Thanks for the recommendation. Any recommended seller here in lyn?
I think I will go for high end device this time. My m8s is barely a year old and already have enough problem.
Now it is time to read and compare between himedia and minix

Precisely, buy once and hopefully it lasts a long time versus buy cheap and have to deal with bugs, sub-par performance and then a hardware/firmware breakdown.. There is a favorite seller here on lyn, but I refrain from choosing favorites.. Give all a level playing field. .. Check out the garage sales section. As for comparisons, some reports have been contributed by owners.. Do a search in this thread and visit the official HiMedia thread to see how the device is maintained.

This post has been edited by voncrane: Sep 30 2017, 08:54 PM

want to find cheap android TV just to do this:
1. Kodi with Quasar that can play 4K/1080p content that allow HD audio passthrough (DTS-HD or Dolby Digital TrueHD)

already got a TV box that can play alot of live content, just want to find another cheap one that can purely to watch Kodi with Quasar Video Add on to watch 4K/1080p content taht allow HD audio passthrugh. my current TV box can install Kodi but not allow HD audio passthru....know Himedia Q10 Pro or Minix U9 can support it, but price range 500-600, so if can find any brand box with 200-300 price tag, will be nice...

You won't and if you do.. Please come back and share.. RM200 is less then $50.. You want a box that does it all at that price point? Manufacturing, software development, shipping, advertising costs, etc.. bet you want great PQ and an non-buggy firmware and or guaranteed firmware updates for life all for that price point.. Please lah.. be real and up your budget to get the real deal.

Want super-car levels but pay mass production price.. Where can..

Actually audio passthrough is less work for the player ( in this case, the player is the TV BOX), basically it is just sending the audio data through without decoding it, and let the receiver perform the decoding. And hence one of the possible failure of audio passthrough, could be the receiver is unable to decode the compressed audio data format.

Disable audio passthrough requires the player to use its CPU juice to decode the compressed audio data into the PCM form and sent it through, it requires more work.

Kodi should support audio passthrough. Why it wouldn't ? I tend to think this is a setup or configuration problem.

This post has been edited by puchongite: Oct 2 2017, 12:27 PM

Wrong.. There's more to passthrough tech than just Kodi can handle it. By your explanation, HiMedia wouldn't have to come up with a wrapper workaround, etc. Do some light reading on the differences between Krypton and Jarvis.. AMcodec, auto-framerate switching, HD audio licensing, mediacodec, etc.. You'll quickly find out that things aren't as simple as they seem..

For android boxes running Krypton, to be able to pass-through HD audio properly, their firmware MUST adhere to Android's IEC audio standards.. no more hackery from Jarvis and below days..Doesn't matter if the Kodi software is able to do it or not.. If the firmware isn't coded to meet the standards, Kodi has nothing to tap into..

But all the postings in the net say Kodi Krypton supports audio passthrough. And to run Krypton, it has to be android marshmallow. I don't see a post which specifically mention that Kodi Krypton would not work with audio passthrough.

This post has been edited by puchongite: Oct 2 2017, 12:43 PM

Still misunderstanding.. Read my post again.. I mentioned that Kodi does support passthrough. HOWEVER, with Krypton, in order to get passthrough working, a variety of factors need to be met..

Here, let me attempt to explain differently.... The Netflix android app is capable of 1080p, 4K, UHD and HDR and yet most devices are only able to get up to 480p, regardless of hardware and internet speed.. Same thing with the Kodi app. Hope this makes it clearer.

Edit: Don't get me started on Dolby TrueHD or Atmos pass-through support.

This post has been edited by voncrane: Oct 2 2017, 01:14 PM

I would advise you to take a look at H96pro+ 3gb/32gb with Superceleron custom rom, Alfawise H96pro+ SCV6. It performed as above for kodi/quasar and others user feedback mentions working with HD audio passthrough but not AC3.

But there always some downside you should also consider, the box restricted air flow, thus alot of user are recommended to make holes or add fan or cahnge heatsink due to SCV6 is running octa core and overclocked GPU.

Lastly it is unrooted by default and atog not working by default.
But after flash magicsk, atog work well.

Due to some boxes are Widevine Level 3 whereas Netflix HD requires boxes to be Widevine Level 1.. am i right?

Yes. To get such, minimum, first requirement is that the Android TV box supports Google Widevine Level 1 DRM and the other is that Netflix actually certifies the device and allows access server-side. So It’s more of a Netflix certifies a device? It gets full access based on internet speed and hardware capabilities. Which is why the likes of Nvidia Shield or latest Mibox running the Android TV OS or Amazon & Wetek devices can get up to UHD Netflix and the Minix Neo U9-H can’t, despite its licensed dual DRM support for both Microsoft Play Ready 3.0 and Google Widevine Level 1.

Sorry, may I heck what rom did you flash in order to get the AOTG fully working? Basically mine is H96 pro (3/16). Can I flash firmware rom for H96pro plus?

Guys, can we install astro on the go apps on MiBox?

Yes can install on MiBox. Stock MiBox is not rooted. If u've already root it can use RootCloak to bypass the app root checking.

Btw I encountered Error Code during streaming after the AOTG updates. This AOTG getting more stupid nowadays.

Magisk is not a ROM... It’s a tool of sorts to help mask root. Read up extensively before you go down that route.. or I don’t know, save yourself the hassle and get a confirmed unrooted device that aotg works on.

Yes, but seeing as the latest MiBox is running Android TV OS, unsure if the aotg app will work properly. Best to check out and or ask in the dedicated Mibox thread.

It’s my understanding that rootcloak does not work for the recent aotg app updates.

Thinking of selling my Minix U1 & Himedia Q5 Pro and getting the Nvidia Shield TV 2017.

I like the U1 due to Kodi (using add-ons & playback from NAS), usability is top notch.
Bought a used Q5 Pro recently just to test it out and I think the picture quality is noticeably good compared to U1, must be due to HDR and maybe also the Hisilicon chip. But its interface with the wrapper sucks and it doesn't feel as easy to use as the U1.

Don't really like switching between both boxes and would rather just get 1 good box but I'm not sure whether the cost is really justified.

Would appreciate some comments both for and against getting the shield.

Think it's best you get the Nvidia, sell that Q5 Pro to me cheap2

What can the Shield do that you need, that any of the other two can't?

But if you are loaded or itchy...by all means

This post has been edited by dwRK: Oct 3 2017, 06:37 PM

In addition to what others have commented.. Don’t think too much.. Sell both (folks sure pm you ), top up and get the Shield.. It’s the best out there period. Cost is justified if;
1. Can afford.
2. Have the equipments to take advantage of its capabilities.
So from above you should immediately know if it’s for you or not. Else, sounds like you prefer using Kodi like moi.. The Minix Neo U9-H does good Kodi and HDR. Like you, I too can attest to the rock solid reliability of Minix products and firmware.

I am hoping that it will give me the best of my current two boxes. But the cost is high hence the hesitation to commit.