Need Advice on buying an Android Media Box

jgbyr

Hi, I've read some threads here on media boxes but find them a bit confusing. They're talking about Linux & heat something or other & Ubuntu etc, things I know nothing about. A bit too technical for me.

I want to get a device that supports Android, has wifi, can access the play store, possibly use Netflix, is mpeg4 compatible, has a hdmi & usb connection.

I know this is probably basic for a lot of people but there's so many different types out there.

I'm currently connecting my nexus 4 to the TV but it's not really practical.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Sappy404

I'm reasonably new to it myself but here's a few things that might help.

Linux is an operating system, as is Android. I'd say if people are talking about a device having or being compatible with Linux, they're not planning on running Android on it. So you can ignore this if you're looking for an Android player.

I'm assuming you have read someone mention a heatsink. This is like a radiator that would be stuck onto an internal part of the device, in order to help dissipate heat by providing a lot of surface area. As these devices are small and most don't have fans for space/power consumption reasons, they can get very hot. This will affect performance and possibly longevity. Some of the smaller ones that look like USB sticks have openings for ventilation so an external fan would be better for cooling. Other smaller devices use a metal casing, and heatsyncs can be applied externally to this. The larger boxes are less likely to need cooling, but some will benefit from a heatsink being internally fitted where possible.

Something else to consider would be how good the operating system is out of the box, as many devices have problems that are fixed by members of the development community. In a lot of cases, it seems a lot of the devices could benefit from being completely updated with a different Android image. Support in the online community for different devices will vary.

If you're after good wifi performance, read up about the devices you're considering for this. Many of them have issues, and some will be practically unusable unless you're a few feet from your router or want to apply a new image. You might want to insist on getting one that has an external aerial, but even so, read up about performance first.

One last thing - you'll see dual-core and quad-core processors mentioned. This essentially means some processors can handle 2 or 4 processes at once. Devices not described as one of dual or quad core will likely be single-core. While it doesn't necessarily mean that a quad-core device is exactly 4 times faster in practice than a single-core device, it does mean that it has the potential to do a lot more. That said, quad-core devices seem to be reasonably new, and development and support for these isn't as advanced as the more well-known single and dual-core devices. They have the potential to do more, however. At this stage I'd consider a well-reviewed, heavily supported dual-core device before paying more cash for a newer, less-renowned quad core device.

jgbyr

Thanks for the great info. Will have to read over & digest it all.
Have you any models that might be worth looking at?

Sappy404

jgbyr wrote: »

Thanks for the great info. Will have to read over & digest it all.
Have you any models that might be worth looking at?

The MK802 is a very popular series - there's a few versions.

I just bought the Tronsmart Prometheus from geekbuying.com as did a few others recently (see towards the end of this thread). I haven't received it yet but it looks good for the price.

jgbyr

Sappy404 wrote: »

I just bought the Tronsmart Prometheus from geekbuying.com as did a few others recently]. I haven't received it yet but it looks good for the price.

Did you get your order yet? .