have said here. I've tried the uab sticks they don't work as well plus no heat on the x7 that thing is built well to last. I have set p.o.s. (point of sales) systems up in the past using the x5 cheap and fast browsing experience.
Good luck hope your parents are happy with what ever you end up doing.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4
I have MK808b (dual core with 1GB RAM), and using it as a media center, but also as a PC for browsing INTERNET. It is connected to pc monitor with HDMI, and works perfectly in full HD resolution.
I can't find any reason not to use it as a replacement for PC, especially if you use cloud storage services.
Mike_77 said:
I have a Minix X7, which is my first android mini pc.. here's my thoughts regarding your list...
6. I have never used a touch screen monitor, but this thread has some guidance (http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?1802-Touchscreen).. a little more involved than plug-and-play
One more thought, if you wish to root/update firmware, etc, get the device shipped to you, then ship it to your parents. It'll take a few more days, but you can set it up and make sure everything suits their needs prior to delivery..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for this detailed reply. Really appreciate you taking time to write all these.
I have dropped the idea of using touch screen, since they seem to be 3 times the cost of a regular monitor (in India).
Regarding the shipping, I am in US now and parents are in India. I am not exactly sure if customs will cause any problems. That's why I am thinking of ordering from eBay India itself. Only problem is eBay India seller is charging around $204, probably because this is a new device.
dincdoes.me said:
Good luck hope your parents are happy with what ever you end up doing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If this works as expected for the above purposes, I am the one who will be more happy. In the last 2 years, I have spent a lot of hours through LogMeIn remote desktop updating and maintaining the PC. Where my parents stay, there are scheduled powercuts for 1 hour per day for atleast half of the year, and power comes and goes every now and then even otherwise. This inconsistency in power was another reason that made me lean towards the mini PCs. Besides, my mom, who is the primary user of the PC, has become more familiar with Android (through her phone), and she likes playing the games a lot as well.
draskome said:
I have MK808b (dual core with 1GB RAM), and using it as a media center, but also as a PC for browsing INTERNET. It is connected to pc monitor with HDMI, and works perfectly in full HD resolution.
I can't find any reason not to use it as a replacement for PC, especially if you use cloud storage services.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What resolution is your monitor?
Cloud storage will be a problem, since the internet at my parents house is only 512 kbps.
I am thinking of getting the X7 or X5 mainly because of the software updates, since I won't need to purchase any hub and since I can use my existing Logitech C310 webcam.
I have few more questions regarding the X7:
1. How responsive is the keyboard and mouse? Can I expect a response similar to a normal Windows PC?
2. If I use a monitor that has a resolution between 720p and 1080p (something like 1360x768 for example), will the device handle it properly or will it look odd (like stretched)?
3. Will it get updated automatically? I saw one video in YouTube in which he was manually flashing it using some Windows utility. Is that the only way to update?
I have two devices.
First device is a 70 dollar single core tablet with a broken touch screen. It was to expensive to fix it so I turned it into a server.
1. it runs Servers ultimate pro running a WebDav server, PHP/MySQL server for RSS feeds and a home site for the family, ddns updater and an FTP server.
2. it is running a surveillance app that sends an email to me the moment anything moves in the camera shot.
3. runs a PocketMine-MP server
4. runs an app to auto stop and start apps dring certain times of the day.
All this is remotely accessible VIA webkey.
Second device is an iMito MX1
1. it has a 7 port hub attached.
2. a HD webcam for Skype.
3. two harddrives (a 1 TB driver for media storage and a 720GB for internal memory replacement)(more on that in a min)
4. plays netflix, red box, youtube, Vevo, crackle and XBMC... to name a few
5. has 32 games loaded up with a Logitech F710 wireless controller VIA an app for onscreen touch.
6. Logitech full sized KB and Mouse.
I use this thing for web browsing, shooting vids and pics over to it from my phone for family sharing(DLNA)
The 750gig harddrive is currently the SDCARD but the internal one(NAND). The internal NAND is no longer used and the harddrive is where the OS stores the app's file to SD and the apps extra downloads. This has allowed me to download 15 games that contain 1+gig of extra data each.
All this has replaced two PC's in my house running 24/7. My electric bill has dropped 100+ dollars a month and the house has become quieter.
Let me tell you that two PC's(one was a server and the other a media center) running at full speed just to watch a movie took 280 watts of power. My new setup only consumes 24 at peak! Plus less heat and fan noise! I changed over around a year ago and never looked back or miss my old setup.
If you plan on running one fore a PC replacement I recommend a quad core. Sometimes the browsers can get a bit poky and that is due to the slower CPU. Also Webkey a must for remote management. This one FREE app has saved me more times then I can could. It has tons of functions and features but it's best feature is the remote control. It is just like setting in front of the device but just a tad slower. It is not a perfect app but it is the only remote app that I have found to work time and time again.
unni_kmr said:
What resolution is your monitor?
Cloud storage will be a problem, since the internet at my parents house is only 512 kbps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My monitor is 24" 1080p, and it's perfectly suitable for the purpose
For the office documents, 512kbps is quite enough, but not for pics, videos....
unni_kmr said:
Thanks very much for this detailed reply. Really appreciate you taking time to write all these.
I have dropped the idea of using touch screen, since they seem to be 3 times the cost of a regular monitor (in India).
Regarding the shipping, I am in US now and parents are in India. I am not exactly sure if customs will cause any problems. That's why I am thinking of ordering from eBay India itself. Only problem is eBay India seller is charging around $204, probably because this is a new device.
What resolution is your monitor?
Cloud storage will be a problem, since the internet at my parents house is only 512 kbps.
I am thinking of getting the X7 or X5 mainly because of the software updates, since I won't need to purchase any hub and since I can use my existing Logitech C310 webcam.
I have few more questions regarding the X7:
1. How responsive is the keyboard and mouse? Can I expect a response similar to a normal Windows PC?
2. If I use a monitor that has a resolution between 720p and 1080p (something like 1360x768 for example), will the device handle it properly or will it look odd (like stretched)?
3. Will it get updated automatically? I saw one video in YouTube in which he was manually flashing it using some Windows utility. Is that the only way to update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad to share my experience. I was a bit hesitant to buy one originally, but have been more than happy with my purchase.
I bought mine from http://www.aliexpress.com/item/MINIX-NEO-X7-Android-TV-Box-RK3188-Quad-Core-Mini-PC-1-6GHz-2G-16G-WiFi/1086507000.html# shipped DHL for only $3 more, and had it delivered in 3 days to Hawaii from China.
Updates are kind of a pain until they implement OTA updates, which they say they're going to do. That's why I recommend shipping to you first, and then you can send to your parents. I understand the customs issue though.. tough decision on that one.
I use mine on a 55" 1080p tv, and the picture quality is outstanding. The picture does not looked stretched or odd any any way. I believe it will detect the correct display settings and you can set the resolution you desire in /settings/display/resolution (trying to remember exact menu it's under)
The keyboard and mouse is just as responsive as a windows pc. There are a couple of times there is a bit of lag, but that is just a function of how much stuff is running. Even when you experience lag, it isn't anything significant.
There is a working version of CWM that will allow you to flash updates like an Android phone, but you will have to use the pc utility to install CWM (available on freaktab.com) Once CWM is installed, you can package the update files into a zip that is premade other than your update files, and it'll update for you.
There is a lot more information on freaktab.com. I alternated between that and minixforums.com for a while when trying to decide which android mini pc to buy. After weeks of research, I decided the wait for the X7 was worth it, and haven't regretted my decision since.
Thanks very much for all the replies. Sorry that I didn't reply for a long time. I tried ordering Minix Neo X7 from the AliExpress link. But they rejected my payment due to security concerns (I used an US credit card and gave India adress which probably raised some red flags). Then I ordered from eBay India. Waiting for it to be shipped.
I also came across another interesting product that could have satisfied all my requirements. Its the ViewSonic VSD220. Its a touch screen monitor with speakers, web cam, USB ports and is a Android mini PC. The only down side was that a YouTube review said its processor is not upto the mark.
unni_kmr said:
Thanks very much for all the replies. Sorry that I didn't reply for a long time. I tried ordering Minix Neo X7 from the AliExpress link. But they rejected my payment due to security concerns (I used an US credit card and gave India adress which probably raised some red flags). Then I ordered from eBay India. Waiting for it to be shipped.
I also came across another interesting product that could have satisfied all my requirements. Its the ViewSonic VSD220. Its a touch screen monitor with speakers, web cam, USB ports and is a Android mini PC. The only down side was that a YouTube review said its processor is not upto the mark.
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I think you'll get better performance out of the X7. Have you read all the info, etc on minixforums.com? Also, starting with FW006, they are supporting SDCard firmware updates (theoretically, though I haven't tried it)
reddragon72 said:
I have two devices.
First device is a 70 dollar single core tablet with a broken touch screen. It was to expensive to fix it so I turned it into a server.
1. it runs Servers ultimate pro running a WebDav server, PHP/MySQL server for RSS feeds and a home site for the family, ddns updater and an FTP server.
2. it is running a surveillance app that sends an email to me the moment anything moves in the camera shot.
3. runs a PocketMine-MP server
4. runs an app to auto stop and start apps dring certain times of the day.
All this is remotely accessible VIA webkey.
Second device is an iMito MX1
1. it has a 7 port hub attached.
2. a HD webcam for Skype.
3. two harddrives (a 1 TB driver for media storage and a 720GB for internal memory replacement)(more on that in a min)
4. plays netflix, red box, youtube, Vevo, crackle and XBMC... to name a few
5. has 32 games loaded up with a Logitech F710 wireless controller VIA an app for onscreen touch.
6. Logitech full sized KB and Mouse.
I use this thing for web browsing, shooting vids and pics over to it from my phone for family sharing(DLNA)
The 750gig harddrive is currently the SDCARD but the internal one(NAND). The internal NAND is no longer used and the harddrive is where the OS stores the app's file to SD and the apps extra downloads. This has allowed me to download 15 games that contain 1+gig of extra data each.
All this has replaced two PC's in my house running 24/7. My electric bill has dropped 100+ dollars a month and the house has become quieter.
Let me tell you that two PC's(one was a server and the other a media center) running at full speed just to watch a movie took 280 watts of power. My new setup only consumes 24 at peak! Plus less heat and fan noise! I changed over around a year ago and never looked back or miss my old setup.
If you plan on running one fore a PC replacement I recommend a quad core. Sometimes the browsers can get a bit poky and that is due to the slower CPU. Also Webkey a must for remote management. This one FREE app has saved me more times then I can could. It has tons of functions and features but it's best feature is the remote control. It is just like setting in front of the device but just a tad slower. It is not a perfect app but it is the only remote app that I have found to work time and time again.
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Your guidance would be greatly appreciated. What would you reccomend for luanchers or either installing a new system on the Tronsmart T428. I just can't stand using the android with my wifi keyboard w built-in mouse. The android pop-up keyboard takes up half of my projector screen when it pops up even with null keyboard installed. When selecting a link if a similar page ops up there is no scroll bars on the right letting you know to scroll down or if ytou are still on the smae page waiting for stuff to upload. i guess I'm looking for more of an Ubuntu 10x or windows experience. Traditional keyboard and mouse vs touch screen. NOw that I think about it I bet I have to get hulu plus to watch anything on this bc it acts like a tablet.