MECOOL KM8 Google Certified Android TV Box with Voice Remote - S905X Android 8.0 2/16GB VP9 HDR10 Dolby Audio YT 4K

[wrxtasy]

Yep about the same for most of these Units, today, take the good with the bad and hope they fix it all soon,
NTFS/Exfat is just about all A8 at present

Same AMLogic bug that the Mi Box had on first release Oreo Firmware.

Apps running wrong sideways etc, must have rushed this one out so many B/S quirks,

That is not a bug but simply tablet Apps Not being coded for the Android TV OS leanback framework. All Android TV OS devices have the same issue with tablet Apps.

Conclusion, it seems ALL of the AMLogic Android TV Oreo sellers simply download the standard (buggy) AMLogic Oreo SDK and hit compile with very little bug busting or testing done before hyping a product and selling to the public.

Nice to see MECOOL have coded a (Android TV) bootloader properly that now checks for autoscript code on SD cards before booting up an internal Android OS.
That is why LibreELEC works.

The S905W ABOX A4 also does that same, there is not even any need there to use a Reset button.

---

To test: - can anyone with one of these KM8 devices go into the Google Play Movies & TV App and see if Movies can be rented or bought in HD quality and above ?

Non Google Certified - Android TV ROM - devices will have the message "HD purchases will play in SD on this device"

[zelder]

Same AMLogic bug that the Mi Box had on first release Oreo Firmware.


That is not a bug but simply tablet Apps Not being coded for the Android TV OS leanback framework. All Android TV OS devices have the same issue with tablet Apps.

Conclusion, it seems ALL of the AMLogic Android TV Oreo sellers simply download the standard (buggy) AMLogic Oreo SDK and hit compile with very little bug busting or testing done before hyping a product and selling to the public.

Does that mean that we can see a custom Oreo for S905X/S912 devices here? But I guess it would be buggy...? I am running 7.1.2 TV on my S912 works great, but would love Oreo.

[mo123]

No, the firmware only works on this box.
There is separate Oreo firmware for S905X already.

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s905x/713966-s905x-android-8-0-oreo-tested-on-mini-m8s-ii-possibile-to-work-on-other-gxl-s905x-boxes-testing-needed-wip

[mo123]

Another bad firmware feature is that the Oreo firmware all runs in 32-bit, so you can't use 64-bit apps like Kodi ARM64 etc.

[zelder]

Perhaps I was unclear. I am talking about 8.0 ATV. That aint out, right? What is needed to make a custom 8.0 S912 ATV? The 8.1 SDK from Amlogic? Thanks.

[clarkss12]

Same AMLogic bug that the Mi Box had on first release Oreo Firmware.


That is not a bug but simply tablet Apps Not being coded for the Android TV OS leanback framework. All Android TV OS devices have the same issue with tablet Apps.

Conclusion, it seems ALL of the AMLogic Android TV Oreo sellers simply download the standard (buggy) AMLogic Oreo SDK and hit compile with very little bug busting or testing done before hyping a product and selling to the public.

Nice to see MECOOL have coded a (Android TV) bootloader properly that now checks for autoscript code on SD cards before booting up an internal Android OS.
That is why LibreELEC works.

The S905W ABOX A4 also does that same, there is not even any need there to use a Reset button.

---

To test: - can anyone with one of these KM8 devices go into the Google Play Movies & TV App and see if Movies can be rented or bought in HD quality and above ?

Non Google Certified - Android TV ROM - devices will have the message "HD purchases will play in SD on this device"

I tested my KM8 box by playing the free "The Polar Bears", but no indication of what resolution it is playing. It just started playing with NO message about "HD purchases will play in SD on this device". Also, it is playing in "PCM", what ever that means....... Does NOT show DD or other.

I can cast that movie from my computer to my KM8 also. Did a Google search for FREE movies and found a few. Was able to "cast" them to my KM8, easily and quickly. I **think** this confirms that it is indeed Google Certified......... But, my LG phone does NOT have the native Google *casting* ability.

Edit: I had forgotten that I had the movie "ELF" in my library. I cranked it up, and lo and behold, the audio is playing with DD+. The video quality is superb, so I would make a positive statement that it is at least 720 or 1080p HD. Whether that PROVES that this box is officially Google Certified, is up to the experts on here.

Edit 2: Just found out that this test did not PROVE anything. I played the same Google Play movie "Elf" on a different box withOUT any HDCP and it played in HD with DD+.

[The Brain]

To test: - can anyone with one of these KM8 devices go into the Google Play Movies & TV App and see if Movies can be rented or bought in HD quality and above ?

Non Google Certified - Android TV ROM - devices will have the message "HD purchases will play in SD on this device"

I have just received my unit bought from Gearbest and did the test.

The result is not what I was expecting.

Unfortunately, the message that the HD purchases will play in SD on this device is shown using Google Play Movies on the KM8, as you can see in the picture attached. It's in Portuguese as I live in Brazil.

Not yet satisfied, I went to the YouTube app and played a title I own and know that is available in HD, as already tested on the Mi Box, and the nerds stats show it only plays in 480p (picture also attached).

Does it mean it is not a Google Certified box, as it claim to be, or is something missing from Google?

First Netflix, now this.

[clarkss12]

I have just received my unit bought from Gearbest and did the test.

The result is not what I was expecting.

Unfortunately, the message that the HD purchases will play in SD on this device is shown using Google Play Movies on the KM8, as you can see in the picture attached. It's in Portuguese as I live in Brazil.

Not yet satisfied, I went to the YouTube app and played a title I own and know that is available in HD, as already tested on the Mi Box, and the nerds stats show it only plays in 480p (picture also attached).

Does it mean it is not a Google Certified box, as it claim to be, or is something missing from Google?

First Netflix, now this.

Install a speedtest app and test your internet download speed............

[wrxtasy]

If you can boot into Android Recovery on the KM8 (try the Playstore install - AMLogic TV Tool Box) and flash the Magisk v16.zip to Root the device.
Then the Android build.prop can be modded to "masquerade" as an already approved Netflix Android TV device like a Mi Box or Nexus Player.

Mi Box:
nrdp.modelgroup=XIAOMIM12TRIAL

Nexus:
nrdp.modelgroup=NEXUSPLAYERFUGU

Unless something has changed between Nougat and Oreo OS's.

[clarkss12]

If you can boot into Android Recovery on the KM8 (try the Playstore install - AMLogic TV Tool Box) and flash the Magisk v16.zip to Root the device.
Then the Android build.prop can be modded to "masquerade" as an already approved Netflix Android TV device like a Mi Box or Nexus Player.

Mi Box:
nrdp.modelgroup=XIAOMIM12TRIAL

Nexus:
nrdp.modelgroup=NEXUSPLAYERFUGU

Unless something has changed between Nougat and Oreo OS's.

I am not ready to root this box at this time.

[The Brain]

If you can boot into Android Recovery on the KM8 (try the Playstore install - AMLogic TV Tool Box) and flash the Magisk v16.zip to Root the device.
Then the Android build.prop can be modded to "masquerade" as an already approved Netflix Android TV device like a Mi Box or Nexus Player.

Mi Box:
nrdp.modelgroup=XIAOMIM12TRIAL

Nexus:
nrdp.modelgroup=NEXUSPLAYERFUGU

Unless something has changed between Nougat and Oreo OS's.

I am not willing to root it. At least not for awhile.

But thanks for the tip. I'll save that for later.

Install a speedtest app and test your internet download speed............

Check the second picture I attached.

It shows the YouTube app getting 12Mbps, which I think is more than sufficient for 1080p.

Anyway, there goes two pictures of the same movie being played on the Mi Box's YouTube app.

The first is at the very beginning, which is why it shows 480p as the actual resolution but 1080p as the optimal one, in opposition to the 480p/480p of the KM8.

The second one is some seconds forward, when it has already ramped up to 1080p.

[Sholander]

It shows the YouTube app getting 12Mbps, which I think is more than sufficient for 1080p.

For best Youtube 2/4K experience on my S905W and S912 boxes I use "SmartYouTube TV"

[Sholander]

I am not ready to root this box at this time.

You can easily unroot it with "Magisk v17.zip" and "MagiskManager-v5.8.3.apk".

IIRC on my S905W & S912 Nougat boxes there is an option to check if the box is Google Certified. Is'n there that option on KM8 Oreo?

[zelder]

Send the box back. This box smells like hassle. Netflix not working, can’t rent HD movies and other problems. Not worth it

[clarkss12]

You can easily unroot it with "Magisk v17.zip" and "MagiskManager-v5.8.3.apk".

IIRC on my S905W & S912 Nougat boxes there is an option to check if the box is Google Certified. Is'n there that option on KM8 Oreo?

There is no such option on this box.

[clarkss12]

Send the box back. This box smells like hassle. Netflix not working, can’t rent HD movies and other problems. Not worth it

Google Play movies play in HD with DD+ on my KM8. The lack of Netflix is the only thing missing for me. The WiFi is horrible, even with the external antenna, but I use Ethernet on all my boxes.