I Really WANT To Like my new NEO X5 but.....

[flexsez]

I was really excited to get my X5 after getting rid of my Apple TV 2 so I could finally tweak out the new box and run apps, games, surf the web and MOSTLY use it for XBMC.

Unfortunately this box does not seem to like XBMC like my Apple TV 2 did.

I followed the instructions found on this site for loading Finless Bob 1.2b, installed MX Player for Neon, installed XAF Android XBMC and the results have been underwhelming to say the least.

Unless there are some magical settings I don't know about inside MX Player or XBMC to be able to get through a 30 minute sitcom without waiting for the show to load 4-5 times I'm sending this unit back.

For the record I'm running the 720p non airpin version, have the box hooked up via ethernet and have run it with no acceleration, all hardware and software acceleration combinations in MX Player and nothing seems to work.

Solid XBMC streaming playback on 1 Channel, Project Free TV, SportsDevil and NaviX are my primary concerns for this box and quite frankly I just want them to work like they did on my Apple TV 2 without all the BS associated with the XAF Android version.

Maybe I'm asking for a feat that this box can't deliver and I need to get something else like a windows machine, Linux Box, Ubuntu, Ouya, G Box Midnight or ?????, or maybe I should just go back to the Apple TV 2 and live with its other shortcomings (and for the record I'm not an Apple Fanboy).

What do you guys think? Am I alone on this or what? Feeling disappointed after waiting months to try this thinking Android was ready for Primetime.....

[pdlibrary]

I own an X5 and recently tried the Android XAF build if XBMC. If you watch it in debugging mode you will see it takes up too 85% of the CPU to run XBMC compared to the regular XBMC android version. The regular XBMC in android runs a CPY average around 45%.
Has XBMC been shutting off during a movie? Try debugging mode.
I totally got rid of the XAF build and went back to the original XBMC from xbmc.org

[heyya]

Don't give up on your device so soon. I don't have the X5 but I do have the MK808 which has the RK3066 like the X5 and my XBMC experience is not perfect but it's close. Instead of using the an external player with XAF builds, I use the xbmc-20130219-32e99c7-android-hwaccel-armeabi-v7a test build that uses the internal player. With the libstagefright progress, all my 720p play smoothly. 1080p not so much. This is understandable because it is not fully hardware accelerated. All my plugins work also. Give this build a try.

[sweller]

flexsez,

You did exactly what I did and I don't have any such difficulties.

Did you do a dirty flash or a clean install?

Either way, I'd suggest starting over with fresh file downoads and a fresh install of CWM. Wipe everything and do it again.

Something went amiss...

[flexsez]

So I took off the XAF XBMC and also dropped Finless BOB 1.2b and installed the xbmc-20130219-32e99c7-android-hwaccel-armeabi-v7 build that uses the internal player and it seems to run OK but haven't had a lot of time to test it out.

My kernel is now 3.0.8+ root@ubuntu #91


My build number is 2012 1-16.4.1.009


Judging by the date of the build number (1-16-2012) I'm assuming this is old firmware that I need to update to 011?

But how, I don't get it?

[sweller]

flexsez,

I'm having trouble picking up on what you're putting down.

You removed XBMC-XAF?

You "also dropped Finless BOB 1.2b..." How? You had to replace it with something.

"I'm assuming this is old firmware that I need to update to 011?" Unless there's a version that's been converted for CWM, the only way I know of is through the Rockchip tool.

What am I missing?

[flexsez]

You removed XBMC-XAF?
Yes I removed XAF XBMC and associated MX Player and installed xbmc-12.2-Frodo-armeabi-v7a then ran the Hub Wizard.

You "also dropped Finless BOB 1.2b..." How? You had to replace it with something.
I used CWM that I had on my External SD card (I found out how to do it here http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2230186) to restore my box to an earlier image that didn't have Finless Bob 1.2b on it.

So I guess I'm using the stock ROM now as the box boots with the MINIX logo and then to the launcher.

I'd like to install the current firmware http://minix.com.hk/firmware/NEO_X5_4.1.1_20130520.rar
which is 011 that has the SPDIF 5.1 option for sound.

The base version of xbmc-12.2-Frodo-armeabi-v7a ran well for me last night but only has 2.0 audio which is a deal breaker for me.

Hopefully that helps clear things up.

[sweller]

Ok. I'm with you now. You did a restore back to the OEM firmware from Bob's 1.2b.

What's preventing you from installing the 4.1.1 firmware?

(I can guess. No CWM. Right?)

[flexsez]

Yes did a restore back to the OEM firmware and removed Bob's 1.2b (so Bob 1.2b is firmware or a ROM I'm confused?).

I still have CWM in my downloads and can move it to the SD card (when you move it SD card root you rename it Update.zip and reboot the box).

My box shows that I'm running 4.1.1 Jellybean but my firmware is the January 2013 build and not the 011 that I would like so I can get 5.1 audio on SPDIF.

[sweller]

The terms ROM and firmware tend to get used interchangeably. I've read some fairly spirited discussions over the use of the term "ROM" in place of "ROM image". Either way, it's firmware.

ROM = Read Only Memory

Just in case you're interested, I just posted THIS.

[flexsez]

So if I put Finless Bob 1.2b back on I'll essentially be getting the updated 011 firmware with the 5.1 SPDIF?

[sweller]

I can only be certain the Finless 1.2b doesn't support passthru.

If some can correct me, I'd be thrilled!