Amlogic S912 Android 7.1.2 3Gb DDR 4 RAM 32Gb Emmc 5.0 storage HDMI 2.0a Dual band 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi Gigabit Ethernet Bluetooth 4.1 Micro SD card slot 2 x USB 2.0 5v/2a power Remote control Clock
24 comments
Krinkle
22 Aug 17#1
So, with Kodi and it's illegal add-ons on the wain, what's the best use for this kind of box?
plewis00 to Krinkle
22 Aug 17#2
Standard media player, on-demand streaming, Android apps/games, internet browsing on the sofa? I think people assume they're only good for Kodi because someone coined that annoying phrase 'Kodi box' years ago and it stuck.
danfr to plewis00
22 Aug 17#12
if that's what you want, then get a box with widevine DRM and hdcp. otherwise most apps.wont output good resolutions. mecool m8s pro plus (the s905x version, not s912) is the cheapest box for this.
reddit to danfr
22 Aug 17#14
Most custom firmwares come with some widevine support these days.
You can't say that most apps won't output good resolution without specifying how many is most and which they are.
ChrisUK
22 Aug 17#3
IPTV :smile:
david_wavid to ChrisUK
22 Aug 17#4
Can you summarize what IPTV is and the steps needed? :nerd:
darecy
22 Aug 17#5
can you stick a linux like ubuntu there?
Martyg1950 to darecy
22 Aug 17#6
I doubt it, if you really want Ubuntu on a box this small, you could do it cheaper and better using a Raspberry Pi 3 for about £35 ish.
BTW, the use of Kodi is NOT illegal, making other peoples copyright content available as a 'stream' IS illegal. The Premier League have won an injunction to block sites streaming their content into the UK. I'm told by friends that the blocks are easily defeated :smile:
This is a very well priced and specced Android TV box. Heat from me!
I have HP G260 and ubuntu, but since I sticked v.17 I lost my 4K streaming due to lack of drivers for my samsung TV. Is working flawless in 1080p...
xigent
22 Aug 17#8
There are so many of these so called Kodi boxes that it’s
difficult to work out which is the best. The Amlogic S912 seems to be accepted
by many as the best chip but there is more to any devise than just the chip. .If
an Ethernet cable is used that simplifies matters. If only 1080 is used that seems
to overcome another potential problem. That still leaves the question of which
box will work without overheating, stuttering, or crashing.
reddit to xigent
22 Aug 17#9
Firmware is often the key and AMLogic S905x and S912 are the best supported by far from the plethora of custom firmwares available for them.
Quite a lot also have the same boards inside, often separated by little more than different WiFi.BT modules used.
Many are also produced by the same factories and farmed out to mostly state owned badge merchants and distributors, set up to make it look as though there is a lot of competition.
xigent to reddit
22 Aug 17#10
Thanks for the reply, I didn’t know any of that. So if we accept that the s912 is the best
chip, the wi-fi performance is irrelevant once an Ethernet cable is employed
and many of the boxes contain the same board, how do we differentiate between
one box and another?
reddit to xigent
22 Aug 17#13
Usually, you open up the box and check the board details.
But I'm sure that one of the people over at Freaktab.com will get one for review and do a tear down so that pictures of the internals can be taken.
danfr to reddit
22 Aug 17#15
Every device has level 3. widevine level 1 requires hdcp. Netflix is the most common one that won't output above 480p without it.
reddit to danfr
22 Aug 17#16
Many custom firmwares now come with a higher level that give resolutions up to 1080p for Netflix, and support 4k Youtube.
danfr to reddit
22 Aug 17#17
you cannot get 1080p netflix without widevine level 1, and it cannot be added to the firmware. This box won't do 1080p netflix, ever.
reddit to danfr
22 Aug 17#18
Yes you can.
danfr to reddit
23 Aug 17#20
that box has widevine level 1 and hdcp... so it can play 1080p. the m8s pro plus is the only budget box with widevine level 1 and hdcp, that why it plays 1080p netflix through the ATV netflix app.
xigent to danfr
23 Aug 17#21
If that is the case it would seem to make the Mecool M8S Pro
the front runner. How does it perform in other respects though?
ibzman
22 Aug 17#11
Firmware support thats how
danfr
23 Aug 17#22
works just like any other good box. negatives, no Bluetooth, weak WiFi, no optical out. Bluetooth not a big deal unless you want gaming with Bluetooth remote. weak WiFi - I always use ethernet, if far away I use homeplugs, much more stable. Optical out, audio can be output through hdmi, and is what most people do.
positives - cheap, android 7, widevine, hdcp, good support on freaktab.com.
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
Use Coupon 8VORKEZ6 to bring the price down.
Amlogic S912
Android 7.1.2
3Gb DDR 4 RAM
32Gb Emmc 5.0 storage
HDMI 2.0a
Dual band 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi
Gigabit Ethernet
Bluetooth 4.1
Micro SD card slot
2 x USB 2.0
5v/2a power
Remote control
Clock
24 comments
You can't say that most apps won't output good resolution without specifying how many is most and which they are.
BTW, the use of Kodi is NOT illegal, making other peoples copyright content available as a 'stream' IS illegal. The Premier League have won an injunction to block sites streaming their content into the UK. I'm told by friends that the blocks are easily defeated :smile:
This is a very well priced and specced Android TV box. Heat from me!
Is working flawless in 1080p...
Quite a lot also have the same boards inside, often separated by little more than different WiFi.BT modules used.
Many are also produced by the same factories and farmed out to mostly state owned badge merchants and distributors, set up to make it look as though there is a lot of competition.
But I'm sure that one of the people over at Freaktab.com will get one for review and do a tear down so that pictures of the internals can be taken.
positives - cheap, android 7, widevine, hdcp, good support on freaktab.com.