Look, we know most displays already provide access to most streaming services via apps. Heck, most new TVs also boast USB ports that allow you to play video and music files directly. So why buy a dedicated media player?
One good reason is making non-smart displays smarter. You can add almost any internet streaming service to anything with a HDMI input. This is doubly great for those cheaper TVs which have advertising built into their operating system, making the available apps a nightmare to use.
Being an Android-based device you get access to the Google Play store to add or replace any apps you need to. For example, the built-in video file player isn't so great, but installing VLC for Android off the Play Store takes less than a minute. After that, you can play any file type you like, from old AVI downloads to 1080p MOV and 4K MP4 or MKV. Wide file format support is another great bonus some TV's can't match.
With a bit of effort, other services may be configurable like free to air television and casting from other media sources such as a NAS. Really, any multimedia app you can run on an Android smartphone (excluding games) will probably run just fine here. The ability to customise the apps is a big part of what makes this media player worthwhile.
Specifications are modest, with 4GB of RAM and 32Gb of built-in app space running on a Quad-core ARM Cortex-A35. You get Bluetooth 5.0, Wifi, Ethernet, SPDIF Optical out, HDMI 2.0, and multi-language support along with a tidy remote control that can handle most basic tasks without a problem.
This device benefits greatly when paired with a media keyboard like the Rii Compact Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad, or your preferred alternative, otherwise typing words into in search boxes can be laborious.
We tested with a variety of file formats reading from USB, along with Youtube streaming. With some tweaking, we had everything working nicely, only installing VLC for a better playback experience on 4K files. While 4K is definitely supported, 1080p is much less taxing on the system.
Note: Does not provide free access to paid streaming services. Streaming service subscriptions must be purchased from their respective providers. You can log into your existing services via apps available on this device.
Included in the box:
Specifications and Features:
Note: This 'Set Top Box' does not include a free to air / DVB-T2 tuner. Free to air television must be streamed via app over the internet. Built-in apps may not be suitable for all tasks, and no warranty is provided for software, even if it comes pre-installed. Designed for AV/multimedia use. Not recommended for gaming.