AndroidTV, Mibox & Nvidia Shield are not really 4k !

by PeoBran

Good morning, everybody.

After various tests, I just found out that the AndroidTv boxes (especially the Mibox S and Nvidia Shield for what I tested anyway) didn't really have 4K-UHD with their HDMI interface.

Indeed, I just bought a 4K Wemax A300 video projector. So I did some calibration tests.

All my calibration tests on the stitching (4K or not) have been done from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chuEXqVBGxE

You can see a download link at the bottom of this post.

To quickly explain how the benchmark work :

The lines in the videos are thin and close together. There are 9 lines (or columns). As long as you can distinguish the 9 lines, the display is good. The number you see has to be multiplied by 100 to get the total number of lines. So if at 20 I always distinguish the 9 lines. That means that my display can at least display 2000 lines of pixels. I remind you that the UHD 4k is 3840 columns and 2160 lines.

(I'm sorry, my pictures aren't very clear. I only have a smartphone to take the pictures. But good-looking or not, they're enough to prove my point.)

With the same settings, the same HDMI-output and with the same HDMI cable, I get different results, while all my players are supposed to be 4K.

So on this video :

  • With the PC I have the 2000 horizontal lines.

http://imgbox.com/RJaOaO5p

http://imgbox.com/ar1QHKTF

http://imgbox.com/0Bp5zNi8

On this one there are a few lines but they are difficult to distinguish : http://imgbox.com/gygHqU5l

  • With the MiBox S and the Nvidia Shield , I only have about 1100 horizontal lines (well like a 1080p system...) and then it gets blurred.

http://imgbox.com/LnF2JTbQ

http://imgbox.com/qyxviSdO

On this one, there is no line at all : http://imgbox.com/R2MHlNGw

  • Directly from the Wemax A300 I have the 2000 horizontal lines without it becoming blurred.

http://imgbox.com/U1a5Ld8v

http://imgbox.com/KCByYriH

On this one there are a few lines but they are difficult to distinguish : http://imgbox.com/hzvhYW5J

I have of course in the parameters of Mibox S and the Nvidia Shield put in parameter 4K-60hz, and I also did the tests in 4K-30hz and 4K-24hz and 4K-50hz with always the same result.

So my conclusion is that at least the Mibox S and the Nvidia Shield don't send true 4K, but only 1080p.

Maybe it's my equipment that is faulty, or something I missed.

If not, I make the hypothesis that AndroidTV is the cause of the problem and not the hardware.

That would mean that AndroidTV doesn't send real 4K with its HDMI interface.

Can you also check at home?

Here's the downloadable link to the video :

http://www.filedropper.com/mireuhdh264

http://www.filedropper.com/sharpnessoverscanhdr10

If someone can test with the new shield and the Fire TV 4K too. If we get the same results with these boxes, I think we can seriously deduce that it's Android TV that badly handles 4K in HDMI output.

pawdog

I guess you cought Nvidia and Google In a massive lie then. Oh well.

Farhanito

You should redo the test using proper 4K TV. AFAIK that wemax is also a "faux-4K", pixelshifting projector.

BiggussDikkuss

I'm officially calling BS on the OP's statement.

Using the Mire UHD H264 25 fps provided clip.

Panasonic 4K 2019 GZ OLED used:

Mi Box set to 4K@25Hz - using Kodi Leia for playback

compared to an ODROID N2 - running CoreELEC Kodi Leia. (again output set to 4K@25Hz)

Results = both EXACTLY THE SAME showing 9 clear horizontal (& vertical lines) all the way to the 20 markers.

Conclusion, The OP's Android TV box setup's are not correct, or he is using the wrong playback software or there simply are incompatibilities between Android TV devices and his Faux-4K Projector.

As a bunch of us have been saying - TEST Android TV devices on a proper 4K TV - NOT some Faux-4K projector.

Kenzibitt

They stream in 4K but UI is 1080p.... Everyone knows this.

BiggussDikkuss

It has been well known over on the Kodi, Android Subforum that the Android TV interface might be rendered at 1080p or less, but when it comes to video playback via that black hole that is Mediacodec decoding, video will playback at 2160p/4K.

There is even a test video clip to view to ensure video is not being downscaled 2160p > 1080p:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=261768

All user testing is done via HDMI with 4K TV's only.

Cl3v3landStmr
hackinistrator

i just tested my mi box 3 .

at first it had the same issue as you described .

mi box resolution was lower then samsung youtube app (TV model q60r) which showed all lines .

then i switched the mi box resolution in settings menu from auto to 4k2k 60fps and everything lagged . i switched to 4k2k 30fps , it still lagged but at least could play the video in real 4k , and i could see all the lines .

when display res was set to auto on the mi box , it wasn't switching to 4k , even when i selected 4k in youtube .

mi box CAN play 4k , but it becomes unusable at this resolution .

joe603

The interface is not 4k and that has been known for sometime. I only care about if it plays files or streams in 4k which the Shield does. The guys over at XDA that have rooted the Shield are able to get the interface to be 4k.

bgeerdes

I can see all the lines to the maximum resolution on my LG C8

edit: sorry, this is with my 2019 shield TV connected to the above. playback was with smart youtube tv on the shield tv.

PeoBran

Here's the downloadable link to the video :

http://www.filedropper.com/mireuhdh264

http://www.filedropper.com/sharpnessoverscanhdr10

PS : I didn't use youtube to do the test, but I used these videos.

akisnet

If you have mentioned only Mi box as problematic the same Nvidia fan guys will already give you hundreds up votes with comments below like don't buy Chinese $hit buy Shield it's the best

That's your fault 😁

albin900

Wow your getting a lot of hate here! People don't want to believe that they have been lied to. Tbh there isn't much different between 1080p & 4k on smaller TVs

getupgetgoing

You'll never get a Shield owner to admit any shortcomings of the box, good luck dude.