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Hi I would really like to turn my a500 into a universal remote but would like to find out witch app works the best before i go out and buy the hard ware. Is there an ir or rf sender that i can just plug into my a500 ? I have checked out digit and red eye but have gottn mixed reviews can some one help? thanks
I haven't heard of an app with an RF sender for the A500. I do know the Sony S Tablet has a built-in IR sender for this purpose.
Depending on where you live and what you want to do, there is an excellent DirecTV Remote Control app in the Android Market that does a great job. Love it. It even looks just like the original DirecTV remotes. It works over WiFi to access your HD receivers and DVRs.
I'd be interested to know if there is an IR sender/app package that works as well.
Thanks
i have found a couple apps but im not shore if there compatible with the a500. i dont want to spend the money for the hardware if its not.
My Samsung tv Works great with the Samsung remote app .. i Can control my tv with my tablet . play games on the tv and type into the tv apps with the a500 keyboard . for posting on facebook yahoo and so on the tv apps.. B
But as said above This is over wifi .. the tv has to be behind the same router as the tablet .can also send movies from and to the tv with the tabler..
no ir reciever in the a 500 you would first have to find kernel / drivers for the ir hardware you choose and have a app written to contol your tv.. this is likely propritaty function depending on brand . if you have a smart tv check and see if it supports remote access over wifi ..
I plan on primarily using it for XBMC. The support looks good, along with the price and specs. What do you guys think?
I think it depends on how you plan to access your media. If you plan to use a NAS, you might be alright; if you were planning to use an external drive from the USB port, you need to wait for the OUYA team to fix the problem with detection of the hard drive. Also, you may find yourself needing to use the gamepad to control the interface--if that's a deal breaker you need to plan accordingly.
Also, bear in mind that the XBMC for Android is still in early alpha!
Sent from my Nook HD+ using Tapatalk HD
As someone who had never used XBMC or Plex (or anything else like that for that matter) prior to this past month, I am so excited about how well XBMC works with the OUYA!
You sound like someone who has used it before. If you're familiar with the basics then getting the OUYA to run XBMC in (almost) flawless 1080p is...well...easy! With the release of an official version of XBMCHUB last week, I don't think I'll ever hook my laptop up to my TV again.
Going into the OUYA, I had no idea of it's potential as a do-all media center. I was hoping it'd have Netflix and flash content, but that's about as far as I had hoped, so I'm very excited about all of this.
At only $99, I've been hearing people say there is no better box for XBMC, but maybe other, more experienced people could chime in.
EDIT/ADDITION:
bornagainpenguin said:
I think it depends on how you plan to access your media. If you plan to use a NAS, you might be alright; if you were planning to use an external drive from the USB port, you need to wait for the OUYA team to fix the problem with detection of the hard drive. Also, you may find yourself needing to use the gamepad to control the interface--if that's a deal breaker you need to plan accordingly.
Also, bear in mind that the XBMC for Android is still in early alpha!
Sent from my Nook HD+ using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what USB port problem you mean? I am using a 1TB WD USB HDD and have no problems with read.
I personally bought the ouya strictly for XBMC. I've used xbmc streaming from smb shares since original Xbox and it was called Xbox media center. I still use original Xbox with xbmc and the ouya is its replacement. Xbmc works amazingly better on it even in its alpha state. Those guys are pros and I have every faith they will deliver on the android platform. The only caveats so far is that I'd like a remote control instead of controller and it doesn't exist yet. Perhaps in the future it will. I've set my ouya to boot directly into xbmc but like above poster said the USB support needs work and the issue with the ouya turning itself on when its asleep and not shut down. That's annoying. Also don't plan to use WiFi. Ouyas metal casing hinders WiFi too much for streaming video in decent quality.
JLCollier2005 said:
EDIT/ADDITION:
I'm not sure what USB port problem you mean? I am using a 1TB WD USB HDD and have no problems with read.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a 2TB WD drive and a 3TB Toshiba drive, both using external power. With either of them if I plug in the drive light comes on and blinks but the OUYA doesn't mount it no matter how long I wait. One is formatted as FAT32, the other as NTFS. It makes no difference.
The workaround I've found (don't remember where I saw this originally) is to plug in the drive while the OUYA is powered off and unplugged, then do a system reset. After this, the external drive is recognized and mounted as /usbdrive and the light on the drive only flashes when being read from or written to. I can install XBMC, scan my movies and shows into the library, use the external drive for my emulator roms, etc, etc. It works.
The problem is if I remove the drive for any reason or if I get an update the drive is no longer recognized and I need to do another system reset again, add back all my games, reinstall XBMC and rescan my library (import doesn't seem to work for me) and hope that I don't have to deal with another system update any time soon....
That's why I'm not currently recommending the OUYA if people plan to use an external hard drive to access their media. I'm not the only one with these issues, if you Google for OUYA and external drive you'll see many others are having the same issues.
Sent from my Nook HD+ using Tapatalk HD
Ouya is stuck on 60hz framerate. So 24hz or 50hz files will have some stutter. Maybe stutter is not the right description, it's not perfectly smooth due to framerate adapting to 60hz. I have XBMC with hardware acceleration installed, it really is framerate conversion (or whatever you call it) that causes this.
I like XBMC on Ouya but prefer a media player that adapts its framerate output to the media file, like my Boxee Box does. You'll have a perfectly smooth picture. It really is a lot better to look at.
Using the XAF edition while I wait for Gotham to become stable for android. Works amazingly well.
Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 2
Does Dolby digital and dts work with this?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
wouwout said:
Ouya is stuck on 60hz framerate. So 24hz or 50hz files will have some stutter. Maybe stutter is not the right description, it's not perfectly smooth due to framerate adapting to 60hz. I have XBMC with hardware acceleration installed, it really is framerate conversion (or whatever you call it) that causes this.
I like XBMC on Ouya but prefer a media player that adapts its framerate output to the media file, like my Boxee Box does. You'll have a perfectly smooth picture. It really is a lot better to look at.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I read about that. Is that a limitation that can be fixed with development, or is it impossible?
bornagainpenguin said:
I think it depends on how you plan to access your media. If you plan to use a NAS, you might be alright; if you were planning to use an external drive from the USB port, you need to wait for the OUYA team to fix the problem with detection of the hard drive. Also, you may find yourself needing to use the gamepad to control the interface--if that's a deal breaker you need to plan accordingly.
Also, bear in mind that the XBMC for Android is still in early alpha!
Sent from my Nook HD+ using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a 1TB Seagate with which I used to have the problem with it not being recognized by my Ouya. Since then I have tried different OTG mounting apps. The best I've found is an app called Paragon which mounts USB drives to '/mnt/usbdrive' by default and has full NTFS read/write capabilities. Also it's automated so it mounts the USB drive at startup without any prompting. The only thing is it requires full root and superuser access. Not a big deal, but a formality nonetheless. Mainly I'm just saying that's there's simple enough workarounds for the Ouya's external hard drive issues.
Also the XBMC Android build found here (http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=152005) works great on my Ouya. Navigating using the gamepad may be a little clunky but the capabilities of using the Ouya for full media playback is already there. Hell, I'm working on turning an Ouya into a full-fledged internet/digital PVR box.
just got my Ouya yesterday and I had xbmc with the 0.6 release installed and the xbmchub fusion wizard thing installed. The issues I have encountered are typing on that xbmc keyboard with only the touchpad is a very arduous experience. Navi-x is installed alongside all the 1 channel stuff but this has a script error but does not stop it from working.
It does crash in navi-x but the speed at which this thing boots up and restarts is rapid so it does not cause that much of a headache, but dont forget that this info comes from less than 24 hours usage.
Overal i am happy with this device and the xbmc install but i would like a easier way of starting the software similar to netflix on the apple tv as the kids can play what they like and not get on my back.
Skater4599 said:
...The only caveats so far is that I'd like a remote control instead of controller and it doesn't exist yet...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are two remotes for XBMC the official remote doesn't seem to work for me. But Yatse works well but drains my phones battery really fast. And as a response to a USB drive not working, I have a 2TB WD Passport for my Ouya that works like a charm.
binome- said:
There are two remotes for XBMC the official remote doesn't seem to work for me. But Yatse works well but drains my phones battery really fast. And as a response to a USB drive not working, I have a 2TB WD Passport for my Ouya that works like a charm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm talking an IR remote that can turn the console on/off as well... I have the android app remote working just fine. the official one even.
NssOne said:
I have a 1TB Seagate with which I used to have the problem with it not being recognized by my Ouya. Since then I have tried different OTG mounting apps. The best I've found is an app called Paragon which mounts USB drives to '/mnt/usbdrive' by default and has full NTFS read/write capabilities. Also it's automated so it mounts the USB drive at startup without any prompting. The only thing is it requires full root and superuser access. Not a big deal, but a formality nonetheless. Mainly I'm just saying that's there's simple enough workarounds for the Ouya's external hard drive issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps, but so far the OUYA has been the only Android device I've not felt a need to root and I'd like to keep it that way. Maybe it's just an artificial distinction, but to my mind if I have to root to get basic functionality then the OUYA ceases to be a console (plug and play) and becomes a small computer. If I'm to treat the OUYA as a small computer then I may as well simply run Cyanogen Mod and not waste any money with the OUYA games, because I'll be too busy mapping the game pad to play the many titles available in the Play Store. It becomes a silly, pointless waste of time and money, because I have several desktops which I can use on my television and had in the past been running XBMC just fine on those desktops with my 5.1 surround sound card and speakers.
I bought the OUYA because it promised me XBMC + Games + Android in a simple to use console. Most of those interested in the OUYA as and XBMC box are also people who've already run XBMC on their televisions via an old desktop or htpc, and want a console which will make doing this easier and standardized to just work. We already hacked together something on the desktop; we're looking for the easy button.
Otherwise, we'd have just bought a Midnight box or a Pivos....
I'd say yes.
I've got XBMC running on a load of devices, Raspberry Pi, Pivos Xios DS, Odroid U2, Nexus 7, HTC One X, Intel i5 w/ATI 7770... The RPi and Pivos are sluggish, the Odroid very buggy, the Nexus, One X and Ouya (all tegra 3) are very usable and provide nearly as smooth an experience as the powerful PC.
There are a few bugs still being ironed out but none are show stoppers. The current libstagefright build works nicely enough and will only get better. We should have an interim 12.2 build hit the Ouya store soon which will be mostly bug free and feature complete.
For remote the controller is ok and will be better when they finish key mapping it. You can also connect the ps3 bluetooth media remote which makes for a better experience. Other options are IR remotes that present as keyboards or the FLIRC device.
The main thing to bare in mind is that the Ouya is a pretty new device with lots of development being done every day, something like 10 OS updates in the past 4 months - give the devs time and we'll have a very nice little Tegra 3 box; I'm looking forward to seeing where we'll be in 6 months time. Not to mention the work being done on XBMCs side. A lot of core devs are working on supporting the Ouya as they all have the device.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
NssOne said:
I have a 1TB Seagate with which I used to have the problem with it not being recognized by my Ouya. Since then I have tried different OTG mounting apps. The best I've found is an app called Paragon which mounts USB drives to '/mnt/usbdrive' by default and has full NTFS read/write capabilities. Also it's automated so it mounts the USB drive at startup without any prompting. The only thing is it requires full root and superuser access. Not a big deal, but a formality nonetheless. Mainly I'm just saying that's there's simple enough workarounds for the Ouya's external hard drive issues.
Also the XBMC Android build found here (http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=152005) works great on my Ouya. Navigating using the gamepad may be a little clunky but the capabilities of using the Ouya for full media playback is already there. Hell, I'm working on turning an Ouya into a full-fledged internet/digital PVR box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am also trying to replace cable TV with my Ouya and use it as a DVR. I would love some help, tips on getting it done.
* I have XBMC installed, but it doesnt see my network drives (shared drives on a Win7 PC), although all my other PCs can see them and use them?
* I planned on downloading the TV shows from 'sources' on the web, but wasn't sure how to setup auto gather new shows?
* I heard about Sick Beard and Coach Potato, but I never used them, I would love a guide or steps to help me set it up
* I wanted to get Amazon Video working too, since I pay for Prime, no official app, and I couldn't get a good Android one yet?
* Wouldn't mind having Hulu and Netflix too, I heard the google tv apks are best - any comments on that?
Anything you could help me with, would be very appreciated. I hate overpaying for Cable, and the service/quality sux
bornagainpenguin said:
I bought the OUYA because it promised me XBMC + Games + Android in a simple to use console. Most of those interested in the OUYA as and XBMC box are also people who've already run XBMC on their televisions via an old desktop or htpc, and want a console which will make doing this easier and standardized to just work. We already hacked together something on the desktop; we're looking for the easy button.
Otherwise, we'd have just bought a Midnight box or a Pivos....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't blame the lack of XBMC support on Ouya, it was up to the XBMC team to follow through on that. Ouya only announced it was going to come to the Ouya because that's what XBMC said on their own website. They're finally working on an Ouya fork for the next XBMC release, probably integrating libstagefright into it (because those work best on the Ouya).
And you could've gone for one of those other boxes. They're around the same price as an Ouya. I was a KS backer but I supported it hoping, yet not expecting, some ROM dev support for the console. I know there's CM10 but I'm going to wait for better unlocking of the system before I go full custom ROM. Unless the custom ROMs have better overscan compensation support already (a huge issue with Ouya on my TV).
Zehrfox said:
I am also trying to replace cable TV with my Ouya and use it as a DVR. I would love some help, tips on getting it done.
* I have XBMC installed, but it doesnt see my network drives (shared drives on a Win7 PC), although all my other PCs can see them and use them?
* I planned on downloading the TV shows from 'sources' on the web, but wasn't sure how to setup auto gather new shows?
* I heard about Sick Beard and Coach Potato, but I never used them, I would love a guide or steps to help me set it up
* I wanted to get Amazon Video working too, since I pay for Prime, no official app, and I couldn't get a good Android one yet?
* Wouldn't mind having Hulu and Netflix too, I heard the google tv apks are best - any comments on that?
Anything you could help me with, would be very appreciated. I hate overpaying for Cable, and the service/quality sux
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I don't use network shares on my XBMC Ouya setup right now. All video files are stored locally to the external hard drive I have connected to my Ouya.
2 & 3) I actually couldn't get the Sick Beard Android app to load on the Ouya. I ended up buying an app called PowerNZB which came with its own Sick Beard server. It's just not as automated right now as it would be on PC when used in conjunction with SabNZBd and I hope to see that change soon. I don't know if I can talk about what 'web sources' I use openly either, but you can figure it out. Also I'll just bluntly tell you to Google Sick Beard tutorials to get a better idea of how to use it.
4 & 5) No clue. I don't have any of these on my Ouya at all. Sorry if I'm not as much help as you'd like.
NssOne said:
You can't blame the lack of XBMC support on Ouya
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't.
As far as I'm concerned, XBMC has already produced a build for the OUYA which works quite well and which I expect to continue to get better and better. Instead I blame OUYA for being unable to (or unwilling?) to fix USB drive detection.
Sent from my Nook HD+ using Tapatalk HD
I appreciate the help
* at NssOne - Thanks, I do appreciate the help I wanted to use the network shares, that way I could have my win7 pc obtain all the shows and movies for me, using PC software, then place it on a shared network drive, where the Ouya could access them and play them. I figured that would be easier that having the Ouya run all that software and handle all those processes.
Which version of XBMC works best on Ouya, I saw several people post different versions, I know you need HW accel, but an exact file name or link would be appreciated.
Is Sick Beard better than Coach Potato? - I have never used either one? will they look for new shows and grab them for me?
Any one else trying to replace Cable TV with Ouya and XBMC? - Any advise, tips, software suggestions?
For XBMC Google the libstagefright version. And I don't know the difference between Sick Beard and Couch Potato. I've stuck with Sick Beard the whole time.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
just bought 50 inch 4k lcd tv, brand is tcl
it plays anything i tried so far (with exception of dts audio, but this is easy to convert with avidemux)
the thing is - smart tv functions is pure [email protected]
around 1 minute to start, 10 seconds to open youtube, and 30 seconds of buffering
what is most annoying is just 360-480p video with no settings to change that
so i need to buy some android box that will:
play all 1080p media smoothly
play 1080p youtube videos
run skype with external camera
allow me to run some games etc.
there is plenty of solutions but shield seems to combine decent specs, good design and reasonable price
can anyone confirm that it will work ok with external webcam (both video and microphone?)
PLEASE DELETE THIS POST... I believe the OP was complaining about the functionality in his TV.. Not the Shield
I have no issues whatsoever playing any 1080p videos from the net or from my home network.
I'm guessing you are running wireless and / or have a slow internet connection. Try putting a 1080p video on a usb stick or memory card and playing it from there.
I'm running wired gigabit and have a 100Mbs Internet speed and this box really shines, even with 1080p Game streaming through their service.
my only issues with the Shield TV are:
* It only comes with a North America-spec power adapter, with a proprietary device-side connector. I think you can change the power pins, but it only comes with an american one in the box (not really an issue if you live in north america)
* The controller is a bit rubbish
It's very fast, and it plays all the media I throw at it through Plex, although with some of the high bitrate stuff, it complains about low connection over wireless - it doesn't seem to connect via 802.11ac all the time.
The games are just your standard Android fare. Games & apps can be installed from the Play Store website if they don't show up on the built-in one. Be aware though; some of them say that they work on AndroidTV but don't actually do any such thing.
I love mine, I got it to replace an old acer revo which was running openelec.
The apps I use the most are Kodi (all in one media streaming app), Retroarch (an app which allows you to play various emulators), Youtube, Twitch, iPlayer, and Gamestream. I havent tried the subscription based game stream option that Nvidia offer as I have the majority of the games which they offer. I do use the option which allows me to stream games from my pc. This runs superbly at 1080p over homeplugs.
The device is very quiet and very fast. I also like having a headphone socket on the remote and joypad.
I would like to see some more UK based media apps on the store (4OD, 5 on demand, Sky), my Xbox One is better for this. Kodi does have addons to get around the lack of this.
The google play store does seem a bit limited for android tv at the moment.
I did have to root mine to enable me to write to the sdcard (for Retroarch).
I would highly recommend one if you want to use Kodi or Emulators.
DrSeahorse said:
I would highly recommend one if you want to use [...] Emulators.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this. In fact, I now remember this was my major reason for buying it. It emulates pretty much anything up to and including the Sega Dreamcast, but once again.. it has a pretty rubbish controller. However, it does support the XBox 360 pad if you have the wireless adapter for it, so that's an improvement, and I'm pretty sure it'll natively support any controller that Linux does - so all your USB adapters for your NES or PSX or whatever controller will work.
Gotta throw my opinion in since I've only had it for about 2 weeks now...
Its fast, and I must much better interface than what i was expecting. I bought it for primarily playing PC games from my computer and it does so without any problems at all. It even will pass through full surround sound from the games (which I was NOT expecting).
I also use KODI more than anything and it works great. I do have some sound sync issues here and there and it can be annoying to remedy. But, if you put the time in and use KODI's audio delay correctly you can fix it. (the Wiki will say to use the Shield's built in HDMI-Audio Sync feature, but it doesn't have an overlay for when you are setting the delay. So you basically have to base it entirely off the bouncing ball which doesn't help at all when you are trying to sync voices to the actors mouths. Plus, I found that 0ms works great for all audio syncing through shield (netflix, youtube, etc) and the KODI sync lets me sync JUST KODI.
I only paid $150 for mine since I got in on the controller bundle and they never sent me the controller so I got the $50 refunded. I still would recommend it at $200 though. Once the MM update comes out it will be much better for customizing the start screen.
DO IT is my short answer.
As a media player, about the only thing it lacks is Amazon Prime, though there is a workaround and rumors of official support later. I've been able to play high bitrate rips, Hi10p video, a 1440p VHS 10-bit rip, and everything else with no issues over 802.11ac. It's by far the best player I've seen for SlingTV, also.
Anything that doesn't work natively, you can just cast it to the Shield TV and you're in business (HBO Go, specifically, because Comcast is stupid).
Games work well enough as long as they have controller support. Most of the higher-end and big developer games do. There's Nvidia game stream you can test for 3 months, but I don't have any use for it, honestly. I think you can also stream games from a PC with an nVidia GPU, but I have AMD.
Basically they've built the best video player on the market, hands down. The next best thing is a full-blown HTPC, but the price and lack of a simplified UI (IMO) puts the Shield on top, again.
Ok so I'm just going to 'not' think like a mad scientist for once and await the marvels that I hope a should be unveiled by Someone..
So I got a replica-ish Cast Dongle for ten bucks..
Standard micro USB to hdmi
mira/dlna/airplay support
1 gb ram x2core
Labelled as Aircast.
Noted Rockchip-set.
1. What is the best way to get more info on the hw ki like specific model etc?
2. The ugly landing page at 192168491 does very little and I've so far failed to pair with Win 7 pc
(mirror / bonjour / chromecast) detected nothing.
3. Android WiFi Direct works
4. Bubble / Local Cast sometimes works
5. Android YouTube app doesn't see same with kodi
My question is
What potential does this m6 device have..?
What kind of modifications are popular and safe?
(eg id like to run Kodi direct off this device, is that a possibility?
I basically want to turn it into a set top box / smart TV + mirroring would be bonus)
What's the potential here And where would be a good place to start?)
Never worked with media microcomputer so I'm all ears.
Tia