MA8-4K is yet another TV box running Android 5.1 on Rockchip RK3229 quad core Cortex A7 processor, but it might one of the cheapest right now, as GearBest offers it for $18.99 shipped with GBMA87 coupon instead of $27.99 “flash sale” price. This is likely valid for only a few hundred boxes.
- SoC – Rockchip RK3229 quad core ARM Cortex A7 processor @ 1.5 GHz with ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
- System Memory – 1GB DDR3
- Storage – 8GB flash + micro SD card slot up to 32GB
- Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4K2K @ 60 fps, and 3.5mm AV output (composite)
- Audio Output – HDMI, AV, and coaxial S/PDIF
- Connectivity – 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi (AP6051 chip); Bluetooth is mentioned in title, but not in description, so it’s unclear whether it’s implemented.
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports
- Power Supply – 5V/1.5A
- Dimensions – 11.20 x 11.20 x 2.30 cm
- Weight – 107 grams
The box runs Android 5.1, ships with a power adapter and a user’s manual in English. The remote control is not part of the package list, but they do mention “The remote control is powered by 2 x AAA batteries (not included) in the list of main features.
There’s no mention of Kodi support in the description, so it’s unclear whether there’s a custom Kodi version pre-installed. Kodi 17.3 from the Google Play Store will not work well on anything below Android 7.1 for Rockchip device, as my experience with Vorke Z3 has shown. So I would not purchase as a Kodi box, at least if you plan on using the latest version. I previously reviewed two Rockchip RK3229 with MXQ 4K and Zidoo X1 II. I abandoned the review for the former since the firmware was unusable, but Zidoo X1 II worked fairly well for H.265 and H.264 videos and audio pass-through.
Talking about cheap devices, sometimes I sell samples locally after reviews, and I’ve got several reports with cheap models (around $30) that they work fine… for about 2 or 3 months, and then just die, and people come back for a better and more expensive model.
![](http://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TV-Box-Repair-Tip.jpg)
Maybe it’s because of the hot and humid climate here, but it’s something to keep in mind, as “buy cheap, buy twice” may be at play here.
Via AndroidPC.es
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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.
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Unless we can run Linux on this, i would’t bother even for that price!
I completely agree!
Maybe someday these manufacturers will catch on…
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I’ve got several reports with cheap models (around $30) that they work fine… for about 2 or 3 months, and then just die i’ve been using those cheap arm tv boxes to install linux nas/print/plex servers for 3 years, they usually run 24/7 (mostly idle) and i have suffered very few failures on the 3-4 dozens installed (3 failures as far as i can remember), various (no)brands, 80% amlogic. It’s most certainly not a large enough sample to get accurate statistics but i could not say if those pcb boards have a higher failure rate than some high end GPU… Read more »
The most important is when not using, just to make sure turn off the power. I believed the box die faster is because the box is over heating.
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