Which set top box company have good after purchase support

[paulsiu]

There are several vendors in the TV set top space other than the big names like Amazon, Roku, WD, etc. I am thinking of vendors like Beelink, Minix, Tronsmart, Wetek, and Zidoo. Which of the company actually have good aftermarket support. For Support, I mean the following areas:

1. Firmware updates
2. Support when something goes wrong

My main concern is that after I purchase the box, there would be no firmware update so that none of the bugs are fixed and the box will be vulnerable to attacks due to lack of security updates. How long do we typically get firmware updates. Android phones typically get about 2 years (if you are lucky).

Paul

[Lurker]

There are versions of KitKat, Lollipop and OpenELEC available for the MXIII-G/MXIII Plus machine which costs around $60. For this price I don't think you can expect much in the way of e-mail support from the manufacturer. You might be able to return the unit to Gearbest or Geekbuying in China if there is a hardware malfunction but the shipping costs might make this impractical. The S812 has been available for close on a year already so I don't think that there will be many firmware updates in the future.

http://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_202596.html

Two reviews

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android-tv/android-sticks/mxiii-g-review-t3160863

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmKn2dwSFxQ

I have the older S802 based MXIII M82 which uses an earlier WiFi module so has not received many firmware updates but it has been working reliably for more than a year with daily use. I also have a Roku and tend to use the MXIII much more regularly due to the much more capable media player and wide range of streaming apps such as Kodi, Mobdro, MovieHD and Showbox etc. I have definitely got my money's worth from the device over the last year.

[clarkss12]

From my perspective, none of these companies will give you great support, but a few will give adequate support. Rockchip is probably the worst, they get about 95% complete with a good firmware, then walk away, so avoid Rockchip devices if possible, unless you like to tinker, and you will do a lot of that with Rockchip device.

Amlogic, is much better, but not perfect, but again, this is a fairly new technology.

Up until about a year ago, none of these companies were very good, now they are at least trying.

[Shadi86]

Go for amlogic i have few box from amlogic they are very good..don't buy rockchip I have very very bad experience from them
"I don't like to eat half beaked cake" it's what I feel when I see rockchip box

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[paulsiu]

Thank you for your answers. I agree that the margins are thin enough that support will be sparse. The question should be which vendor is good with firmware updates. I am sure there are multiple boxes with say S805 chipset, but one vendor may ship the product and never provide any further updates while another vendor with the same chipset may issue additional updates.

I have seen reviews where reviewer indicate Minix as being good with providing firmware updates. i was wondering if anyone else is also pretty good at providing updates?

Paul

[clarkss12]

I think that sound of silence to your question of who provides the best support, should be your answer.

[mitchell4you]

Beelink, Minix, Tronsmart, Tronfy, Wetek, Vidon, Jide, Rikomagic, Ugoos, Hph, Nvidia, Zoomtak, Mele, Inphic, Zidoo and Mygica (will at more)
Are better then most
aka firmwares to solve:
Bugs , typo's, compatible issues (app or HW) and provide kodi updates or at a new launcher
-note A fimware update doesn't always mean better..sometimes it creates more bugs then it solves.. always wait for user-feedback!

the do not provide (to my knowlege)
security updates
upgrades to the next android version

Most have a 3/6 month software support
(depending on sales or focus of company)

Only a handful of the above vendors/resellers/rebranders, support OTA updates (sadly)
So, only buy devices that have a OTG port!

Best case, you see a freaktab rom developer stating im gone buy a device from * , then you have vendor support and freaktab support if you buy the same

Sadly, I have never heard of a vendor/company/amlogic/rockchip/allwinner recall a device or chip (first batch Prometheus/s89, where horrible made)
So, hardware support is limit to sending it back to reseller.. if it fails
-note in most cases its the power adaptors that fails (I burned-out like 7 )
--note2 even the best vendors sometimes make a horrible device (presale are first batch device, don't buy these if you are a newbie)

[Lurker]

@paulsiu: I forgot to mention that you can install either Beelink MXIII-G firmware or Tronsmart MXIII Plus firmware (maybe Tronfy also?) on both the MXIII-G/MXIII Plus i.e. you have a selection of firmware (KK, LP, OE etc.) from at least two different manufacturers for this machine which is one of the major advantages over a cheap clone from Aliexpress/Amazon/**** etc. The Minix is overall a more professional product than the MXIII-G/Plus etc. but in my opinion it is not worth paying such a premium for the small improvements.

If you are in the US you can apparently purchase an original Tronsmart MXIII Plus on Amazon and possibly return it if unhappy (just confirm with the seller that this is an original).
http://www.amazon.com/Tronsmart-MXII...art+MXIII+Plus

Geekbuying usually also has a listing for the 2/8GB model ...
http://www.amazon.com/Tronsmart-MXII...art+MXIII+Plus

[clarkss12]

I have one more comment about support, and I was amazed. These companies are trying to do better, and I am proof of that. I purchased a Tronsmart Ara X5 and ten days later it died. I posted on here and on the Tronsmart forum the symptoms of my box and things I tried to bring it back to life. Tronsmart replied to my post and gave me instructions on how to get it replaced. It died on a Monday, and I had a new box on Friday. I had to pay for shipping ($9 US) to ship to California. That was fantastic support.

[RISCy Dude]

I have one more comment about support, and I was amazed. These companies are trying to do better, and I am proof of that. I purchased a Tronsmart Ara X5 and ten days later it died. I posted on here and on the Tronsmart forum the symptoms of my box and things I tried to bring it back to life. Tronsmart replied to my post and gave me instructions on how to get it replaced. It died on a Monday, and I had a new box on Friday. I had to pay for shipping ($9 US) to ship to California. That was fantastic support.

That is commendable. We all hear the bad, the good should be heard as well.
Good service should be apart of any serious company's evolution.

[vn800art]

For me Minix which is continuing in the support of Minix X7 ( a Rockchip Soc device), has the lead as support! X7 that was on the market on July 2013.
Nevertheless Rockchip has since issued the Rk3288 which have seen no solution to some of the quirks from the Soc manufacturer! And we still do not know if last 3368 is free of problems!

Amlogic has made wonderful Soc and, if S905 will be a confirmed entry level with astonishing features, will continue in 2016. Beelink has used S812 from Amlogic at the end of 2014 in two pricey devices MXIII Plus and S82 Plus, which have NOT received if maybe one 4.4 Rom 202k4 and nothing more. Tronsmart since then has released three Android 5 versions for his version, but they are not compatible with Beelink version ( maybe also because of the WiFi chip used in Beelink device, a pricey AP6335, but without support).
Regards


Alessandro