TV box News - Page 25 of 108 - CNX Software

December 29, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 11 Comments

Mecool KII Pro Set-Top-Box Upgraded to Amlogic S905D Processor, Android 7.1.2

VideoStrong is making some of the most popular – at least on this website – Android set-box boxes with digital TV tuner on the market with products like Mecool KIII Pro, or KI Pro, mostly because of their affordability. Software may be hit or miss depending on your local requirement (e.g. AC3 on DVB-T2, language encoding issues, etc..), so there’s fairly large number of users and some community tools or firmware such as DVB Channel Editor or Vitmos OS that may make them better devices. Most models are based on Amlogic S905 or S912, but Amlogic launched S905D processor some time ago with better tuner support (multiple demodulator support) which for example allowing me to watch terrestrial TV (DVB-T2) while recording satellite TV (DVB-S2) on Sen5 TV box. VideoStrong decided to upgrade their KII Pro Android set-top box with S905 processor, DVB-T2/T/C and DVB-S2/S tuners to the new Amlogic S905D […]

December 29, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Dune HD Unveils 5 Entry Level to Premium 4K HDR Linux + Android Media Players & Set-Top Boxes

Dune HD is known to make high-end digital media players that often costs several hundred dollars such as Sigma Designs based Dune HD SOLO 4K or Dune HD Solo Lite. The company has now sent out an email announcing new models classified into three categories with most models based on Amlogic processors: Neo Series – Entry level Dune HD Neo 4K – 4Kp60 HDR media player + Android Smart TV box Amlogic S905X 1GB RAM, 8GB flash 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 100Mbit Ethernet, Bluetooth Dune HD Neo 4K T2 – 4Kp60 HDR media player + Android Smart TV box + DVB-T/T2/C receiver Amlogic S905D 1GB RAM, 8GB flash 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 100Mbit Ethernet, Bluetooth Dune HD Neo 4K T2 Plus – 4Kp60 HDR media player + Android Smart TV box + DVB-T/T2/C receiver Amlogic S905D 2GB RAM, 16GB flash 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 100Mbit Ethernet, Bluetooth Sky series – Models with satellite receiver Dune HD […]

December 26, 2017June 26, 2018 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 18 Comments

What’s the Best Android TV Box (2017/2018 Edition)?

Since I was often asked which TV box to buy, I wrote a guide entitled “What’s the best Android TV box?” in April 2016. Time has passed, new products have launched, I tested more devices, and got further reader feedback, so it’s time for an update. There’s still no device that rules them all, and since everybody has different requirements and price points, what could the best Android TV box ever to one person, maybe be a piece of junk to another. Before purchasing a TV box, you should consider what you plan to do with it, and find the device with matches your needs and budget. So first, I’ll provide a list of things to look for – beside the SoC/RAM selection – before selecting three TV boxes that stand out (in no particular order), as well as alternatives worth looking at. Things to Look for The list is […]

December 26, 2017December 26, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

SATXTREM OTT Box & WiFi Router Combo Runs Android 7.1 on Amlogic S905X Processor

There are so many Amlogic S905X/S912 TV boxes on the market that offer the same features, I’ve long stopped reporting on all new models, unless they have very specific features, or are made by some of the most popular companies. SATXTREM OTT Box & WiFi Router appear to be a difference beast – as its name implies -, as it’;s both an Android 7.1 TV box, and an Android WiFi router thanks to three Ethernet ports. SATXTREM TV box & router specifications: SoC – Amlogic S905X quad core Cortex A53 processor @ up to 1.5 GHz with ARM Mali-450MP3 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 8GB eMMC flash (Options: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB) + micro SD slot up to 32GB Video Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60 Hz, AV port (composite) Video Codecs – 4K 10-bit H.265 up to 60 fps, VP9 up to 60 fps, […]

December 21, 2017December 21, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

H96 Mini TV Box with HDMI Input Sold for $40 (Promo)

H96 Mini is a TV Box powered by Amlogic T962E quad core Cortex A53 processor that supports both HDMI output and input. When I first covered the device, it was not very clear what was possible with the HDMI input port on this particular device, and I’ve just got a confusing answer from GearBest, which implies video recording may not be working yet, or may it is… The device was first launched for about $55 in October, and the good news is that you can now purchase it for $39.99 with coupon AH96MS. The bad news is that price is only available during daily flash sale, where 30 units are offered at 10:00 UTC until December 25, so you’d have to be right in time to get the deal. Maybe with the 30 units available per day, it will be easier than some other flash sales with a lower number. […]

December 13, 2017May 20, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

HiMedia Q10 Pro 4K TV Box Review – Part 2: Full Blu-ray Navigation & Playback

HiMedia Q10 Pro is an Android TV box powered by HiSilicon Hi3798CV200 SoC that was launched in March 2016, but the company recently provided a firmware update with support for Full Blu-ray navigation, and asked me to review that part. I received the device last month, posted the first part of the review with HiMedia Q10 Pro unboxing, and also explained how to install a 3.5″ SATA drive at the time. I’ve now acquired a few Blu-ray RIPs in order to test 4K Blu-ray video playback and navigation specifically. Initial Setup, Firmware Update, and Copying 4K Blu-ray Videos to the Hard Drive I connected the TV box to Onkyo TX-NR636 AV-Receiver, itself connected to LG 42UB820T 4K UHD television. If you’ve ever owned an HiMedia TV box the Android launcher should be familiar. If you want more details about the launcher, and user interface, checkout my HiMedia Q30 review. It’s […]

December 1, 2017January 10, 2018 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

Geniatech ATV495 Max TV Box Gets Google’s Android TV Approval

Last year, I wrote about Geniatech working on getting official Android TV support for ATV495 Max and ATV598 Max set-top boxes with Google Play GMS certification. The certification for the Amlogic S912 model with tuner (AT598 Max) is still being worked on, but the good news is that Amlogic S905X based ATV495 Max has now received Google’s Android TV approval. The case design has changed a little since this first announcement with a more rounded and large design, but other Geniatech ATV495Max specifications have not changed: SoC – Amlogic S905X-B quad core ARM Cortex-A53 processor up to 1.5 GHz with Mali 450MP GPU @ up to 750MHz System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC flash + micro SD Slot up to 32GB Video & Audio Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60 Hz with CEC, HDCP, HDR; 3.5mm AV port (CVBS + stereo audio); Dolby Digital […]

November 29, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Vorke Z3 Rockchip RK3399 TV Box Gets Android 7.1 Firmware

Earlier today, I discovered Cloudnetgo CR19 TV Box based on Rockchip RK3399 SoC and equipped with an external SATA port sold on GeekBuying. At first, I thought it was something completely new, but soon remembered that I had reviewed a very similar device: Vorke Z3. At the time of the review however, the device was pre-loaded with Android 6.0, and while performance itself was clearly at step up compared to other TV boxes, video playback was rather poor, and there were too many bugs to my taste. Then I realized that the new device came with Android 7.1, and a quick search revealed Vorke Z3 had also received an Android 7.1 firmware upgrade late September. That will be old news for some owners, but if you’ve gotten frustrated by your device while running Android 6.0, it may be worth checking out Android 7.1. If OTA firmware update from Android 6.0 […]