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

[clarkss12]

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

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

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.

That is not normal. Check my video at 16:30 time and you can see what MY YouTube looks like..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LygWfEJZ7N0&t=63s

[Sholander]

The lack of Netflix is the only thing missing for me.

I don't remember that Mecool advertised their M8S PRO L 4335, M8S PRO L and M8S PRO W as "Google certified" but they all played NetflixHD. When Netflix disabled HD on all not certified boxes, Mecool promptly issued a widevine fix for those boxes. So, I expect that they will do the same for KM8, advertised and sold as "Certified".

[The Brain]

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

That is not normal. Check my video at 16:30 time and you can see what MY YouTube looks like..

What Wrxtasy and I are referring to are the Google Play Movies titles, which can be played through the Google Play Movies app or the official YouTube app, but not using Smart YouTube TV or any other app.

Any other random video, including the Google Play Movies trailers, plays fine in 1080p, my TV's max resolution.

Are you sure the box of yours runs it above 480p?

[clarkss12]

What Wrxtasy and I are referring to are the Google Play Movies titles, which can be played through the Google Play Movies app or the official YouTube app, but not using Smart YouTube TV or any other app.

Any other random video, including the Google Play Movies trailers, plays fine in 1080p, my TV's max resolution.

Are you sure the box of yours runs it above 480p?

I played the movie "Elf" using the Google Play app, and it **looked** like it was HD, but no way to verify it. It does play with DD+ audio, so that is a good indication that it is being played in HD. BUTT, that same video playing from the Google Play app on one of my 2 year old Android boxes plays the same with DD+.

[The Brain]

I played the movie "Elf" using the Google Play app, and it **looked** like it was HD, but no way to verify it. It does play with DD+ audio, so that is a good indication that it is being played in HD. BUTT, that same video playing from the Google Play app on one of my 2 year old Android boxes plays the same with DD+.

Could you please play that same movie through the YouTube app and see what the stats for nerds show as current and optimal resolution?

You must be logged in to the same Google Account as the Google Play Movies app.

[clarkss12]

Could you please play that same movie through the YouTube app and see what the stats for nerds show as current and optimal resolution?

You must be logged in to the same Google Account as the Google Play Movies app.

I have no idea how to do that.

[The Brain]

I have no idea how to do that.

- Open YouTube app
- Scroll down to Accounts
- Check if it's already logged in. If not, log in.
- Scroll up to Library
- Move to the right and scroll down to Purchases
- Move to the right again and pick a movie you know is available in HD through Google Play Movies service, preferably the same you tested earlier.

From now on I believe you already know, but I'll describe it anyway, so more people can check it, eventually:

- Once it's playing, select More Options and then Stats for nerds, the last icon, one with a bug shape.
- Now a set of information about the streaming is shown, including Current and Optimal Resolutions. This last one appears to be the maximum resolution the streaming can reach under the tech specs of the media set, without consider the connection speed, which in turn can affect the Current Resolution.
- You also can simply choose, instead of Stats for nerds, Quality, the one with a HD icon, and see if it shows any option above 480p.

[The Brain]

OK. I have just made a new attempt and was able to play a video from my Google Play Movies library in HD.

It's the short film "Shaun the Sheep: The Big Chase"

And I have also come across a title for rent/sale whose description says it CAN be played in HD in this device:



After reading the Google Play Movies Help page about the HD movie & TV show availability, which states that HD playback is always available on Chromecast, Android TV, and Roku, and that if you're watching on a non-Chrome browser (let's extend this to any other non-certified device), the ability to play in HD will depend on studio licensing agreements and will vary across videos, we can assume that Mecool KM8 is not really a Google Certified Android TV device or at least not yet, in the case Videostrong has got the rights to do it but didn't give proper attention to the details.

[ClarkKent]

[QUOTE=wrxtasy;n740851]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

Half of that went over my head...
But you sir Are the reason I come here

Thanks for lending us a hand... And the databank too.


... This goes for 'The Brain' Also!

[bertvdb]

Hi All.

So I got my KM8 from Gearbest last week and I could not run our local IPTV service due to the box not being Google certified. Videostrong sent me a fw update which fixed the issue. Netflix ATV app still not running but I got a regular android version running. Do not reckon the resolution is 1080p though as it is not the ATV app.

https://mega.nz/#F!NQxVURDB!__BT-yJmLOSFAuqsqsb-iA

[zelder]

What local IPTV service are you referring to?

[clarkss12]

Hi All.

So I got my KM8 from Gearbest last week and I could not run our local IPTV service due to the box not being Google certified. Videostrong sent me a fw update which fixed the issue. Netflix ATV app still not running but I got a regular android version running. Do not reckon the resolution is 1080p though as it is not the ATV app.

https://mega.nz/#F!NQxVURDB!__BT-yJmLOSFAuqsqsb-iA

That file is interesting. It is the same version that is currently installed on my KM8 box. I have never seen an OTA update for this box, so I will ASSUME this is the firmware that came installed from the factory. I have one of the first boxes that they sold.

Thanks, now we have a Zip backup for this device............

[Sholander]

Hi All.

So I got my KM8 from Gearbest last week and I could not run our local IPTV service due to the box not being Google certified. Videostrong sent me a fw update which fixed the issue. Netflix ATV app still not running but I got a regular android version running. Do not reckon the resolution is 1080p though as it is not the ATV app.

Hi, which was the original version that your box came with?

I ask because mine KM8, also from Gearbest, should arrive tomorrow, so I'm just gathering info and wander should I also need
"KM8-ota-V0412.201806271453" version. How did you install it? Just copied the zip file to USB and chose update from Android, or?

[FreshYuk]

Hi guys,

I'm interested in buying this thing and I have a couple of questions:

1. Could someone check if the Dazn app work? Or at least if it's in the store and can be installed. It may depend on your country, according to wikipedia it's available in Austria, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, US

2. I'm going to need WiFi. Definitely. So, if the signal is so poor as you guys say, is there anything that can be done to improve it? Replacing the external antenna for instance, or even better, getting a USB dongle (I read some of them work with Android boxes, provided they have the right firmware).

[Sholander]

That file is interesting. It is the same version that is currently installed on my KM8 box.

Hi, please tell me how you installed Libre/CoreElec on this box? Which dtb.img you used, and the Reset Switch is activated through the small hole on the bottom side?