Best HDMI Android TV stick?

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simon14

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#138440 4-Jan-2014 12:39

Hi guys, does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap good HDMI android tv stick?

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#961070 4-Jan-2014 12:54

Check out SomeCoolTech on YouTube.

He has reviewed almost all the Android Mini PC's known to man and always posts links to the relevant info.

kiwigeek1

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#961078 4-Jan-2014 13:26

search dx.com they have a sale on them over xmas.. 20 percent off.. can get a good one from $40

or $70 for quads.. and higher if want camera on it

jeffnz

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#961089 4-Jan-2014 14:05

I was checking these out a while back,. some good reading here on XDA

Galaxy S10

Garmin Fenix 5

kiwigeek1

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#961114 4-Jan-2014 15:25

yep they are aewsome... no need for a smarttv or tablet it does it all

i have a mid range one. only dual core and it runs mame and PS1 smularor just fine

or should i say had it.. friend wanted it.. so I sold it to him.. I decide to try a google tv box quad core
instead.. liked the idea of more usb ports and memory.. but i might get a dongel one again with camera
sometime next year

you will need a wifi keyboard and ac universal adapter though ;)

simon14

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#961131 4-Jan-2014 15:54

Thanks all, great info :)

kiwigeek1:

you will need a wifi keyboard and ac universal adapter though ;)

What are wifi keyboards? Are you referring to bluetooth? I currently have a blueooth keyboard but it has a dongle that plugs into PC too so that obviously wouldn't work would it?

Also, can some models be plugged into TV via USB to gain power rather than connecting into mains? SO it would be connected to TV via HDMI and then USB for power only?

kiwigeek1

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#961140 4-Jan-2014 16:10

like BT ones but use wifi instead.. they have a usb dongel connects to the end usb 2 powerd host on them

can use on pc or any device that detects it as a mouse/keyboard

i mean you need one of those mini wifi keyboard/air mouse.. they are neat once you get used to them

some on dx come bundled with one or a BT alternative

search here
http://dx.com/s/google+tv

use paypal to order and wait 3 weeks to arrive.. free postage as well customs slow it down

I would recommend one with external antenna.. theres one thats quad core with twin antenna

looks good specs but not bundle with controller

http://dx.com/s/google+tv+dual+antenna

i did already talk about this on another post.. could of searched :)

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richms

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#961218 4-Jan-2014 18:41

I have tried 3 android based sticks, fine for web browsing, but really lack for video playback and audio was noway near as good as analog from my cellphone on the same services. I seem to recall that MHL on the mobile to the tv then to the reciever sounded better than the stick as well going thru the same TV, but not 100% sure it was and I cant really use it that way in anycase.

Hard to see how they can mess up HDMI audio but it was definitely not as clear - perhaps using some bodgey sample rate conversion or something in software ahead of the output?

None could have the underscan removed from the output, so the native 1080 framebuffer was being scaled down and had black surrounding it. Some video playback would go all the way to the edges but it was still full of judder on things that played faultlessly on the tv's inbuilt player off USB - that was going via plex, or else youtube on the stick compared to the TV's inbuilt youtube player.

And the thing it, at least 2 of the sticks got glowing reviews despite these obvious problems so I dont trust those online reviewers to actually describe anything other than what came in the box IMO.

Richard rich.ms

kiwigeek1

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#961227 4-Jan-2014 18:55

not these ones.. plays hd 1080p no problems.. and emulators.. they push it.. but I say quads are better

can choose 720p down to 576p 50/60hz

never had a problem using bsplayer to play from a windows share any mkv and mp4 video file
and xvids/divxs

also streaming from media server works well

richms

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#961243 4-Jan-2014 19:12

So when your TV is set to just scan, is the android user interface going all the way to the edges with no black border, so that all the UI is able to use all the screen?

That has totally annoyed me with the sticks I tried, not only is there stair stepping in the UI elements due to the scaling, but it means that any captions and tickers and scrubberbars that the players add are placed way too far into the image, if it even does have the decoded video properly filling the screen.

Richard rich.ms

kiwigeek1

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#961248 4-Jan-2014 19:24

in settings you have display .. where cna zoom in and out the picture to rid the borders
just above the hdmi setting

black bars on sides of the android user interface but thats handy if click edge is fast way to scroll to next screen.. instead of mouse down and move left or right

no border at bottom.. or top tried on 720 and 1080p 50 and 60 hz seemed to make no difference

subtitles seem to play fine as well. on movies.. so not sure what mean

everyone thats pkayed with it or seen it want one and impressed...

perhaps your over picky :) or just your ones bought are old models

of course it ciould be tv or its settings? i tested on a cheap veon 24 inch.. no issues

I think they are getting better.. I think it depends on the android version.. google tv
is a slightly new different interface then tablet after all

one I bought said ver 4.1 but when I got it - said latest 4.2.2

networkn

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#961249 4-Jan-2014 19:30

Funny I just saw this thread on the top of the new posts list, as I was coming to post about recommendations of a unit. I don't need anything except WiFi with the ability to stream youtube, and ability to play DivX and FLV and MP4 in 720P. Prefer full sized USB and HDMI. It's for my older father in law and he just wants to play a couple of the exercise videos from Youtube.

How are these devices controlled?

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Talkiet

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#961250 4-Jan-2014 19:33

The vast majority of these just don't support 1080P properly. Even many that purport to do it actually decode 1080P files, render them internally as 1080P and then use a 720P framebuffer to actually spit out the video, EVEN IF THE ANDROID BOX has negotiated 1080P with the display.

Sounds nuts, but it's what usually happens for some reason. I don't believe there is a single cheap android box that supports good 1080P yet (native resolution, supports 24FPS etc)

WHat adds to the problem is that most people see their TV kick into 1080P/60 mode and believe the output is really 1080P. It's usually not.

Cheers - N

ps. I would love to find a cheap, fanless Android box that DOES do proper 1080P but I've tried and failed several times - all from vendors that swore their boxes did it.

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

kiwigeek1

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#961252 4-Jan-2014 19:38

on power on.. the tv says 1080p at 60hz... I cant fault the quality I see...

it doesnt seem to be up scaled from ehat I saw.. but then 720p is just fine for me

to control it.. I said above.. you need a wifi keyboard/air mouse or bt (but bluetooth sucks a bit as you have to pair and it doesnt auto connect to keyboard or mouse on reboot unlike wifi ones)

its basically a tablet without the screen/interface.. pockey mini pc aS THEY CALL THEM

richms

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#961253 4-Jan-2014 19:38

If you are trying it on a TV without motionplus or similar then the dropped frames will not be as noticiable as a doubled up frame and then a missing one will not throw off the frame interpolation, and panning or scrolling is already such a juddery aweful mess on 24Hz content that a missing frame in that poor presentation (Particually if its outputting 60Hz so you already have the unnatural motion of the 3:2 pulldown) you wont notice a single dropped frame.

Put the stick on a decent TV, and watch a movie with a slow pan and then you will see the mess that video on most PC based hardware is.

Richard rich.ms

Talkiet

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#961255 4-Jan-2014 19:42

Try this....

Grab this tiny test mp4 file:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18852627/1080_jpg.mp4

Play it, pause it, and see if your output looks more like this...

First is an example of real 1080P output, second is an example of the scaling that a 720P framebuffer does.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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