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.
I had lost my N7 2013 about 5 years back when I moved to a new place. I randomly found it yesterday, and of course I jumped on here and flashed it with the latest LineageOS (18.1). These forums are awesome and covered all issues etc and process was smooth. So the tablet is alive again .
The tablet is 16 GB, so not a whole lot of place by todays standard. So its not going to be my primary driver for my daily activities as I have another tablet for this, so I was wondering how people are using the N7 today? So thought it would be nice to check on here to see if there are any alternative interesting usecases !
rvgsd said:
I had lost my N7 2013 about 5 years back when I moved to a new place. I randomly found it yesterday, and of course I jumped on here and flashed it with the latest LineageOS (18.1). These forums are awesome and covered all issues etc and process was smooth. So the tablet is alive again .
The tablet is 16 GB, so not a whole lot of place by todays standard. So its not going to be my primary driver for my daily activities as I have another tablet for this, so I was wondering how people are using the N7 today? So thought it would be nice to check on here to see if there are any alternative interesting usecases !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have nexus 7 LTE 32GB with the common hardware problem of digitizer randomly not working and screen rotation issues. I'm trying to reset it because it became too laggy... Once it was the faster device I had so lets see if my attemp to restore it will succeed....
rvgsd said:
I had lost my N7 2013 about 5 years back when I moved to a new place. I randomly found it yesterday, and of course I jumped on here and flashed it with the latest LineageOS (18.1). These forums are awesome and covered all issues etc and process was smooth. So the tablet is alive again .
The tablet is 16 GB, so not a whole lot of place by todays standard. So its not going to be my primary driver for my daily activities as I have another tablet for this, so I was wondering how people are using the N7 today? So thought it would be nice to check on here to see if there are any alternative interesting usecases !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an old CD only stereo which had RCA input too, right now I am using it as a player with a 3.5mm to RCA adapter, it is working very well
It could be useful for running simple automated scripts if you are confortable with termux. It also has 5 Ghz wifi connection, so I guess it is not even that bad for downloading stuff.
I bought one used to use as a motorcycle GPS and Bluetooth music player. I adapted it to a phone holder that also serves as a wireless charger.
Pros: Bright, large screen, connects to BT helmet right away. My bike had an expensive OEM GPS optional unit that was only 5".
Cons- GPS totally unreliable. Difficulty acquiring and holding signal where other devices pick up right away. Apparently this was a common problem with them.
I'm going to try two things-
1. Lenonvo M7 Gen 3 7" tablet (no wireless charging), or
2. NC-105 external GPS receiver, connects via USB port.
The Nexus would be perfect for my needs if the GPS were reliable. The wireless charging has worked well on it while in the holder I modified. If I can get the USB GPS receiver to work with the Nexus, I'll likely return the Lenovo, although my mount has a USB charging option also.
For a few years it is now a "video tablet", on it there is Netflix, Disney+, Plex, Vimeo, MX Player, the local TVIP apps and others providers, etc and it is used to watch videos on it directly or broadcast to the TV on the wall (dumb TV with a chromecast).
Sometimes I fight with it because touchscreen or rotation is not working, as it does for almost 10 years now, I can now pry open it easily and reset cable in less than 1 minute
Magister54 said:
For a few years it is now a "video tablet", on it there is Netflix, Disney+, Plex, Vimeo, MX Player, the local TVIP apps and others providers, etc and it is used to watch videos on it directly or broadcast to the TV on the wall (dumb TV with a chromecast).
Sometimes I fight with it because touchscreen or rotation is not working, as it does for almost 10 years now, I can now pry open it easily and reset cable in less than 1 minute
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just curious, do you have Netflix playing in HD using Lineage OS? If so, how'd you do it? I resorted to installing version 6.26.1 of Netflix to get what looks like 720p.
RJFlames said:
Just curious, do you have Netflix playing in HD using Lineage OS? If so, how'd you do it? I resorted to installing version 6.26.1 of Netflix to get what looks like 720p.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, Widevine L3 so it plays in SD