markrander87
Registered User
- Jan 22, 2010
- 4,216
- 61
Android TV Box
- Thread starter markrander87
- Start date
If you don't know what to think of them, then my guess is that you won't use it much, letting it collect dust, like Metal. Only if you know exactly what you'd use it for ahead of time, so that you could justify the cost, would I buy it if I were you.
Those boxes have all kinds of features and capabilities, but most people are unlikely to use the vast majority of them. Most people will use a box like that for only one or two things. I would guess that accessing Netflix and playing personal digital movie collections (from something like Amazon or own personal MP4 collection) are the only things that most people would consistently use a box like that for. If those two things are appealing to you, you might consider it.
Also, that's a pretty new and powerful box. In fact, it has 8 cores, 2GB of RAM and can handle 4K video. If you don't even know what you'd use it for, then it may be more power than you need and, thus, more money than you need to spend. You can get cheaper boxes that'll likely be sufficient for your needs. Buying a cheap product to see if it's something that you would use, before blindly buying an expensive one, might be smarter.
If he's really your friend, he'd let you borrow it first and play with it, to see if his price is worth it to you. If he's not willing to do that, then leave it alone, since that's a bit suspicious, especially since it's a very new model (Amazon doesn't even have any reviews of it yet), so there could something that he's not telling you.
Those boxes have all kinds of features and capabilities, but most people are unlikely to use the vast majority of them. Most people will use a box like that for only one or two things. I would guess that accessing Netflix and playing personal digital movie collections (from something like Amazon or own personal MP4 collection) are the only things that most people would consistently use a box like that for. If those two things are appealing to you, you might consider it.
Also, that's a pretty new and powerful box. In fact, it has 8 cores, 2GB of RAM and can handle 4K video. If you don't even know what you'd use it for, then it may be more power than you need and, thus, more money than you need to spend. You can get cheaper boxes that'll likely be sufficient for your needs. Buying a cheap product to see if it's something that you would use, before blindly buying an expensive one, might be smarter.
If he's really your friend, he'd let you borrow it first and play with it, to see if his price is worth it to you. If he's not willing to do that, then leave it alone, since that's a bit suspicious, especially since it's a very new model (Amazon doesn't even have any reviews of it yet), so there could something that he's not telling you.
SoulPatch
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2006
- 3,933
- 1
I have one (a mygica 420 I think). You need to install and learn how to use the Kodi app (there are tons of youtube videos on how to set it up). W/o Kodi there's probably no point in getting the box. You can just stream Netflix/hulu/ w/e from any of your devices via a chromecast stick. I use this box almost everyday and do not miss cable at all.
Butchered
I'm with Kuch
- Apr 30, 2004
- 6,338
- 1
I would personally much rather just get a Chromecast and stream it from my phone. All those boxes are doing (like said above) is using Kodi.
It's a little bit of a pain to get set up to stream with good quality (you need to use another app on your phone to make the Kodi stream native to the Chromecast as opposed to just mirroring your screen while it's streaming), but it's worth the money you'll save.
Or just get Kodi for your PC.
It's a little bit of a pain to get set up to stream with good quality (you need to use another app on your phone to make the Kodi stream native to the Chromecast as opposed to just mirroring your screen while it's streaming), but it's worth the money you'll save.
Or just get Kodi for your PC.
So just looking online its $70 off alibaba. If your buddy is asking for 20-30 bucks I dont see much risk. If he wants closer to that price or even in the $50 I'd ask some more questions.
As Osprey said though, if you don't know much about it and don't know what you'd use it for, ask if you can try it out before buying.
As Osprey said though, if you don't know much about it and don't know what you'd use it for, ask if you can try it out before buying.
jasonleaffan
Registered User
So I'm looking to buy an Android box with Kodi preinstalled. Any recommendations? I'm mainly using it just to watch movies.
I'd just get the best box and put Kodi on it yourself. A lot of preinstalled boxes are very slow, cores don't matter, I don't think there's even such a thing as a dual core arm anymore
Practice putting it on your phone, it's literally the same process
I have an Nvidia Shield TV. The interface is really nice, it's easy to use, and it has apps for Kodi, VLC, Plex, etc.
The only issue I have, is it seems to drop frames occasionally, so playback isn't as smooth as one would like. It's particularly noticeable with 4K content.
The only issue I have, is it seems to drop frames occasionally, so playback isn't as smooth as one would like. It's particularly noticeable with 4K content.
Supermassive
HISS, HISS
Anyone recommend the best Kodi version and build for tv, sports, movies?
I upgraded to v17 and there doesn't seem to be much that works right. I'd like to just use Kodi Ultimate Setup or whatever that do-it-all app is.
I upgraded to v17 and there doesn't seem to be much that works right. I'd like to just use Kodi Ultimate Setup or whatever that do-it-all app is.
karnige
Real Life FTL
- Oct 18, 2006
- 19,215
- 1,306
By the way, anybody know how to keep Kodi from updating automatically without turning off auto updates for everything?
I figure it's not possible but just checking.
I figure it's not possible but just checking.
