Last week I publish the first complete review of an Amlogic S905X device with MINI M8S II TV box review, and while the device work in a smooth and stable manner, some features did not work as expect such as HDMI audio pass-through. I’ve now had the change to compare it to another S905X with NEXBOX A95X, not to confuse with its “homonym”: NEXBOX A95X with Amlogic S905 processor. I’ve already taken pictures of the device and accessories, and checked out the hardware in the first part of the review, so today, I’ll report my finding playing with Android 6.0 firmware, Kodi video and audio capabilities, and check whether bugs and issues found on MINI M8S II are also present in the device.
First Boot, Settings and First Impressions
NEXBOX A95X is really a tiny device, so it’s no surprise that it only comes with two USB 2.0 ports, and I used one with my 1TB hard drive, and connected a USB hub to the other with 2 RF dongles for my air mouse and gamepad, as well as a USB keyboard to take screenshots.
The typical 30 second boot is a little faster than on MINI M8S II, possibly thanks to faster eMMC flash, or more optimized firmware. I was also happy to see a different launcher for once.
The top row of the user interface shows the current time, network connectivity status, and weather for your selected city. The Home screen has 8 pre-definied (and non customizable) icons for Kodi, YouTube, File Manager, Browser, Google Play, Kodi Center (add-ons installer), Netflix, and a shortcut to All Apps.
The “Recommend”, “Online” and “Local” tab are folder where you can add or remove your favorite apps. The Online tab comes with HGTV Watch, HuffPost, Hulu, Pandora, and Plex by default.
SystemInfo will show a summary of the device specifications and firmware, Other will only allow you to disable/enable “touch sounds”, Weather is used to set your city, and Settings points to the usual Amlogic settings.
Again it’s very similar to other box, but like on MINI M8s II, it adds the HDR (High Dynamic Range) option, and storage also shows external storage like the 4 partitions of my USB drive. HDMI-CEC is also missing, which is a problem as I can’t disable it, and the box will prevent me from turning off my Onkyo A/V receiver.
The one extra options I found on NEXBOX A95X is “Power key definition” to select either “suspend and resume” or “shutdown” when pressing the power key on the remote control.
I personally recommend using “Suspend and resume”, as you can also power off the device with a long press on the Power button.
If you are using a USB drive, the following window should show up a few seconds after the boot is complete. That’s a little annoying since it will happen for every boot, but there’s an extra option compare to M8S II, as you can setup the hard drive as internal storage.
That’s great, unless you already have data on your hard drive, as it requires it to be formatted. So I skipped that step. But if you are going to use that hard drive permanently with the box, then that’s a good option, as you’ll have very large storage for app and data, and I assume you won’t be shown the “USB drive connected” after each boot.
So instead I setup a class 10 micro SD card as internal storage, and formatted it as shown above. Android complained that “This USB drive appears to be slow” however, but I could carry on, and was asked whether I wanted to “Move data to SanDisk SD card”, which I accepted by clicking on “Move now”. Once this is done you’ll strangely see the device storage with a total of 32GB, instead of 16+8 = 24GB, but at least that mean available storage has been increased thanks to the added micro SD card. I understand this is a new feature of Android 6.0.
The flash on NEXBOX A95X (S905X) has a 16GB capacity, at least on my model, and is partitioned as a single unified partition for app and data with around 1.41GB used after the first boot (with micro SD card used as internal storage yet).
Another identical behavior between MINI M8S II and NEXBOX A95X was that HDMI output was set to 4K SMPTE (4096×2160 @ 24 Hz) by default. I set it manually to 4K 60 Hz (3840×2160) manually, but I noticed it would sometimes fall back to 1080p60 after a reboot. It’s quite easy to notice since the mouse pointer is much smaller (maybe too small) when 4K output is selected. Those common issues are likely due to Amlogic SDK, so I’d expect most Amlogic S905X TV boxes to suffer from those.
I clicked on “More settings” to enter Android 6.0 settings and access other options like Accounts, Language & input, Printing, and so on… The “About MediaBox” section reports NEXBOX-A95X running Android 6.0.1 on top of Linux 3.14.29. The firmware used for review is NEXBOX-A95X-AP6330-6.0.1 dated July 15th, 2016. The firmware is rooted. OTA firmware update is not supported.
The included remote control has a decent range as it worked up to 8 meters (but not 10m), and the IR learning function works well as I was able to register and use the power, input selection, volume, and mute keys of my TV remote control. However, as usual MINIX NEO A2 Lite was my favorite input device since beside acting as a remote, I also use it as a mouse and keyboard, and is much more convenient to use in various parts of Android and apps.
Google Play worked fairly well, except it would not install Mi Fit or Vidonn Smartband apps, possibly because of Bluetooth LE requirements. All other application needed for review could be installed from the store. I also downloaded Amazon Underground with the web browser to install the free version of Riptide GP2.
Power implementation is bit better than on MINI M8S too, mostly thanks to added option to go to standby mode. That means I could go into and out of power on/off, and standby using the remote control. Power consumption was measure with a power meter in 6 different configurations:
- Power off – 0.4 watt
- Standby – 0.4 watts
- Idle – 2.4 watts
- Power off + USB HDD – 1.1 watt
- Standby + USB HDD – 0.4 watt
- Idle + USB HDD – 4.1 to 5.2 watts
It looks rather good. The only oddity is that Power off with USB hard drive consumes more than in standby, and there does not appear to be advantages (in terms of power consumption) of going into power off mode, instead of standby. Standby will also save you some time, as you don’t need to wait for 30 seconds to boot. Power off might be a little safer for your data, depending on how the firmware has been implemented.
When I opened NEXBOX A95X the thermal design seemed OK, except the processor and heatsink were pointing down, instead of up, so in theory the heat could be end up being trapped inside the device. During use, the case gets a little hotter than MINI M8S, but not that much as the maximum temperature on the top and bottom of the case after Antutu 6 was respectively 45°C and 52°C max, and after 15 to 20 minutes playing Riptide GP2, the tempeatures went up to 50°C and 56°C. However, performance (e.g. frame rate) was constant during game play.
My first impressions with NEBOX A95X were pretty good, with the device running a stable and responsive firmware, and the main downsides were small annoyances like the USB drive connected windows after each boot, and the device preventing me from turning off my A/V receiver. The lack of OTA firmware support with the Update & Backup app reporting “Check Failed! Check Your OTA Servier Agent” (sic.) was also a disappointment, but a common problem with cheaper devices.
Audio & Video Playback in Kodi 16.1, and DRM Support
I can also see piracy add-ons pre-installed together with Kodi 16.x with more an more devices, and NEXBOX A95X is no exception.
The box is using Kodi 16.1 like in M8S II, but the build date is different, so there may have been some modifications.
I’ll get straightaway with 4K video testing from a SAMBA share over 100M Ethernet, unless otherwise stated (HDD = USB hard drive):
- HD.Club-4K-Chimei-inn-60mbps.mp4 – OK
- sintel-2010-4k.mkv – HDMI_4K_SMPTE (24 Hz): OK; HDMI_4K_60Hz: OK
- Beauty_3840x2160_120fps_420_8bit_HEVC_MP4.mp4 (H.265) – OK
- Bosphorus_3840x2160_120fps_420_8bit_HEVC_MP4.mp4 (H.265) – OK
- Jockey_3840x2160_120fps_420_8bit_HEVC_TS.ts (H.265) – OK
- MHD_2013_2160p_ShowReel_R_9000f_24fps_RMN_QP23_10b.mkv (10-bit HEVC) – HDMI_4K_SMPTE (24 Hz): OK; HDMI_4K_60Hz: OK
- phfx_4KHD_VP9TestFootage.webm (VP9) – OK
- BT.2020.20140602.ts (Rec.2020 compliant video; 36 Mbps) – OK
- big_buck_bunny_4k_H264_30fps.mp4 – OK
- Fifa_WorldCup2014_Uruguay-Colombia_4K-x265.mp4 (4K, H.265, 60 fps) – OK
- Samsung_UHD_Dubai_10-bit_HEVC_51.4Mbps.ts (10-bit HEVC / MPEG-4 AAC) – Network: Audio cuts during playback, then silence; HDD: OK
- Astra-11479_V_22000-Canal+ UHD Demo 42.6 Mbps bitrate.ts (10-bit H.265 from DVB-S2 stream) – OK
-
Ducks Take Off [2160p a 243 Mbps].mkv (4K H.264 @ 30 fps; 243 Mbps; no audio) – HDD: System hangs after a few frames
- tara-no9-vp9.webm (4K VP9 YouTube video) – OK
- The.Curvature.of.Earth.4K.60FPS-YT-UceRgEyfSsc.VP9.3840×2160.OPUS.160K.webm (4K VP9 @ 60 fps + opus audio) – OK most of the time, except for ~5 seconds period @ 2:08 with severe artifacts.
NEXBOX A95X does not suffer from poor video playback when 24 fps videos are played using 4K SMPTE (24Hz) video output, any improvement over MINI M8S II, but streaming over Ethernet may not be as good, as one 51.4 Mbps video suffered from audio cuts due to buffering. The system also completely hanged with a very high bitrate (243 Mbps) video played from the USB hard drive. The artifacts in one VP9 videos occurred at the exact same time on both devices.
I enabled automatic frame rate switching in Android and Kodi, but sadly this does not work.
Audio testing looked much more promising when I went into Kodi Audio output settings with not only AC3 and DTS options, but also TrueHD and DTS-HD options present in the settings.
The results however were disappointing, so I also used HDMI audio pass-through using MX Player / MoviePlayer app too through my Onkyo AV receiver that can handle TrueHD, DTS-HD and Dolby Atmos.
| Audio Codec in Video | PCM 2.0 Output (Kodi 16.1) |
PCM 2.0 Output (MoviePlayer or MX Player) |
HDMI Pass-through (Kodi 16.1) |
HDMI Pass-through (MoviePlayer or MX Player) |
| AC3 / Dolby Digital 5.1 | Audio OK but video not smooth | No audio | Audio OK (DD 5.1) but video not smooth | OK (DD 5.1) |
| E-AC-3 / Dolby Digital+ 5.1 | OK | No audio | DD 5.1, but two short audio cuts | OK |
| Dolby Digital+ 7.1 | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, and no audio | Video Plays in fast forward mode, system has no time to setup audio output |
| TrueHD 5.1 | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, and no audio | TrueHD 5.1 |
| TrueHD 7.1 | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, and no audio | TrueHD 7.1 |
| Dolby Atmos 7.1 | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, and lots of “audio farting”. | Continuous beep |
| DTS HD Master | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, no audio, and video not smooth | DTS 5.1 |
| DTS HD High Resolution | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, no audio | DTS 5.1 |
| DTS:X | OK | No audio | “PCM 2.0/Unknown” switching, no audio | DTS 5.1 |
Not really the results we want to see, even for new devices…
I also played a 2-hour H.264 1080p videos over Ethernet to test stability, and I had no problem there.
NEXBOX A95X supports Widewine DRM Level 3 only. This has to be expected however.
Download links to video samples used in this review can be found in the comments section of this Video/Audio sample post.
Network Performance
I’ve tested both 802.11n and Fast Ethernet by transferring a 278MB file between SAMBA and the internal flash a few times, and averaged the results. WiFi supports both 2.4 and 5.0 GHz (no 802.11ac), the connection is stable, but the performance is rather poor with average transfer rate of around 1.6 MB/s.
The same test with Ethernet shows a more standard performance of 6.7 MB/s for a Fast Ethernet interface.
Miscellaneous Tests
Bluetooth
Bluetooth worked reasonably well, and I could transfer a few pictures after pairing NEXBOX-A95X to my Android smartphone, and get Xiaomi Mi Band 2 data after side-loading Mi Fit app. So that means Bluetooth LE is working. I could not use my Bluetooth headset, as the system kept on asking for a pin code during pairing, something my phone, and most other Android devices have never asked for that headphone.
Storage
If you’ve been following my reviews of Amlogic TV boxes, you may know my expectation of getting write support on my USB hard drive are pretty low, ever since Amlogic moved to Android 5.1 SDK and the “10MB bug”. But when I realized NEXBOX A95X would actually allow me to copy files and run benchmarks on some of the partitions of my USB hard drive I felt like the second was coming, and could barely control my emotion with tears coming out of my eyes after around 10 months of hardship :).
| File System | Read | Write |
| NTFS | OK | OK |
| EXT-4 | Not mounted | Not mounted |
| exFAT | OK | OK |
| BTRFS | Not mounted | Not mounted |
| FAT32 | OK | OK |
Contrary to MINI M8S II, the hard drive partitions are apparently detected as SD cards in NEXBOX A95X, so they were also listed as in A1 Bench, and I could run the benchmark on both NTFS and exFAT partitions of the driver with a very good 37 MB/s sequential read speed for both, and less impressive 6.78 MB/s & 17.66 Mb/s write speed respectively.
exFAT used to have very poor performance across devices, so maybe Android 6.0 improve exFAT support a lot.
The 16GB eMMC flash performance is OK with 45.8 MB/s read speed, and 15.24 MBs write speed.
Gaming
I’ve focused on Riptide GP2 only, playing it with Mars G01 wireless gamepad. The game was perfectly playable using default settings, but not quite as smooth as I like when settings the graphics settings to “max resolution”. I kept playing the game for 15 to 20 minutes, and performance was OK, and constant over time. Amlogic S905X is not the ideal processor for gaming, but it’s good enough for casual gaming.
NEXBOX A95X (Amlogic S905X) Benchmarks
Before running running benchmark, let’s have a look at the info reported by CPU-Z.
Amlogic S905X processor is again confirmed as a quad core Cortex A53 processor running between 100 MHz and 2.02 GHz, and with an ARM Mali-450MP GPU. Internal storage partition capacity is 11.87GB, total RAM 1775 MB, and the frame buffer resolution is set to 1920×1080.
Despite having the exact same CPU frequencies, we’ve already seen in our Amlogic S905 vs S905x benchmarks comparison that Amlogic S905X did not performance quite as well. But with NEXBOX A95X the results are even lower possibly due to its non-optimal thermal design as previously discussed.
The device achieved 28,519 points in Antutu 6.x, against 33,553 for MINI M8S II.
The picture is the same with Vellamo with Multicore, Metal and Browser being respectively 1,184, 824, and 1,641 against 1,491, 910, and
1,885 points for MINI M8S II.
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme score @ 3,703 points is also lower despite the CPU running at 2.0 GHz for most of the benchmark during. MINI M8S II achieved 4,183 points in that same test. So the system is slower, but it’s hard to pinpoint what happened.
Conclusion
NEXBOX A95X (S905X) firmware was stable and felt fast, although benchmarkls indicate a lower performance compared to competitors. Video playback in Kodi 16.1 for 10-bit and 8-bit H.265, H.264, and VP9 videos up to 4K @ 60 fps was also good, and I like some details like the ability to set the power button behavior, and setup external storage (micro SD or USB) as internal storage.
PROS:
- Stable and responsive Android 6.0 firmware
- Kodi 16.1 supports 4K 10-bit H.264, H.264 and VP9 videos fairly well
- HDR (High dynamic range support) for the latest televisions (not tested as LG 42UB820T UHD TV does not support it)
- Proper power handling (standby/power off) and low power consumption in all modes.
- Internal storage expansion via external storage devices (micro SD, USB flash drive, USB hard drive).
- Above average internal storage performance leading to fast boot, and low app loading times
- exFAT, NTFS, and FAT32 file system support for external storage with read and write support (except in ES File Explorer)
- IR remote control with IR learning function and good range (up to 8 meters)
- Bluetooth working for file transfer and sync to fitness trackers (BLE)
CONS:
- Video & Audio playback issues: HDMI audio pass-through not working well, automatic frame rate switching not working, Lack of Dolby & DTS licensed for downmixing to PCM 2.0 (stereo audio) in apps other than Kodi
- Video output settings not always remembered. e.g. set to 4K @ 60 Hz, but fall back to 1080p60 at next reboot
- Stable but poor WiFi performance
- Lower performance compared to MINI M8S II, at least in in benchmarks
- Lack of OTA firmware update support
- Pairing issue with Bluetooth headset
- DRM: Only supports Widevine Level 3
- TV box will force my AV receiver to turn on, even as I manually turn it off (likely HDMI CEC issue)
- Lack of notification and status bar, leading to some inconvenience after download or Bluetooth transfers for example.
I’d like to thank NEXBOX for sending the device for review, and resellers and distributions can contact the company via their website to purchase the box in quantities. The version of NEXBOX A95X featured in this review (Amlogic S905X, 2GB RAM, 16GB flash) is sold for $42.99 on GearBest and $51.99 on Banggood. Both sites also sell cheaper version with 2GB/8GB ($38.2) and 1GB/8GB ($33), and GeekBuying too. However, if you don’t think you need Android 6.0 features, VP9 and/or HDR, NEXBOX A95X model with Amlogic S905 processor might be a better option, and sells for around $25 with 1GB RAM.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Bluetooth PIN: 0000
You’re welcome!
@GanjaBear
Massive fail! 🙂
Neither 0000 nor 1234 worked.
In that case, call 9999 🙂 If it’s none of the standard ones, the device’s manual probably has it.
What’s the situation re S905 Linux images compatibility? (using a dtb.img from the new device)
Still waiting for the TX5 Pro review!
Looks good!
Geekbuying is having a NEXBOX flash sale…I’ll give it a try…
@Tadej
I’ve been told the firmware is not very good with Google Play not working that well, and the language falling back to Chinese after each reboot.
What about X96? I wonder which group is manufacturing those.
Hi guys,
I’m having problems with the latest A95X 2GB / 16 GB TV Box related to Root acknowledge.
No any applications, will recognize the device as being rooted, (except Root checker applications).
So, can’t run applications like Titanium Backup, Luky Patcher, Adway, Busybox, etc, etc…
Any help on how to re-root this device with a good root patch like “SUPERSU” ?
Could achieve the device recovery area, but here again it refuses to install any root installation…
The recovery area also can’t backup or restore any system images, so would like to ask on how to install TWRP recovery
on this A95X, (A905X), device.
Waiting for your trusty advice on how to successful root this device with an working one.
After reboot changes language to Chinese or Japanese!y?
@Carlos Same situation with the 2GB/8GB version as well. Installed terminal and appears ADB not even installed, will not know until I pickup a USB female to female and try as ADB wifi doesn’t work.
What I don’t understand is the have been on market for a couple of months and know one has hacked these things yet. It’s not a bad device, but would like full access to backup firmware just in case of the “What IF” factor.
Hello, nice review but don’t understand this:
Video & Audio playback issues: HDMI audio pass-through not working well, automatic frame rate switching not working, Lack of Dolby & DTS licensed for downmixing to PCM 2.0 (stereo audio) in apps other than Kodi
In your table it says that Kodi has problems with the HDMI pass-through, but that’s not what you say here. Is Kodi the problem or all other apps?
Am setting-up ethernet via MoCa coax cable to access points with Actiontec ECB 6200 adapters. Will this improve my wi-fi performance or am I stuck with your tests results? Just bought 2 Nexbox A95X 2Gb,16Gb models. Will mostly use to cut cable & install Kodi aps for our TV watching. Not into games so what TV box would you recommend without breaking the bank?
@bart
I can’t see discrepancies between the two statements. HDMI audio pass-through is not working well.
@Big Al
WiFi performance will depend on your setup too.
I can’t really recommend Amlogic S905X TV boxes, as Amlogic S905 models will work better, at a cheaper price.
@cnxsoft
in apps other than Kodi means that there are problems in all other apps rather than Kodi? But the table says that Kodi has problems. Next question, what about the SPDIF output, did you test it?
Hi,
I’m confused… Is it the same box than the nexbox A5 s905x (tested in june here http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/06/07/unboxing-and-teardown-of-nexbox-a5-tv-box-powered-by-amlogic-s905x-processor/ ) ??
Else what are the diferences?
Thanks,
fifi
@fifi
Same company different hardware -> http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/07/22/nexbox-a95x-s905x-android-tv-box-review-part-1-unboxing-and-teardown/
A95X is much small than A5. I have not tested A5 actually, because the firmware was not ready at the time, and got A95X in the meantime.
@fifi
It seems:
– different wifi chip
– spdif is optical in A5
– missing recovery microswitch in A95X
A95x not missing. Av port, use toothpick or small jewelers screwdriver.
About recovery micro switch, can you be more specific ?
It is located at the end of the AV hole or is located around the hole ?
A small draw would help !
@Avatar97
I can’t see any recovery button in NEXBOX A95X, when I check the teardown photos @ http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/07/22/nexbox-a95x-s905x-android-tv-box-review-part-1-unboxing-and-teardown/.
I am looking also for TWRP recovery for A95X, (s905x 2GB/16GB),
as also some Root Flash that really works with this TV box. (the Root in stock ROM doesn’t work at all !).
Any news about any ROM update from INEXBOX ? (Nexbox Manufacturer)
Any help will be welcome !
@cnxsoft
Neither me…
Just asked this because John said in his comment: “A95x not missing. Av port, use toothpick or small jewelers screwdriver.”
The microswitch is not visible. It is hidden inside av port. To press, you will need something small enough to go into port. If trying to get to recovery, install TWRP,good luck. You will need modded recovery to do that, TWRP does not have one for that device. Good luck getting firmware from manufacturer as I been down the same path that you are trying and mine is/was bricked.
i can’t see any switch, are you mistaking with A95X with s905 (non x)? There is a vertical mounted microswitch behind avport, but not anymore in the s905x one.
http://i63.tinypic.com/3160uoj.jpg
old A95x
http://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/NEXBOX-A95X-S905_Board.jpg
Here is the link on finding the switch, look at opt #1 “old school method”.
http://androidpcreview.com/how-to-use-the-amlogic-usb-burning-tool-to-manually-update-firmware/3749/. Another method of getting to recovery if your system is up, install either app quick reboot or power menu.
I can’t find any where that shows maximum capacity or fastest supported class of microSD cards! There doesn’t seem to be a website for customer support to send e-mails for these type of questions! If you could supply answers to these questions I would appreciate a response.
1) Manufacture website or phone # for customer support.
2) Largest size & class of microSD supported.
It appears that the manufacture sent you the unit to test so I thought that you would know how to get ahold of them? I have seen others needing same info!
@John
John,
Are you referring to the A95X, (s905x) TV Box ?
Or are you referring to the A95X (s905) TV box ?
The problem is that the damn manufacturer resolved to call the same commercial name to both boxes, causing in customers “a possible and intentional” confusion…
Who knows how much more boxes they, (manufacturer), will sell to customers that bricked their TV boxes after flashing a wrong model ROM or Recovery flash…
Really, why would I post information here if have a different box tham the reviewer. So for last time, yes I have the Nexbox A95x s905x 2Gb/8Gb version. If you are unsure and you have the version as described, power down box and and put tootpick in av port and push gently. You will feel like button push on end of tootpick. I got steps courtesy of freaktab forum under amlogic tv s905x
Remove me fucking hell
Does the TV you connect to have to be HDCP compatible to work? I have just purchased a Soniq 4K tv which doesnt seem to be when you plug a HDCp2.2 device into it. I just get a blank screen when I plug other 4k Devices into it such as the Samsung 4K UHD Bluray player.
@Fra
You can find the string “manage the subscriptions of this post” under the comment box in order to unsubscribe from the comments.
@3dtvlover
Most Chinese TV boxes don’t have an HDCP 2.2 license, so I don’t expect any issues if you don’t have an HDCP compatible TV.
@Big Al
The link to the manufacturer is already in the review.
I never saw a “Link” but did see where a post member mentioned a Company name. How about my question as to supported size & class of microSD card? @cnxsoft
@John
I feel the heatsink 🙂
http://oi68.tinypic.com/dzhz6f.jpg
@John
John,
Tried to find the “recovery switch” inside the AV hole of my A95X, (s905x 2GB/16GB model), and couldn’t find anything…
Maybe you have a “special” A95X model different from all other A95X/s905x boxes…
@Avatar97
Hope CNX does not mind me mentioning them, but if you are struggling with recovery etc have heard of, tried the http://www.freaktab.com forums?
They are a handy place to learn, read and request help.
@Theguyuk
I’ve been there, but unfortunately, there are not any material for this TV Box model, (s905x), due to being a new version with only near a month old…
Modaco is also a good forum, and there I found good material but only for the TV Box previous version, (s905).
@Avatar97
Have you tried nexbox?
https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-nexbox/firmware_update_error/
NEXBOX A95X (S905X CPU) Android 6.0 TV Box has 3 settings (RAM+ROM: 1+8G, 2+8G, 2+16G), so the firmwares are different. Click to download:
Firmware for NEXBOX A95X (S905X, 1+8G)
https://mega.nz/#F!hgYR2KZa!CiZYUwJhhTMabAkPi4SH6Q
Firmware for NEXBOX A95X (S905X, 2+8G)
https://mega.nz/#F!V1AmkRQa!uCTVAIONXbOgOO1n2pEZNA
Firmware for NEXBOX A95X (S905X, 2+16G)
https://mega.nz/#F!Ywx1GC4Q!CPUp4uWkEQj1IIg9cEsqXA
Just a heads up to anyone trying to update firmware with the usb tool make sure everything is discounted , No hdmi just usb from Pc. Will not boot to recovery and connect to A5 correctly to flash. Something so small as the hdmi plugged in made the unit stop at the boot logo and took me 2 days figure it out
@Sandog
Thank you so much for the tip. I tried to update NEXBOX A5 today and it took me almost 2 hours.
I could not see the device with the USB cable., so I switched the SD card method with BootCardMaker.exe. Since I don’t have a card reader in my PC, I tried with a USB flash drive first, and it did not work either. So I went to my Ubuntu laptop with VirtualBox running Windows 7, but VB can’t handle micro SD cards, so I found a method to create a bootable SD card in Linux @ http://www.stane1983.com/index.php/2014/02/22/how-to-create-amlogic-recovery-sd-card-from-linux/. It showed the Upgrade logo, but then suddenly stopped… Then I read your comment, disconnected everything, and tried again in Virtualbox in my main PC, and I could finally complete the upgrade with USB burning tool…
Shame on NEXBOX for provided only crappy update methods for their devices!
Hi,
Can someone extract and upload the launcher please? Would be grateful for that. Thanks.
@CRN
Have you been to Freaktab.com forums? If no help here try on there. You get a lot of software updates and software modders hanging around on there. No guarantee but might help.
@Theguyuk
Yes, I left a message there also. In the meantime I tried to extract the latest IMG, and found Launcher2.apk (unsure if it is the one I’m looking for), but I was not able to install the apk on my device. Maybe I did something wrong, that’s why I requested help from more experienced ones. Anyway, thanks for the idea.
Have you enable unknown sources in settings of your box?
Have you installed security software or virus app which is blocking app?
Do you have or need superuser.
@Theguyuk
Unknown sources is enabled, no security software installed, device is not rooted. I got the “parse error” when I tried to install the apk. Mine is running 5.1.1, maybe the launcher is not compatible with Lollipop. Thanks for your help.
Whats the largest external hard drive I can connect to most of these Android boxes? Or media players ?
All I really want is to play from as big a hard drive as possible up to 5tb and maybe delete from external hard drive a movie or 2
@Darren mc hugh
There should not be a size limit beyond the file system limitation, meaning you can pretty much use any USB hard drive. What you can’t always do is connect multiple hard drives due to power supply limitations.
Hi guys, I need help!
I bought this box, installed apps like Xfinity To Go and Sling but the playback I’m getting is very low resolution, surely under 720p. I tried over wifi, ethernet and I get the same bad results.
I have a firestick where the same apps, over wifi, play perfectly, 1080p, I’ve tried every display setting on the Neobox but I’m never able to improve the image, what am I doing wrong!? Is the Neobox this bad!?
thank you
Hello everybody, I’ve a Nexbox A95X (1Gb/8Gb), I’m trying to install Android 6.0 but I’m not able to understand the recovery mode on this device.
Someone could please help me?
Sorry for my english and thanks in advance!
@bart
It’s the box. this box having problem. I have use kodi in PC computer and does passthrough audio. Nvidia Shield also pass thorugh audio using kodi. Also if you play 24bit 192 khz audio using this box through hdmi, then this box down sample the 192khz to 96khz.
Why can’t I add bluetooth dongle to this
@Richard
Software support for external Bluetooth dongle is not there for most TV boxes.
That one already has built-in Bluetooth.
I have what I think is a bricked box, inside of the box the light is glowing red.
Is there any which I can recover this box from here, using restore or something ???
I have the 2GB + 16GB model
Thanks for reading
Really ?, what did you do ?. Mine is glowing red too. Just press of POWER button on remote and the box is working again.
How can I disable the “USB Drive Connected” screen that comes up after it powers on? I want this to function as a Kodi music player that automatically plays my music (from my USB drive) when powered on, and this dialog prevents it from doing so.
@cnxsoft
can you elaborate on this some more? if i dont care about vp9 decoding i should go with s905 boxes? do you know any good ones? i cant seem to find cheap s905 boxes.
@Jorrit Smit
or let me clarify. i can find both the s905 and s905x versions of the nexbox a95x for the same price, would you then still recommend the s905?
Just set up A95X (1g+8g s905) film on for tv–easy to set up. Problem after 20mins the colour goes green with programme in the background–then corrects itself–same with other apps. Help Please
@billy d
Try to disable HDMI CEC in both your TV box and your TV.
@Jorrit Smit
NEXBOX A95X with Amlogic S905 processor might be better now, especially with custom firmware, but originally it was not as good -> http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/08/06/how-to-customize-amlogic-android-firmware-a-tutorial-with-nexbox-a95x-s905-tv-box/
Firmware however evolves (usually improves) over time, especially for good selling items.
Everybody has different requirements, and what may be great for some, may be a disaster for others. I go through some of the requirements and list some recommended TV boxes @ http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/04/25/whats-the-best-android-tv-box/
Are these boxes country specific or is it 1 lot of firmware does all .. We have an outfit offering this A95X nexboxes for 249.00 on special now $ 185.00 with New Zealand firmware .. Also claiming ” Say Goodbye to Sky “
@Phillip
The default firmware works for any countries. Now it’s possible for a company to add premium apps and/or services and charge extra for it.
A correction .. It should be Custom configuration for New Zealand not Firmware
A correction .. It should be Custom configuration for New Zealand not Firmware
If you can read English or American English, why not just buy a normal box. I guess they are selling IPTV with the box hence good bye SKY
Go look at https://www.cloudtv.bz. and internet search Mobdro, consider what is legal in New Zealand, and power supply needs.
You could look at UKTVNOW Android app, do a internet search, it will not work with a VPN.
Also always run security software and Firewall even on Android.
@Theguyuk
“Cloud TV.bz is the No.1 OTT platform for the industry leaders who manage their OTT business, includes trade and exchange content packages and services.”
That’s for businesses, not end users. I don’t think Phillip wants to setup a TV box business.
My mistake wrong url
http://ccloudtv.org. is right one
Also correct cloudtv is this link, download apk and try the free content, area and language.
https://www.cloudtv.bz/articles/detail/23/
Just FYI, I’ve had one system upgrade since I got this box.
The build number is now “NEXBOX-A95X-AP6330-6.O.1-201609240946”.
It added the navigation bar at the bottom that some people seem to miss.
Hi, I have a problem about playing any video from YouTube or Netfix etc. with A95X 2/16GB model. I wonder whats wrong with it. There are wifi and eternet connection and works well. But when i try playing wideo from internet says YouTube isn’t responding
@Yalçın Yılmaz
Make sure you have the latest firmware. In case they have enabled online firmware since the review, go to UPDATE&BACKUP app and click on/select “Online Update”.
If it does not work. You’ll need to find the firmware somewhere on the net… See comment above with version “NEXBOX-A95X-AP6330-6.0.1-201609240946” The last part shows the year/month/day/hh/mm info. If yours is older than 2016/09/24 09:46 you should definitely upgrade.
Hi,
I’m in need for some serious help here i have brought the android TV box nexbox A95x 2g+16G (S905X) i have installed to TV but every-time i click show box,YouTube-or any-other media player it says unable to connect please check log files i have installed the prefixed log files app and i’m unable to locate the problem.
Any ideas a fix would be good if i open show box and try to update it force closes the app its driving me nuts.
Also any help with a program for windows so i can attach the device to laptop none of the links work for me.
Does anyone know where i can get a ip vanisher from and the correct procedures for this i’m lost when i go into the device via settings and adding apps.
Many thanks
@cnxsoft
My M8S II box is also get back to chinese language after reboot. I change it to French, all is OK. But once rebooted, chinese again 🙁 any solution for this issue ?
@emjay
Try to install the latest firmware.
Asus File Manager app is pretty good to copy files between the box and a PC. ES File Explorer is another option too.
I don’t know about the last question.
@Regis59
Disable HDMI CEC in the box, and if that’s not enough disable it in your TV.
I am not pc /Android expert and requesting for your full help,please.I bought online””M96X Android 6.0 4K TV BOX New Amlogic S905X KODI 16.1 Fully Loaded XBMC Quad Core A53 2.0GHz 64bit 2GB /8GB Wifi LAN 1080P OTT Set Top TV Mini Streaming Media”” It is all in Chinese and I can not change the Chinese language to English,as I do not know Chinese language.I can see symols like setting etc.Do I nee to install English language software??.If yes,then from where and how to install,please
@Mike
Two things are possible. The device was indeed shipped with Chinese setup. Then you can go to the Settings, and change the language to English. There are several “change language in Android 6.0” instructions on the web.
However, more likely in your case, that’s a problem due to “HDMI CEC”. You can try to disable it in your TV. Please note that the TV manufacturer seldom use the name “HDMI CEC”, and instead each brand uses their own. You can check yours @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Electronics_Control#Trade_names_for_CEC
When I disable HDMI CEC on the Box?? The problem on my box is not reproduce anything song, the HDMI CEC on TV are disable but I dont Discovery button disable HDMI CEC in BoX, Help me please
sorry for wrong links
I have just purchased the Android TV Box listed below,the specs are very similar to the TV Box reviewed above.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-16G-4K-T95U-PRO-S912-Android-6-0-Smart-TV-Box-Octa-Core-Mini-PC-WIFI-BT-Red-/201700343848
And I’m disappointed it would not play my 4k videos from my NTFS portable Hdd,
I need to format in fat32 for the drive to be seen it plays fine but 4gb limit.
Any answers please Terry
@Terry Tsangaris
I have never seen a box that can’t read NTFS partitions. That’s very odd.
I set a 32Gb SD card to internal. The box came with 8Gb. However I am unable to update the box to the latest build of Android because I don’t have enough free memory. I am assuming the Nexbox A95X means main memory and not internal memory. I have 1 Gb for main memory.
Any ideas on how to make the update to use internal?
I have 32 + 8 internal and 32 external.
Thank you
@diagdad
It’s quite possible the OS is only installed on the flash, so if it is nearly full there may not be enough storage, even if you enabled adoptable storage.
Can I get help with a question or two about the Nexbox if anyone has the time??
I just did the Fresh Install 2.1 to 2.3 version. Seemed like everything worked well, except my skin changed to Confluence and I can’t see movies or any other app programmed. It allows me to view YouTube and Internet, but no movies, TV, and all other apps available?? Any help would be great if anyone knows how to fix this problem??
IS there any way to Write to the Micro-SD card while Kodi is running? Like to copy MP3?
This works well but it’s very hot on Australian summer days, 70 degrees. Is there anyway to cool it?
People said the internal 16gb drive has limited writes so using buffering can ruin it quicker. How do i set it to write to an usb stick or microSD?
Tried a few of these boxes every one crashed as soon as you ran play store and went on to crash after you rebooted it the worse box on the market try running play-store then try using it the last one i got had it disabled and i couldn’t even do factory restore nothing happened apart from that great box 1/10
The google app store works fine, played the free games from it.
I have A Nexbox A95X version 6.0.1
I inserted a microSD card.
He asked me if I wanted to copy some files to the SD card to save memory.
I did it.
I want to remove the SD card so I select Eject.
I get a box which says Settings is stopped.
I cannot start Kodi without the card, because then it gives the message Kodi is waiting for external storage.
Is there a way to move the data on the SD card to the internal storage?
If I look under apps installed in External Storage then it says 0kB so there arent’t any apps on the SD card.
If I do the factory reset, will that work, because I also updated the firmware from the A95X
@Pootpotter
Normally, you can go to Settings->Apps, and select move data to internal storage for each app.
Otherwise a factory reset should do. It will delete all apps, data and your settings, but keep the latest firmware.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MXJVGEB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is a new one any help is welcome or does anyone understand it?
Box is 5 days old…..lol
amazon.de is just selling an android TV box with s905x for 16,99€ https://www.amazon.de/AKASO-Android-Pre-installed-Quad-core-Streaming/dp/B01M998W0X/ref=sr_1_1?s=ce-de&ie=UTF8&qid=1487686732&sr=1-1&keywords=AKASO%20HM8%20Android%206.0%20TV%20Box
On uk too
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKASO-Android-Pre-installed-Quad-core-Streaming/dp/B01M998W0X/ref=sr_1_49?ie=UTF8&qid=1487702485&sr=8-49&keywords=S905x
@MM
@theguyuk
The one on Amazon DE was definitely a promotion (was, because it’s over), the one on Amazon UK, not so much.
@theguyuk
Gone now ! ?
pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp…
hi guys, I need to know if both audio and video work when I use the AV port… have anyone tried?
@cnxsoft
dear, have u use the AV port? do both the audio and video work with av port in old televisions?
@saloumeh
I have no tried. I did a survey once with 150 respondents, and none used the AV port (except for audio). So I stopped testing it. But I did test it on other Android TV boxes, and it’s normally working. You just need a 3.5mm jack to 3x RCA cable.
I have NEXBOX A95X. I has android version 6.0.1. All Ok but only 5.1 sound is not working. Please help. I have tried to update the Android version, the system says “your device is up to date”.
Please Help
@Junaid
Have you configured the Audio device to HDMI or SPDIF depending on your setup?
Are you using Kodi or another player?
@cnxsoft
NO. The HDMI wire is the only connection between the Box and TV. The supplier advised me to update the firmware.
@Junaid
I meant to ask “have you enabled audio pass-through in the settings?”
@cnxsoft
YES , Even reset the devise I think.
Hi. I loved your review. Can I ask how do you have this hooked up to your onkyo receiver? I am getting no sound. I have tried varying setups. My receiver has a port labeled storm box where I plugged it in to via hdmi. I also have a cable that has optical on one end and mini spliff on the other and I thought that would be sufficient but it hasn’t not worked. Any advice would be grea thanks
t
@Hassan Samad
I just connected the HDMI cable to one of the HDMI inputs.
If you are using Kodi, you need to enable pass-through in the settings -> http://www.cnx-software.com/2015/02/05/onkyo-tx-nr636-review-pass-through-openelec-kodi/#hdmi-audio-pass-through-in-openelec-kodi (ignore the first part of Pulse Audio /ALSA in that link)
if you are using another app, you need to enable HDMI or SPDIF depending on your connection, inside Android Settings-> Audio Devices (or similar).
Hi I recently bought a ax95 and connected it via wifi. Unfortunately the wifi seems slow so I tried connecting an Ethernet cable. I have switched off the wifi connection in network settings and the Ethernet internet connection is still saying not connected despite the LAN connection light on my modem being illuminated. I opened advance settings and the IP setting is DHCP…..is that correct or should I change it to static? If I need to use a static IP what do I have to enter for IP number, prefix etc. ps I’m completely out of my depth with tech.
@Steve
You should not need to change the IP to static, if your other devices can get an IP address automatically (via DHCP).
I don’t really have a good solution to your problem, but have you tried to do a factory reset?
Ok! it’s 5/1/2017 and I finally got my a95x nexbox up graded to KODI 17 for about 15 minutes! Yep 15 minutes!
I believe this a95x has an OS locked to ver 16 and it might be possible to change it to 17 but the minute one has to refresh the nexbox it will go back to 16……
WITH THAT said, I did get my a95x to load 17 and it locked up. I had to go back to the original settings which is KODI 16. WHICH btw works great — ! as long as you direct connect it to the web. SURE it works good but you might get alittle hesitation when HD mode. Also as long as you have at least 2gb x 16gb system.
SO! I believe the easiest thing to do…. IS buy another OR LATEST version of KODI 17. Krypton—- with at least 2gb x 16gb maybe even 3gbx 32gb.
WHY do I say this: 1. it is very difficult to make a firmware system in android upgrade-able at least in 5/1.2017….
It might be coming but not yet. TV BOXES are OLD guys, (60 & older) a way to watch OLD TV & Movie show at anytime. WHY because the latest movies are junk hacked, maybe in a years or two , they get better, but not HD– might 720 but never in 480 YUK!
This is my assessment…. of TV Boxes. I also heard that some VENDORS are making ad related KODI boxes and giving them away….. OH well I guess thats a way of advertising…hahhahha
I purchased NEXBOX A95X as an upgrade from NEXBOX N9 because Android 4.4 suddenly stopped reproducing subtitles on Netflix. With A95X the subtitles are shown again but my Netflix video quality over Wi-Fi is much lower then on N9. I do not have ethernet connection so I depend on Wi-Fi.
Videos reproduced from USB disks work fine.
Do you have any recommendation for the video setup on NEXBOX A95X which would improve my Netflix video over Wi-Fi? Currently the video quality constantly changes between good and blurry and never gets as sharp as on N9.
Another question is: how could I upgrade my Android version on NEXBOX N9 to 5.0 or higher? If I check for system upgrade I get the response that I already have the latest version.
Thanks!
@Darko
In addition to above, the installed memory is 2GB + 8GB. could the video quality improve if I format the supplied micro SD card as internal memory or if I replaced it with high speed, 16GB card?
@Darko
I don’t really have a good answer to your first question. If the signal strength is low maybe try using a repeater.
Nexbox N9 is RK3229, so only Android 4.4. The processor may have an Android 7.0 SDK in the work, but I don’t think NEXBOX will update it (TBC).
Adding storage would do nothing to the video quality.
@Darko
Do you have this model Nexbox N9
http://chinagadgetsreviews.com/download-android-lollipop-5-1-1-firmware-nexbox-n9-tv-box.html
@cnxsoft
Wi-Fi signal strength is very good as the location of the new NEXBOX A95X is the same as previous NEXBOX N9.
@Theguyuk
Thank you for the link. I will consider this operation when I gain some more courage.
It seams that the problem is a very poor Wi-Fi antenna.
I have now placed my NEXBOX A95X as close as possible to the modem and now the receiption of NetFlix is very good.
I am thinking of adding the external antenna following the instructions on this link http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s905x/615429-a95x-external-antenna-mod-results
@cnxsoft
Change HDMI-CEC to off
Why don’t have a Reset button on my nexbox a95x(s905x 2G,16G).
There’s no Reset button in the AV port.
I was embarrassed when I open the case.