Draco AW80 - Multimedia playback and XBMC issue & feedback here

[no_spam_for_me]

I start some explicit threads to sort all issues and feedbacks from the beginning...
Because I don't have it now, I use Bob's first impressions to have a starting point...

...
Netflix tested and working well. It starts out with some weird video anomalies but within about 1 minute it is golden!

I threw a DVD IMG image at it, and the stock video players had no problem playing it.

Now going to try every format I have... stay tuned...

Bob

...
FYI folks... I have thrown MKV, MP4, AVI, WMV, ISO, IMG formats at this thing and it has played EVERY one of them....

Also NO FRAME SKIPPING that I can see! This is coming off a SATA drive. I will test streaming from WIFI and Ethernet next.

Bob

Just tried 2 3D movies. They work perfectly. I had to switch my LG TV to 3D mode but it's perfect.
Also tried it in the supplied XBMC KODI and that worked too although the control interface at the bottom was not 3D. But that can be fixed in KODI settings.

Bob

...
FYI Eric, the color and saturation over HDMI is really nice!

You may remember or notice posts that I said a few times my wife is super picky about color and saturation. She does not like RK boxes. She likes the AML boxes better.... But I asked her to take a look at this, and she said "that's the best I have seen so far on a TV box!".... Her words everyone and trust me, she is like super picky... Now she is saying, "when will this box be on our TV"

Bob

Just tried 2 3D movies. They work perfectly. I had to switch my LG TV to 3D mode but it's perfect.
Also tried it in the supplied XBMC KODI and that worked too although the control interface at the bottom was not 3D. But that can be fixed in KODI settings.

Bob

Because often ask by others: also as an ISO?

Netflix is still in SD right?
...

How do you tell?

Can this device handle Frame packed Bluray 3D ISO?

Thanks!

Where can I get a sample of this ISO and I will test it.

Bob

Do you BD RE on your computer/
You can use the DVDFab to create a n ISO image of Bluray Movie.

I do not have a BlueRay drive on my PC. Sorry....

Bob

[no_spam_for_me]

FYI

Have been testing with this device for approx a day now and some of the stuff on this box seems like its downgraded compared to previous version smh. For one, my video quality doesnt even look as sharp as my chromecast =/ It literally looks like its reverted it to 480p
:
Netflix also has trouble with controls while video is plying (e.g. If i try and fast forward the moment i navigate to the bottom bar it auto hides itself and ceases to fully display again unless i exit the video completely)

[Zeggi]

Does anyone know if the device supports DTS/DD5.1 playback and also if the audio is delivered in 5.1 over HDMI?

[Spike2121]

Just saw this

http://www.neowin.net/news/tronsmart-draco-aw80-android-tv-box-unboxing-and-first-impressions

[geekbuying]

Does anyone know if the device supports DTS/DD5.1 playback and also if the audio is delivered in 5.1 over HDMI?

i have already tested the dts and dolby. use the stock player and xbmc to play videos. 5.1 audio is no problem to passthrough over HDMI and optical.

[Zeggi]

Thanks! Will order one.

[no_spam_for_me]

FYI

Did you try changing the DPI from 160 to 240? That fixed the problems I had with video playback.

thank you alwaysbless, ( ok geekbuying, the problem is resolved )

For the video :

1080p720p film in streaming = perfect

4K sata, stuttering a bit less with MX player.

with Bsplayer, strong stuttering.

with KODI, does not work.
------------------------------------------------
movie playback in sata :

with kodi - Film MKV 720p --> stuttering a bit

With MxPlayer - Film MKV 720p --> ok perfect

With BsPlayer - Film MKV 720p --> ok perfect

------------------------------------------------
For the audio :

DTS 5.1 = ok, is perfect
------------------------------------------------
For the sata :

I wrote an error with the SATA, I now erase.

Now it works when I connect the sata at startup.
( DO NOT HAVE THE BOX DRACO, UNDER VOLTAGE ), otherwise does not start for me.

I'm An updated and other correction on my first post.

[no_spam_for_me]

...
FYI the frame skipping on MKV's is like the old days of 3188.... It's in the kernel!
It's a software decode.
If you remember PHJ Anderson's kernel patch way back on 3188 kernels.... Same thing.... Pretty sure it is anyway.

Bob

I don't think so, because it seems to run at MX much more smother than at XBMC...

I see. And that would fix the stutter/judder I notice on many, if not all, true 1080p videos?

I thought the issue might be linked to the dropped frames you can see counted in this snapshot. The clip is a 1080p mkv at 45 mbps (Jellyfish). The same clip runs much more smoothly in MX Player.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8779[/ATTACH]

Disappointing, drops at 45mbps, with 60 (or whatever) active cores on GPU!!?!!

If I have a look at RK3288 at the stock Kodi (xbmc 14.0 Alpha 4) I see nearly the same CPU usage BUT at 4 cores (but don't know if the debug information because of the 2 cores are correct at the AW80).

Thanks, I followed that good suggestion before running that 1080p Jellyfish clip. The dpi change improved some things, but hasn't addressed what I fear is a conflict between XBMC and the PowerVR drivers.

Right, I also think the problem is the interaction between the 'amc-h264' and the XBMC (you can see it at 'dc:amc-h264' at the P(...-row ) because at RK3288 (dc:rkstf-h264) I have nearly no skips)...

Another story I'm wondering in is the fps at the W(...-row, because at the RK3288 I have fps:23.98 which is nearly the fps of 23.976 instead of the 10.56 I can see at the AW80...

All-in-all I think there is much optimizing potential for the kodi-team to get a good working version at the AW80....
(BTW: in the past they work at the Amlogic (MX) but they also need some time to optimize it for the S802... but don't ask me why they are able to release nice working versions for RK3288 much faster)

[Zahir]

You are quite right that there is great scope for optimizing XBMC video on this new platform.

Compare these two debugs of that 1080p mkv at 45 mbps.

The first is Gotham 13.2. The second is SPMC. Note the improvement in SPMC in:

a) fps; b) vcpu utilization; c) frame drops. On the other hand, frame skips increase. The video runs twice as smoothly in SPMC as in Gotham, but still not at its full potential (23.9 fps).

I hope Tronsmart are reading this. There is work to be done between their software people and the XBMC team.

[no_spam_for_me]

... Gotham 13.2 ...

Is it Stock or the 'normal' downloaded version?
But nice to see the different results at SPMC (koying rules ).

BTW: often the drops and skips at debug are not corresponding with reality (you can see the same effect at amlogic but not with your eyes)...

[freakkid]

i have already tested the dts and dolby. use the stock player and xbmc to play videos. 5.1 audio is no problem to passthrough over HDMI and optical.

if DTS and Dolby is working for you then I must have defected hardware.....How do I check for defected hardware (obviously software is ok if working for you) to prove hardware defect...device is with original firmware...I might have to return for defective hardware!! When I select pass thru spdif (and select spdif in settings) I get no sound at all..only thru hdmi. Works fine with my transmont s9 elite...

Update: I noticed on build.prop settings:

audio.output.active=AUDIO_CODEC,AUDIO_HDMI
audio.input.active=AUDIO_CODEC

I changed to:

audio.output.active=AUDIO_CODEC,AUDIO_HDMI,AUDIO_S PDIF (spacing is ok on build.prop)
audio.input.active=AUDIO_CODEC

Still does not work...My only other option is to reflash....but this should not be happening to a new device...might wait for Finless new rom for this device...

[Zahir]

Is it Stock or the 'normal' downloaded version?
But nice to see the different results at SPMC (koying rules ).

BTW: often the drops and skips at debug are not corresponding with reality (you can see the same effect at amlogic but not with your eyes)...

The Gotham 13.2 is the official download from XBMC. I use it to maintain add-ons that Kodi rejects. Yes, the eye is the ultimate test: mine tells me that, even with SPMC, this box cannot yet compete in video with my humble M8.

[WeK05]

Netflix resolution

So, what is the verdict on Netflix playback? Do you get 720x480, 1750kbps (HD is out of question, that is for sure).

[alwaysbless]

So, what is the verdict on Netflix playback? Do you get 720x480, 1750kbps (HD is out of question, that is for sure).

Netflix comes in the same as other android tv boxes - Very watchable quality but not HD like on the amazon fire tv.

[WeK05]

Netflix comes in the same as other android tv boxes - Very watchable quality but not HD like on the amazon fire tv.

If you play one of these video clips - Example Short: 23.976 or El Fuente: 60 MP10, you will know exactly what resolution you are getting for Netflix. Can you also check what is the OS API level that Netflix detects. You can get this information from Netflix --> About