A95X F2 Amlogic S905x2 Android 9.0 TV Box Review

[blinkone]

A95X F2 Amlogic S905X2 Android 9.0 4GB/32GB KODI 17.6 4K TV Box with IR Remote WiFi LAN

Highlights

(From webpage)

Amlogic S905X2

A95X F2 tv box is equipped with Amlogic S905X2, which provides user with ultra-fast running speed and professional image processing.

Android 9.0 OS

It is based on the latest Android 9.0 OS, with high speed and smooth performance, which is designed to turn your regular TV into a smart one.

DDR3 4GB+ eMMC 32GB

A95X F2 tv box is equipped with 4GB RAM+ 32GB ROM, supporting stable operations and providing you with more space and caches to enjoy your entertainment.

100M LAN

Equipped with 100M LAN Interface for unfettered internet surfing.

Note: The voice remote not include.

Hi Guys,

Another Tv box to take a look at today,The A95X F2,A Amlogic S905X2 powered TV box.The A95X F2

im testing came from geekbuying so a big thanks to them for the device.This is the 4/32GB version that should be more than enough room for most usersTheres also a 4/64GB version both are Running Android 9 out the box and iv already had 2 OTA updates.Iv been using this box for the past week and its doing everything i need with a fast boot up fast UI apps load nice and quick.The pre installed TVMC is also working really good with my favorite kodi build.

If you want the bottom navigation bar this is the one iv been useing from the play store that works well.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nu.nav.bar&hl=en_GB

Edit:After the 2nd OTA update there is now a bottom navigation bar :.)

Looks and feel

It comes with just the one launcher installed.A new look leanback launcher.

The device itself is a small square tv box with a front facing clock.The A95X F2 has no rubber Pads on the bottom so it does slide arond the desk a bit.,The underside has holes for Venterlation.It has 2 full sized USB ports one USB3 & one USB2,Micro SD card slot,HDMI port,Power input,AV port,RJ45 port & a Spdf port.The IR remote has good range & works ok (Air mouse is better)There is a recovery button hidden behind the AV hole on the rear.

Front of Device

Left hand side

Rear

Once booted up it takes you to the easy to use home screen.The boot time is around 25 seconds so not a slow device.

App Draw Iv only installed one app myself (Easy screen shot) to get the screen shots for you.

App's installed

Voice Search (Voice remote needed or use a webcam)

Play store

Google

Amazon Prime video

Netflix

YouTube (Plays 4k video)

Mobdro

CetusPlay

Air Screen

TVMC (KODI 17.6)

K Addons

Root Browser

TV store

K Addons

Cast play for tv

Some tech stuff

Antutu

DRM

CPU Z

Antutu Video Tester

Other info

Logitech c230 webcam (Works) also installed google voice search and that also works by using the webcam mic.

Samsung 1TB external HD (Works)

Tronsmart Mars G01 gamepad (Works)

32GB micro SD card (Works)

HDMI CEC (Works very well)

Firmware & install guide

(Stock firmware)

http://blog.geekbuying.com/2019/07/a...rmware-update/

(USB Burning tool)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KDpxJYr7Et4WmPwPzCHpGLHGXpF-MjhC/edit

1. Download USB burning tool 2.1.7.0 (Included above)and install it

2. Open USB burning tool and click "File" at the top left of the program

2. Click import image then select the aml_upgrade_package.img file

4. Once the firmware has loaded click the "Start" button in the burning tool

5. Remove all USB's and anything plugged into your device

6. Connect one side of the Male to Male USB cable to the USB 2.0 port of your device and the other to a USB port of your PC.

7. Wait until the progress bar reaches 100%, then click the "Stop" button and reconnect your device to your TV.

Internal Photos

Recovery button

WIFI Chip

Specification

General

Model: A95X F2

Type: TV Box

Hardware

OS: Android 9.0

CPU: Amlogic S905X2 Quad-core Cortex-A53

GPU: ARM Dvalin MP2 GPU support OpenGL ES3.2/OpenCL2.0

RAM: 4GB DDR3

ROM: 32GB eMMC

Communication

WiFi: 2.4G /5G WiFi

Bluetooth: Yes

LAN: 100M

Media

Image: HD JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIF

Video

Amlogic Video Engine (AVE) with dedicated hardware decoders and encoders

Support multi-video decoder up to 4Kx2K@60fps+1x1080P@60fps

Supports multiple ?secured? video decoding sessions and simultaneous decoding and encoding

Video/Picture Decoding

VP9 Profile-2 up to 4Kx2K@60fps

H.265 HEVC [email protected] up to 4Kx2K@60fps

AVS2-P2 Profile up to 4Kx2K@60fps

H.264 AVC [email protected] up to 4Kx2K@30fps

H.264 MVC up to 1080P@60fps

MPEG-4 ASP@L5 up to 1080P@60fps (ISO-14496)

WMV/VC-1 SP/MP/AP up to 1080P@60fps

AVS-P16(AVS+) /AVS-P2 JiZhun Profile up to 1080P@60fps

MPEG-2 MP/HL up to 1080P@60fps (ISO-13818)

MPEG-1 MP/HL up to 1080P@60fps (ISO-11172)

RealVideo 8/9/10 up to 1080P@60fps

Multiple languages and multiple format sub-title video support

MJPEG and JPEG unlimited pixel resolution decoding (ISO/IEC-10918)

Supports JPEG thumbnail, scaling, rotation and transition effects

Supports *.mkv,*.wmv,*.mpg, *.mpeg, *.dat, *.avi, *.mov, *.iso, *.mp4, *.rm and *.jpg file formats

Video/Picture Encoding

Independent JPEG and H.265/H.264 encoder with configurable performance/bit-rate

JPEG image encoding

H.265/H.264 video encoding up to 1080P@60fps with latency

Audio

Supports MP3, AAC, WMA, RM, FLAC, Ogg and programmable with 7.1/5.1 down-mixing

Built-in serial digital audio SPDIF/IEC958 input/output and PCM input/output

built-in TDM/PCM/I2S ports with TDM/PCM mode up to 384kHz x32bits x 8ch or 96kHz x 32bits x 32ch and I2S mode up to 384kHz x 32bits x 8ch

Digital microphone PDM input with programmable CIC, LPF & HPF, support up to 8 DMICs

Built-in stereo audio DAC

Supports concurrent dual audio stereo channel output with a combination of analog+PCM or I2S+PCM

Other Features

KODI 17.6

Language: Support Multi-languages

Support transmitter with 3D, Dynamic HDR, CEC and HDCP 2.2

Interface

USB3.0, USB2.0, HDMI, LAN, AV jack, SD card slot, DC in, SPDIF,Recovery Button Behind AV hole

Dimensions & Weight

Product weight: 0.1600 kg

Package weight: 0.3800 kg

Product size (L x W x H): 13.00 x 13.00 x 4.50 cm / 5.12 x 5.12 x 1.77 inches

Package size (L x W x H): 20.60 x 14.60 x 6.40 cm / 8.11 x 5.75 x 2.52 inches

Package Contents

1x TV Box

1x IR Remote control

1x HDMI cable

1x Power adapter

1x User manual

Unboxing Video

To buy your F2 go here

Just got a coupon: 3LETR2HC

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Did you check if Vulcan is activated?

I see StatusBar in a few the screenshots, are the Notifications working correctly? Any weird bugs with Heads-up Notifications ?

You said no Bluetooth and no 5.8 wifi radio, that is a shame. The 64GB storage model says it has dual-wifi and Bluetooth, so any future buyers pay the extra cash to have all the connection options.

[blinkone]

Just checked and Volcan support is a No screen shot below

As for Bluetooth and 5G wifi,Both there and working on my device(geekbuying got the specks wrong)Will correct my post now

I cannot pull down the top notification panel,I can see there are notification's there but it wont pull down.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Ok thank you!

[Guest]

...I cannot pull down the top notification panel,I can see there are notification's there but it wont pull down...

That's the known issue on tv boxes running on Android PIE, we can only hope that this will be corrected with future updates.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

That's the known issue on tv boxes running on Android PIE, we can only hope that this will be corrected with future updates.

Sadly it I think it is only an Amlogic issue, my Tanix Allwinner H6 device has Pie and the Notification curtain works, Tanix didn't have it fixed till about the 4th release of their Pie firmware though.

[supersmp]

for Bluetooth and 5G wifi,Both there and working on my device...

Hi
Can you check the Wi-Fi speed(on 5G) and the actual link speed in Wi-Fi settings?
Thanks

BTW Users should choose the firmware version carefully...
ON http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showt...#entry85784614(thank you auto translate they discovered that there 2 dual band board versions.
One uses the AMPAK AP6255 module(abgn+ac,1x1:1)
And one uses the MediaTek MT7668 module (MU-MIMO abgn+ac,2x2:2).

I would like to ask if there is any positive difference in favor of the MediaTek module (if correctly implemented there should be) when used with a MU-MIMO router but I don't speak Russian

[blinkone]

To save a few quid use this coupon: 3LETR2HC

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/A95X-F2-Amlogic-S905X2-Android-9-0-4GB-32GB-TV-Box-Dual-Band-WiFi-416309.html#utm_source=freaktab.BY&utm_medium=refe rral&utm_campaign=elaine&utm_term=A95X-F2

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Hi
Can you check the Wi-Fi speed(on 5G) and the actual link speed in Wi-Fi settings?
Thanks

With AMPAK AP6255 the Link Speed should be 433 Mbps. The chip module is also suppose to include Bluetooth 4.2.

One uses the AMPAK AP6255 module(abgn+ac,1x1:1)
And one uses the MediaTek MT7668 module (MU-MIMO abgn+ac,2x2:2).

I would like to ask if there is any positive difference in favor of the MediaTek module (if correctly implemented there should be) when used with a MU-MIMO router but I don't speak Russian

I would assume the MediaTek module would produce lower latency, I do own a MIMO router and the speeds are great and never does it seem like my wireless devices get lag due to modem or router. If the MediaTek module is good and MIMO is working correctly then Link speeds should be 867Mbps. But I believe someone here in FreakTab said that this particular MT7668 module is not good and a really low budget chip and the performance is not great. But of course that user may not have had the correct MIMO compatible router, or not configured home network properly, or just had a bad chip, a lot of variables could have come into play.

[supersmp]

With AMPAK AP6255 the Link Speed should be 433 Mbps. The chip module is also suppose to include Bluetooth 4.2.

Well Chinese boxes sometimes have the habit of defying the "should be/do" theory
Seriously now,I was interested in the general WiFi performance.
Didn't find many WiFi internet speed tests and none (of those that I could understand) mentioned the ISP plan or what kind of router was used.

If the MediaTek module is good and MIMO is working correctly then Link speeds should be 867Mbps...

I remember reading that the embedded MT7688xxx models are up to 450Mbps but you're probably right about the quality on this one.
MU-MINO was just a curiosity.


This box is on my list but decent Wi-Fi is a must for me and as far as I can see there's no way to know what you'll be getting...

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Well Chinese boxes sometimes have the habit of defying the "should be/do" theory
Seriously now, I was interested in the general WiFi performance.
Didn't find many WiFi internet speed tests and none (of those that I could understand) mentioned the ISP plan or what kind of router was used.

I should have mentioned that I got the 433Mbps value from an Ampak wiki page, and that I have a different device with that same module and it does show 433 as link speed in Android settings. In daily use that is fastest enough, but the quality of your router and distance to router does affect it's performance. In my testing it I was always able to achieve 90 to 100% of my internet package speed of 150Mbps.

I remember reading that the embedded MT7688xxx models are up to 450Mbps but you're probably right about the quality on this one.
MU-MINO was just a curiosity.

Also, the 867Mbps link speed I quoted was directly from MediaTek website for their MT7688 module.

[Porkie]

Sadly it I think it is only an Amlogic issue, my Tanix Allwinner H6 device has Pie and the Notification curtain works, Tanix didn't have it fixed till about the 4th release of their Pie firmware though.

No its an Android Pie issue with Android boxes. Some boxes have somehow fixed the problem, but some have not. The Cube X2 has fixed the problem, but more expensive boxes like the GT King still have the problem. I have found that not only is the problem confined to Notification Access, but it also disables Widget Access. In all the roms I have seen that are missing Notification Access, Widget Access is also missing. If you go to Settings/Apps & Notifications/Advanced/Special App Access The entire setting for Notification Access has been removed from the firmware.

I made a thread asking if someone could make an Android Oreo rom for this device, but only one person responded, and he said he did not think it was possible. I have found a thread on 4PDA where someone is making custom roms and uploading TWRP backups, but those roms are also missing Notification Access. From what I have learned is that its something like Google is only letting certain people use notification access on Android Pie devices, and on other devices they are only allowing developers to use notification access for debugging. It seems like for whatever reason Google has notification access locked down on Pie firmware, and it seems super weird that they would do that. Something about Google wanting notification to be for productivity, which makes no sense. I think the fix to all of the problems with this box is an Android Oreo rom, but I was told this devices uses a special uboot file which would make that impossible. So I guess until Google decides to let the makers of this box use notification access in the firmware, we are gonna be stuck with no notification access or widget access.

Just for clarification, I probably did not explain the notification access as best as it could be explained, but I do know that it is Google locking notification access down, and only allowing certain devices to use notification access. If you wanna find out a lot about the problem, just Google 'Beelink GT King Notification Access', cause there is several threads over on the Beelink site where people have been bitching about having no notification access for months.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Porkie like I said when you first mentioned this problem, it all has to do with how the Firmware is being compiled by the manufacturer. The programmer is not activating a flag or omitting flags that correspond to Notifications in the build process.

Notification access is Not being blocked by Google "just for tv boxes." Notification access is fully supported in Pie AOSP (Android Open Source Project) Google's open source code base which TV boxes firmwares are all based off of.

Another alternative thing to check or research is the framework-res.apk and see if the A95X is activating TV-UI instead of Default-UI (phone standard) and that somehow kills all notifications in Pie, I don't own a stock androidTV OS but I'm fairly positive the official TV OS blocks Notifications/StatusBar for immersive fullscreen viewing so activating TV-UI flag may be one of the problems.

[mart_71]

The problem when watching IPTV in 50FPS crashes video, you can see the kernel sags, does anyone have this?

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

The problem when watching IPTV in 50FPS crashes video, you can see the kernel sags, does anyone have this?

Research and install the AFRd Auto Frame Rate Daemon
https://forum.freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/779309-afrd-auto-frame-rate-daemon-works-with-64-bit-amlogic-processors
and don't use the built-in "HDMI Self Adaption" setting.

Cheers