New: Tronsmart Ara BJ19 NUC-like Mini PC Intel Celeron J1900 Processor

[trebor]

Yes that's the only issue the Price, some of these Boxes are now getting little closer to that price bracket, you just need to way up
the Pro's and Con's and how much bang for the buck you want and take it from there, a few more bucks again and you can get a little better.
On it goes from there and it does not stop.

Cheers

[tmc8080]

It's a nice kit project box, but can many justify spending LAPTOP price range to customize this with similar specs (ram, hdd)?
Over $100 for the barebones already... that's the most $$$ some would spend on a box already..
Would be nice modular was the way all box makers made their boxes for similar prices and allowed upgrade paths for ram/hdd.
There isn't much cost difference except in the m/b chipsets..

[LycanWrath]

Hehe yea, small but paradise island

A nice video from Geekbuying, on adding HDD and RAM to the box:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn46B7mGrS0

On the official website it says the HDMI connection is HDMI Mini but from what I can see the HDMI is a normal type A one

[trebor]

Tronsmart BJ19

The Bottom cover just pulls of as screws are not fitted just get a good grip on Base and Top and it will come off no need to poke things in.
Plugged in a 4 GB ram Module . DDR3L 1066-1333 faster will work just wont see any benefit.
Ram I used Kingston 4GB 1600MHz DDR3L Non-ECC CL11 SODIMM 1.35V KVR16LS11/4

120 GB SSD fitted to supplied bracket with unit and attached. at the Base
I will test a 256 SSD as I have one installed in another Computer I will remove and test to see if it can detect.

OK so after a bit of dinner we have Win8.1 Pro 64 bit installed.
All Drivers except for 1 that we think is the IR controller.

Just created a Rufus boot from ISO plugged it away we went.

To help with Cmos I changed a couple of settings to give a bit more of a chance to see post boot Bios and tap Delete key.
Cmos Settings under Boot, Disable quite Boot to remove the Tronsmart Logo and you see AMI
Setup Prompt Timeout to 2 or 3 seconds just gives you that little extra time to whack that delete key.

Network Wifi drivers I pinched from Levono seems OK speeds are good no drop outs that people are on about.

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds037463

Ethernet Drivers and diagnostic tool for Win8.1

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

Installed the Intel Driver update Utilities.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/dow...Update-Utility

Installed the Intel Chip Device Software (INF update Utility)
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/dow...pdate-Utility-


After that we are all good to rock and roll. woo hoo
Nice snappy little Box has a good feel about it so well worth the few extra bucks if you don't have bits laying about for HDD and RAM.
Ideal small box for Internet, Office, streaming most things that we do. Kodi yet to be tested but it will be fine I feel as with Plex.
While doing updates etc you can hear the fan cutting in and out yet to play with settings to set and Melting/Panic point.

Might leave it at Win8.1 and wait for the 10 upgrade to download in its own good time no rush at this stage

As mentioned in a previous post it does have a Msata port spare so you might be able to add more storage to this device


A bit of a look see in side the Box









HDD Bracket is Supplied









Be Great If all Power packs for these were like this

[trebor]

The Bios in the Unit is the One I posted...so don't bother

[trebor]

Yes has the Bracket so looking good win8.1 just starting to go on now.
Your an islander like me....only mine is HUGE compared to yours
Cheers

[LycanWrath]

Tronsmart Ara BJ19 NUC

Thanks Geekbuying and DHL left friday here Sunday.

All good just arrived....

What I thought was 250 GB SSD is only 120 GB not to worry in it goes and a 4 GB 1600 ram.

We have Boot...

Bit of a look see around Bios all very the same.

Try Win7....Hmm loose USB once win7 start to load, bugger cant be bothered at this stage.

Win8.1 it is lest see what sort of a mess we can get into here.

More to come
Cheers

Does it come with an internal bracket for HDD
Just ordered mine, will have to wait for sometime for it to arrive here though

[trebor]

Tronsmart Ara BJ19 NUC


Thanks Geekbuying and DHL left friday here Sunday.

All good just arrived....

What I thought was 250 GB SSD is only 120 GB not to worry in it goes and a 4 GB 1600 ram.

We have Boot...

Bit of a look see around Bios all very the same.

Try Win7....Hmm loss of USB once win7 start to load, bugger cant be bothered at this stage.

Win8.1 it is lest see what sort of a mess we can get into here.
More to come
Cheers

[dos_box]

It is spare and I think I have an old 32GB card based drive I can put in there. Will let you know how that pans out next week.

[trebor]

Is that a spare M Sata slot above the WIFI PCB, can that be populated as well as a hdd any idea.

Cheers

[dos_box]

*UPDATE*
Now got it up to Windows 10. Lots of issues though and the really poor BIOS defaults don't help any. As regards to the LAN, it's a Realtek PCIe GB adaptor and you need the Realtek referance drivers and then disable any power-saving and green options. This then stops it from dropping out every few seconds (literally!)
Instructions here: http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-...ng-my-fix.html

Spent a great deal of time using Tweaking.com's Hardware Identify to get the correct drivers: http://www.tweaking.com/content/page..._identify.html Awesome package and can't recommend it enough. I still have one 'Unidentified' driver missing which I suspect is the IR receiver. Still working on that one!
Still, it's now a decent stable little platform which is actually very nippy and runs quite cool. Not over 60 degrees c yet
I'll post a full list of drivers etc. when I get chance but off for a couple of days tomorrow to a music festival in Liverpool.
Oh, and one gripe is the tough sensitive on/off switch on top of the device. You will end up touching this accidentally many, many times, especially when steadying the box when inserting USB drives etc.
Not yet encountered anything fatal with it yet, just the really bad default BIOS options, and total lack of driver info from Tronsmart.

[LycanWrath]

trebor , the one you posted is actually the latest, seems it did not fix all issues more feedback is required though:-

http://forum.tronsmart.com/forum/ara-bj19/726-firmware-issues

[trebor]

Most likely and lets hope its just drivers
And with Win10 and all time should fix all

LycanWrath I hope the firmware just released on 21 Aug fixes that.
Do you have a link for that
Cheers

[LycanWrath]

Based on the BJ19 forum, it seems the LAN is not very stable:-http://forum.tronsmart.com/forum/ara...s?limitstart=0

Edit:
I hope the firmware just relaesed on 21 Aug fixes that.

[LycanWrath]

Success!!! The 4GB DDR3L 1600MHz RAM worked and it now boots.....now for the bad news. The BIOS is setup so that any usb peripherals bomb out once Windows boots (this includes the Windows installer!) and it took some time fiddlign with settings to get it to work. Also, I still cannot find out the exact hardware spec of the deivice to get drivers for it!
Windows doesn't have any for the networkign and luetooth side of things as well as some of the base hardware.
I'm installing Unbuntu to do the legwork for me on this and will let you all know later.
Not as easy as it should be this!

Great, getting myself a 4Gb DDR3L 1600 then!