I am looking to get my first Android TV box but am unsure as the seems to be tons of different devices.
I am looking to stream 4K videos and be able to install my google play apps to watch those and i am also looking to getting an IPTV service as well to stream on there.
Are there any good recommendations of what device to get price isn't a big issue as I wouldn't mind paying for a quality device.
Thanks
Nvidia shield. Don't fuck around with anything else, it's just throwing money away.
Word of advice. Get something with a Gigabit Ethernet port (1000M LAN) once you step into the high bitrate 4K streaming world.
Do not rely on WiFi only.
For DIY Cheap devices, the AMLogic S912 series are the fastest and most widely available. None of them however are Google Android TV certified.
Otherwise buy a Gigabit equipped NVIDIA Shield.
Since you mention 4k get the Shield. I have both Shield and Mibox but only the Shield is truly able for 4k, Mibox is fine with 1080p but not up to the job of 4k and that's with an Ethernet adapter
Thanks everyone I have decided to pay the price and get a Nvidia Shield.
I use a dev board capable of running Android, I returned the mibox and got that instead
Hm. It depends on how you watch your 4K movies. Over network? Or do you use Quasar with Kodi or something like that?
I know this is an Android TV sub. If you don’t care much about Netflix and certified Android TV I would consider buying a S912 with 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB space or whatever you need. You can get one with a custom Android TV preinstalled.
I have a S912 device. 32GB/3GB RAM 1000mbit ethernet. I dual boot with ATV and LibreELEC. If you want to use it as a TV tuner sat/OTA/cable the Mi Box or anyone else amlogic box with Android TV fails if the source is 1080i. Google the problem. That is why I dualboot with LibreELEC. Live Tv is fantastic, but if you’re «only» watching Fubo or some medium quality pirate stream like Vaders/Smoothstreams or whatnot the Mi Box and Jetstream can play it well.
The Shield is expensive. The question is how important Netflix 4K support, Google Certification is for you. Some of them also have proper DRM which means you can use the DTVNOW app which requires it. Think about what you need. Perhaps the KM9 could be something for you.
I like the idea of Shield, but it is very expensive, but if you live in the US, you can get it for $127 from eBay.
Perhaps you can buy one and try it out? Walmart sells Mi Box for $49.90. If you’re satisfied stick with it. I’m pleased with my Mi Box. Slightly slower than my S912 device, but the Mi Boz has Google Cast, DRM.
I have a 500/500 fibre connection here. I’m getting 400 mbit stable on my Mi Box with AC support, but if you don’t have a very quick wifi it is way better with ethernet. The Mi doesnt have it (you can buy a usb adapter, or the Jetstream).
There are currently only two official Android TV boxes. They are the Mi Box and the Nvidia Shield. The rest of the devices are basically small devices that run Android in the background and are not certified by Google. The Nvidia Shield is considered one of, if not the best on the market. However, it is on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to price. Its specifications, adaptability and gaming aspects are the reason for the higher price. If all you anticipate I'd streaming, it may be considered overkill.