802.11ac News - Page 16 of 16 - CNX Software

September 13, 2014September 13, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 15 Comments

Tronsmart Orion R28 Meta RK3288 TV Box Unboxing

GeekBuying sent me one of their Tronsmart Orion R28 Meta (Beta) Android TV boxes powered by Rockchip RK3288 SoC. This model comes with 2GB DDR3, 16 eMMC, and 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. R28 Mega is the mid-range model, and there are two others models R28 Pro (entre-level) and R28 Telos (premium). I’ve already listed specifications for the three Tronsmart Orion R28 models. Today, I’ll show some picture of the device, and the board to find out more about the design of the product. Before reviewing the product in another post, I’ll probably build the image using the provided Android 4.4 SDK (provided I can download it), and perform the full review next week with the resulting firmware. Tronsmart Orion Meta R28 Unboxing I’ve received the parcel via DHL within 2 days. The same package will be used for all three models, but you’ll have a sticker on the side for Pro, […]

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 25 Comments

Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Mini 802.11ac Router Can Now Be Purchased for $45

Ever since TV boxes with 802.11ac capabilities have been listed, I’ve been looking at purchasing a router with the latest Wi-Fi standard since I would then be able to test 802.11n at 2.4 and 5 GHz, as well as 802.11ac. The vast range of prices got me confused at first, but an article on Connectedly helped me clear things out. One of the most important factor is the different classes of Wi-Fi routers as shown in the table below. The class nomeclature is based on the Wi-Fi standard (AC or N) with a number corresponding to the rounded sum of the maximum throughput at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Based on this table, and my limited budget ($100), I decided to look for AC1200 or greater routers, and I found one for TP-LINK Archer C7 AC1750 router selling for $100 on Amazon. Awesome! So I went to look on local websites only […]

August 29, 2014September 10, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 18 Comments

Tronsmart Orion R28 (Beta) TV Boxes with Rockchip RK3288 SoC Feature up to 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, Come with Android SDK

I’ve recently reviewed my first Rockchip RK3288 Android mini PC, UyeSee G1H, and while it’s not catastrophic, the box still have stability issues related to Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, AV video output, Wi-Fi performance and so on. Now Geekbuying has just announced availability of the beta versions of their Tronsmart Orion R28 Android TV box also powered by the quad core ARM Cortex A12/A17 processor. This first batch (180 pieces) is geared towards tinkerers and “ROM makers”, rather than people who just want something that works, and these first boxes will ship with an Android SDK (5.1GB) on a micro SD card. [Update: link to SDK] There will be three models: Orion R28 Pro (8GB flash, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi), Orion R28 Meta (16GB flash, 802.11ac Wi-Fi), and Orion R28 Telos (4GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, 802.11ac Wi-Fi). They’ve just manufactured the first two models in the first batch, with 90 pieces […]

June 3, 2014June 3, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Xiaomi Mi Pro Box with Amlogic S802-H Is Now Available for $92 on Aliexpress

Xiaomi announced the Mi Box Pro TV Box powered by Amlogic S802-H SoC and running MIUI TV user interface on top of Android. The company sells the device in China for 399 CNY ($64), but it has now found its way Aliexpress, where anybody can purchase the box for $92 including shipping, which is about the same price as most other S802 devices. Here’s a reminder of the specifications: SoC – Amlogic S802-H quad core Cortex A9r4 processor @ 2GHz with ARM Mali-450MP6 octa-core GPU System Memory – 2GB RAM Storage – 4GB eMMC Flash + micro SD slot up to 64 GB Video & Audio Output – HDMI (Up to 4K30) and 3.5 mm AV Audio / Video Playback – MKV, AVI, MP3 and MOV up to 4K resolution. AC3, Dolby and DTS audio support Connectivity – Dual band 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi up to 120 Mbps (vs 40 Mbps for 802.11n) […]

April 23, 2014April 23, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 20 Comments

Xiaomi Unveils $64 Mi Box Pro TV Box Powered by Amlogic S802 SoC

Xiaomi, now just called Mi, has announced three new products today. Two 802.11ac Wi-Fi routers: Mi Wi-Fi Router for 699 CNY ($112), and Mi Wi-Fi mini for 129 CNY ($20), and one Android TV box called Mi Box Pro featuring Amlogic S802 quad core Cortex A9r4 processor with 2GB RAM, 4GB eMMC Flash, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi that will sell in China for just 399 CNY ($64). Mi Pro Box specifications: SoC – Amlogic S802 quad core Cortex A9r4 processor @ 2GHz with ARM Mali-450MP6 octa-core GPU System Memory – 2GB RAM Storage – 4GB eMMC Flash + micro SD slot up to 64 GB Video & Audio Output – HDMI (Up to 4K30) and 3.5 mm AV Audio / Video Playback – MKV, AVI, MP3 and MOV up to 4K resolution. AC3, Dolby and DTS audio support Connectivity – Dual band 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi up to 120 Mbps (vs 40 […]

January 9, 2013January 9, 2013 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Qualcomm CES 2013 Keynote Was (Mostly) a Waste of Time

Don’t get me wrong Qualcomm makes awesome processors, but as a blogger I already had a fairly negative opinion of Qualcomm when it comes to press releases about their new processors since they usually do not release any details. Yet I was naively thinking I could learn about Qualcomm upcoming products at their keynote, and I was (mostly) completely wrong. If you haven’t watched it yet and want to enjoy a 1h30 show, go watch the on-demand video, where you’ll see current Windows RT products based on Qualcomm, upcoming movies (Pacific Rim and Star Trek), Big Bird, Nascar and Maroon 5. However, if you want to learn about Qualcomm and be fed with geeky stuffs, don’t waste your time. I’ve still been able to extra a little bit of useful information, and got some more info from other sites, and amazingly Qualcomm’s own press releases. Unless you’re high after smoking […]

June 5, 2012June 5, 2012 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Marvell Avastar 88W8897: Wifi 802.11ac, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 Chip

Marvell has announced the Avastar 88W8897, a low-power radio chip supporting 802.11ac, near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth 4.0, aimed at mobile and HD multimedia devices such as ultrabooks, tablets, gaming consoles and smart TVs. Marvell claims the 88W8897 SoC enables a rest of bill of materials (RBOM) footprint reduction of 40-to-50 percent and cost reduction of 75 percent compared to previous wireless solutions. Key features of Marvell Avastar 88W8897 chip include: Wi-Fi 802.11ac – This standard increases bandwidth available over the Wi-Fi link (theoretically up to 1 Gb/s) with throughput up to 867 Mbps for the 88W8897. This kind of throughput allows reliable high-definition (HD) video streaming, tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) and high-speed wireless backup and sync for mobile devices. NFC – NFC allows consumers to pay for items with the tap of a phone via mobile commerce and point-of-sale (e-wallet) applications. It can also enable one-tap pairing […]