Recommend an Android Box that runs XBMC - [No copyrighted material]

dahat wrote: »

Not really, a lot of boxes need fiddling with at some point. ROMs/Add on settings etc...

Best match your purchase to your skill level tech wise.

Link: http://www.gearbest.com/tv-box/pp_80704.html
Coupon: MXQBLG, which will bring the price to €37.18.

This is a bargain, you could get hit with customs thou, I am currently watching a HD film on one and it is just as clear as the Minix X8-H.

Apart from that as mentioned there is 100's of boxes out there.

The cache is a bit low on above and I do sometimes get cache errors but it hasn't affected playback so far.....even with 1080p

Big Nelly wrote: »

Ok feedback so far on this M8 and its a piece of sh*t. Honestly it is terrible. The firmware is as flakey and nothing works on it.

I flashed it with this firmware: http://blog.geekbuying.com/index.php/2014/10/08/m8-cm8-m8s-amlogic-s802-tv-box-latest-firmware-released-20141008/. The box is dog slow, so much that when you are moving the pointer around you have to wait for it to get to the icon. This was the same with the installed firmware.

Have installed 13.2 and 14 XBMC and both won't work. Even the standalone app's I use are very flakey. If it wasn't mind I would throw it out the window.....

This is 3rd attempt at building so I am going to flash firmware again, see if I can get it reasonably solid and then fire it to mate. Let him off with it...not my problem anymore :-)

Maybe OpenELEC runs on it ok but by god Android is **** on it....

Try OPEN ELEC or LINUX and the box will improve massively, I have one

If your mate wants Android look for the Just me ROM. By all accounts it is good.

corwill wrote: »

What would be good beginner's box?

The box is not really the main learning curve, really it is around the app's/add on's you are going to put onto it. Most of the boxes from 37 quid up to 300 quid can do similar jobs.....you just need to know what you need them to do so to speak:P

dahat wrote: »

Try OPEN ELEC or LINUX and the box will improve massively, I have one

If your mate wants Android look for the Just me ROM. By all accounts it is good.

Think it is google music or something like that he wants on it, any chance that runs on OpenELEC?

corwill

Big Nelly wrote: »

The box is not really the main learning curve, really it is around the app's/add on's you are going to put onto it. Most of the boxes from 37 quid up to 300 quid can do similar jobs.....you just need to know what you need them to do so to speak:P

Yeah, it sounds more like picking up a new hobby rather than just a gadget purchase! Tbh, that's not necessarily putting me off, I've managed alright with flashing custom ROMs to a couple of phones and tabs over the last 6 months.

corwill wrote: »

Yeah, it sounds more like picking up a new hobby rather than just a gadget purchase! Tbh, that's not necessarily putting me off, I've managed alright with flashing custom ROMs to a couple of phones and tabs over the last 6 months.

Your sorted then, most of them now are just unpack to USB card and then reboot into firmware....as I have mentioned previously I wouldnt spend big on your first box....cheap and then if you use you can always upgrade.....there is a good second hand market for the boxes

Big Nelly wrote: »

Think it is google music or something like that he wants on it, any chance that runs on OpenELEC?

Not sure but I may he wrong but I'm nearly certain there is a Google Music add on somewhere, unofficial but it does work.

Best look about Google, freektab etc

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=200640&page=11

Here is the Just Me thread for the M8

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?17690-Sqaure-M8-JustMe-Roms-20140901-Till-Date

Third Edit:
On Open Elec the Codesnake version I have is Kodi RC1 but Just Me has a Gotham build which has good reviews also.

vectra

Should I click the button on this or is tere better options out there?
I dont mind flashing roms etc as it would ne be new to me.

Just need to know if it would be a long term box as I dont want to be upgrading in a short space of time,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201237992825?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

vectra wrote: »

Should I click the button on this or is tere better options out there?
I dont mind flashing roms etc as it would ne be new to me.

Just need to know if it would be a long term box as I dont want to be upgrading in a short space of time,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201237992825?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

H265 so you should be fine as that's what KODI is heading towards long term from what I have read.

Price is okish,you could get it cheaper or the 2gb for same price from China but delivery is long at times.

vectra

dahat wrote: »

H265 so you should be fine as that's what KODI is heading towards long term from what I have read.

Price is okish,you could get it cheaper or the 2gb for same price from China but delivery is long at times.

Ah
misread the 2gb bit
Thanks for that,

Here seems to be the same MXIII for cheaper http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Amlogic-MX3-MXIII-S802-Quad-Core-CPU-1G-Ram-8G-Rom-HDD-Android-Smart-TV-Box/171557949898?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28111%26meid%3D35282ae2d3dd40ebbf18ebc264b93ffd%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D11472%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D201237992825&rt=nc

vectra wrote: »

Ah
misread the 2gb bit
Thanks for that,

The 2GB from China with DHL is very quick, there is a discount code on thread earlier....buy via Gearbest. They are the best at the moment....

The pricing above is a bit OTT

I bought this yesterday, but this is specifically to run OpenELEC on it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231418455674?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

dahat wrote: »

Not sure but I may he wrong but I'm nearly certain there is a Google Music add on somewhere, unofficial but it does work.

Best look about Google, freektab etc

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=200640&page=11

Here is the Just Me thread for the M8

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?17690-Sqaure-M8-JustMe-Roms-20140901-Till-Date

Third Edit:
On Open Elec the Codesnake version I have is Kodi RC1 but Just Me has a Gotham build which has good reviews also.

Thanks for info, I think there might be a bigger issue with box. I tried the finless version which should be stable.

Similar issues to the standard firmware. Worked ok until I loaded on a few app, then it went to perform like a dog. It is playing some of the standalone but XBMC kills the box once installed. Plus it will not open any addon's or if it does it doesnt seem to want to play...

Had you similar issues with android? or have I a "special" box?

Sounds like a special box alright as you put it but I would try the Just me and then one of OE or Linux.

If none work then its goosed as it could be a clone, a bad one.

Is the XBMC with the ROM causing problems?

dahat wrote: »

Sounds like a special box alright as you put it but I would try the Just me and then one of OE or Linux.

If none work then its goosed as it could be a clone, a bad one.

Is the XBMC with the ROM causing problems?

Ended up messing around for a while, put back on this version: http://blog.geekbuying.com/index.php/2014/10/08/m8-cm8-m8s-amlogic-s802-tv-box-latest-firmware-released-20141008/

The JustMe version is Minix software rebadged to work on the M8, again it was ropey on the box I have. I guess it is some sort of rebadged/copy of the M8. Finless was running ok but wasn't sure about keeping it on for mate so I went with the original firmware....

Bit of messing around and finally got standalone apps working on it. Got google music working on it. Got it fairly stable.

XBMC is a no go, it wont run, no matter which version I install. But I think it is ok as is to hand over....I dont even want to go near OpenELEC because I would guess there is a bigger problem and that would probably find it

Its stable, it is running the app's he wants....Im going to fire it out the door and finally get to building the MXQ boxes I was supposed to do 6 hours ago:P

This box was bought via Amazon so you would think it would be form a good seller...just posting the following to warn that you need to be careful no matter who you are buying off....loads of crappy clones out there

Its not a Keedox box by any chance?..

No XBMC, is he a weirdo???

dahat wrote: »

Its not a Keedox box by any chance?..

No XBMC, is he a weirdo???

Looks like this box http://www.amazon.co.uk/Latest-Quad-Android-Smart-MOUSE/dp/B00G5ACDCM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419975632&sr=8-1&keywords=ott+tv+box

Just says on back of it: OTT TV Box Android Player
Model M8

Looks the same as my one. Mediaman ROM was fine for me Android wise.

dahat wrote: »

Looks the same as my one. Mediaman ROM was fine for me Android wise.

I am loath to reinstall it again but I am pi**ed with myself for not getting XBMC running:P

So I might try it again in morning

Very odd that XBMC won't work on it, the annoyance of Android boxes!

Ok so I have one of these on the way, I think there is a few other people knocking around with them as well....

I bought one for no reason at all apart from them been really cheap. I am aware of the issues around wifi....etc....or as I call them now, challanges

As per this post there is a few other issues....http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?5012-MK808-B-FAQ-s-includes-XBMC-Guides-Fixes-Benchmarks-and-more-%28new-users-read-this%29

Looks like a few custom firmwares knocking around but interesting I found the following on the web....just wondering has anyone tried this out on the MK808?
http://www.omegamoon.com/blog/index.php?m=05&y=13&d=21&entry=entry130521-172521

MXIII M82 Quad Core 2gb is coming to 64.23e on Gearbest - is this the best option for a new box that i can use for a year or so without missing main features?

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

MXIII M82 Quad Core 2gb is coming to 64.23e on Gearbest - is this the best option for a new box that i can use for a year or so without missing main features?

There was a discount code M82LG or try M82LM, or code MAXY.

dahat wrote: »

Very odd that XBMC won't work on it, the annoyance of Android boxes!

13.2 runs ok on H5 RK3188, but kodi 14 wouldn't start

Invincible wrote: »

There was a discount code M82LG or try M82LM, or code MAXY.

M82LM brings it to €64.23, i'll try to chat to an operator to knock a bit off

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

M82LM brings it to €64.23, i'll try to chat to an operator to knock a bit off

What price on aliexpress, I wonder?

Invincible wrote: »

What price on aliexpress, I wonder?

Cheapest i have found it for on AliExpress is USD 77.91 so almost the same