[joelbaby]

Which boxes can smoothly run linux builds of xbmc like xbmcbuntu and openelec in 1080p?
Can any of them handle DTS-HD passthrough for sound?
Don't want Android to play Angry Birds. Just want to run xbmc.
Is the overhead of the Android OS less than that of linux??

Have looked at Raspberry Pi, and it is not fast enough (and i think runs a cut-down version of xbmc with the 'skip bar' function disabled when watching a movie).

So far the Geniatech AV1200 seems to be the closest to the mark.
Would be happy to buy a Pivos product, but only if they upgrade their hardware and provide a decent remote.

Thanks.

[nickr]

I assume you are talking AU$ given where you are? I am talking NZ$ because thats what I know and what I pay.

Personally I think those arm boxes, whether running linux or android, are all a little problematic and/or underpowered at present. Their maturity will come, probably about the time we get hit with 4k and hevc and they'll be EOL.

But if you want a cheap capable box you could take a leaf out of this book:

A HP/Compaq P4 box, small form factor. I paid NZ$50. DC7100 model.
Silent low profile Asus GT520 card, NZ$75.
This remote http://rtr.ca/sapphire_remote/ for US$13 delivered (I think they have gone up to US$15.)

Not completely silent. Not completely small. Not completely pretty, but kinda black and silver pretty. But cheap and because of the nvidia card, very capable.

[joelbaby]

I mean $100 - $150 US. Don't see why we would spend $300+ on a Linux HTPC.
Did some more research...

I'd be willing to bet that when Pivos release a new dual core device, it will have Linux xbmc plus android.
In the meantime, small, fanless linux options with a box and remote included seem to be:

Pivos XIOS DS (single core)
Little black box (single core) - similar insides to Pivos but a cooler remote
Geniatech ATV1200 (dual core)


There is the Matricom Gbox Midnight MX2 (dual core). I can't bring myself to give that company any money.
They took Davilla's code, added on their own DTS and AC3 sound drivers, changed the splash screens, and then advertise "this fork is commercially supported, which means real development effort is being put into this amazing software to better the product".

At least Pivos have an active forum and active development and contributed to xbmc.org.

I found that there is Linux for M6 processor contained inside the GBox MX2. I'd be willing to bet that Matricom are waiting for Pivos to release an Amlogic M6 box, then for davilla to bug fix it for them, so they can copy it and advertise it as their own.

There is also the quad core YW9300 box (very similar to the insides of a Samsung Galaxy S3). This can run xbmc at 1080p with the libstagefright version of xbmc for android. But ... not linux from what I can tell.

[nickr]

You can't buy what hasn't been released yet. You can buy what I suggested for $150, or probably $100 in the US. But I accept that there are probably some great ARM boxes around the corner, just not yet (IMHO).

[silentm]

I would not recommend buying anything from Matricom. I bought the xD back in January or so and they never supported it and now it's discontinued and it barely worked to begin with (crashes a lot). They just keep pumping out these boxes and expecting the community to develop for them for free. If a developer from the community doesn't buy the MX2 then it will be unsupported by the company and a waste of money.

[cwide]

I assume you are talking AU$ given where you are? I am talking NZ$ because thats what I know and what I pay.

Personally I think those arm boxes, whether running linux or android, are all a little problematic and/or underpowered at present. Their maturity will come, probably about the time we get hit with 4k and hevc and they'll be EOL.

But if you want a cheap capable box you could take a leaf out of this book:

A HP/Compaq P4 box, small form factor. I paid NZ$50. DC7100 model.
Silent low profile Asus GT520 card, NZ$75.
This remote http://rtr.ca/sapphire_remote/ for US$13 delivered (I think they have gone up to US$15.)

Not completely silent. Not completely small. Not completely pretty, but kinda black and silver pretty. But cheap and because of the nvidia card, very capable.

I'm going to back this up.

You can either spend ~$200 and get something small, silent-ish, and capable of running a bug free Openelec (celeron NUC + 2GB ram + USB drive)...

Or you can spend $100 and get an android device that may have bugs/limitations... or an old big, loud, craigslist PC (plus video card) capable of running a bug free Openelec.

I don't believe the $100 small, silent, powerful, bug free client exists yet... at least not without a jailbreak and a few months of time.

[Cypher64]

I have a Gbox MX2, from the week I've had it I've come to the conclusion that how it sits it is a horrible device.
I was assured that it could play large files from my Nas, it couldn't even play small files smoothly let alone large rips.
It has over heated on me a few times and doesn't output to 1080 only 720 ( I should have read a little more on this one to be fair) but was told it could "do" 1080, true, it can decode but not display so was lead on a bit.

I sent this back to be exchanged so I will see when it comes back, but I'm not optimistic that anything will be better.

I now have the Intel Nuc which was about $100 more (already had ram and Msata SSD sitting around) and it is well worth the extra money.
I totally regret buying the MX2. I'd sell it when the replacement comes back but I'd feel bad selling someone this device.

[solamnic]

@Cypher64: you mean that Gbox MX2 does not display 1080p?? (just decodes 1080p and displays them as 720p?)

[Cypher64]

@Cypher64: you mean that Gbox MX2 does not display 1080p?? (just decodes 1080p and displays them as 720p?)

In it's current state that is correct, 720p is the max output to your tv.

[solamnic]

Firmware limitation?
and if you state that it overheats in 720p... then what will happen when (if) it will playback 1080p?

[Cypher64]

I believe at current the 720p is either a firmware or Android issue.

The overheating may have only been my unit, I will see when I get the replacement. Regardless, if this can't play small mkv's over my network which my WDTV streaming could do without issue then it is a useless device to me.

[solamnic]

Maybe you got a faulty unit? (thus the overheating problem)...

Btw the 720p thing really surprised me .......

[Cypher64]

I'm hoping it was defective, Now that I have the Nuc with Openelec running on it I love it. The MX2 if it works correctly will do bedroom duty.

I was disappointed with only 720 that's for sure.
I'm really hoping someone creates the Linux version where it boots directly into XBMC as I don't have any need for Android on my tv

[joelbaby]

I now have the Intel Nuc which was about $100 more (already had ram and Msata SSD sitting around) and it is well worth the extra money.

What model Intel NUC? Celeron, i3?

[silentm]

@Cypher64: you mean that Gbox MX2 does not display 1080p?? (just decodes 1080p and displays them as 720p?)

In it's current state that is correct, 720p is the max output to your tv.

This is the case with all of their boxes. You can edit the buildprop file to force a 1080p output to the tv but you'll end up with 5fps when watching anything. j1nx had made a linux build which displays and plays 1080p without issues for the G-Box midnight. I don't know if his build works on the MX2 though. I used it on the xD but it's not as stable as it is for the people with G-Box Midnight. xD was a waste of money and I ended up going back to a raspberry PI with Xbian which surprisingly is very stable and plays everything except for wmv files and mpeg2 unless you pay the $5 for the additional licensing. The only con about the raspberry PI is lack of a nice remote.

As with all Matricom devices hopefully someone from the XBMC community will develop for them for free and get a nice linux build working on the MX2. Otherwise you'll be SOL and have a junk device like me. I'd actually be happy with my xD if I could get a linux build that didn't crash so frequently and randomly.