[velt]

Hi, Im looking for a good android tv stick to use with xbmc.
The problem is that there is a lot on the market (amazon is flooded with those), too many brands, too many models, so many specs...

What I wantto do is:
- stream from hard drive on the network in 1080p using xbmc
- ocasional netflix.

What I want from the stick:
- a keyboard or some kind of remote.
- good wifi reception would be cool

Thats it, I want it to be an android tv so is simple, I want it to use xbmc to stream from a hdd on the network.
Can you guys point me in some direction?

[Ned Scott]

A stick is just a box with a really short HDMI cable. I wouldn't get an actual "stick" because most manufacturers seem to exclude a proper heatsink for sticks, even though the box-version of the same hardware will have a heatsink.

Here's what I would get:

ODROID-U3 Community Edition

http://hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php

We know XBMC runs great on that hardware and at $90 ($60 ODROID-U3 CE + $4 case + $25 shipping = $89) it's probably the best price-per-power ratio you can get for an Android device. It has a 1.7GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos 4412 processor with 2GB of ram. You do need a microHDMI to full-sized HDMI cable, but those are also pretty cheap (they'll sell you one at checkout for about $6), so not really a major issue.

Hardkernel, who makes the ODROID-U3, is also a very open source friendly company.


My second favorite pick would be the OUYA. OUYA goes for about $100USD new in stores, which is not a bad price at all for what it can do, but it's not as powerful as the ODROID-U3. However, you can often get the OUYA for cheap on craigslist from an angry gamer (it's not so great for "new" games, but it's great for XBMC) for $70-80, and in perfect condition.


For the ODROID you would need to buy a remote, but even if you bought a cheap $15 nameless RF remote with a USB dongle, you'd probably have a much better remote than what comes with most android sticks/boxes. This way you can select a good remote that actually does the job, and you can take that remote with you if you ever need to change/upgrade your hardware. Over the last 10 years I have easily spent $100-200 on remotes alone, trying to find the perfect one. So the fact that these don't come with a remote is almost a plus in my book, since you can pick your own.

Same with wifi, if you want it you'll have to buy it separately, but a $8 USB wifi adapter will likely get you better results that most internal antenna/wifi chips in most sticks/boxes.

[Vaevictus2]

Personally, I would go with something that can run xbmc linux rather than android.

The Amlogic ones are good as they have proper hardware acceleration under linux.

Google TLBB, that's a good one with regular updates.

[g4ptek]

Hi, Im looking for a good android tv stick to use with xbmc.
The problem is that there is a lot on the market (amazon is flooded with those), too many brands, too many models, so many specs...

What I wantto do is:
- stream from hard drive on the network in 1080p using xbmc
- ocasional netflix.

What I want from the stick:
- a keyboard or some kind of remote.
- good wifi reception would be cool

Thats it, I want it to be an android tv so is simple, I want it to use xbmc to stream from a hdd on the network.
Can you guys point me in some direction?

maybe you can choose http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Core-Smart-Mi...00CQ9Y9DM/ this item best seller, i think this product very nice

[velt]

Personally, I would go with something that can run xbmc linux rather than android.

The Amlogic ones are good as they have proper hardware acceleration under linux.

Google TLBB, that's a good one with regular updates.

do you have any specific item in mind?

[velt]

Hi, Im looking for a good android tv stick to use with xbmc.
The problem is that there is a lot on the market (amazon is flooded with those), too many brands, too many models, so many specs...

What I wantto do is:
- stream from hard drive on the network in 1080p using xbmc
- ocasional netflix.

What I want from the stick:
- a keyboard or some kind of remote.
- good wifi reception would be cool

Thats it, I want it to be an android tv so is simple, I want it to use xbmc to stream from a hdd on the network.
Can you guys point me in some direction?

maybe you can choose http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Core-Smart-Mi...00CQ9Y9DM/ this item best seller, i think this product very nice

i dont know about that onem fo example how to make it work with the control. Also the wifi reception of those sticks worries me.

[ciquta]

A stick is just a box with a really short HDMI cable. I wouldn't get an actual "stick" because most manufacturers seem to exclude a proper heatsink for sticks, even though the box-version of the same hardware will have a heatsink.

+1

[Tinwarble]

You may want to look at the Cubox-i2 or i4.

http://cubox-i.com/

[velt]

You may want to look at the Cubox-i2 or i4.

http://cubox-i.com/

looks nice, im sure you have to do a bit of digging around on linux and then xbmc, probably a remote to manage it. But looks nice.
The only drawback is thta it does not have wifi

[Tinwarble]

looks nice, im sure you have to do a bit of digging around on linux and then xbmc, probably a remote to manage it. But looks nice.
The only drawback is thta it does not have wifi

Actually, you can run both Android or linux on the Cubox, and the i2 and i4 come with WifI and BT.

http://cubox-i.com/table/

I can't speak to how well they work, but some people do speak highly of them. Also, as for WiFi, if your going to be streaming 1080p video it is not something that I would use with any box.

[velt]

looks nice, im sure you have to do a bit of digging around on linux and then xbmc, probably a remote to manage it. But looks nice.
The only drawback is thta it does not have wifi

Actually, you can run both Android or linux on the Cubox, and the i2 and i4 come with WifI and BT.

http://cubox-i.com/table/

I can't speak to how well they work, but some people do speak highly of them. Also, as for WiFi, if your going to be streaming 1080p video it is not something that I would use with any box.

looks nice, weird is not on amazon though

---

what about the G-Box Midnight MX2 ?
Looks like a nice box, i can buy it with a remote.
It says something about xbmc scaling down 1080p videos to 720p but maybe thats just that version of xbmc.

[Tinwarble]

Well, I do have the MX2 and can't say that I would recommend it. Right now my Ouya works better with XBMC (and outputs 1080p) than the MX2.

The 1080p to 720p output is with any version of XBMC because that's linked to the kernel/Android. There is a couple of linux XBMC firmwares that you can flash that will output 1080, but they are user compiled and still in beta, most of my videos will play with them but there are a few that just tend to freeze. Also, the next Android update will bring 1080p output to it, but there is no telling when it will be ready.

If you're concerned about a remote, if you have a Android phone or tablet the Yatse remote app works great with XBMC and is what I use for both my MX2 and Ouya.

Also, if your in the U.S., the Cubox is available from Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6815580004

[velt]

Well, I do have the MX2 and can't say that I would recommend it. Right now my Ouya works better with XBMC (and outputs 1080p) than the MX2.

The 1080p to 720p output is with any version of XBMC because that's linked to the kernel/Android. There is a couple of linux XBMC firmwares that you can flash that will output 1080, but they are user compiled and still in beta, most of my videos will play with them but there are a few that just tend to freeze. Also, the next Android update will bring 1080p output to it, but there is no telling when it will be ready.

If you're concerned about a remote, if you have a Android phone or tablet the Yatse remote app works great with XBMC and is what I use for both my MX2 and Ouya.

Also, if your in the U.S., the Cubox is available from Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6815580004

interesting, thanks for all the info. I guess that we will have to wait and see how good xbmc woks in 1080p and what arethe hardware requirements if any.
Im very interested in the cubox, I consider myself savy with the pc, but my linux knowledge is not that good and the wiki of cubox doesnt go at large in explaining all the steps towards making it a htpc running xbmc over linux.

So yeah what i see is that the android thing maybe go with the ouya, for linux maybe a raspberry pi or a cubox.

[Vancoonsie]

Is there a stick that can reliably mirror Kodi from and android device to a television. I have tried streaming to Chromecast but still have issues of "Chromecast not being able to support" certain streams. My next challenge is to try and to break it and see if that helps. Ideas?

[Ned Scott]

It doesn't work like that.