Most TV boxes coming from Chinese manufacturers are running Android operating systems based on the mobile version, which gives you more flexibility, but for some use cases such as watching online videos, is not as user-friendly as Android TV operating systems that’s developer by Google specifically for a TV experience. However, it looks like there’s a shift now, as I’ve heard several companies are in the process of applying for an Android TV License from Google, and Geniatech is one of the first to unveil two boxes running Android 6.0 TV operating system, that should soon be certified by Google, with ATV495 Max and ATV598 Max. [Update: The company has now removed the link to the press release (see cache), since certification is not complete yet]
Those models are updated from their ATV495X and ATV598E models running Android 6.0, with apparently the same hardware but upgraded to Android TV OS.
Geniatech ATV495 Max specifications:
- SoC – Amlogic S905X quad core ARM Cortex-A53 processor up to 1.5 GHz with Mali 450MP GPU @ up to 750MHz
- System Memory – 2GB DDR3 (optional 1GB)
- Storage – 8GB eMMC flash (optional 16GB) + microSD Slot up to 32GB
- Video & Audio Output – HDMI 2.0a, 3.5mm AV port (CVBS + stereo audio)
- Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi or 802.11 b/g/ac WiFi module, optional Bluetooth
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 ports
- Power Supply – 5.0V/2A
- Dimensions – 82 x 82 x 19 mm
- Weight – 159g
Geniatech ATV598 Max has beefier specs and comes with an internal digital TV USB tuner:
- SoC – Amlogic S912 octa core ARM Cortex-A53 processor up to 1.5 GHz with ARM Mali-T820MP3 GPU up to 750MHz
- System Memory – 3GB DDR4
- Storage – 16GB eMMC flash Optional 8GB + micro SD slot up to 32GB
- Video & Audio Output – HDMI 2.0a + 3.5mm AV port (composite + stereo audio)
- Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi or 802.11 b/g/ac WiFi module, optional Bluetooth
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 ports
- Tuner – ATSC/DVB-T2/DVB-C digital TV tuner
- Power Supply – 5.0V/2A
- Dimensions – 115×114 x 27mm
- Weight – 250g
Geniatech explains Android TV OS brings official access to the Google Play store, support for Google Cast, voice search, and Android TV remote apps to their devices. It’s a little odd there’s no mention about YouTube 4K support, Widevine DRM, Netflix support, etc… that are normally part of TV boxes running Android TV OS.
You’ll find more details about the hardware on ATV495X and ATV598E product page. Note that those pages are for Android 6.0, not Android 6.0 TV OS, as product pages for the new models. Price is unknown as Geniatech mostly sells B2B, although they sometimes sell directly to end users via their Mygica brand.
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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Geniatech are full of it. Those devices are not official Android TV Boxes. As already mentioned, they are missing the essential Android TV requirements of Widevine L1, Microsoft Playready, HDCP 1.x / 2.2 – not to mention an actual Android TV leanback user interface. They are nothing more than a Android Marshmallow tablet OS device. And dated already due to AMLogic already releasing Android Nougat. The Android Marshmallow and AMLogic S912 combo is poor too, due to known darker than normal picture outputs due to serious Firmware bugs and poor DTS & HD audio support for Kodi krypton. Worst Android… Read more »
@Postman Pat
How do you know this? I could not find the Max version of the devices anywhere.
The company removed the press release, and contact me to say that Google Certification was still on-going…
Very lame and non-professional from Geniatech to do like this, especially if not finished certification but also a lot of non-sense they published such as Android 6.0 when certification window on Marshmallow was finished long time ago and according mobile and tablet producers certification can be only done on Android Nougat and Oreo at this point
1. if it was a real certification and not a fake one (as it appears to be), would it be update-able to Android Oreo TV?
For reference: Would Xiaomi’s AndroidTV box (which is based on a similar chip) be updated to Oreo?
2. Pity it doesn’t have gigabit Ethernet.
On a related note, has anyone ever found a Geniatech dual tuner model ATV1960 actually for sale?
It was announced here in an article about a year ago. It has been advertised here ever since but as far as I can tell, it is just vaporware.
no Widevine L1 … no party!