Alfawise S92 TV Box Octa Core Amlogic S912 Android 6.0

[bluesmanuk]

I'm having trouble with this box regarding Kodi. Wiht the 17 version videos have breaks and with the 16 version there is a buffering problem.

I have flashed the box with celeron's latest rom but nothing changes. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

You need to be more specific as it's difficult for anybody to diagnose issues unless there is more information about usage.

Have you tried using FTMC?

[nautillus]

Since I'm using the Superceleron rom I tried FTMC, but videos took too long to buffer. I uninstaled it and went for 17.1. Buffer problems no longer apply, but vids freeze randomly and sometimes fall into a time loop, back and forth a second.

[norco53]

Poor WiFi connectivity? If so Kodi vs FTMC vs SPMC experiments won't help. Ethernet cable might help.

[nautillus]

It's not a network issue because Kodi runs perfect in my two android tablets. And naturaly I tried it out wih ethernet as well.

[norco53]

My S92 streams WiFi video okay on everything except NextPVR files, using Kodi or SPMC (haven't tried FTMC yet). However, when using Ethernet, mine can also stream NextPVR videos without buffering or freezing. So Ethernet is my permanent solution.

I wonder if malware or a legitimate program is keeping your box too busy to smoothly stream. Maybe you can run Malwarebytes to check for malware. Another experiment might be to factory reset, and then to uninstall all programs you don't use? Or try the Kodi fork called SPMC, if you haven't already tried that.

[nautillus]

When connected by ethernet to a powerline I get 1/2 Mbps of internet speed what makes it hard to watch films on Kodi. With the very same powerline my laptop gets 40 Mbps. Is there a reason?

[Al33]

Hi everybody, I received my S92 today and checked the Wifi speed via the speedtest app from the play store. Unfortunately I got a problem there and was hoping for some advice.

While connected to the 5G Wifi (got a dualband router) the device only reaches around ~11 mbps dl which is way lower than what I expected. My phone gets ~50 in the living room and ~71 next to the router while the S92 stays at ~11 mbps regardless of the location. 2.4 reaches ~25mbps which would be fine I guess but the 5G performance is really a let down considering it was the reason I bought the thing (for streaming etc. I wanted high wifi speeds).

My question: Could my device just be faulty or do you believe it might have something to do with the firmware or something else?

[bluesmanuk]

Hi everybody, I received my S92 today and checked the Wifi speed via the speedtest app from the play store. Unfortunately I got a problem there and was hoping for some advice.

While connected to the 5G Wifi (got a dualband router) the device only reaches around ~11 mbps dl which is way lower than what I expected. My phone gets ~50 in the living room and ~71 next to the router while the S92 stays at ~11 mbps regardless of the location. 2.4 reaches ~25mbps which would be fine I guess but the 5G performance is really a let down considering it was the reason I bought the thing (for streaming etc. I wanted high wifi speeds).

My question: Could my device just be faulty or do you believe it might have something to do with the firmware or something else?

I would start off by looking at things from a different perspective.

Does the WiFi handle the streaming sources that you use?

[Al33]

I would start off by looking at things from a different perspective.

Does the WiFi handle the streaming sources that you use?

Well I wasn't able to test that yet since I usually use it to watch NFL streams and the seasons starts in September. But I will try other streams later on. But the old Android stick that I used was an MK808B which had only around 3mbps l and that made it unwatchable. It was buffering all the time. Since then I bought a new router and modem in order to upgrade to 5G Wifi and now I kind of really want to have a decent performance that's why it really frustrates me to only get 11 mbps out of it. I probably will have to use the 2,4G which at least gives me ~25mbps (~55 in the other room next to the router but thats not the spot I need it to be but at least 2,4 works fine).

I just went through all the OTA updates to 111M0 but that didn't help.

[bluesmanuk]

5-8 Mbps is suitable for HD video streaming.

It's only when you get to 4K where it could potentially have some issues.

It is certainly odd that the 2.4 is faster, although if I am correct, 5 can actually be slower than 2.4 if the signal has to travel through objects such as walls.

It's probably worth looking at your router settings to see if there are any indications there.

I'm guessing that you have tried using various channels to see what the optimum one is?

Another thing to bear in mind is that these boxes only have a single antenna, where other devices in the home may have 2 or more.

[Al33]

5-8 Mbps is suitable for HD video streaming.

It's only when you get to 4K where it could potentially have some issues.

Good to hear that 5-8 mbps should be enough (was not aware of this), because either way I got that covered. I've been trying some streams with both wifi frequencies and it worked ok in both cases actually.

It is certainly odd that the 2.4 is faster, although if I am correct, 5 can actually be slower than 2.4 if the signal has to travel through objects such as walls.

Yes, that's what I read on the internet as well so I tested it in the living room where my TV is and afterwards in the office where the router is and had the same results on 5G, both tested ~11,5mbps.

2,4 improved in the office next to the router from ~25mbps (livingroom) to ~55mbps (next to the router).

It's just strange that the 5G did not change at all.

It's probably worth looking at your router settings to see if there are any indications there.

Simultaneously I tested the wifi on my phone which had the desired results of ~50 mbps (livingroom) and ~75 mbps (next to the router) so I don't believe it's the routers fault although I'm really not an expert and you probably know more about it than I do.

I'm guessing that you have tried using various channels to see what the optimum one is?

I'm not sure what you mean with various channels? Someone on the internet mentioned different Wifi channels but I didn't read much into it. Is that what you mean? Using another Wifi channel from the router to get better results? In that case I would need to read myself into this and might try it out.

[bluesmanuk]

Yes, if you go into the router settings from a browser, you can check things such as the WiFi channels and change them to see if on yields better results.

It may also be worth looking at a WiFi Analyser app such as this, that may also be of use.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en_GB

One thing that you will find with many of these boxes is that expected speeds will rarely be reached because they only use a single antenna, so the speeds will always be at the bottom end so to speak.

That's why I always look at the real performance to see if it is satisfactory first before I look at the speeds.

Saves an anticipated disappointment from arising lol

[Al33]

Yeah I believe that might be a wise approach to look at the performance rather than the data but I just can't help :-D

Thank you for your advice, I downloaded the analyzer app and changed the frequencies on both wifi to less crowded frequencies but the results are the same. Before I start to test through all the other ones I have one more question. Does the channel performance only depend on the disturbance by other wifi signals or for other reasons as well? Because I found a 5G frequency that is unused but the dl speed remained the same, should I keep testing through the various channels?

[bluesmanuk]

WiFi signals and obstacles are 2 factors.

But firmware can also have an effect, as does the quality of construction of the box itself and signal interference inside it, for which some people opt for physical box modding to use an external antenna.

But on the basis that you can't help, at least going through the channels and other router settings, at least you can say that you have tried.

Depending on your routers specific abilities, you may also find other settings to tinker with such as whether you have modes that can optimise connectivity in a given circumstance.

[Al33]

All right, I guess I will have to read myself into it a bit and try out different channels. Since the streams are working ok right now (I've been watching some random tennis stream) I think I should just be happy with it after that.

You have been very helpful, thank you a lot for your support!