Android media players which is most recommend

[traitt]

hello
i have a Himedia Q5 dual core media player. i do like it although i will not be able to upgrade kodi anymore as my android is 4.4.2 and cannot be upgraded anymore. kodi 17 requires android ver 5

i like Himedia but wanted any suggestion for recommendations on brands. also i am in usa so will have to buy online to ship to usa. my Himedia was bought in Thailand during a visit some other brands i saw were Zidoo , Rikomagjc , Plex ( i am sure many more )

i will need minimum android ver 5 but probably better if newer than 5 for kodi. main use streaming tv and movie with video ads on. thanks

[Lurker]

If you want to use Netflix, Hulu etc. as well as Kodi, the Xiaomi Mi Box is one of only a few android devices that supports these apps in HD and includes Chromecast compatibility. The NVidia Shield TV is considered to be the most powerful android device on the market but it is expensive unless you can get it on a promotion. I would also look at the Zidoo X9S (bit pricey) or one of the Beelink devices such as the MXIII-G II, the R68 II or the M18. There is more information and video reviews in the links below.

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/general-tv-player-dicussions/615194-another-recommendation-thread-android-box-that-runs-nowtv?p=615509#post615509

Zidoo X9S review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aAcUtgjsLI

MXIII-G II review - good choice for a budget machine in my opinion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUO5P9NHzA&t=423s

[traitt]

thanks for the info on Xiaomi Mi Box
i saw online there is also a Xiaomi Mi Box 3 and Xiaomi Mi Box 3 pro. which one do you have (do you own one ?). looks ok but would be nice to have a number pad
on the remote. i mainly need kodi

[traitt]

been looking at reviews for Xiaomi Mi Box in amazon. looks like a medium quality box. has good and bad reviews right now walmart sells for $69. i saw in the store its small
about 4 inch square. looks good for travel but not for a fully good model. i am going to keep looking at other brands Xiaomi Mi Box at walmart is not version 3 pro that model may be better (around $100 at newegg)

[Lurker]

I unfortunately don't have a Mi Box but am waiting to see whether it sells well in the US market before deciding whether to purchase one myself. It is still a bit expensive but has several features that I would find very attractive - Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime HD video, Chromecast compatibility etc. The Mi Box also comes bundled with 3 months of free Sling TV and a month of CBS All Access which may also be of some value.

The majority of the Amlogic S912 android media players do not have proper DRM support so will never be able to stream these services at high resolutions. It's impossible to know at this stage whether Xiaomi will be able to capture a sizable piece of the US streaming market with this device. Try to see if there are any demo models at a Walmart nearby so that you can see whether it would suit your needs. If the device sells well then I am sure that more effort will be put into improving the firmware and capabilities/services of/for the machine. I thought that the other versions of Xiaomi players are designed for the Chinese market? The International version of the Mi Box has been customised for the US/global market.

If you own high end audio and 4K video equipment and are looking for a really high quality experience then the NVidia Shield is probably your best option. This is probably the only android device with the necessary hardware to handle 4K video correctly. The Mi Box is very underpowered by comparison. The Mi Box is a good choice if you are on a budget and do not require more than 1080p playback or the best possible android gaming experience.

If you aren't planning to make regular use of any commercial services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime etc. and only want to use Kodi or a simple web browser for streaming purposes and are happy with 1080p resolutions and below, then the budget S912 machines such as the MXIII-G II may be very suitable. The Zidoo X9S should offer a slightly better audio/video quality than the much cheaper S905X/S912 processors but it is substantially more expensive and closer to the price of the NVidia Shield TV.

I have an early version of the MXIII-G, the MXIII and I have been really happy with it. I can use it to watch virtually any content that I like through Kodi, various other android apps or a web browser as well as play most of the popular android games etc. using a simple airmouse. I don't own any high quality audio (surround sound / soundbars etc.) or video equipment (high end 4K TV etc.) so I would not gain much from a more expensive product and would be very happy with either the Mi Box or the MXIII-G II. You also need a very good internet connection and networking gear to stream 4K video smoothly.

I have been very impressed with both of these remotes on my MXIII.

http://www.gearbest.com/mice-keyboards/pp_152934.html?wid=21

http://www.gearbest.com/mice-keyboards/pp_152937.html?wid=21

Some gaming with the AF106!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7zXvjuFLU

[traitt]

Lurker
thanks for the info by the way ,
you may already be aware , i believe most any android media player through the google play store can install Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime HD video, not sure about Chromecast compatibility

the rikomajic players look nice , i'll have to check out S905X/S912. walmart does not have the mi box on display. as far as zidoo they use their own kodi alternative xdmc, probably kodi can be installed also as it's an android box

[Lurker]

Yes, I do use these apps on my MXIII but most of the Chinese android media players do not have proper DRM certification so they are only able to play at up to 480p resolution and without 5.1 surround sound (only stereo I think). If you are planning to use these services extensively then you may want a machine that can stream Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime at 1080p and higher. This is the major difference between the NVidia Shield TV, the Amazon Fire TV, the Xiaomi Mi Box, Roku, Wetek Core/Hub etc. and the rest of the other android media players such as the MXIII-G II. These are the only devices with proper DRM certification. Usually there are additional restrictions on the certified machines such as no root access which can be a major disadvantage if you need to run certain apps.

Most of the other android media players such as the MXIII-G II/ X9S do support Miracast, DLNA, Airplay etc. via Play Store apps etc. but proper Chromecast functionality is only possible on a properly certified device such as the Mi Box.

[traitt]

i am going to look around a bit , i do like this one at least the price my himedia q5 dual core is still working fine but cannot upgrade the android 4.4.2 to version 5 or higher so i cannot upgrade kodi any longer. as long as the ad ons are working i am ok. just concerned one day the software may be too old and not supported

nice at lease price & specs

http://m.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_428522.html?currency=USD&lkid=10133662&gclid=CIrJ062h9dACFUI6gQodAXsP_A

Beelink GT1 TV Box Octa Core Amlogic S912

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hello
i may stay with himedia as i do like the brand. even though my android version is a bit old 4.4.2 it's a reliable box

this model is android version 6. does anyone know a website i may be able to order this model and ship to USA ?

Himedia A5 octa-core

Android TV Box A5 Octa-core

android version 6

http://himediatech.com/a5.html

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himedia A5 is not available by himedia yet

[gary shit-simmons]

+1 to the MXiii G ii. http://www.banggood.com/MXIII-G-II-A...1526893201504H

I received it and the mibox 3 on the same day. Wish I just got two MXiiiG ii. The mibox has the green screen issue on our two most used TVs and is pretty much an ornament. MXiii Gii been plodding along flawlessly for a month @ $60 it can't be beat for now

[JoseM]

+1 to the MXiii G ii. http://www.banggood.com/MXIII-G-II-A...1526893201504H

I received it and the mibox 3 on the same day. Wish I just got two MXiiiG ii. The mibox has the green screen issue on our two most used TVs and is pretty much an ornament. MXiii Gii been plodding along flawlessly for a month @ $60 it can't be beat for now

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MXII...768174458.html hi do you think this is legit 46$ with store coupon for MXIII-GII

[gary shit-simmons]

Suspect the old version would show up (Amlogic S812)

I wouldn't take the chance

[JoseM]

Suspect the old version would show up (Amlogic S812)

I wouldn't take the chance

yeah this one looks ok for me https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...767517615.html 58$ with store coupon