What android/XBMC box for best support or formats

Ultra_Extreme · 21 Jul 2013 at 01:21

Hi guys, before you all pounce on me telling me "well its about XBMC support not the box the box is just an android box/tablet OS thing"

What i mean is this, i have a 1080p projector, 1080p LED TV and im tired of not being able to stream my media and internet media despite owning all the consoles under the sun and having tried all the solutions from WD and Seagate et al. A m8 put me onto the idea of XBMC and Android boxes which seem to have passed me by, but looking into them im lost. I need optical out for my surround Kit and i want DD5.1 or DTS available and as much support as poss for Full HD, 3D (maybe but not essential) and file formats as can be. I see many boxes about at good prices but is there a dogs danglies one worth buying? Or is it best to go nuts and build a full PC to do it, it seems like there are better and more streamlined all in one options out there. Any input appreciated.

Cheers

FerretBoy · 21 Jul 2013 at 06:16

I'm not an expert but Android is still pretty new to XBMC and thus still needs some work, especially around hardware decoding. I highly doubt it can do Full 1080p 3D rather than half SBS. Don't Acer Revos have optical out? You should probably ask someone with one to try some full 1080p 3D for you.

FerretBoy · 21 Jul 2013 at 06:33

I will try my NUC and some full 1080p 3D, that has a HD4000. You would need a USB audio card though. Will let you know how it does.

FerretBoy · 21 Jul 2013 at 08:47

well the I3 NUC did not play back the file I tried perfectly, I had the odd frame skip.

bemaniac · 22 Jul 2013 at 16:44

The worlds fastest most expensive and best android based system will not do what you want even half well. The greatest android devices can barely run xbmc 1080p content and even then it stutters.

I've been thru a pile of android boxes - they are chinese junk.

A small form factor pc is your only hope. Expensive though for an i5 or i7 version!

PiKe · 22 Jul 2013 at 16:46

Raspbmc. Plays everything.

bemaniac · 22 Jul 2013 at 16:48

PiKe said:
Raspbmc. Plays everything.

or http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-178-OP

which will run xbmc at the correct speed on even .ts 1080p files and possibly even 4k content.

PiKe · 22 Jul 2013 at 16:55

bemaniac said:
or http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-178-OP

which will run xbmc at the correct speed on even .ts 1080p files and possibly even 4k content.

£30 vs £400...

FerretBoy · 22 Jul 2013 at 17:15

Raspberry Pi cannot do FULL 1080p 3D, can do half SBS though. Interesting that Intel say my I3 NUC should be able to do full 1080 3D though, maybe the file was bad.

PiKe · 22 Jul 2013 at 17:53

He said 3D would be nice but it wasn't essential.

Ultra_Extreme · 22 Jul 2013 at 21:31

does Rasp output optical and do DTS passthru etc? not sure it does?

FerretBoy · 23 Jul 2013 at 06:22

No optical, but like the nuc, maybe a usb sound card is an option, but I imagine it would use too much cpu

Hyburnate · 23 Jul 2013 at 06:39

Can't you just run a console as a media server?

kidloco · 23 Jul 2013 at 09:15

If you want something that plays every format, including all the new hd audio codecs, and 3d then I would take a look at these

http://www.mede8er.com/mede8er_product_med600x3d.html

Really good support apparently and forum seems very good.

Hutchy · 23 Jul 2013 at 09:17

That new OUYA console does a pretty good job as well at XBMC with it playing 1080p MKVs fine, plus you get the other benefits along with it.

Ultra_Extreme · 23 Jul 2013 at 22:32

im concerned that i loaded XBMC onto my OC'd i7 machine with SLI 7970's and it cant handle 1080p? :/ ahts that about? i like look of that MED800X3D

FerretBoy · 24 Jul 2013 at 07:20

Ultra_Extreme said:
im concerned that i loaded XBMC onto my OC'd i7 machine with SLI 7970's and it cant handle 1080p? :/ ahts that about? i like look of that MED800X3D

Something must be very wrong with your settings!

NZB · 24 Jul 2013 at 08:31

Ultra_Extreme said:
im concerned that i loaded XBMC onto my OC'd i7 machine with SLI 7970's and it cant handle 1080p? :/ ahts that about? i like look of that MED800X3D

I agree with ferretboy, there must be something wrong on your end.

When you say it can't handle 1080p what do you mean exactly? It's likely you just have the settings wrong.

Confused · 24 Jul 2013 at 08:34

Ultra_Extreme said:
im concerned that i loaded XBMC onto my OC'd i7 machine with SLI 7970's and it cant handle 1080p? :/ ahts that about? i like look of that MED800X3D

If you're getting 1-2 FPS on playback of video, then you have your audio settings wrongly set.