Looking for Hardware that does the job

[Tupsi 4]

There is a thread looking for "the best hardware" which turned into some sort of streaming devices vs. HTPC flame war, so I am trying again in a new thread.

While I applaud your energy to get over your point of view to us readers, I would really love to come back to the original question and maybe rephrase it a bit:

 

I do not look for "the best" but just for a device "that works".

With "just works" I mean something along:

 

 

- plays whatever audio codec it feels can do, passthrough the rest (in the hops the thing it is plugged in can work with)

- plays whatever video codec it feels can do, passthrough the rest (in the hops the thing it is plugged in can work with)

- runs android as os, so I can install the emby app on it and other apps I might want (kodi, netflix, disney+, amazon videom whatever).

- has a remote with volume control on it which can handle the hdmi device it is plugged in (like new fire tvs can do).

- is not a HTPC

 

 

As a history lesson, I tried out various versions of apple tv and fire tv so far, which all resulted in epic fails when it comes to the "passthrough shit I dont have a clue about audio" issue. So I am looking for something which does NOT try to be smart but just does what I tell it todo.

 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by Tupsi

[PenkethBoy 2066]

Nvidia Shield does all that - highish price but worth it

if you have a new android tv (Sony etc) less than a year or so old then they can do the same

my new Sony A85 is snappier then my 2017 shield and works the same

[ebr 15282]

5 hours ago, PenkethBoy said:

if you have a new android tv (Sony etc) less than a year or so old then they can do the same

Not going to have the same audio support I don't think...

5 hours ago, Tupsi said:

With "just works" I mean something along:

The easy answer is the Shield.

[clarkss12 298]

Emby running on CoreELEC on $40 Android box.  Plays everything that you have, and ONLY needs a simple easy to use remote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FQGuesEwi0&t=701s

 

[PenkethBoy 2066]

24 minutes ago, ebr said:

Not going to have the same audio support I don't think...

lol

[FrostByte 5178]

Got to have my DTS:X.  Not too many Android devices support that.  

[clarkss12 298]

26 minutes ago, FrostByte said:

Got to have my DTS:X.  Not too many Android devices support that.  

Depends upon the OS that the Android box is running.

[sooty234 266]

7 hours ago, Tupsi said:

There is a thread looking for "the best hardware" which turned into some sort of streaming devices vs. HTPC flame war

That actually made me laugh out loud. That's awesome

[Tupsi 4]

17 hours ago, clarkss12 said:

Emby running on CoreELEC on $40 Android box.  Plays everything that you have, and ONLY needs a simple easy to use remote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FQGuesEwi0&t=701s

 

I already stumbled over that one and really liked the idea. But to me, it looks like that setup only works well with an emby/plex server in the background which if needed switches to transcode, because the hardware can't handle it. Which of course is fine if you only want that kind of scenario. When I understood that I did not clarify enough what I want, so I edited my first post, pointed out that I want streaming services app to work there as well.

For just the scenario you describe in that video you linked, it is really the way to go, I agree.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

 

[Tupsi 4]

16 hours ago, clarkss12 said:

Depends upon the OS that the Android box is running.

I thought that was my point of saying "if it didnt, pass it along to the app and let it handle the codec". Isn't that the idea of "passthrough"? Are you guys implying that the underlying android must understand the bitstream in order to pass it along to the app? That would be utter bad. I was under the impression that "passthrough" means "do not touch it, just give it to the app".

I understand that my idea fails if the app itself relies on what the OS can do and in fact does not do it by itself, but from my experience with kodi that was always the point using it in the first place, as these guys do it the way I want.

 

[Tupsi 4]

17 hours ago, ebr said:

Not going to have the same audio support I don't think...

The easy answer is the Shield.

aye, was my conclusion so far as well, so I ordered one. With the curent zoo of devices in my basement, one more fail in the end is of no consequences anyway. Somehow things where easier back in the days, when I only had my first xbox and kodi running then. Of course it was named differently then.

 

[clarkss12 298]

4 hours ago, Tupsi said:

I already stumbled over that one and really liked the idea. But to me, it looks like that setup only works well with an emby/plex server in the background which if needed switches to transcode, because the hardware can't handle it. Which of course is fine if you only want that kind of scenario. When I understood that I did not clarify enough what I want, so I edited my first post, pointed out that I want streaming services app to work there as well.

For just the scenario you describe in that video you linked, it is really the way to go, I agree.

 

Merry Christmas to all of you.

 

You are absolutely correct, those inexpensive low powered devices running LibreELEC/CoreELEC are good ONLY for your own media, NOT streaming.  The only device that does what you want IS the Nvidia Shield.

But for you own media streaming, using the Emby addon and the Embruary skin, nothing can beat those devices running CoreELEC.

[clarkss12 298]

4 hours ago, Tupsi said:

I thought that was my point of saying "if it didnt, pass it along to the app and let it handle the codec". Isn't that the idea of "passthrough"? Are you guys implying that the underlying android must understand the bitstream in order to pass it along to the app? That would be utter bad. I was under the impression that "passthrough" means "do not touch it, just give it to the app".

I understand that my idea fails if the app itself relies on what the OS can do and in fact does not do it by itself, but from my experience with kodi that was always the point using it in the first place, as these guys do it the way I want.

 

The original Mibox running Android 7 or 8 (forgot which) was able to passthrough the HD audio codecs under Kodi, but the Android 9 OS and onward, killed that functionality.......  So, point being, newer Android OS Is not necessarily better.

[Tupsi 4]

thanks for all the help guys. I ordered a shield and it is finally something I was hoping for, it just gets the job done and has more gadgets then FireTV, so I am happy. All whats left now is to get the opus bug fixed in emby and I am a happy panda!

 

[Jeryd 1]

I have the shield, but I actually run the new google TV. I found it works with my Roku TVs (the remote) better then the Shield does.

[CBers 6920]

19 minutes ago, Jeryd said:

I have the shield, but I actually run the new google TV.

You sideloaded it then?

I have the Chromecast Google TV and find the home screen too cluttered.

It's OK in app-only mode though.

The Emby ATV app works fine as well on it.
 

[Jeryd 1]

Side loading is not needed. Just download emby from the play store. Works better then Roku also (because the family can quick switch users).

[CBers 6920]

8 minutes ago, Jeryd said:

Side loading is not needed. Just download emby from the play store. Works better then Roku also (because the family can quick switch users).

Thought you meant you had installed the Google TV OS onto your Shield