I haven’t seen any quad-core set-top boxes on the market (if we exclude some Freescale i.MX6 mini PCs), but this is about to change with Huawei MediaQ M310 media player. The device is based on Hisilicon K3V2 SoC, and comes with 1GB RAM and 4 GB flash.
Huawei MediaQ M310 specifications:
- SoC – HiSilicon K3V2 quad-core Cortex A9 processor with Vivante GC4000 GPU
- System Memory – 1 GB RAM
- Storage – 4 GB flash + microSD slot
- Video I/O – HDMI out and HDMI in
- Audio I/O – 1x SPDIF, 3.5 mm stereo jack and mic (3-in-1)
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports
- Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11n & Bluetooth 4.0
- Huawei multi-screen (Pushing, mirroring)
- Content aggregation / Voice Search
The box runs a customized version of Android with a user interface designed for the television.
CSilie, who tipped me about the MediaQ M310, saw the device at CES 2013, and a Huawei representative told him it could also function as a regular Android set-top box, it could stream content from your smart phone or tablet to your TV (I suppose that’s what “Huawei multi-screen” is all about, and that it should available in about 3 months for $70 to $80 US.
Huawei also showcased a larger set-top box based on the same platform called the MediaQ M810, but featuring 2GB RAM, 8GB flash, 2x Gb Ethernet, a DVB digital TV receiver, and 2x 3.5″ HDD bays for NAS applications.
Androidworld.it shot a video (in Italian) of both devices at CES 2013. If your Italian is a bit weak, don’t worry, because there’s also another video in Hungarian. 🙂
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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Huawei bought some mini PC from another companies (including Zero Devices Z802, Rikomagic MK802 and some “blank label”) and finally made this product.
HiSilicon also from Huawei and the SoC choosen for the mini PC of HiMedia.
It’s curious a big company needs (maybe) spy small ones… or just “study” the items?
“I haven’t seen any quad-core set-top boxes on the market (if we exclude some Freescale i.MX6 mini PCs)” => where did you see those? I would be quite interested in a set-top box with SATA, 2 or even 4 GB RAM and at least one decent SATA port, with an i.MX6 or a T30.
@Albert ARIBAUD
s/with SATA/with Gigabit Ethernet/
@Albert ARIBAUD
I think the article was talking about mini PCs like this:
http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/12/08/hi802-hdmi-tv-dongle-is-now-available/
AFAIK what you’re looking for (eg a Mele style box with a quad core processor) doesn’t exist yet. But if the cubieboard gets upgraded to the A31, it’ll be close 🙂
@Albert ARIBAUD
Freescale i.MX6 mini PC = GK802 or Hi802, so no Gigabit Ethernet, SATA or 2GB RAM here.
You could check http://www.cnx-software.com/2013/01/22/norco-bis-6332a-freescale-i-mx6-ops-compliant-digital-signage-platform/
But I don’t know if they sell to individuals. The price is most probably quite high as well.
Also interesting is that someone from HiSilicon posts on the XBMC forums and is working on supporting XBMC similar to Amlogic.
Could be an interesting little box, on paper at least it sounds powerful enough compared to some other boxes.
Huawei/Hisilicon is also a recent member of Linaro, so yep, devices with their CPUs look interesting for hackability and Linux.
any info about MediaQ M810???
@toni
Huawei MediaQ M810 specifications:
SoC – HiSilicon K3V2 quad-core Cortex A9 processor with Vivante GC4000 GPU
System Memory – 2 GB RAM
Storage – 8 GB flash + microSD slot + 2x 3.5″ HDD driver bays
Video I/O – HDMI out and HDMI in
Audio I/O – 1 not sure
USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports
DVB digital cable receiver
Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11n 2×2 MIMO, 2x Gb Ethernet, and Bluetooth 4.0
Huawei multi-screen (Pushing, mirroring)
Content aggregation / Voice Search
Availability at the same time as M310.
No mention on why it has HDMI input. Does it support overlay or something, like Bunnie Huang’s hack?
@Ian Tester
I suppose the device can be used as a DVR. You can plug your cable / satellite receiver into MediaQ’s HDMI input and record videos to an hard drive.
@Dan
A10 SoC made the same claims and failed to deliver, as of yet. It always jams up when someone has to get the proper licensing involved. I’d still opt for a little pricier model that has the Amlogic componentry.
@Spiro Telegadis
xbmc recently officially released a beta version compatable with most major SoC’s ..and the community released one version compatible with almost any SoC’s. Effectively nuetralizing most XBMC compatability issues for a while
M310 has hit Taobao (Chinese ebay):
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.3.mv0FLn&id=17363642722
Still no sign of M810…
M310 on Aliexpress:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/HUAWEI-MEDIAQ-M310-ANDROID-4-MEDIA-HUB-PLAYER-SMART-GOOGLE-TV-WIFI-SET-TOP-BOX/1141312621.html