the best 2018 media streaming device

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#1988941 5-Apr-2018 18:08

I have been also checking out options for this TV. The cheapest streaming device is to use the built in TV smarts. Panasonic have iOS and Android apps that give better remote control, plus Netflix and Youtube can be cast from your native phone apps. The outright best option I have tried is to connect a 5k iMac, giving a 10-bit 60Hz 4k picture. This is far too expensive, but connecting it was still a good reference exercise. Curiously Netflix does not support 4K on a Mac, but even so the iMac did a better job than the built in 4k Netflix app. Next I tried a 2013 MacBook Pro which gave a 8-bit 30Hz 4k picture. The 30Hz kind of gave me eye-strain after a while. Lastly back to our trusty old 2012 Mac Mini with an Apple trackpad. It of course is only 8-bit 1080p, but at 60Hz. The thing is, that the Panasonic TV has options to upscale, and it does a pretty good job of doing this. Text looks pretty damn good, even from 2m away.

driller2000

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#1989031 5-Apr-2018 20:01

reven:

Future proof is a good thing, but if the mibox (~$100nzd delivered) does everything you need now, I would just go for that. The price is so low its not a biggie IMO. It may do all that (im not sure), but its a great device thats supports 4k, runs android tv (the best TV os IMO/IME).

I do prefer my nvidia shield tv for speed, but i have several tvs around the house using the mi box and its hard to justify the extra cost of a nvidia shield tv just for watching netflix/plex/kodi etc on.

+ 1 for MiBox which I have on the Family Room set up.

It however doesn't do Atmos or DTS:X and will choke on some 4k files....but for the money it is excellent value.

I also have a Shield on the HT set up and it does do Atmos and DTS:X and plays ALL of my 4k files - and it does a bunch of other stuff - but it is nearly 3 times the price of the MiBox.

So either is great option in my exp - so yeah - buy both :)

cokeman2

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#1989038 5-Apr-2018 20:10

driller2000:
reven:

Future proof is a good thing, but if the mibox (~$100nzd delivered) does everything you need now, I would just go for that. The price is so low its not a biggie IMO. It may do all that (im not sure), but its a great device thats supports 4k, runs android tv (the best TV os IMO/IME).

I do prefer my nvidia shield tv for speed, but i have several tvs around the house using the mi box and its hard to justify the extra cost of a nvidia shield tv just for watching netflix/plex/kodi etc on.

+ 1 for MiBox which I have on the Family Room set up.

It however doesn't do Atmos or DTS:X and will choke on some 4k files....but for the money it is excellent value.

I also have a Shield on the HT set up and it does do Atmos and DTS:X and plays ALL of my 4k files - and it does a bunch of other stuff - but it is nearly 3 times the price of the MiBox.

So either is great option in my exp - so yeah - buy both :)

What the hell no atmos or dts X ...definitely won't be buying it then....are you sure got the settings right on kodi and in the box?
My mininx U1 is 3 years old now and it does atmos and dts X pass through I've got a atmos home theater setup 5.1.2 definitely need it

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vexxxboy

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#1989044 5-Apr-2018 20:24

according to the specs it does DTS2.0 Digital out,Dolby Digital Plus.Up to 7.1 pass through.

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cokeman2

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#1989056 5-Apr-2018 20:36

vexxxboy:
according to the specs it does DTS2.0 Digital out,Dolby Digital Plus.Up to 7.1 pass through.

Yeah I thought it had the specs...so it should easily do it.

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driller2000

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#1989126 5-Apr-2018 23:12

cokeman2:
vexxxboy:

according to the specs it does DTS2.0 Digital out,Dolby Digital Plus.Up to 7.1 pass through.

Yeah I thought it had the specs...so it should easily do it.

Ahem.....

Er....... I just tested the MiBox now on the HT setup which is set up for HD audio - to make sure I wasn't giving you a bum steer - and yeah I was wrong :/

So yep MiBox can definitely do both Atmos and DTS:X :)

Apologies.

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lchiu7

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#1989209 6-Apr-2018 08:40

cokeman2:

What the hell no atmos or dts X ...definitely won't be buying it then....are you sure got the settings right on kodi and in the box?
My mininx U1 is 3 years old now and it does atmos and dts X pass through I've got a atmos home theater setup 5.1.2 definitely need it

Just a query but since I am not aware that a BD or 4K player needs an uppgrade to play Atmos or DTS X it must just pass through the data stream to the AVR which can either process it or ignore the extra information. So if a player can process Dolby TrueHD or DTS MA since it can process Atmos or DTS X.

[UPDATE]

Just an update since our posts cross paths :-)

I have a Raspberry Pi which can bitstream Dolby Digital and DTS fine. But for Dolby TrueHD and DTS MA, the Pi doesn't have enough bandwidth to bitstream that audio so it converts to PCM (losslessly) and outputs that. So while there is no audio quality loss, your AVR won't light up the TrueHD or DTS MA light. Atmos or DTS X have to be bitstreamed so the Pi can only decode the core audio and send that, losing the height channels.

So your Mininx is probably better but the Pi is pretty capable for its size and cost.

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cokeman2

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#1989239 6-Apr-2018 09:30

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

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wanghou168

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#1989244 6-Apr-2018 09:39

cokeman2:

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

Nope same box.

As far as I can tell the one on the international market right now is referred to as Mi Box 3 in China. Mi Box 4 already released in China, however no idea on whether we will see a new Mi box international version soon.

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cokeman2

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#1989250 6-Apr-2018 09:44

this looks promising for the mi box

https://www.xda-developers.com/android-tv-oreo-update-nvidia-shield-tv-xiaomi-mi-box/

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steve2222

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#1989251 6-Apr-2018 09:45

wanghou168:

As far as I can tell the one on the international market right now is referred to as Mi Box 3 in China. Mi Box 4 already released in China, however no idea on whether we will see a new Mi box international version soon.

Don't touch the Mi Box 4 - it is not the same thing. It is only for the China market and does NOT run Android TV OS, it can only run stock Android OS.

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vexxxboy

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#1989263 6-Apr-2018 10:00

cokeman2:

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

dont buy them of trade me if that is the price, you can ship them to NZ for $100 for the same box.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

cokeman2

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#1989271 6-Apr-2018 10:12

vexxxboy:

cokeman2:

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

dont buy them of trade me if that is the price, you can ship them to NZ for $100 for the same box.

yeah i see that if it was only $10 or so deference that might have got it of trade me but not 70

while gear best got it for 94 and free shipping to nz .not sure how good the site is ....

gear best . com lol geekzone says gear best is bad we cant post that ?

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vexxxboy

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#1989415 6-Apr-2018 12:02

cokeman2:

vexxxboy:

cokeman2:

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

dont buy them of trade me if that is the price, you can ship them to NZ for $100 for the same box.

yeah i see that if it was only $10 or so deference that might have got it of trade me but not 70

while gear best got it for 94 and free shipping to nz .not sure how good the site is ....

gear best . com lol geekzone says gear best is bad we cant post that ?

use Aliexpress , they are safe and their support and after care service is top class

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20180405160056&SearchText=mibox+3

Common sense is not as common as you think.

cokeman2

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+1 received by user: 69

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#1989455 6-Apr-2018 13:09

vexxxboy:

cokeman2:

vexxxboy:

cokeman2:

since the recommendations is mi box ...is there a new version coming out since mi box is over a year old

or is this different model all together the mi box 3?

"Official Xiaomi MI TV BOX 3 - Smart 4K Ultra - Android 6.0"

https://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/tvs/other/auction-1591711505.htm

dont buy them of trade me if that is the price, you can ship them to NZ for $100 for the same box.

yeah i see that if it was only $10 or so deference that might have got it of trade me but not 70

while gear best got it for 94 and free shipping to nz .not sure how good the site is ....

gear best . com lol geekzone says gear best is bad we cant post that ?

use Aliexpress , they are safe and their support and after care service is top class

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20180405160056&SearchText=mibox+3

looks like MI Box its going to be , shield is good cant justify the price ...... thanks for all the replies

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