Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 21 Comments on Tronsmart Draco H3 is a Low Cost HDMI TV Stick based on Allwinner H3 SoC

Tronsmart Draco H3 is a Low Cost HDMI TV Stick based on Allwinner H3 SoC

Allwinner H3 was unveiled as a quad core processor for 4K media players that would sell for less than $50, but so far devices like TVPP0030 are selling for an unattractive $80, but this may be about to change thanks to devices like Tronsmart Draco H3 HDMI TV stick that are expected to sell between $30 to $40 retail, possibly excluding shipping, and it would then compete against Amlogic S805 platforms such as MK808B Plus that only support 1080p video decoding and output.

Tronsmart_Draco_H3Preliminary specifications for Tronsmart Draco H3:

  • SoC – Allwinner H3 quad core ARM Cortex A7 @ 1.5GHz with quad core Mali-400MP2 @ 600 MHz
  • System Memory – 1 GB DDR3
  • Storage – 8 GB eMMC flash + micro SD slot
  • Connectivity – 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi with external antenna, and Bluetooth 4.0 (AP6212 module)
  • Video & Audio Output – HDMI 1.4 male connector up to 4K2K @ 30Hz, with HDMI CEC support
  • Video Codec – H.265/HEVC up to 4K30, 1080p60 decoding for H.264, VP8, MPEG-1/2,  MPEG-4, H.263. WMV9, VC1, etc…
  • USB – 1x USB 2.0 port (full size), 1x micro USB OTG port, 1x micro USB port for power
  • Misc – Function key (recovery?)
  • Power Supply – 5V with micro USB port
  • Dimensions – N/A
  • Weight – N/A

Allwinner_H3_HDMI_TV_Stick
The TV dongle should run Android 4.4, and I’ve been told Allwinner assigned extra resources to properly support Kodi on their Allwinner H3 processor.

Tronsmart Draco H3 should start shipping in the middle of May.

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21 Replies to “Tronsmart Draco H3 is a Low Cost HDMI TV Stick based on Allwinner H3 SoC”

  3. We will push them to release the h3 sdk asap.

    also just add something, the draco h3 will use the emmc, not nano flash. also built in OTA.

    the fn button is used for firmware update if you need it.

    Reply

  7. All allwinner soc have bad hw acceleration and decoding support. I will be not buying another sh*t based on Allwinner

    Reply

  8. @kusta
    Allwinner uses a decoding engine called Cedarx with pretty high technology, among all of chinese chipset manufacturers. Therefore, it has changed the API standard of original Android. Because Allwinner thinks it’s not efficient for the Android native architecture. It brought to stronger local player. However, it couldn’t dock prefectly with the interface of hardware decoding. Besides, it has a worse effect in the aspect of support third party players, such as: MX Player, Archos, Kodi. It’s with little third players in the mainland of China. But, there is a good news, Allwinner attaches great importances to overseas markets currently, and put plenty of developed energy to solve this issue. We believe that you will see a quite different Allwinner in the near future. What’s more, ZIDOO is one of the honored members to do it.

    Reply

  9. @mirror

    last move of allwinner is not promising, as if you read news here they also do some nasty things such as packing some opensource things and representing them as their.

    I am sure they will never deliver support for current soc’s maybe inly for new one as that is their strategy.

    Reply

  10. I couldn’t agree more with “mirror”, CedarX, when it works, it is very good.
    The only problem is the “when”…

    Despite I don’t like the support Allwinner has give in the past I also believe they are now on the right path.
    (well, it’s either that or be out of business ;-))

    Reply

  12. New SOC from All-loser ? How do they cheat on Antutu this time ? Is it still the ro.sys.hiritsu stuff in the build.prop like with the Allwinner A80 ?

    Screw them for trying to screw us.

    Reply

  16. @mirror – you work for Zidoo, right?

    I understand when you’ve worked hard on creating some code that your competitors would love to get a hold of, you might feel uneasy about releasing it under GPL… but if you want to keep your source closed – then don’t use a GPL code base to begin with!

    If you want to keep your code proprietary, write your own “Kodi” if that’s the path you want to take.

    Don’t discount the many years of hard work the XBMC/Kodi team have saved you by using their code on your devices – for free… well, the price is the GPL, but if you’re not willing to pay that price (releasing your GPL code), then you’re stealing. Zidoo’s advantage over it’s competitors doesn’t need to be custom code – Zidoo could be the company most people go to if they were known for having the best supported devices with the fastest updates…

    Of course, in my experience, none of these companies really care about any real support… preferring to rattle off a long list of features which in truth only half (if that) actually live up to their marketing hype… they say don’t worry, we’ll release updates, but after maybe one or two half-baked fixes, they just announce a new device (with it’s own new set of bugs) and stop support for the old.

    I’m sure that if Zidoo DID create some awesome code to get the “All-closed-winner” chips to work great with Kodi and they gave great support to their users – they’d be selling a HEAP more of their devices and would get many customers for life – even if they released the GPL code… in fact I know they’d get some die-hard fans for doing that.

    Sure, a few people would go to a competitor, based on a cheaper price or something, but you’d be surprised how many would prefer to go with a company that has proven themselves as different to the usual fakers out there.

    I’d love for Zidoo to be a company we can trust and be happy to support, but based on the track record of all these companies I’ve dealt with in the past… I won’t be buying anything from any of them anymore… at least not until they’ve actually proven themselves by putting out a device that truly does what they say (without conditions or never-to-be-fixed bugs)… I’ve heard enough promises – just do it and let us know once you have – once it’s actually working and you’re prepared to support it properly.

    And this “competitive advantage” of closed source is one of the reasons why it should really have been “All-loser” that made the fixes to get proper Kodi support etc for their chips. That would avoid a 3rd-party needing to do it and then wanting to directly get back some R&D costs by violating the GPL (which is another reason I tend to avoid supporting them and their silicon now 😉 )

    Reply

  17. So who do we buy Soc’s from if allwinner tries to scam its userbase while not adhering to the GPL?

    AMlogic, Rockchip?

    Reply

  18. @Joe Mont
    All of the SOC vendors are violating the GPL in some form or another. Allwinner just has someone following it who is complaining loudly. In all fairness Allwinner’s GPL compliance is above average for a SOC vendor.

    Reply

  19. I am reading from Tronsmart’s website: “Tronsmart Draco H3, THE WORLD’S FIRST 4K DONGLE”

    LOL!!! I own a 4K dongle from maybe 1 year ago! Is this a joke?

    One reviewed here last August 2014:
    http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/08/18/122-mk903v-may-be-the-first-android-hdmi-tv-dongle-powered-by-rockchip-rk3288-soc/

    One here from last November 2014:
    http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/11/26/zero-devices-z5c-thinko-review/

    Another one from November 2014:
    http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/11/25/rk3288-tv-stick-ethernet-unboxing/

    Really, I am tired reading some chinese companies constantly lying…

    Please! Launch your products when they are stable!

    Reply

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Boardcon Rockchip and Allwinner SoM and SBC products
Boardcon Rockchip and Allwinner SoM and SBC products