Smart TV - Android boxes

[Fzero]

Hi


Anyone used these boxes to enhance their televisions?


I was looking at a couple from Maplin;


http://www.maplin.co...X_datasheet.pdf [.PDF link]


http://www.maplin.co...80KW_manual.pdf [.PDF link]


But these are only running Android 2.2 which is pretty dated now and not sure how apps like 4OD and BBC iPlayer would behave on them.


Was thinking of getting somebody one as a gift, but would like to know that the popular On Demand TV channel apps would work, also Google Maps and flash embedded into websites like the BBC News website that always has a Flash video on the main page.


Anyone got one or used one themselves?


I was looking at those two models and one other, but the other one i saw only had HDMI connection and the person im thinking of getting this for doesnt have an HD ready telly yet, so the composite connection these ones have is handy.


Any good or are these things pretty lame, i dont know anyone who has one


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Edit:


I've just seen this one now: http://www.geniatech.com/pa/atv2000.asp


Which from the image, looks to be the device what Maplin are calling 'A80KW', here: http://www.maplin.co.uk/smart-tv-entertainment-box-powered-by-android-586939


If that is the same, and im only thinking they are due to the similarity in the pictures ... then it looks like there is a 4.0 firmware available:


http://www.geniatech.com/news/Android-4.0-ICS-STB-Firmware.asp


Anyone used that model, i think i will get this one if its reasonable, i guess with 4.0 running on it you can access BBC iPlayer and full Flash content websites via the Chrome browser without any problem..?

 

[SNESFAN]

so many of these types of things coming out, I would like to see one with HDMI and bluetooth, preferably an ARM cortex a9 dual/quadcore, I want the full android catalog and the possibility of a emulator console.


I got a sony google tv box, it's nice but the problems with that one is that it's a x86 based machine, and until someone rewrites the existing programs written using the NDK (console emulators, most high end games, etc) you are stuck with a crippled catalog of programs.... well crippled meaning it's missing 15-20% of like 400,000... but it's the best 15-20%


I've got my eye out for something like I mentioned, or after seeing some reviews of cotton candy http://store.cstick.com/ possibly that

 

[DaMummy]

ive had my eyes on Roku and cuBox until i saw the rpi. RaspberryPi has everything i need....except for the hardware of course, which apparently has an ETA of october now

 

[Fzero]

I'm on the wait for cotton candy myself too.


The Google TVs are coming out here in a couple of months time, the Sony one looks alright though from a video I just watched