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December 19, 2015December 20, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 29 Comments

GeekBox TV Box Unboxing and Development Kit Assembly Guide

GeekBox is both an Android TV box based on Rockchip RK3368 octa-core processor, and a Linux development kit thanks to the CPU module inside the device, a baseboard and various accessories. The company has sent me a review sample, as well as the accessories currently available. So today, I’ll have a look at the box, and show how to connect everything together. GeekBox TV Box Unboxing I’ve received two carton boxes via DHL, one with GeekBox itself, and the other with some accessories. You could use GeeBox has a TV box, and forget about its development attributes, as the device comes with the usual accessories include a case, an HDMI cable, an infrared remote control, and a 5V/2A power supply. I was really surprised by how small it was compared to other 64-bit ARM TV boxes recently launched on the market, and looks very much like a small router with […]

December 11, 2015December 17, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

Rikomagic MK36SLE (Linux Edition) Based on Intel Atom x5-Z8300 Processor Runs Ubuntu 15.04

When people think about Linux on Intel platform, they often believe it’s just as easy as flashing an Ubuntu ISO on a USB stick and install it on their computer. While that’s true for desktop or laptop processors, the low power Intel Atom processors for tablets such as Bay Trail-T or Cherry Trail are not well supported in Linux with various issues ranging from an incompatible UEFI binary to a complete lack of audio support. So far, most companies have not provided a decent version of Atom Z3735F or Atom x5-Z8x00 mini PCs with Linux, and all the work has been done by the community such as this Ubuntu 14.04 image for Atom Z3735F. But Rikomagic must have worked on a Cherry Trail Linux port, more exactly Ubuntu 15.04, for their MK36S Cherry Trail mini PC, and has now launched MK36SLE (Linux Edition). [Update: While most features are currently workings, […]

December 11, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Probox2 Z 4K Android TV Box Includes Remote+ with Air Mouse, Gamepad, and Audio Functions

Probox2 Z is yet another of these Amlogic S905 TV boxes with 8GB flash and 1GB RAM, but last year when I reviewed Probox2 EX, I was very pleased with the device, except for gaming due to throttling issues, so it might be worth having look at their new model. I also tested Remote+ air controller last year, which includes air mouse, voice search, and gamepad functions into a single remote, and it’s optionally included with Probox2 Z. Probox2 Z specifications: SoC – Amlogic S905 quad core ARM Cortex-A53 @ up to 2.0GHz with penta-core Mali-450MP GPU @ 750 MHz System Memory – 1GB DDR3 Storage – 8GB eMMC flash + micro SD card slot Video Output – HDMI 2.0 with HDMI CEC support Audio – HDMI, optical S/PDIF Connectivity – 10/100/1000M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports Misc – Power button, IR receiver […]

December 10, 2015December 10, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 21 Comments

MINIX NEO U1 Android Media Hub and NEO A2 Lite Air Mouse Unboxing and Teardown

MINIX NEO U1 Android TV box, which the company prefers to call “media hub for Android”, has been announced last week, and has started shipping. The company sent me one sample of the Amlogic S905 device, as well as MINIX NEO A2 Lite air mouse which can be included with the box as part as some bundle. I’ll check out the media hub and air mouse today, as well as get a close look at the internals, before testing the device, and published a full review of MINIX NEO U1 lateron. MINIX NEO U1 Unboxing MINIX sent me the packages via Fedex and I received it within 2 or 3 days. The devices comes with a simple infrared remote control, a micro USB to USB cable, a USB OTG adapter, an HDMI cable, a WiFi antenna, a 5V/3A power supply, a setup guide in English, German, Chinese and Russian, and […]

December 8, 2015January 30, 2016 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments

MXQ S905 / G9C 4K Android Media Player Unboxing and Teardown

Beside Tronsmart Vega S95 Telos, I’ve received another Amlogic S905 device with MXQ G9C, which was the first Amlogic S905 TV box to have surfaces in the news back in June, and a sample has been sent to me by Shenzhen Tomato. Since the company provides ODM/OEM services instead of catering to end users, the specs are flexible, but the device I received is with the default configuration namely 1GB RAM and 8GB flash, and with similar specs to Beelink MINI MX or KI Plus for example. Today, I’ll start by checking out the hardware, before reviewing the full package a little later. MXQ S905 / G9C TV Box Unboxing I received the parcel via DHL, with the device in a retail white brand package reading “MXQ”, “S905”, and “IPTV box”, with some features on the back such as Airplay, DLNA, Miracast, or Widewine, Playready, and Verimatrix. But I’m pretty […]

December 4, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Zidoo X5 is Yet Another Amlogic S905 Android Media Player

Zidoo has also joined the fray of companies releasing Amlogic S905 based TV boxes, and they’ve decided to go low end with 1GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage, Fast Ethernet, and 2.4 GHz WiFi. Zidoo X5 specifications: SoC – Amlogic S905 quad core ARM Cortex-A53 @ up to 2.0GHz with penta-core Mali-450MP GPU System Memory – 1GB DDR3 Storage – 8GB eMMC + micro SD slot Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4K @ 60Hz with CEC support, and 3.5 mm AV jack Audio – HDMI, AV, optical S/PDIF Connectivity – Fast Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports Misc – IR receiver Power Supply – 5V/2A Dimensions & Weight – N/A (plastic case) The device runs Android 5.1. Based on my last two reviews about their products, Zidoo has an history of releasing products a little too early, not unlike most […]

December 4, 2015March 13, 2016 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 289 Comments

Review of Beelink MINI MX TV Box with MX Player

Beelink MINI MX Amlogic S905 Android media player has similar features, and costs about the same as K1 Plus TV box I reviewed last week, so it would be interesting to compare both. While specifications are similar there are some differences. For example, MINI MX lacks AV output, and only features two USB ports against four for K1 Plus, but it supports Gigabit Ethernet which could be an advantage while playing high bitrate 4K videos, as well a Bluetooth 4.0. I’ve already provided pictures and torn down MINI MX, so today is time for the full review and a comparison with K1 plus. First Boot, Settings and First Impressions I connected my USB 3.0 hard drive to one of the USB port, and a USB hub to tghe other port with a USB webcam, a USB keyboard, and two RF dongles for a gamepad and an air mouse. I also […]

December 1, 2015December 1, 2015 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 50 Comments

Tronsmart Vega S95 4K Android TV Box Features an External SATA Port

Tronsmart is adding three new devices to the long list of Amlogic S905 TV boxes on the market with: Vega S95 Pro – 1GB RAM, 8GB flash, AP6212 wireless module (2.4GHz WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0) Vega S95 Meta – 2GB RAM, 8GB flash, AP6330 wireless module (Dual band WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0) Vega S95 Telos – 2GB RAM, 16GB flash, AP6335 wireless module (802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0), and SATA All three models also include Gigabit Ethernet. The Pro and Meta models have a lot of competition, but Telos is quite unique so far, as it’s the first to include a SATA port. Tronsmart Vega S95 Telos specifications: SoC – Amlogic S905 quad core ARM Cortex-A53 @ up to 2.0GHz with penta-core Mali-450MP GPU @ 750 MHz System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 16GB eMMC 5.0 flash by Samsung + SATA connector + SD card slot Video HDMI […]