Best video player for Minix Neo X7 (Android)

[astral]

I have just bought the Minix Neo X7 android box

The problem is choosing the apps to load, particularly an HD Video player to get the full effect on my 1080 TV

with multiple formats AVI, MP4, MKV etc

I have a large library culled from torrents, stored in USB

I have found several players but NONE easily (or at all) recognises the USB disks where the films are loaded

They all seem to be phone oriented and looking for a SD card................

Recommendations welcome

Thanks

[Chicog]

Have you tried MX Player? And OI File Manager?

[astral]

So far the best file manager seems to be the standard Storage utility

A little irritating as it show everything in reverse order Z - A.

But otherwise the easiest to negotiate and shows USB devices clearly

something the other offerings do not. They assuming all Android is a phone

with an SD card

Undecided on the video player.

Several fail to fill my 1080 screen........... <deleted>

[muratremix]

You should have consulted forum before buying such an expensive android tv box.

to get true 1080p, you need to flash a 1080p kernel rom first. Default rom comes with 720p kernel, choosing 1080p hdmi mode won't make it real 1080p but only 720p upscale.

Besides, anybody told you that these devices don't support 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound via HDMI/Optical output? Only 2.0 stereo lpcm/raw is supported.

A poor choice as media player, too expensive for smart tv purposes.

[keeniau96]

MX Player works best on my CX-919; FS File Explorer.

Sorry, but have to agree with Muratremix re the dissing of the device. My CX-919 does the job very nicely, particularly when upgraded to Android 4.2.2 with Finless 1.5.

[astral]

I can assure you that 5.1 works perfectly via hdmi

I will investigate the 1080 issue

[muratremix]

If passthru is implemented on minix x7, then it is the second model supports 5.1 audio on android. Normally, android doesn't support 5.1 or HD audio or passthru. All the previous models of other brands does not support anything more than 2.0 stereo sound. Of course mx player and others does downsample 5.1 audio to 2.0 stereo.

Another issue is rk3188 cpu video playback, which will be fixed by future roms hopefully. Oh, I should mention there is also no real 24p mode on these devices. Once kernel set resolution and frame rate, it is fixed, can't change without replace kernel in rom. You can only change upscale resolution which has no effect on 24,25,30p modes.

[astral]

I bought the Pro version of MX player

Paid for it on my PC then it downloaded to the Android box automatically.

Very neat!!

Any thoughts on SW or HW decoding?

[muratremix]

I bought the Pro version of MX player

Paid for it on my PC then it downloaded to the Android box automatically.

Very neat!!

Any thoughts on SW or HW decoding?

You can't use sw decoding for 1080p files. Use HW or HW+ mode for playback.

[astral]

I have downloaded the Neutron Player (evaluation)

It plays all my FLAC up to 192khz, including the slightly odd 88khz files

and also handles a FLAC sample in surround.............

Power Amp failed to play 192khz files and the surround.

Good they let us try the sw before committing to buy

Thanks for all the input guys.

Any thoughts on using my android phone as a remote?

I have loaded the app on the phone but it does not see the Minix box...................

As far as I can see the remote app is loaded there as well, and active

[damole]

I have a Geniatech ATV1200 and use XBMC as my media player and if something doesn't play I use BSPlayer using the stock video decoder. I'm still in the UK coming to the end of my summer holday and will be back in Thailand next week when I'll test it with my Onkyo home cinema.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=150342&highlight=atv1200

In the first post it is stated, "You should also know that the GUI is always rendered at 720p and then upscaled to 1080p, but video is output at 1080p.". I also use XBMC remote on my tablet and that way I can listen to my music with out having to turn the TV on to choose what I want to listen to. This is really great as my Logitech Squeezebox died last year and I'd been looking at options to replace it with. So now I get to replace both my AC Ryan PlayOnHD and Squeezebox with one device.

I still have a HP DM1 AMD E2-1800 netbook which I can connect to the Onkyo for the times when I need a proper PC to play something or get some catchup service that isn't supported by Android.

--damole

[muratremix]

720p android kernel will not switch to 1080p in 1080p movies. This is not windows, you simply cant change resolution on the fly.

[damole]

I just read about Variable-Pixel Device Implementations in the following 2 docs:

http://source.android.com/compatibility/4.0/android-4.0-cdd.pdf
http://source.android.com/compatibility/android-4.3-cdd.pdf

Whether than means people building Android TV boxes are using this ability I don't know.

--damole

[muratremix]

I just read about Variable-Pixel Device Implementations in the following 2 docs:

http://source.android.com/compatibility/4.0/android-4.0-cdd.pdf

http://source.android.com/compatibility/android-4.3-cdd.pdf

Whether than means people building Android TV boxes are using this ability I don't know.

--damole

Android tv sticks uses roms from rksdk, which is basically a tablet sdk / rom with fixed resolution. So, no they dont use anything like this.

[Snow1225]

Hey, mind telling me where did you buy it from?

[damole]

I'm not sure if this is a definitive test but on the xbmc thread someone posted a link to a video clip that when you watch it on the non-stock player looks different than when watching on the stock player, the implication being that the non-stock players are upscaling.

I also wrote to Geniatech who say that the box plays video at 1080p natively. I don't know enough about how Android video processing yet to know how this works.

[muratremix]

Geniatech could be using a real 1080p kernel. However those RK3066/RK3188 and new A31 cpu devices overheat a lot under 1080p resolution (it doesn't when you watch video, but playing games etc) so factories usually go with 720p kernel by default. It is up to the user to flash 1080p one. Most users don't see a difference (they think thats how 1080p looks like) so they use it as is.

[astral]

I am really surprised at some member who were so ready to dis my choice of the Minix box

apparently without any real knowledge of what it can do

Please check your facts before posting, guys!!!!

I am very happy with it, now I have sorted the apps to do what I need

i even have the Android app on my Samsung phone working to act as a remote (V2.0)

Much better that the basic remote suppied.

Way better than my of basic WD HDTV player bought some 4/5 years ago

and less money to boot.

It is a very new box, only released last month with a quad core processor

I am still looking at the pros and cons of HW vs SW processing for video replay

I bought it through Alibaba (Aliexpress)

More specifically Shenzen Mobase

who were really excellent. They changing the shipping after Hongkong Post rejected the item due to an internal battery,

and sent it via Singapore Post, accepting the extra cost on their side

Well done Mobase

The shipping and delivery was quick and efficient.

[muratremix]

Dear astral,

I'm happy to hear that you're happy with your X7,

However it can never be a replacement to a mediaplayer. Resolution is fixed and it can only upscale/downscale. You can't make it to run in 480p and let your expensive TV handle upscale or it can't send 1080i signals to TV for using TV's post processor. There is no 24P output, which means you'll watch everything in 30/60fps with doubled frames. There is no HD audio bit streaming. There is no support to playback Bluray ISO files or 3D full SBS/3D Bluray ISO files aswell. Guess what? My realtek 1186 chipset based media player can do all these things with a nice remote.

I must say, even my HTPC with XBMC fails to play bluray ISOs on windows (plays on linux just fine) due to known bugs.

Back to the android x7 device, XBMC is not running on HW mode with these devices except AMlogic cpu models (obsolete). Without XBMC, using these devices with airmouse or mouse/keyboard is a pain in the @ss.

[touch]

@muratremix

Which box do you use? Do you have a link??

[muratremix]

@muratremix

Which box do you use? Do you have a link??

I don't use an android box, I had several android tv sticks before (sold them) and I only have iMito QX1 quadcore at the moment (waiting for linux with hw accelerated drivers).

As for HTPC, I bought cheap Zbox ID18 (Celeron 1007u 1.5 ghz dualcore, Intel HD onboard graphics) which plays everything except 3D full sbs/3D Bluray (Due to stripped down intel hd graphics, no support for 3D video output).

If you ask my media player, it is Xtreamer Prodigy Ultra Silver (Wifi). However, any media player based on Realtek 1186 is pretty strong and can play bluray iso files (2D/3D) and supports hd audio formats aswell.

FYI I bought barebone (no ram, no hdd) zotac htpc for 4850 baht (+200 baht shipping) and used my old SSD drive and bough a 4gb ram for 1190 baht. However, I could choose to buy 2gb ram and boot xbmc/linux from USB stick for much cheaper if I wanted to (XBMC works much better under linux)

[damole]

I'm just re-posting this link that somebody posted on the xbmc forum above.

http://www.iboum.com/artkill/xbmc.php

I just arrived in Chiang Mai today and tested my myGica ATV1200 with my Onkyo receiver. Happy to see that xbmc does Dolby ac3 even if the other players don't. Now I can test it properly to see if it will replace my AC Ryan playOnHD.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[astral]

@damole

Thanks for that link

It prompted me to take a new look at XMBC

Sure it loads, but that is IT.........

Click on the icon............. nothing

Select a file with the File Manager

Duh!! The XMBC is not even offered as an option

to play the file.

A very poor application in the world of Android,

if it only works on some HW

[damole]

Did you read http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Android_hardware ?

[iluvbeaches]

Not really sure why there is so much negativity towards WD HD live. Great box, very cheap, downloads metadata for your files, plays spotify / netflix, no cinevidia, plays 3D movies, two USBs to be honest plays everything except FLV.

Only negative it is a bit slow rehashing files on hard drives and is a slow network machine. But for the price haven't found anything nearly as good.

[astral]

After being lambasted for my choice of the Minix I did a little research

Now I am not really interested in Video streaming, I have a monthly cap

so all my video is sourced from torrents in the "free" night time and stored on usb hard disks

Cnet suggests a few options for media players

Roku 3 - no usb

Apple TV - no usb

WDTV Live does have usb, but is rather old technology to be buying today

I have not got to the 1080 issue yet with the Minix Neo X7

but it certainly does audio passthrough for Dolby on PCM

and Dolby 5.1 encoded TV broadcasts, like some of the BBC Proms

The Neutron player handles surround in a flac file and outputs

all channels through the hdmi connection

Whilst HTPC may be a better option, it would not fit in my suitcase when I travel

on business, as my old HDTV player has done, and the Minix will in the future.

The Minix is half the volume of the old WDHD player!!

[damole]

Pivos are who you need to be looking at. I read some rumours somewhere that they will have a new box out the autumn. People give them

credit for getting XBMC running on Android.

http://www.pivosgroup.com/xios.html

I don't know if you've tried XBMC before on any platform but if not just try it on your computer to see how cool it is.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[damole]

I am waiting for the quadcore box from Geniatech assuming it works with XBMC and does 1080p with the stock video player at least like my current ATV1200 does. I will wait until others buy them first and read all about it on XBMC forums.

[deesh00]

Bought the Neo X7 in Holland with the newest Firmware (V8 20140101).

Everything works great with XBMC! (so far with 720P and a 1080P overlay).

So this is really not a bad player. I think it's the best there is at the moment and it's getting better and better thanks to the firmwareupdates of Minix!

I'm a happy consumer....

[iluvbeaches]

Ouya for 99usd works very well and is small. I use the wd live hd at home without a fault.