Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Unboxing and Teardown

Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced launched earlier this year, must be one of the most powerful Android TV Box thanks to its Mediatek MT8693 hexa-core processor with two ARM Cortex-A72 cores @ 2.0GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores @ 1.6 GHz coupled with Imagination PowerVR GX6250 GPU. The downside is that the product has been specifically launched for the Chinese market, however we can still purchase it via Chinese e-retailers, and likely modify the user interface to use English. To find out, GearBest sent me one review sample. But first, I’ll check the device and hardware, before fully reviewing the TV box in a few weeks. Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Unboxing I normally received samples by DHL, but this time the postman brought it to me. It’s slower, but it can also be advantageous since custom duties are less likely. The package has not much to it, but the back […]

Zidoo X9s Android 6.0 TV Box Features Realtek RTD1295 Processor with SATA 3.0, HDMI 2.0a Output and Input

Zidoo has been busy this year, after releasing Zidoo X5 and Zidoo X1 II in Q1 2016, the company is about to launch Zidoo X9s Android media recorder and player, successor of Zidoo X9, powered by Realtek RTD1295 quad core Cortex A53 processor, and be one of the first TV box to run Android 6.0. Zidoo X9s preliminary specifications: SoC – Realtek RTD1295 quad core Cortex A53 processor with ARM Mali-T820 MP3 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC + micro SD slot + SATA 3.0 interface (external?) Video I/O – HDMI 2.0a output, AV output, and HDMI input (recording and streaming up to 1080p @ 60 Hz) Audio I/O – HDMI in and out, 1x S/PDIF output Video Playback – HDR, 10-bit HEVC/H.265 up to 4K @ 60fps, H.264 up to 4K @ 24 fps, VP9 up to 4K @ 60 fps, BDISO/MKV, etc… automatic frame […]

MeLE PCG02U Intel Bay Trail TV Stick Runs Ubuntu, Costs $59

Once I asked MeLE if they planned to sells Bay Trail Ubuntu mini PCs, and they did not really seem interested, but the company has now changes their mind, as they are about to launch PCG02U TV stick powered by Intel Atom Z3735F processor with 1GB RAM, and 32GB flash for $59, which is likely to be the factory price, not the retail price. MeLE PCG02U specifications: SoC – Intel Atom Z3735F  “Bay Trail” quad core processor @ 1.33 GHz (Bust freq: 1.83 GHz) with Intel HD graphics Gen 7 (2W TDP) System Memory – 1 GB DDR3 Storage – 32 GB eMMC + micro SD slot Video & Audio Output – HDMI Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 with external antenna USB – 1x USB 2.0 host port, 1x micro USB port (for power only) Misc – Power button, Kensington lock Power Supply – 5V/2A […]

Rockchip RK3229 Video Playback Take 2 – 10-bit H.264 & H.265, Audio HD Pass-through with Zidoo X1 II

A few weeks ago I tried to play 4K videos in MXQ-4K TV box powered by Rockchip RK3229 processor. The device costs only about $30 including shipping, and it would have been if it could indeed play 10-bit H.265 and 10-bit H.264 videos for that price point, but sadly the results were catastrophic, and most of my 4K videos were unwatchable, either playing in slow motion, or with many slow downs and audio cuts. This happens in all players be it Kodi or Androids Video Player with the worst results occurring when playing from USB hard drive with network share video playback being a bit better. But I have now tested another Rockchip RK3229 based TV box – Zidoo X1 II – and the results are much better, so I also decided to show the results of HD audio pass-through over HDMI too. I played the videos from USB hard […]

$50 Roku Streaming Stick 2016 Edition (Model 3600) Is Faster and Smaller

Roku has introduced a updated version of their Roku Streaming Stick with a faster quad core processor, that’s supposed to he 8 times faster than the previous model, and with more processing power than Amazon Fire TV stick and ChromeCast. The company did not release all hardware specifications, but here’s what we know: Processor – Unnamed quad core processor Video Output – HDMI with 720p or 1080p resolution Audio Output – Digital stereo over HDMI, DTS Digital Surround pass-through over HDMI Connectivity – 802.11 (a/b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support Power Supply- 5.0V – 1.5A USB power adapter; 3W typical power consumption when streaming HD video Dimensions –  ~8.4 x 2.03 x 1.27 cm Weight – 17 grams The device runs the latest Roku OS 7.1, and ships with a point-anywhere RF remote, two AAA batteries for the remote, a USB power cable and power adapter, and a […]

MK808B Pro Amlogic S905 Android TV Stick Unboxing and Teardown

MK808B Pro TV stick is the successor of the popular MK808B Plus and before that MK808B Android TV dongles with an upgrade to Amlogic S905 processor with 4K support. GeekBuying sent me a sample for evaluation, so I’ll start by checking the hardware before testing the device thoroughly in the full review. MK808B Pro Unboxing I received the stick in a package larger than I expected, but apparently about the same as the previous models (which I had not reviewed). But that’s because of the included accessories: a 5V/2A power supply, a USB cable, a mini USB OTG adapter, a mini HDMI to HDMI cable, and a user’s manual. Apart from the markings “MK808B PRO” and “4K Ultra HD”, the device looks the same as the older models. A mini USB port for power, and a USB 2.0 host port can be found on one end, with a micro SD […]

HiMedia Q10 Pro Android TV Box Supports 4K HDR, H.265 & VP9 Video Playback, Comes with a 3.5″ SATA HDD Bay

Hisilicon HI3798C V200 is a promising processor with four Cortex A53 cores, ARM Mali-T720, 4K video output (HDMI 2.0a),  4K H.265/H.264/VP9 decoding with Dolby Vision & HDR10 high dynamic range standards support, native SATA, Gigabit Ethernet and USB 3.0 interfaces, and TS inputs to support tuners. That means products based on the SoC should be both decent media players and NAS, and one of the first product to hit the market will be HiMedia Q10 Pro. HiMedia Q10 Pro specifications: SoC – HiSilicon HI3798CV200 quad-core ARM Cortex A53 processor with ARM Mali-T720 supporting OpenGL ES 3.1/2.0, OpenVG1.1, EGL, and Imprex 2.0 PQ engine with HDR,Dolby vision support. System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC flash, 3.5″ SATA bay, and 2-in-1 card reader  (MMC/SD) Video Ouput – 1x HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60 Hz, 1x composite video (RCA) Audio Output – HDMI, stereo audio (RCA), coaxial and optical […]

ECS Live Station Mini PC Includes a Wireless Charger for Your Smartphone

ECS Live Station would just be a standard Bay Trail-M mini PC with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage, and overall specifications somewhat similar to Liva X, if it did not also features a wireless charger at the top to charge your smartphone. ECS Live Station (LS-2-32-W10) specifications: SoC – Intel Celeron N2830 quad core processor @ 2.16/2.41 GHz with Intel HD graphics (7.5W TDP) System Memory – 2 GB DDR3L (SO-DIMM) Storage – 32 GB SATADOM module Video Output – 1x HDMI port Audio – 1x audio combo jack for microphone and headphone; Realtek ALC283 HD codec Connectivity – 1x Gigabit Ethernet (Realtek RTL8111G), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 2x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0 Expansion – 1x mini PCIE slot used by wireless module (Wi-FI / BT) Misc – Qi charger on top, charging status LED, power button & LED. Power – 12V/3A Dimensions – […]

UP 7000 x86 SBC