TV box

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments on AMLogic Announces AML8726-MX Dual Core Cortex A9 Processor

AMLogic Announces AML8726-MX Dual Core Cortex A9 Processor

Amlogic announced the availability of the AML8726-MX, a SoC based on a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor clocked at 1.5 GHz with a Mali-400 MP GPU. It is the successor of the similarly named AML8726-M with a single core Cortex A9 @ 1 GHz. The company explains this SoC is particularly suitable for Over The Top (OTT) delivery, 3D Gaming and other Internet applications and targets the tablet, set-top-box and smart-TV markets. AMLogic AML8726-MX include 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 2x USB interfaces, 3-in-1 Card Reader support, Analog and digital video outputs, LVDS and T-CON (Timing Controller) with backlight control, digital video and camera interfaces. Wi-Fi is supported via external chipsets. Here are the highlights of the AML8726-MX family provided by AMLogic: A dual-core Cortex-A9 processor achieving over 7500 DMIPS of performance Direct to panel connection with advanced scaling, de-interlacing and picture quality enhancement Industry leading power management technology to extend battery life […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on Gocal Europe Android Digital Signage Players Based on AMLogic AML8726

Gocal Europe Android Digital Signage Players Based on AMLogic AML8726

Gocal Europe is a dutch company with offices in Shenzhen and Hong Kong providing OEM/ODM high tech solutions such as digital signage and Android TV solutions including players as well as software solutions via HelloTV. The company has 2 digital signage players running Android 4.0 (ICS): UFO-TV This player is based on AMLogic AML8726M3 and features 1GB RAM, 4GB flash, HDMI IN and HMDI OUT. Here are the device specifications: CPU – AMLogic AM8726 M3 (ARM Cortex A9) @ 1GHz with Mali-400 GPU System Memory – 1 GB Flash – 4 GB Video Container Formats – avi, mpeg, vob,mkv, ts, m2ts, wmv and rm Video Codecs –  MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MPEG2-HD and VC-1. Audio Formats – MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, OGG, AC3, DTS, ACC and APE External Storage – SD, SDHC and MMC cards. USB – 2x USB 2.0 Host ports Connectivity – Ethernet 10/100 Mbps, WiFi and Bluetooth Video […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 137 Comments on Mele A1000 Android 2.3 STB Unboxing and Review

Mele A1000 Android 2.3 STB Unboxing and Review

I’ve finally received the Mele A1000 media player I ordered 3 weeks ago. I mainly plan to use it as a Linux development platform for Allwinner A10 processor, but today I’ll just post some unboxing pictures and provide some feedback about the Android software running on the box. I received the device in the box below. (Sorry about the picture quality, I took pictures with my smartphone). Once you open the box, you’ll get see the set-top box, related accessories, a (not so useful) user guide in English and Chinese and what looks like a warranty card. Once you unpack everything you get the set-top box, 2.5″ hard drive case, composite cable, remote control (infrared) and 5V power supply. You’ll noticed some buttons on the remote control have markings in Chinese, this is where the user manual can be useful. You may already have seen the box itself (with clearer […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on HbbTV Specification 1.5 Adds MPEG DASH Support

HbbTV Specification 1.5 Adds MPEG DASH Support

The HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) consortium, an European initiative for web-based smart TV applications for TVs and set-top boxes, has recently released version 1.5 of the HbbTV specification. The latest specification adds support for HTTP adaptive streaming based on MPEG-DASH (ISO/IEC 23009-1), improving the perceived quality of video presentation on busy or slow Internet connections. It also enables content providers to protect DASH delivered content with multiple DRM technologies based on the MPEG CENC specification (ISO/IEC 23001-7). Finally, HbbTV Version 1.5 significantly enhances access to broadcast TV schedule information (DVB-SI EIT-Schedule), enabling operators to produce full 7-day electronic program guides (EPG) as HbbTV applications that can be deployed across all HbbTV receivers to provide a consistent user experience. The diagram above show the main improvement of HbbTV 1.5 over HbbTV 1.0 that is, as mentionned above,  EIT-Schedule for EPG, MPEG-DASH for streaming video and MPEG CENC for multiple DRM […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 26 Comments on Mele A2000 Android 2.3 Media Player Powered by AllWinner A10

Mele A2000 Android 2.3 Media Player Powered by AllWinner A10

Last month, I ordered a Mele A1000 in order to hack it to run Linux as it uses the same processor – the Cortex A8/Mali-400MP based AllWinner A10 – as the one planned for the low cost Rhombus Tech board. I have yet to receive the device, but Mele (迈乐) has already released  the Mele A2000, an Android 2.3 set-box box also powered by AllWinner A10. Here are Mele A2000 specifications: CPU: ARM Cortex A8 AllWinner A10 @ 1 GHz (It can be apparently be overclocked up to @ 1.5GHz) GPU: Mali 4000 Memory: DDR3 512MB RAM / 4GB Nand Flash OS System: Android 2.3.4 (Upgradable to Android 4.0) External Storage: Supports SD card up to 32GB, supports 2.5″ SATA HDD up to 1TB, Supports max 16GB USB flash disk Video codecs: HD MPEG-1/2/4. H.264. HD AVC/VC-1, RM/RMVB, Xvid/DviX 4/5/6, RealVideo 8/9/10, VP6 Video Formats: ts, m2ts, tp, trp, mkv, mp4, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 29 Comments on Mele A1000: AllWinner A10 (Cortex A8) Based Hackable Android STB

Mele A1000: AllWinner A10 (Cortex A8) Based Hackable Android STB

The Mele A1000 is an Android 2.3 IP Set-top Box (STB) powered by AllWinner A10 (Cortex A8) CPU with 512 MB RAM and 2 GB NAND Flash.  AllWinner A10 is the CPU to be used by the 15 USD (BOM Cost) Rhombus Tech Linux Computer, an alternative to the Raspberry-Pi. Since they do not have an alpha board yet, the Mele A1000 STB is apparently the development platform chosen by developers involved in Rhombus Tech low cost board while they wait for the hardware. Let’s have a look at the device specifications: CPU: ARM CortexA8 1GHz (AllWinner A10) Memory: DDR3 512MB RAM / 2 4GB Nand Flash OS System: Android 2.3 External Storage: Supports SD card up to 32GB, supports 2.5″ SATA HDD up to 1TB, Supports max 16GB USB flash disk Video coding: HD MPEG1/2/4.H.264.HD AVC/VC-1,RM/RMVB, Xvid/DviX4/5/6, RealVideo8/9/10, VP6 Video Format: ts/m2ts/tp/trp/mkv/mp4/mov/avi/rm/rmvb/wmv/vob/asf/flv/dat/mpf/mpeg Audio Format: MP3/WMA/WMV/OGG/FLAC/MKV Subtitle Format: SRT/SMI/SSA/ASS Network […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on Coolech HbbTV DTV Set-Top Box Powered By MStar MIPS SoC

Coolech HbbTV DTV Set-Top Box Powered By MStar MIPS SoC

Shenzhen Coolech Technology demoes an HbbTV Digital TV Set-top Box (STB) at Cebit 2012, in Hanover, Germany.  HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) is a new European standard for web-based smart TV applications for TVs and set-top boxes. There are already plenty of STB solutions and Smart TVs offering Over-The-Top (OTT) features where TV channels and internet data are superimposed, but those are usually proprietary and HbbTV offers a standard that can be used by broadcasters all over Europe. Here are Coolech’s HbbTV DTV STB specifications: M-Star MIPS CPU clocked at 800 Mhz. HDMI DVB-T/T2 and DVB-S/S2 support. Ethernet SD Card 3x USB host IR Sensor SPDIF Audio Out There is no info on the OS except it does not run Android, so it must be Linux… Charbax interviewed the company at CeBit 2012 where you can learn more about the device and see a demo of ARD HbbTV Interop Portal […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on Valueplus Tizzbird Stick N1: Android 4.0 HDMI/USB Media Player Dongle

Valueplus Tizzbird Stick N1: Android 4.0 HDMI/USB Media Player Dongle

Valueplus, a Korean company specialized in “media application products”, is currently showcasing the Valueplus Tizzbird N1 at CeBit 2012, in Hanover, Germany on March 6-10 2012. This device is a media player in a small form factor HDMI / USB stick similar to what we have previously seen with the Roku Streaming Stick, Always Innovating HDMI Dongle Media Player and FXI Tech Cotton Candy. The Tizzbird N1 is powered by Telechips 8925 ARM Cortex A5 processor (TCC8925C) clocked at 800 Mhz with 4 GB NAND Flash and runs Android 4.0 (ICS). The device features an HDMI port, a mini USB port for power, a USB port to connect external mass-storage devices such as a USB hard drive, a microSD card slot and an IR sensor. The device also has built-in Wifi 802.11n for network connectivity. The way it works is you plug the stick into the HDMI port of your TV […]