The Droid TV thread

Yotch said:
I have tested it on the Droid and it works very well but I have now replaced it with the T2 mouse. The T2 mouse works exceptionally well with the DroidTV. You don't even need to adjust the air mouse sensitivity. All the buttons work as they should. You can operate the DroidTV using just one hand. You need to use two hands on the mini keyboard and a track pad is much more difficult to position than an air mouse pointer. You need to press the left mouse button while swiping across the touchpad to pull the menus up and down. With the air mouse you just hold down the OK button (in the perfect position) and swipe through the air. I don't think that you can type any faster on the mini keyboard than using the onscreen keyboard with the T2 mouse. Android was designed for touch screen smartphones and the air mouse seems to me to be the best replacement for a touch screen on a TV. The only thing missing from the T2 mouse is an IR On/Off button to power the DroidTV which may in fact even be an option.
http://www.avsupply.co.za/product_info.php/wireless-air-mouse-with-motion-stick-p-588
Click to expand...
Do you think that the T2 will work with the Minix Neo X8-H? The Minix came with a free air mouse, but the air mouse is not that great.
 
@balky: The Minix machines are very fussy with external keyboards. I am under the impression that they introduced their own line of devices so that they could make sure that they would work correctly.
http://minixforums.com/threads/mele-f10-pro-with-x8-h.8449/

Have you adjusted the sensitivity on your air mouse correctly - there should be an option in the Language & Input section>Pointer speed in the Android Settings menu. Just try this first. It may be moving too fast etc.
 
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Yotch said:
@balky: The Minix machines are very fussy with external keyboards. I am under the impression that they introduced their own line of devices so that they could make sure that they would work correctly.
http://minixforums.com/threads/mele-f10-pro-with-x8-h.8449/

Have you adjusted the sensitivity on your air mouse correctly - there should be an option in the Language & Input section in the Android Settinge menu. Just try this first. It may be moving too fast etc.
Click to expand...
Hi Yotch
I must point out that I haven't used any other air mouse so I don't really have anything to compare it to. I have the following 2 issues:
1) The cursor needs to be aligned every 30 seconds or so. What I do is move the cursor to one of the edges of the screen, and thereafter it behaves itself for the next 30 seconds or so.
2) The OK button sometimes doesn't click on the 1st press. Sometimes you have to press it 2 or even 3 times to get it to click. I read somewhere that if there is no activity it goes to sleep and the 1st click wakes it up, however this happens sometimes after a few seconds of non activity. I have found that a double click solves this problem.

I did reduce the speed which helped a bit. I tried the air mouse on my Windows PC and it has the same issues. It has an IR power control, but I'm prepared to forgo this feature if I can get improved performance.

I don't think this mouse is faulty because lots of other people have the same complaint on the Minix forum.
 
@balky: I also don't have any other experience with an air mouse but my experience seems to be a bit different from yours. All of these devices go to sleep when they are not being used to save on the battery life. On the T2 I have seen a battery life specification of 30 hours - I assume that is 30 hours of continuous use which could be several months to hopefully a year of normal use. The T2 goes to sleep after about 20 seconds of inactivity. You need to press any key to wake it up again - I usually press one of the arrow keys. It wakes up very quickly after the key press unlike the Aigo mini keyboard where you may need to press the key a little longer than normal and then the backlight comes on for a few seconds. Once the T2 is awake you don't have to do any form of calibration you just move it around and it seems to know what to do. It appears that the T2 is using tact switches internally - tiny press button switches which click when depressed. I much prefer this to the rubber buttons that many other remotes use. There are some instructions on the box about how to pair the mouse with the receiver and on how to do a factory reset but I haven't needed to do anything since putting in the batteries. It works much better than the remote that comes with the DroidTV so I really wonder why they don't just supply this instead (with the IR power option).
Tact switches ...
http://www.mantech.co.za/Stock.aspx?Query=tact+switchand

Even though the T2 works really well with the DroidTV if there are any incompatibilities with the USB port on the Minix X8-H it could cause the machine to become unstable or crash. Why don't you ask the Minix rep if he can test the T2 on the X8-H for you. The T2 is a very popular, affordable and widely available product in China so they may have one available to test.

The mini keyboards may be more useful on the PC but when you are sitting on the couch I find that single handed operation using the T2 is very convenient. When you are watching a number of episodes from a series in XBMC you can just sit back and watch one after the next with very minimal input using the air mouse.

EDIT: This company on Aliexpress appears to be selling the Neo X8-H together with the T2 mouse. You could ask them about compatibility.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/MINIX-NEO-X8H-X8-X7-X5/113427_255740425.html

There are actually two versions of this mouse. The one that AVS sells has an airmouse ON/OFF key below the Home key. The one being bundled here has a PLAY/STOP key below the Home button. I think that the AVS one is the latest model.
 
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Hi Yotch, thanks for that info. The air mouse that I have also has tactile switches, and the build quality is not bad, but I think the internal electronics is not the best, which is probably why they give it for free. I agree with you about the air mouse. Even with the weaknesses I find it easy to navigate using it. I will do some research about the T2/X8H combination.
 
Dolby said:
Do these play FLAC files?
Click to expand...

Just tried to play two albums of flac files on both the Music Player and XBMC on the DroidTV and can confirm that they play very well on my TV. I'm not sure whether you will get the best possible sound quality out of a budget device like this but the quality seems very acceptable to me.
 
Did anyone try this firmware yet, Sooperfly's Digital Hijacker 3.0 Custom Firmware- Mr. Clean Edition. It's on the Matricom site and these are the features.

WWW.ELITEMODSTEAM.COM

Hello everyone...

Here's my latest Firmware Release based on 1.1.6.

In my opinion this is how stock should be when you receive a brand new unprogrammed unit.

Here's the changes:


-Wifi wpa_supplicant Issue Fixed
-Zip Signer App (For Expert Users)
-Kit Kat Animation Boot Logo
-Showbox and VideoMix Apps the latest and will update
-Titanium Backup
-XBMC As Launcher Option
-XBMC Confluence 7 Icons Skin (Must be changed to Confluence 7 Icons After 1st Run)
-A Little Snappier Overall

-13.1 Gotham w/Fusion, XUNITY, XBMCHUB, MASHUP, Superrepo, TOTALXBMC Sources

-13.1 Gotham Also has XBMC.org, XUNITY, and XBMCHUB Repos



Constantly trying to make the Firmware a little better for everyone.

XBMC Gotham Build Courtesy Of Mastafunk

Fully Loaded Firmwares Available for a Donation.

Resellers, unless you are part of Elite Mods Team don't ask for your own Custom Firmware.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

https://anonfiles.com/file/6ca9554e1db6667eeb51e49ad4a1354e
 
neoassasin said:
Did anyone try this firmware yet, Sooperfly's Digital Hijacker 3.0 Custom Firmware- Mr. Clean Edition. It's on the Matricom site and these are the features.
Click to expand...

That's the beauty of this box, you can try different firmwares and find one that works for you :)

Take it for a spin and let us know how it compares to Matricom
 
Yeah, I'm interested to hear too. May just give that a spin myself.
 
First off let me say avsupply is awesome. I’ve been asking questions regarding options, setup etc and J has been great and I’m not a customer yet.
I currently watch DSTV and stuff off my HDD that is added manually from another pc at work.
So basically, I’m doing a new projector setup and was advised to get a mede8er.
After searching and reading I was advised to go the DroidTV route.
I’ve settled on this but since I’m no techie, I want to make sure everything I order is correct. My projector is only going to be sorted out in the next 3 weeks or so.
My setup will be as follows:
1) Cinema Room- DSTV, AV Receiver, ADSL Modem/Router , DroidTV
2) TV Room- Has an HDMI Cable in 1 port for DSTV, currently putting another HDMI cable in to get signal from the DroidTV that will go into the 2nd HDMI Port of the TV
So my questions are as follows:
A) DroidTV MX vs DroidTV M8 vs MX IPTV – prices are similar which is the best for my needs (streaming will be used but not as a primary use- main use is watching, my d/l stuff off HDD.
B) I prefer not using an HDMI switcher manually and don’t want an extra remote. Both projector and TV will not be used simultaneously. What’s the best way to see/ control Droidtv from the cinema room in the TV room?
C) I would like to get the accessories once- what do you guys view as essential?
D) I’m tired of manually loading stuff onto the HDD, if I d/l from my laptop at home, can I transfer the content over the network to the HDD on the droid?
E) Can nzbs be laoded and d/l and extracted directly on DroidTV?
F) Can I control the DroidTV HDD content from another location?
G) Once movies are loaded, will the covers be d/l automatically?
H) Should I order in the next week or wait for my projector to be installed?
Sorry for the many questions (and I’m sure it won’t be the last )…
Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
Could someone please confirm. If I get one of those Rii mini keyboards, does it have to be wireless or can i look at getting a bluetooth one. Even though it comes with a little bluetooth dongle which attaches to the USB port, will this bluetooth keyboard be compatible with the MX2?
Thanks,
 
@Megandroid: I have a very similar keyboard as well as the T2 air mouse and I am going to be packing away the keyboard. It works fine but it's not nearly as easy to use as the mouse. Android is designed for touchscreen phones and an air mouse seems to be the best substitute on a TV screen. You can swipe up and down or left and right along a page of movie icons by moving the mouse through the air while holding down the OK key. To achieve the same effect on the MK-02 you need to depress the left mouse button while simultaneously dragging L/R/U/D across the touch pad. You can do everything with the air mouse using one hand while you definitely need two on the keyboard. To change the volume on the air mouse you just move your thumb to the volume up or down button. On the mini keyboard you need to first press Fn + F5 or F4 (try doing that with one hand!). Android has a very intuitive onscreen keyboard which can be operated while watching the screen using the mouse. On the mini keyboard you will probably need to first find the correct key by looking at the mouse and then confirm that you have entered the correct character by looking at the screen.

Here is a video which shows the T2 air mouse in action ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWpPBzDw3rk
See the third Amazon review from another G-Box MX2 user ...
http://www.amazon.com/2-4GHz-Remote...=UTF8&qid=1405519635&sr=8-4&keywords=T2+mouse

Here is another option if you really want the keyboard part ...
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/596959-Mele-F10-pro-remote-(with-keyboard)-review

EDIT: This Bluetooth receiver apparently works with the MX2 so a keyboard might also ...
http://www.gboxcanada.com/#!g-box-midnight-bluetooth-dongle/c1icn/c1q3/image2jp
 
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@silkman: There aren't many other products locally in the same price range that can offer the same features as one of these DroidTV boxes. Matricom had apparently sold 500000 units of the G-Box Midnight MX2 by November last year and I wouldn't be surprised if this figure had doubled by now. The Americans would not be buying this machine in such numbers if they didn't see value in it. I feel that I get much better value out of it than my Roku which is much more expensive in terms of subscription services. Netflix, Hulu Plus and Unotelly will set you back around R250 per month. You can watch much more recent content on the DroidTV via XBMC for no additional costs apart from bandwidth charges etc.

It is a really simple unit to setup - you just remove it from the box, connect up the video and power cables and you can start streaming. You would need to spend a lot of time on installing hardware and software on an HP Microserver or an Intel NUC and spend a lot more money to achieve better performance than the DroidTV.

A) You will need to speak to AVSupply about the performance of the M8. The hardware is better than the DroidTV but the firmware may still require development to reach the same level of performance and stability as the DroidTV. You need to get feedback from somebody who has good experience with all three devices.

B) I am using a T2 wireless air mouse to control my unit. They claim that the range of this unit is up to 10m although I have not tested it myself. You might be able to operate the device from some distance using this air mouse.
http://www.avsupply.co.za/product_info.php/wireless-air-mouse-with-motion-stick-p-588
Here is a Swedish video showing the T2 together with the Mele F10 Pro etc. You should get a better idea about the ergonomics etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_JPZk3mvh0
Another air mouse/keyboard option ...
http://www.avsupply.co.za/product_info.php/mx3-gyroscopic-mouse-keyboard-remote-p-637

C) I personally think that an air mouse is really necessary. The remote that is provided uses infrared so may not be suitable if the unit is some distance from the TV. You could also consider using one of these powerline ethernet bridges if you are unhappy with the WiFi performance.
http://www.avsupply.co.za/product_info.php/200m-powerline-ethernet-bridge-p-92

D) Yes. Maybe this helps - Source: http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/archive/index.php/t-280728.html

I just need to figure out if there is a way to access the box via my network from my pc to transfer files to it.

Install SSH Server via Android Play Store. It's free.

Run that.
Add a SSH server.
Config so it just runs when app is launched, not all the time.
Add a user. Use whatever, but must use name and password. No blanks.
Start the SSH server.

On computer:
If Windows, download WinSCP.
If Mac, download Cyberduck.
Create SFTP connection using IP of Android.
Use credentials from above.
Use port from what's listed in running Android SSH server.
Connect, and it should give you a side by side file browser that you can use to copy to/from.
Click to expand...

Remote streaming video ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KYhh2TPJDs

E) I think so. There appear to be many apps in the Google Play store that can download nzb files.
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=nzb&hl=en

F) Probably. It all depends on the range of the wireless mouse/keyboard which is usually affected by walls, steel reinforcement etc.

G) XBMC or Plex should be able to do that.

H) Speak to AVSupply about the effect of exchange rate fluctuations etc.

G-Box Midnight MX2 User manual ...
http://matricom.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/mx2.pdf
 
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Magandroid said:
Could someone please confirm. If I get one of those Rii mini keyboards, does it have to be wireless or can i look at getting a bluetooth one. Even though it comes with a little bluetooth dongle which attaches to the USB port, will this bluetooth keyboard be compatible with the MX2?
Thanks,
Click to expand...

Bluetooth dongles are not supported on the DroidTV MX, and I'm not sure if they ever will be
 
Hi AVSupply

I see there is Quad core and Dual core units available, but the spec shows as the Quad core GPU and not CPU. Are there any Quad core units you guys are planning on bringing in soon?

Also, I have few questions regarding the Droid TV:

1) Anyone used the Droid TV as the wireless hub/router? so basically connect the HDD to the droid tv via USB and then connect your phone or tablets to stream from the Droid TV?

2) Difference between the MX and M8 4K Media Player beside the OS version?

3) Are there any HDD limits that can connect to Droid tv?

Lastly, are there any MYBB discount for this product from AVSupply?
 
prasanv said:
Hi AVSupply

I see there is Quad core and Dual core units available, but the spec shows as the Quad core GPU and not CPU. Are there any Quad core units you guys are planning on bringing in soon?

Also, I have few questions regarding the Droid TV:

1) Anyone used the Droid TV as the wireless hub/router? so basically connect the HDD to the droid tv via USB and then connect your phone or tablets to stream from the Droid TV?

2) Difference between the MX and M8 4K Media Player beside the OS version?

3) Are there any HDD limits that can connect to Droid tv?

Lastly, are there any MYBB discount for this product from AVSupply?
Click to expand...

Hi there prasanv

Both the Q7 and M8 Android Boxes have quadcore CPUs. The Q7 has a quad GPU and the M8 has an 8 core GPU

Answers to your questions below

(1) Yes, using Sambadroid
(2) MX has a 1.5GHz Dual Core CPU, the M8 has a 2GHz Quadcore CPU + Optical out and Bluetooth
(3) 3TB works fine, not sure about 4TB

MyBB discount? Most of the items in our shop are already discounted :)
 
AVSupply said:
MyBB discount? Most of the items in our shop are already discounted :)
Click to expand...

I can vouch for that. I recently bought a Minix X8H and it cost R2200.00 to bring into the country. AV have an equivalent (M8) for R1500.
 
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