Best Streaming Device for Kodi

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Jake45

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Take a look at the International Version of the Xiaomi Mi Box which is also sold by Walmart in the US. This is one of the very few android based devices that can also stream Netflix, Hulu etc. in HD. If you download and purchase via the Aliexpress app as a new customer you should get a $5 off coupon which will reduce the price to $64-99.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Fre...lt&btsid=32a713ef-d22c-4f42-a4b7-d7e6fb14b036
http://www.mi.com/en/mibox/
Aliexpress app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alibaba.aliexpresshd&hl=en
 
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Mercury12

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maumau

maumau

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Jake45 said:
Take a look at the International Version of the Xiaomi Mi Box which is also sold by Walmart in the US. This is one of the very few android based devices that can also stream Netflix, Hulu etc. in HD. If you download and purchase via the Aliexpress app as a new customer you should get a $5 off coupon which will reduce the price to $64-99.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Fre...lt&btsid=32a713ef-d22c-4f42-a4b7-d7e6fb14b036
http://www.mi.com/en/mibox/
Aliexpress app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alibaba.aliexpresshd&hl=en
Click to expand...

What about the schlepp of shipping?
 
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Mercury12

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The SA post office is useless. My item is stuck somewhere in the process, in South Africa, for the past three weeks. It hasnt even been scanned yet. Ordered an item from gearbest and its been over two months and I am still waiting. Expecting another two month delay.
 
sand_man

sand_man

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Speedster

Speedster

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sand_man said:
I've used Minix, both android and windows versions. Once you get used to the idea of having a pc hooked up to your tv, the urge to use it for more than just Kodi will grow. It's then that you might lament the lack of processing power from a R-Pi/Minix/Mi box etc

For this reason I'd recommend a full blown HTPC. Or even a half blown HTPC solution!

http://carbonite.co.za/showthread.php?t=147428

http://carbonite.co.za/showthread.php?t=146002
Click to expand...
what makes you think the Mi Box doesn't have processing power? Or that it's only used for Kodi?
 
sand_man

sand_man

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Speedster said:
what makes you think the Mi Box doesn't have processing power? Or that it's only used for Kodi?
Click to expand...

Well if it's anything like the Minix? Load up a few apps and the system gets bogged down real quick! X265 also proved a massive strain on resources. I'm talking about the X8-H plus and Z64W. I mean, bang for buck and for their size they absolutely amazing boxes, aesthetically stunning, quiet, tiny form factor, low power consumption and totally inconspicuous but they lack grunt. The Minix ship with 2gb of ram and isn't upgradeable. 32gb of storage, a handful of usb ports, HDMI port and that's about it...
 
Soul Assassin

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sand_man said:
Well if it's anything like the Minix? Load up a few apps and the system gets bogged down real quick! X265 also proved a massive strain on resources. I'm talking about the X8-H plus and Z64W. I mean, bang for buck and for their size they absolutely amazing boxes, aesthetically stunning, quiet, tiny form factor, low power consumption and totally inconspicuous but they lack grunt. The Minix ship with 2gb of ram and isn't upgradeable. 32gb of storage, a handful of usb ports, HDMI port and that's about it...
Click to expand...

The Mi Box is a different beast, all those Minix and other Android boxes run normal Android with a 10 foot GUI to make it work on a TV. The Mi Box runs Android TV, the YouTube videos I watched of it show it's fast as hell and smooth, it looks great.

I watched a demo where the person tested 10-bit 4K x265 60FPS and it basically started instantly and it decoded so fast that the scrub bar even had a buffer built up.
 
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MrGray

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I can honestly say the Minix is the most trouble free device I've ever used. Just works. Never tried a Mi Box, though.
 
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Jake45

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mercury12 said:
The SA post office is useless.
Click to expand...

Have you tried to contact the SAPO via one of their new e-mail addresses?
international.parcels@postoffice.co.za
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gene...sa-post-office-heres-who-you-can-contact.html

Apparently Google will be releasing a version of their voice control technology, Google Assistant, for the Mi Box which should make it even more appealing. The Google Cast/Chromecast compatibility and HD support for commercial streaming services such as Netflix/Hulu etc. are already very attractive features which will not be available on any of the other Chinese android media players.
http://www.theverge.com/ces/2017/1/4/14172000/google-assistant-android-tv-announced-ces-2017

Xiaomi has also released a more powerful streamer in China called the Mi Box 3 Pro based on the Mediatek MT8693 hexacore processor (2XA72, 4XA53 - Antutu score >70000!). Hopefully an international version of this device is also in the pipeline.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/XIAO...Flash--802-11AC-WIFI-Bluetooth4-1-363666.html
 
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Mercury12

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Jake45 said:
Have you tried to contact the SAPO via one of their new e-mail addresses?
international.parcels@postoffice.co.za
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gene...sa-post-office-heres-who-you-can-contact.html

Apparently Google will be releasing a version of their voice control technology, Google Assistant, for the Mi Box which should make it even more appealing. The Google Cast/Chromecast compatibility and HD support for commercial streaming services such as Netflix/Hulu etc. are already very attractive features which will not be available on any of the other Chinese android media players.
http://www.theverge.com/ces/2017/1/4/14172000/google-assistant-android-tv-announced-ces-2017

Xiaomi has also released a more powerful streamer in China called the Mi Box 3 Pro based on the Mediatek MT8693 hexacore processor (2XA72, 4XA53 - Antutu score >70000!). Hopefully an international version of this device is also in the pipeline.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/XIAO...Flash--802-11AC-WIFI-Bluetooth4-1-363666.html
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks! I saw that today, I've mailed them. Hopefully someone will respond. The problem with Mi Box 3 Pro is that it isnt officially supported by Google and it doesnt have Google Cast. It's probably tailored to the Chinese market. The latest update pushed on the Mi Box seems to sort out the issues it had with 4k streaming. The only fix they need to push now is the resolution auto switching, which is a bit wonky. I have to manually switch it when streaming 4k. Xiaomi (Like Minix) are working with the AMLogic guys to roll out firmware updates which is a positive. Many of the the Chinese boxes have decent hardware specs but the software is crap. Another decent function I use on the Mi Box is the voice search. It works really well with SPMC (Kodi).
 
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Spacefrog

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thank you all for the great replies and suggestions.

Currently i am leaning towards a raspberry pi because it is really affordable. i have a decent PC that i use for gaming. The thing that it will be mainly used for is for the wife to watch series and movies. I want to try get rid of the south african netflix and i am def not buying into DSTV.

Now i just need to find a way to stream Soccer and i will be happy :)
 
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4ftersh0ck

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I installed Kodi on my laptop (Windows 10) and connected an HDMI cable to my tv. Kodi with Exodus is unbelievable. I will be cancelling my Netflix and Put.io subscriptions.

On the Windows pc it kept on freaking out with a black screen, would need to close out and go in again. After a while I gave up on this.

I then installed it on my phone (Nexus 6) and sent it via Google Home app to my tv on Chromecast. Great solution and streams flawlessly. I am lucky though, I have 20mb fibre.
 
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