Saw a new box running Android TV Mecool m8s Pro L ... DRM Question

by ZippyTheChicken

Just saw this new box .. guess its been out since march or so..

its a mecool m8s pro and it comes in L or W versions

the L version is a 912 and it has decent Andtutu benchmarks

there is also a W version that has a 905 Processor for $50

and then there are versions of the same hardware running plain android for less

Most of the reviewers are outside the USA so they are not hitting on the DRM issue

However one reviewer did display the DRM screen and it says it has

Google Widevine Version 1 Level 1 Supported

CENC ClearKey Version 1 Supported

Microsoft Playready DRM .. NOT SUPPORTED

its also suppose to be Rooted from the factory

its running Android 7.1.1 .. Android TV OS

So ... this is the first cheap chinese box I have seen with Android TV Os vs straight Android

it still has the problem with installing Apps and you have to sideload a lot of apps

Main thing for me is I don't want to go Roku or FireStick or Mi Box

(EDIT: I REALLY DON'T WANT ANY APPLE DEVICES)

But I want to have access to commercial services like DirecTV Now and MLB.Com

In their tests it plays Youtube AND Netflix in 4k

Since it is Level 1 DRM should this box also be able to play DirecTV Now and MLB? and other services?

anyone seen one of these in action and used DirecTV Now?

itzkold

There are multiple L hardware revisions - it appears that they use different WiFi chips.

The newer version(s) got support for that Microsoft DRM via OTA a couple weeks ago. My unit certainly lists it as supported.

I'm not really that up to speed on what's going since I don't really have a need for any DRM, but there's a bunch of information scattered in a couple Freaktab threads.

Andrroid

Lmao zippychicken you still have that thing for cheap Chinese crap huh?

Lol

pegcitygeek

The Pro L model looked promising. I was watching some reviews on it online as it came up in my recommended videos on YouTube. Since it has Android TV OS and not the tablet OS, I was intrigued. Hardware looks pretty solid and 1080p Netflix is fine with me, I don't have any 4k TVs and won't anytime soon. Still, despite looking promising, I worry it just won't last or be supported for long and make for an eventual poor experience.

Generalmilk

No one is playing Netflix 4k with it. I also can't see anyone play youtube hdr with it.

BiggussDikkuss

The MECOOL's only have L1 DRM and HDCP 1.4 = Max. 1080p Netflix

The S905W is really the slowest most limited of all s S9xx series of chipsets. It will be painfully slow to use day to day.

Is there even a actual, legit properly supported by the Direc.tv App developers - Android TV version of DirecTV ?

You are in for a massive headache Sideloading and trying to get tablet/touchscreen (hacky) Apps running on anything Android TV.

Seriously if you do not need 4K Youtube get the Direc.tv $105 3 months Apple TV 4K deal:

https://www.dealnews.com/3-Months-of-Direc-TV-Now-w-Apple-TV-4-K-32-GB-for-105-free-shipping/17317208.html

It will save a hell of a lot of stuffing about with anything Android. Far superior hardware as well.