How to Change Language to English and Install Apps Remotely on Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced

Just like other Xiaomi TV boxes the latest Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced (aka MiBox 3 Pro) comes with a Chinese only user interface, but a similar method as used for Xiaomi Mi Box Mini to change English and remotely install apps. I’ve gone through this and taken pictures and screenshots to show how to change the language. I had connected the HDMI cable, a USB hard drive, as well as a USB keyboard and RF dongle for my airmouse and gamepad to the device, and after powering up the device, you are know some text in Chinese, you can press OK, and you’ll soon be presented with a list of WiFi access points. Select one, and you’ll be asked to input the password for the network. However, in my case I had no connect button, and pressing OK on the remote did not work at all. It turns out […]

Zidoo X1 II 4K Android TV Box (Rockchip RK3229) Review

After skipping MXQ-4K TV box review due to severe issues with video playback, Zidoo X1 II is actually the first device powered by Rockchip RK3229 processor that I’ve fully tested. I’ve already taken pictures of the box, and opened it up to check the board in Zidoo X1 II unboxing and teardown post,  and confirmed 4K videos could play pretty well from my USB hard drive using Zidoo Media Center after disabling Media Scanner process. So today, I’ll review other parts of the firmware, as well as video playback with ZDMC 16.0, Zidoo’s fork of Kodi 16.0. First Boot, Settings and First Impressions The device only has two USB ports, and I used one for a USB hard drive, and the other for RF dongles for MINIX NEO A2 Lite air mouse,  a USB keyboard, and the RF dongle for Tronsmart Mars G01 gamepad via a USB hub. I also […]

Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Unboxing and Teardown

Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced launched earlier this year, must be one of the most powerful Android TV Box thanks to its Mediatek MT8693 hexa-core processor with two ARM Cortex-A72 cores @ 2.0GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores @ 1.6 GHz coupled with Imagination PowerVR GX6250 GPU. The downside is that the product has been specifically launched for the Chinese market, however we can still purchase it via Chinese e-retailers, and likely modify the user interface to use English. To find out, GearBest sent me one review sample. But first, I’ll check the device and hardware, before fully reviewing the TV box in a few weeks. Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Unboxing I normally received samples by DHL, but this time the postman brought it to me. It’s slower, but it can also be advantageous since custom duties are less likely. The package has not much to it, but the back […]

Zidoo X9s Android 6.0 TV Box Features Realtek RTD1295 Processor with SATA 3.0, HDMI 2.0a Output and Input

Zidoo has been busy this year, after releasing Zidoo X5 and Zidoo X1 II in Q1 2016, the company is about to launch Zidoo X9s Android media recorder and player, successor of Zidoo X9, powered by Realtek RTD1295 quad core Cortex A53 processor, and be one of the first TV box to run Android 6.0. Zidoo X9s preliminary specifications: SoC – Realtek RTD1295 quad core Cortex A53 processor with ARM Mali-T820 MP3 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC + micro SD slot + SATA 3.0 interface (external?) Video I/O – HDMI 2.0a output, AV output, and HDMI input (recording and streaming up to 1080p @ 60 Hz) Audio I/O – HDMI in and out, 1x S/PDIF output Video Playback – HDR, 10-bit HEVC/H.265 up to 4K @ 60fps, H.264 up to 4K @ 24 fps, VP9 up to 4K @ 60 fps, BDISO/MKV, etc… automatic frame […]

Rockchip RK3229 Video Playback Take 2 – 10-bit H.264 & H.265, Audio HD Pass-through with Zidoo X1 II

A few weeks ago I tried to play 4K videos in MXQ-4K TV box powered by Rockchip RK3229 processor. The device costs only about $30 including shipping, and it would have been if it could indeed play 10-bit H.265 and 10-bit H.264 videos for that price point, but sadly the results were catastrophic, and most of my 4K videos were unwatchable, either playing in slow motion, or with many slow downs and audio cuts. This happens in all players be it Kodi or Androids Video Player with the worst results occurring when playing from USB hard drive with network share video playback being a bit better. But I have now tested another Rockchip RK3229 based TV box – Zidoo X1 II – and the results are much better, so I also decided to show the results of HD audio pass-through over HDMI too. I played the videos from USB hard […]

ARM Cortex A72 is Getting into Sub $200 Android Smartphones Thanks to Mediatek Helio X20 SoC

Flagship Android smartphones now ship with processors featuring Cortex A72 cores,  or custom variants from Samsung or Qualcomm, and normally cost several hundred dollars. Some new smartphones recently announced with MediaTek Helio X20 deca-core processor lower the price barrier in the $250 to $400 range, but at least two upcoming models will bring the cost below $200: Doogee P7 ($169.99), and Vernee Apollo Lite ($199.99). So let’s see what we’ve got for those prices. Doogee P7 Doogee P7 (preliminary) Specifications: SoC – Mediatek Helio X20 (MT6797) deca-core processor with 2x Cortex A72 cores @ 2.5 GHz, 4x Cortex A53 cores @ 2.0 GHz, and 4x Cortex A53 cores @ 1.4 GHz and ARM Mali-T880MP GPU @ 850 Mhz System Memory – 3GB RAM Storage – 16 GB storage and micro SD slot up to 64GB (shared with dual SIM slot) Display – 5.5″ capacitive touchscreen, 1920×1080 resolution; 160K colors Cellular […]

MK808B Pro Amlogic S905 Android TV Stick Unboxing and Teardown

MK808B Pro TV stick is the successor of the popular MK808B Plus and before that MK808B Android TV dongles with an upgrade to Amlogic S905 processor with 4K support. GeekBuying sent me a sample for evaluation, so I’ll start by checking the hardware before testing the device thoroughly in the full review. MK808B Pro Unboxing I received the stick in a package larger than I expected, but apparently about the same as the previous models (which I had not reviewed). But that’s because of the included accessories: a 5V/2A power supply, a USB cable, a mini USB OTG adapter, a mini HDMI to HDMI cable, and a user’s manual. Apart from the markings “MK808B PRO” and “4K Ultra HD”, the device looks the same as the older models. A mini USB port for power, and a USB 2.0 host port can be found on one end, with a micro SD […]

Rockchip PX3 and PX4 Processors Are Designed for Automotive Infotainment & Dashboards

Rockchip PX2 processor, similar to Rockchip RK3066 but targeting industrial and automotive applications, was launched in 2014. Rockchip now has at least two new member in their PX family with PX3 and PX4 specifically designed for automotive infotainment and car dashboards thanks to dual display support, at least according to one article on Elezine. Rockchip PX3 is definitely confirmed with its own page on Rockchip website, and features a quad core Cortex A9 @ 1.4 GHz with a Mali-400MP4 GPU, and while there’s no info about PX4 yet on the company website, the SoC should come with a quad core Cortex A53 processor @ 1.3 GHz with a Mali-T722 GPU, as well as HDMI 2.0 video output, and H.265 video decoding. The article also lists 7 key function of Rockchip solutions: “Quick startup and fast revert track” Navigation system with free updates HD video recording (car DVR) Advanced ADAS algorithm […]

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