While there are many models of TV boxes on the market, there are only a few companies that will provide firmware updates over time for their products. Two of those companies are WeTek and Ugoos, both of which recently released Android 6.0 Marshmallow firmware for their Amlogic S905 TV boxes.
I actually reported about WeTek working on Android 6.0 for Hub TV box last year, but at the time it was still a beta version. The company has now released weOS 3.1 firmware with Android 6.0 for both WeTek Hub and WeTek Play 2 with the following changelog:
- System
- Kernel Fixes
- Streaming apps in 4K
- Improved Auto refresh rate system for Kodi
- Improved DRM playback
- Apps
- Added Kodi 17.3, update
- Updted Aptoide Store, Google Apps and File Manager
- WeTV (Play 2 only)
- Added XMLTV for Sat
- PG Fixes for ATSC
- Now allows ATSC-T and ATSC-C
Most people can get the updates via OTA, but in case you need to manually install weOS 3.1, the firmware can also be found in the forums. Note that you can’t go back to Android 5.1 after upgrading to Android 6.0.1.
WeTek was not the only company to announce an update to Android 6.0, as Ugoos has just released firmware v1.1.1 for their AM1 and AM2 models with the following changelog:
- NEW
- Android 6.0.1
- Added support Kodi 17 function “Adjust display refresh rate”
- Improved HDMI self-adaptation function (Settings -> Playback settings)
- Added fractional frequencies for HDMI self-adaptation function
- Added support HLS for HDMI self-adaptation function
- Added video frames to screenshots
- Added CPU watchdog
- (for AM1) Added ability to power on from Ugoos orange remote controller
- (for AM2) Added ability to power on/off
- (for AM2) Added choice of actions for sleep timer and power key on RC (Display -> Daydream -> Power key action)
- Added Debug Settings (Ugoos settings -> System -> Debug Settings)
- New Ugoos update service
- FIXES
- Fixed support HDMI passthrough function in Kodi 17
- Fixed cursor rotation
- Fixed touch screens support
- Other improvements
It’s unclear whether the Android 5.1 to Android 6.0 update is available via OTA, but the company did release firmware files for both TV boxes in the blog post.
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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I’m not impressed because bought the first-generation WeTek Play and never got a Android 5.0 update.
WeTek as a company lost my support after abandoning the first-generation WeTek Play so quickly.
Have since bought a Nvidia Shield TV an there you can be implesses with its firmware updates.
The only reason to pay top dollar for the WeTek Play 2 is the TV Tuner and support. Bought a Play 2 over a year ago and found the software to be virtually unusable — particularly with regard to ATSC tuner.
Have since moved on, assembled my own TV box setup and never looked back
– Beelink Z83 II with Win10
– Happauge WinTV – dualHD ATSC USB Tuner
– Kodi 17.3
– VPN
– Air Mouse
Total hardware cost – About the same as WeTek Play 2 and I receive better software support with regular updates.
I have mine running since first day on LibreELEC and all is working perfectly with DVB-T2. Further more I use it as streaming server to watch TV in other rooms
@Harley
If I remember correctly first generation WeTek Play was based on dual core old AMLogic MX and officially was released 4.2 and 4.4 Android, while on their forums was Cyanogen MOD and Android TV build in 5.1
AMLogic never released Lollipop for MC SoC
Great news, was waiting for this to upgrade mine, did not notice any notification before. I moved to Play2 mainly for cutting off cable TV, and now I get all ATSC channel for news and live shows and Netflix 4k for series and movies!!
Please advise if wetek play 2 with updated android 6.0 is a good choice, how to use the rubber? Does it has iks support
@dpal
AMLogic never released …
Yes, and the pertinent point is that being totally dependent on a hardware vendor for software support is a fundamental error in strategy. Their objective is to sell new hardware — and one way to do that is by simply neglecting the old.
I have to agree with that statement by @jqpabc123 – as it applies the majority of Android Media player sellers.
If you want ongoing Android OS release upgrades you need a Manufacturer and Seller that has tight control over both Hardware and ongoing SDK / Software support. Those guys are nVIDIA with the Shield and Google with their now pretty old Nexus Player.
The trouble with AMLogic is there was a rapid release of SoC’s over the last three years, each introducing something new. Their Android SDK & Firmware support was always atrocious and years behind their actual Hardware releases – yes all designed to sell shiny new SoC’s.
The AML S905’s for example did not even get AML Android Marshmallow support which was reserved for the “new” S905X and S912. So companies like WeTek and Ugoos would have had to do a bunch of custom backport coding for their S905’s. MINIX with their S905 U1 still have not even attempted this, instread they sell you a Marshmallow S912 U9.
http://openlinux.amlogic.com/Android/Mbox
At the end of the day extra Android features are nice. But relatively bug free, reliable Firmware is all that matters – regardless of the Android OS in use.
Open source community support definitely helps too and WeTek has that in spades with options to run regular Android OS, unofficial Android TV, and dual boot to LibreELEC / Ubuntu. Plus you get all the proper DRM, HDCP and Netflix bells and whistles.