Noob and need help!
#1
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i am in school, and i usually just use my xbox one for entertainment purposes but xbox live won't connect to multiplayer so it's useless for me.

i still have my tv and want to use it to:
- watch movies (netflix, amazon video, and even from websites)
- be able to browse the web
- possibly play games via emulator (just heard about this option by reading some threads)
- watch live tv (just for live sports usually)

i have no idea what any of the stickies are really talking about, and i have no interest in building anything from different components. i do not mind learning how to navigate through xbmc/kodi but that would be the extent of my effort. i otherwise want a plug and play system.

i have a router that just extends the university network's ethernet to my laptop, etc.

would the following setup meet my needs? and why or why not?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CH64...OLR8YDGC0J

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DKZ...DEPDGNBCBU

Thanks!
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#2
Please, please, please, do not buy an android device that advertises pre installed XBMC.

These devices/manufactures are not affiliated with XBMC and will only sour your XBMC experience.

Get an intel NUC, amazon fire tv, or some other similar all in one unit.
"PPC is too slow, your CPU has no balls to handle HD content." ~ Davilla
"Maybe it's a toaster. Who knows, but it has nothing to do with us." ~ Ned Scott
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#3
(2014-10-09, 06:40)lrusak Wrote: Please, please, please, do not buy an android device that advertises pre installed XBMC.

These devices/manufactures are not affiliated with XBMC and will only sour your XBMC experience.

Get an intel NUC, amazon fire tv, or some other similar all in one unit.

i'm not spending more than 150 total for keyboard and unit.

what's wrong with the device? the reviews seemed pretty good and it seemed more flexible than an amazon fire tv. either way i know nothing, so any explanation would help

would I be able to watch live tv/ surf the web on an amazon fire?
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#4
(2014-10-09, 06:40)lrusak Wrote: Please, please, please, do not buy an android device that advertises pre installed XBMC.

These devices/manufactures are not affiliated with XBMC and will only sour your XBMC experience.

Get an intel NUC, amazon fire tv, or some other similar all in one unit.

So not true...
There is no manufacturer affiliation with xbmc....period. for any manufacturer.
There are some manufacturers that ship with a forked xbmc but that is easily replaced by the downloading the latest .apk from xbmc.org.
In case of some of the RK3288 SoC based units the fork is an attempt to add HEVC 4K in HW support but not needing for current content and kodi will probably also support HEVC 4K in HW support by the time HEVC 4K content can be found.
Rockchip is working with some team kodi developers to add HEVC 4K in HW support to the mainstream kodi.
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#5
(2014-10-09, 07:34)Willem55 Wrote:
(2014-10-09, 06:40)lrusak Wrote: Please, please, please, do not buy an android device that advertises pre installed XBMC.

These devices/manufactures are not affiliated with XBMC and will only sour your XBMC experience.

Get an intel NUC, amazon fire tv, or some other similar all in one unit.

So not true...
There is no manufacturer affiliation with xbmc....period. for any manufacturer.
There are some manufacturers that ship with a forked xbmc but that is easily replaced by the downloading the latest .apk from xbmc.org.
In case of some of the RK3288 SoC based units the fork is an attempt to add HEVC 4K in HW support but not needing for current content and kodi will probably also support HEVC 4K in HW support by the time HEVC 4K content can be found.
Rockchip is working with some team kodi developers to add HEVC 4K in HW support to the mainstream kodi.

i know some of these words
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#6
O..K what you selected is a easy solution that will work... you could however get a better faster and just as easy solution for the same price from Minix, Tronsmart or openhour (just google) using a better chipset RK3288(also googleWink.

Intel NUC or chromebox is also a good technical solution but requires some IT skills beyond noob level..
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#7
(2014-10-09, 07:43)Willem55 Wrote: O..K what you selected is a easy solution that will work... you could however get a better faster and just as easy solution for the same price from Minix, Tronsmart or openhour (just google) using a better chipset RK3288(also googleWink.

Intel NUC or chromebox is also a good technical solution but requires some IT skills beyond noob level..

ok ill look into those. but as far as my question, does xbmc/kodi allow me to do all of the following?
- watch movies (netflix, amazon video, and even from websites)
- be able to browse the web
- possibly play games via emulator (just heard about this option by reading some threads)
- watch live tv (just for live sports usually)

i will look for the best setup for my budget, but i wanna know what the limitations of the setup will be
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#8
they are android 4.4 boxes.. just download all the stuff you mention from the google playstore... just like on a phone or tablet.
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#9
(2014-10-09, 08:00)Willem55 Wrote: they are android 4.4 boxes.. just download all the stuff you mention from the google playstore... just like on a phone or tablet.

ok cool. i just want something relatively easy to use with a wireless keyboard that can do all that, i don't mind learning about the product first though

i looked at the 3 you suggested, and i can't really tell the differences. the tronsmart is available on amazon, but some people are receiving dead units from geekbuying. what are the advantages of these 3 over fire tv + xbmc?
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#10
you could buy straight from the companies webshop.... difference between these open android boxes and the fireTV is that you don't need to hack/root it before you can do simple stuff like sticking a USB drive to it with movies and music and just play.
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#11
(2014-10-09, 09:42)Willem55 Wrote: you could buy straight from the companies webshop.... difference between these open android boxes and the fireTV is that you don't need to hack/root it before you can do simple stuff like sticking a USB drive to it with movies and music and just play.

Well i wouldn't be doing that to begin with, i want to use it as an entertainment system for streaming mainly.

how hard is the hack/root process? and if i do that, will it be just as flexible as an open android box? sorry for all the questions, just wanna get something soon
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#12
http://www.aftvnews.com/how-to-root-the-amazon-fire-tv/

and no you will not be as flexible as an open android cause you can't do the fireTV upgrades...anymore?
Ask yourself what the android amazon fireTV has over open android systems and if it's so important to you... me I could not think of a single thing other than brand and being able to buy on amazon...
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#13
(2014-10-09, 10:14)Willem55 Wrote: http://www.aftvnews.com/how-to-root-the-amazon-fire-tv/

and no you will not be as flexible as an open android cause you can't do the fireTV upgrades...anymore?
Ask yourself what the android amazon fireTV has over open android systems and if it's so important to you... me I could not think of a single thing other than brand and being able to buy on amazon...

that's fair. what can i actually do with the tronsmart,etc. that you cannot do with fire tv rooted?
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#14
Upgrade... the new fireTV upgrade prevents future rooting..... but maybe someone will hack that... but until then root is gone...... if they ship you new stock with latest firmware then also no rooting possible....

but you're already way beyond the noob level here..
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#15
(2014-10-09, 10:22)Willem55 Wrote: Upgrade... the new fireTV upgrade prevents future rooting..... but maybe someone will hack that... but until then root is gone...... if they ship you new stock with latest firmware then also no rooting possible....

but you're already way beyond the noob level here..

i like the fire tv's initial setup, and rooting it seems to be fine. i'm a noob to this whole scene, but i can learn pretty quickly when it comes to this stuff if it's a step by step list haha. any hope of the new upgrade being rootable soon or should i stay away

also, bump for the general public, more answers can only help
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