Magic Box HDP500 manufactured by gmini (apparently a Russian company) is a new media player featuring the 500-Mhz SMP8653 chipset from Sigma Designs.
It does not use Android OS yet, and as far I know no company has yet released SMP8653 Android based products.
Having said that, it comes with most of the connectivity you would expect from a decent set-top box: USB connector (device: USB storage,host: laptop/PC connection), Audio/Video Composite ouput, Component (YPbPr) output, HDMI and optical digital audio output and and Ethernet port.
On the software side, it is a full featured 1080p media player, with video, music and picture galleries, Internet Radio, UPnP support… It could also be used as a NAS with the USB host connection to your PC.
The missing features are: no support for digital TV (e.g. DVB-T, DMB-TH), no Wifi support, no web applications/web browser, no movie download (BT/Emule), no Real media video support although SMP8653 is supposed to support it. Those features could however be added in the future firmware upgrades. They would have to use USB dongles for Wifi and/or DVB. Note that in that case you would have to choose between one of the other since there is only one USB connector.
Currently, this digital media player can be only purchased on some Russian websites for around 120 Euros.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress
