Very Best Device for Kodi

Glen_Quagmire

I have been searching for this information this online but I cannot seem to find the answer I am looking for.

I am looking to find out what is the very best device on the market for playing Kodi and possibly Show*** also?

There are numerous Android devises available from Amazon and other retailers as well as the Raspberry Pi 2 and Fire TV and Fire Stick but I am just wondering what is the very best out there.

I do not need a cable tuner or satellite receiver built into the device, just want to run Kodi and maybe Show*** as best as possible.

Is there any stand out devices or are they all pretty much the same (in terms of playing Kodi) with slightly different hardware?

flutered

i have an amazon tv stick, it works fine when i have sufficent broad band to run it, try it on your pc or lappy, what you see there is very much what you will get, i am thinking about gettin the rasbeppy pi 2, to see if i can get some of the app running without kodi, my experience is very very little, so view with caution

flutered

OSI wrote: »

Nvidia Shield TV would be at the top end of Android powered TV boxes.

your opinion of the rasberry pi 2 octo core please

Glen_Quagmire

OSI wrote: »

Nvidia Shield TV would be at the top end of Android powered TV boxes.

I may be completely wrong but its looks like you are paying a premium for the joy pad and gaming feature of that box?

Glen_Quagmire

OSI wrote:

You're paying for the fact it's the most powerful non-x86 Android device on the market. It's chipset and performance are far above the alternatives.

Does that mean it will run kodi better than other devices or are the cheaper android boxes more than capable of running kodi to the same quality?

Glen_Quagmire

Okay understood, I have one of the first edition MX Android boxes about 2 years now, it's working fine but I was gonna upgrade it to a better box/device for kodi and put the old one in the bedroom but it's sounds like I'm wasting my time as I won't get much of an improvement

Giblet

I use an Intel NUC.

stanley1

amazon FireTV box, i've tried a few but this box beats them all.

Glen_Quagmire

stanley1 wrote:

amazon FireTV box, i've tried a few but this box beats them all.

In what ways?

moleyv

I've a shield TV, I wouldn't buy one just for kodi.

I also have a chromebox that dual boots openelec/kodi.

Shield and chromebox are super fast. But complete overkill, if all you want is kodi.

I also have a rpi2 and rpiB+. Rpi2 is the only one that can reasonably run openelec/kodi. Its good, but can get bogged down. Its also an SD card eater if you don't shut down properly.

It is also expensive unless you have the other stuff hanging around that you need, micro SD, spare charger capable of powering it, case, keyboard/mouse/remote.

I have no experience of the 'traditional' android box.

But the answer to the thread title, as already stated, is the shield TV.

A 4GB celeron chromebox is also more than capable, but can be even more expensive than a shield TV, and requires some work to get it to dual boot.

stanley1

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

In what ways?

Sideloads perfectly into Firetv box, very fast switching channels etc, remote is a joy to use.

aaronm13

I second the Intel NUC. Don't waste your time or money with Android boxes. The NUC is a lot more expensive but it just works.

Charlie L

Last Apr I was in the same boat. Spent a couple of weeks researching, reading reviews etc. and ended up buying a MINIX Neo X8-h plus. At the time it was relatively new, was among the highest spec android devices available and had very positive reviews. I use it mostly for Kodi, YouTube, reading my email and some web browsing. It is way over spec for what I use it for - I think it's aimed at gamers and 4k TV people, which I'm not.

The reason for choosing it, although pricier than other units, was because -

- It was available from local sellers at a better price than online (about 160) and I wanted to be able to return it if I had any problems.
- Good reviews
- High spec (I tend to go for the best spec I can, within reason, just to be on the safe side or if things change)
- The manufacturer, MINIX, seems to be reputable enough not just in terms of build quality and spec but my reckoning is that their support, in terms of updates etc., would be reliable (which so far seems to be the case).

Having said that, I haven't a clue how to use most of the stuff on it and to be honest, don't even understand what a lot of the stuff is for - I'm not a tech person and had never even heard of Kodi or add-ons etc. until shortly before getting the box. As I said its pre-loaded with a lot of stuff I don't use or understand but it was easy/straightforward enough to setup and get going. I've probably watched less than 10 hours total of TV since I got it - I think it's brilliant.

I decided to get my Dad a box for Christmas and decided to do some more research to see if there was anything better/or better value since I had bought the MINIX. I ended up getting a box called the M8S+ because, again its relatively new, and has a similar hardware spec to my MINIX but costs around 90. I get this setup and working OK but don't think the operating system on it is as flexible or as easy to use as my box (I have my box set up so that it looks practically identical to my phone and tablet which are both android - I haven't been able to do the same with the M8S+ because, far as I can gather, it doesn't allow you to install another launcher so you're stuck with what's on the box), however it is working for the basics, Kodi etc.

I also bought a Rii mini i8+remote which has a keyboard and mouse trackpad and much better than the remotes that came with either box - in fact, I'd say its a necessity (about 20 on eBay).

Hope that helps!

Glen_Quagmire

Thanks mate

I actually ended up buying a Wetek Play Openelec DVB-S2 which has Kodi built in and 2 No. satellite tuners so its seems to be the best of both worlds in obe box.

Now its research time to figure out how to set this up to its best capability...

Charlie L

No problem......never heard of that one but if it does the job you're all set! Kodi is great.....once my UPC/Virgin TV contract is up in a couple of months I'm getting rid of it..........nothing but mindless ****e and fabricated warmongering propaganda on TV these days - I haven't missed a minute of it!

Glen_Quagmire

Charlie L wrote:

No problem......never heard of that one but if it does the job you're all set! Kodi is great.....once my UPC/Virgin TV contract is up in a couple of months I'm getting rid of it..........nothing but mindless ****e and fabricated warmongering propaganda on TV these days - I haven't missed a minute of it!

Im only keep Virgin because the other half records all the soaps but hopefully I can figure out a way to series link them and record them on this new box then I'll be cancelling. Here's hoping haha

dahat

Box that will handle H265 plus will allow me flash Open Elec to it? My M8 wont play h265 files

eamonnq

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

Im only keep Virgin because the other half records all the soaps but hopefully I can figure out a way to series link them and record them on this new box then I'll be cancelling. Here's hoping haha

There are a couple of Kodi addons that have the soaps!!

bikermartin

I've a month mini PC from lenovo. Windows 8. Works great, plus have all the PC uses Inc keyboard mouse etc. Had 2 android box m8 and m8s. They were very slow and unresponsive and had to force shutdown at times.

Glen_Quagmire

eamonnq wrote:

There are a couple of Kodi addons that have the soaps!!

What addons are these?

NATLOR

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

What addons are these?

Four addons that between them cover nearly everything are Dexter,BBC i player,Irish TV and Phoenix

Cantona's Collars

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

What addons are these?

There is a soap catch up add-on.

gar32

The best Device is a high spec PC. You can install the kodi software easy enough. HDMI output with 7.1 audio

mansize

I have it on my MacBook find it handy

manutd83

Charlie L wrote: »

Last Apr I was in the same boat. Spent a couple of weeks researching, reading reviews etc. and ended up buying a MINIX Neo X8-h plus. At the time it was relatively new, was among the highest spec android devices available and had very positive reviews. I use it mostly for Kodi, YouTube, reading my email and some web browsing. It is way over spec for what I use it for - I think it's aimed at gamers and 4k TV people, which I'm not.

The reason for choosing it, although pricier than other units, was because -

- It was available from local sellers at a better price than online (about 160) and I wanted to be able to return it if I had any problems.
- Good reviews
- High spec (I tend to go for the best spec I can, within reason, just to be on the safe side or if things change)
- The manufacturer, MINIX, seems to be reputable enough not just in terms of build quality and spec but my reckoning is that their support, in terms of updates etc., would be reliable (which so far seems to be the case).

Having said that, I haven't a clue how to use most of the stuff on it and to be honest, don't even understand what a lot of the stuff is for - I'm not a tech person and had never even heard of Kodi or add-ons etc. until shortly before getting the box. As I said its pre-loaded with a lot of stuff I don't use or understand but it was easy/straightforward enough to setup and get going. I've probably watched less than 10 hours total of TV since I got it - I think it's brilliant.

I decided to get my Dad a box for Christmas and decided to do some more research to see if there was anything better/or better value since I had bought the MINIX. I ended up getting a box called the M8S+ because, again its relatively new, and has a similar hardware spec to my MINIX but costs around 90. I get this setup and working OK but don't think the operating system on it is as flexible or as easy to use as my box (I have my box set up so that it looks practically identical to my phone and tablet which are both android - I haven't been able to do the same with the M8S+ because, far as I can gather, it doesn't allow you to install another launcher so you're stuck with what's on the box), however it is working for the basics, Kodi etc.

I also bought a Rii mini i8+remote which has a keyboard and mouse trackpad and much better than the remotes that came with either box - in fact, I'd say its a necessity (about 20 on eBay).

Hope that helps!

Just reading the thread and seen your message,I have an M8S+ box also and have nova running on it fine,in there own setting choose more setting and then the home button to select it

Blazer

I have the Shield and I love it especially for private listening.
All my tv shows and movies are stored on a synology NAS and connected to 802.11ac router which allows streaming at 1300mbs theoretically...its slower than that but a hell of a lot faster than wireless N..
I also have 2 apple TV 4th gen in other bedrooms which use an app called NASify..for 2.99 its simply a file browser but it plays perfectly with no issues.
The only advantage the shield gives me over is that I have kodi on it which isn't really a big deal for what I want and private listening which is big plus for watching shows at nighttime across from the kids room.

iwishiknew

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

What addons are these?

I've installed one called TVAddons on my FireStick....adds ons i use are Genesis, Velocity, UKTurks and Movies4k which is excellent

SCOOP 64

iwishiknew wrote: »

I've installed one called TVAddons on my FireStick....adds ons i use are Genesis, Velocity, UKTurks and Movies4k which is excellent

Dont mean to go of subject, but is Genesis still running ?
Doesnt seem to work for me now.

stanley1

gone now for a few weeks, just broken links.

iwishiknew

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Dont mean to go of subject, but is Genesis still running ?
Doesnt seem to work for me now.

It does on this TVaddons thing. I did have problems getting it initially but it works fine

ads20101

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

I thought genesis was replaced with exodus?

Genesis was working for me last night. Granted some of the links no longer work, but was fine for the programme I was watching.