[rendez2k]

Hi all, my Midnight MX2 has died after just 3 weeks. The company I purchased it off has offered a refund or replacement but also recommended a Midnight 1 running just Linux and J1nx Linux Beta 2 (which I believe is this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linux-XBMC-G-Box...ords=pivos). This doesn't mean much to me, but is that a good box? Not too fused with the Android side anyway, but not sure what this box is exactly and what its running. Is it the standard Linux build I can update myself? Will it run 1080p video (unlike the MX2!) and be faster than my Raspberry Pi?

[Ned Scott]

Get a refund, because that other box is cheaper, and an exchange would mean you're playing more than you would have if you bought the midnight 1 directly.

Generally speaking, running XBMC under Linux on these ARM boxes gives more performance than running Android on the same box. 1080 video and much faster than a R-Pi (even under Android, it should be faster than an R-Pi).

[rendez2k]

Thanks! Is the J1nx Linux Beta 2 being updated still and its nice and stable? I assume as these boxes are Linux, you can't just install a standard Linix build? And 1080p is fine? The supplier said some people have had issues with 1080p playback. The MX2 still won't do 1080p!

[Ned Scott]

I don't know about those boxes specifically, but that's the impression I have gotten from reading other forum posts here. MX2 doesn't have a linux build yet, I think, and for some reason no one has made a 1080 Android ROM for either boxes. Both should be able to support it, hardware wise.

[Kev7274]

I had a MX2 and returned it after a week. Says it does 1080p and it doesn't from what I now hear. I got tired of having all the other stuff I never used,apps,etc.
I am in the process of just building/buying something that will boot straight into xbmc and will be 100 times better.

[Xeno43]

I had a MX2 and returned it after a week. Says it does 1080p and it doesn't from what I now hear. I got tired of having all the other stuff I never used,apps,etc.
I am in the process of just building/buying something that will boot straight into xbmc and will be 100 times better.

It looks like I'm a walking Raspberry Pi billboard, but what you described is the raspberry pi. Write an openelec image to an sdcard and it immediately boots into xbmc with all the modifications that ensure 1080P playback (most notably the DTS fix). I can play a 25GB avatar rip without any stuttering, and the box comes out to under $50 after buying all the accessories you need and that's assuming you don't have extras for some reason.

[rendez2k]

I do have a Raspberry Pi which does work. But, it won't power my USB HDD unassisted and I believe it won't play 1080p DTS files without hardware audio support? I have it at home but would like something I can take away with me that does it all.

[Xeno43]

I'm also 100% sure the patch is included in openelec since 3.0.0 to make it work with DTS. Though yea, those hard drives that expect to be powered only from USB want a lot. I myself always buy the ones with external power so that's never been an issue.

EDIT: I found this if your interested.
"I am using OpenELEC and using the config.txt like this
force_turbo = 0
arm_freq=840 (this is the value from xbian)
core_freq=375 (this is also the value from xbian)
sdram_freq=400
over_voltage=0

Now it plays 1080p DTS 5.1 MKV from server without problem"

So if its still not working for you, you could do this. This isn't that rough of an overclock, your pi would be fine.

[bry]

I do have a Raspberry Pi which does work. But, it won't power my USB HDD unassisted and I believe it won't play 1080p DTS files without hardware audio support? I have it at home but would like something I can take away with me that does it all.

Very happy with this for my rpi

Plugable USB 2.0 4 Port Hub and BC 1.1 Fast Charger with 2.5 Amp Power Adapter, charges Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad Mini, Nexus 7
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P2BY5I/ref=...us?ie=UTF8