Android TV boxes??

[rash_decision]

Hi all. I've noticed a lot of these Android TV boxes popping up. They look like quite good pieces of kit. I've never seen one working, but just had a look at a few listings on some sales sites on the internet.

Does anyone use one of these, and can someone recommend one to me please?

[Rick Cutler]

I thought Google Chromecast was the answer that knocks all the other boxes off the shelf.

[jimmyjimjim]

Until you try the Roku options.

[rash_decision]

Guys I know nothing about these, so need an idiot's guide into what to buy! Haha. Ideally something that's straight out the box, ready to plug in and use.

I was looking at this for a start...................

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Android-MX-Dual-Core-Sma...

[dxg]

I'm waiting for the full-blown version. But there's been no news since the summer...

[FlossyThePig]

jimmyjimjim said:

Until you try the Roku options.

I bought a Roku Streaming stick last week and it's great so far and does not need an android or iOS device to control it.

According to a colleague at work the cheapest way to get a Roku device is by buying a subsidised Sky NowTV box (they're made by Roku) and flash the firmware.

[maxdb]

I have a Now TV box with Plex installed - does the trick for £10

I had an Android TV box previously and found it a bit slow and fiddly but newer versions are out now with faster cpu's.

[Irrotational]

It might be worth waiting a bit. Confusingly there is an "offical" android TV platform coming out which should be really good.

It's part of a big puch from google to have all your screens (car, phone, tablet, TV etc).

The current boxes work ok, bordering on well, but wont be as good or easy to use as the official one that comes out.

http://www.android.com/tv/

It's not clear whether the makers of the current boxes will port across the new android TV OS when it is released.

[jimmyjimjim]

FlossyThePig said:

jimmyjimjim said:

Until you try the Roku options.

I bought a Roku Streaming stick last week and it's great so far and does not need an android or iOS device to control it.

According to a colleague at work the cheapest way to get a Roku device is by buying a subsidised Sky NowTV box (they're made by Roku) and flash the firmware.

Streamstick comes with a remote, unlike the chromecast, which is why I got it.
Cheapest way to get one is to buy in the US for $50 instead of 50quid.

Looking at the now box, I'd still buy Roku, just for the ethernet port - as streaming wirelessly isn't necessarily completely stable.

Having said that, the now box, though slightly limited, is excellent value.

[Pints]

I don't think it's Android but this was launched yesterday.

EE TV

[poltergeist666]

Having researched this to death, I came across Minix being mentioned a lot, and found they offer really well regarded Android streaming boxes with built in XBMC.

I have just purchased a Minix Neo X8H to allow streaming from a movie and music collection to our bedroom, from a QNAP TS-569 NAS located downstairs. Having dabbled in WDTV, PlayStation streaming and Apple TV, plus having bought the mother in law a Roku not so long ago, this is by far the most impressive solution I have found. I use a dedicated i5 HTPC for downstairs, but needed something to allow movie viewing in other locations in the house.

I have installed the latest XBMC 'Kodi', and it works a treat. Plays everything that I've thrown at it, and has never crashed or thrown a wobbly. Running Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat, it allows me to run most of the apps that I run on my Note 3 - and has an expandable 16 gigs of storage.

Mine came with 2 remotes - the air mouse being the most useful.

I'm really impressed - for a £100, it does what it set's out to do.

http://www.minix.com.hk/Products/MINIX-NEO-X8-H.ht...

[TX1]

Yes got a Neo X8H myself after huffing and puffing which box to get.
Took me a while to decide and it might cost a bit more than most of the kit out there however it does the job perfectly for what I need which mostly is streaming from xbmc.

[NewNameNeeded]

Not an 'android TV box' as such but another vote for Roku Streaming Stick. Very cheap way to stream from a nas to a non-smart TV, and the remote is nice rather than using a phone as the 'remote'. Liked our first one so much we bought a second Roku for another room.

[dxg]

And the first full-blown Android TV box is announced, a Nexus, no less:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/15/6982375/google-...