After IAP140 quad core Cortex A53 processor found in Brillo compatible AndroMeda Box Edge, Marvell has recently introduced another IAP processor for the Internet of Things with IAP220 dual core Cortex A7 processor targeting “low power cost sensitive home automation, industrial, security, and wearable applications”. IAP220 SoC specifications: Processor – Dual ARM Cortex-A7 core up to 1.0 GHz GPU – 3D GPU with OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0 support MCU – ARM Cortex M4F Memory I/F – LP-DDR2/3, DDR3 Storage – eMMC and SDIO interfaces Display – MIPI video and command mode; LCD display Video – Full HD encode and decode with H.264, MPEG-4, H.263, MJPEG and more Camera – Digital video camera interface, 2x, 2-lane CSI Audio – I2S, TDM; support for multiple PDM (pulse-density modulation) microphones and speakers Sensor hub • Low power sensor processing Management I/O – SPI, GPIO, PWM? (the product brief says PWD instead), UART, 1-wire, I2C […]
EWEAT R9 Android Media Players and Recorders Feature Realtek RTD1295 Processor with HDMI 2.0, SATA, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and More
Eweat has now introduced three TV box models based on Realtek RTD1295 64-bit processor with Eweat R9, Eweat R9 mini, and Eweat R9 Plus, bringing some competition to the upcoming Zidoo X9s TV box, with respectively an external SATA port, no SATA, and an internal SATA bay. All three devices share most of the same specifications: SoC – Realtek RTD1295 quad core Cortex A53 processor with ARM Mali-T820 MP3 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage R9 Mini – 8 GB eMMC + SD card reader R9 – 16 GB eMMC + SATA 3.5 connector for external drive + SD card reader R9 Plus – 16 GB eMMC + internal 3.5″ SATA 3.0 bay + SD card reader Video I/O – HDMI 2.0a output, HDMI 2.0 input, and AV Audio I/O – HDMI, AV, optical S/PDIF output Video Playback – HDR, 10-bit HEVC/H.265 up to 4K @ 60fps, H.264 up […]
Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Fitness Tracker Unboxing
Xiaomi started selling Xiaomi Mi Band 2 fitness tracker with an OLED display last week in China for 149 CNY (~$23), but it can also be purchased overseas with the many online resellers, and one of them, GearBest sent me a sample for review, and sells it for $33.91 with coupon GBMI2 once oversea shipping, currency conversion, and possibly some margins are included. Today, I’ll start by taking some pictures of the devices and its accessories, before writing a review in a couple of weeks after testing the device features and battery life. I received the device in a typical Mi package, and GearBest also included a User service card to encourage people leaving feedback, and helping with returns and issues. That’s the first time I receive this card, so maybe GearBest is trying to improve their customer service. The product is definitely geared towards the Chinese market, as the specifications […]
Mini Review of Popcorn Hour A500 Media Player
Last month I received Popcorn Hour A500 high-end media player powered by Sigma Designs SMP8758 dual core Cortex A9 processor, and in the firtst part of the review I posted the specifications, and pictures of the devices and its internals. Today, I’ll write a short review of the device, as it’s basically an update of Popcorn Hour VTEN which I reviewed last year with a faster processor, more memory, and an internal SATA bay for 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives. User Interface, Remote Control, Internal HDD, and Technical Support The user interface is basically the same as on VTEN with two home screens to select: Media or Music. The performance is a little better, but if you want to find out more about the user interface, I propose you watch the video I shot for Popcorn Hour VTEN During the first boot, Music Home was selected, and I soon got asked whether […]
Unboxing and Teardown of ARNU Box Mach 10 64-bit Pure Linux TV Box based on Amlogic S905 SoC
While there are plenty of Amlogic S905 TV boxes, the vast majority is running Android, and albeit there’s been people successfully installing Linux or OpenELEC on such device, if you’d just like a TV box running Linux with 4K video playback without hassle, there’s almost no option. ARNU Box (previously ARMADA) has delivered such Linux TV boxes in the past, with products such as ARNU Box Mach 10 Pure Linux based on Amlogic S812 and running Linux based EmbER OS with Kodi 15, and I’ve now received the updated version simply called ARNU Box Mach 10 64-bit Pure Linux with Amlogic S905 processor instead. ARNU Box Mach 10 64-bit specifications SoC – Amlogic S905 quad core Cortex A53 @ 2 GHz with ARM Mali-450MP GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC flash + SD card slot Video Output – HDMI 2.0 (Up to 4k@60fps) Audio Output – […]
MX4 TV Box Based on Rockchip RK3229 Processor Is Selling for $25 (Promo)
There are a few Rockchip RK3229 based Android TV boxes selling for around $30, which are mostly interesting to play high bitrate 4K 10-bit H.265 or 10-bit H.264 videos, and there’s currently a promotion that shaves about $5 off the normal price of MX4 TV Box, bringing the price down to $24.99 shipped. MX4 TV box specifications are basically the same as MQX-4K, even up to the location of connectors, but with a different wireless module: SoC – Rockchip RK3229 quad core ARM Cortex A7 processor @ 1.5 GHz with ARM Mali-400MP2 System Memory – 1GB DDR3 Storage – 8GB NAND flash + SD card slot up to 32GB Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4K2K @ 60 fps, and 3.5mm AV output (composite) Audio Output – HDMI, AV, and coaxial S/PDIF Connectivity – 10/100Mbps Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi + Bluetooth 2.1 (Realtek RTL8703) USB – 4x USB 2.0 […]
Imagination Solution to FCC Rules for WiFi Routers: Run OpenWrt / DD-WRT and the WiFi Driver in Separate Virtual Machines
About a year ago, discussions started about new rules from the FCC that could prevent routers from installing open source third party operating systems such as OpenWrt or DDWRT. Despite the FCC assurance that the rules were meant to prevent some users from illegally tweaking the RF settings, and that it would not have to impact installing of open source alternatives, the reality is that companies such as TP-Link ended up locking their routers up due to the new rules, while Linksys would only ensure OpenWrt/ DD-WRT compatibility on some of their routers, but not all. Companies are probably doing that due to the extra work that would be required to separate the RF settings which need to be locked, and the rest of the firmware. But Imagination Technology’s prpl security group has a solution for their MIPS Warrior P-Class processors using hardware virtualization. In order to show the concept […]
MeegoPad A02 Remix OS TV Stick Has Now Launched on Indiegogo for $39 and Up
MeegoPad A02 octa-core Remix OS first launched in China for as low as 199 CNY ($30), and the company has raised around 107,000 RMB (~$16,300 US) so far. In the meantime, they’ve also launched the product on Indiegogo for a ~25% markup for cheapest pledge as the 1GB RAM/16GB Flash is offered for $39 + shipping, instead of $30 + shipping in China. The specifications have not changed much (some features have been clarified), and there are still two models with different memory and storage capacities: SoC – Allwinner A83T octa-core ARM Cortex-A7 @ 1.6 GHz with PowerVR SGX544MP1 GPU System Memory / Storage 1GB DDR3L + 16 GB eMMC flash, and micro SD slot up to 128GB OR 2GB DDR3L + 32 GB eMMC flash, and micro SD slot up to 128GB Video Output – HDMI 1.4 up to 1080p60 Audio Output – HDMI, 3,5 mm headphone jack Connetivity […]