Advice A bad Android day

[DaGaffer]

In what can only be described as a very odd coincidence, my old Nexus 7 tab looks like its about to breathe its last (battery is fucked, mad money to replace and now the screen is going unresponsive) and just now the little Android box I use as a Kodi streamer in the living room has died (leds went flickery, remote wouldn't work and now it just won't reboot at all - seems properly kaput).

So I need some recommendations:
1. Replacement tab. I don't want Apple (too much file faff) but I need something with 4G support, and I'm happy with 7-8" size mainly for reading and some video. Amazon is full of Chinese tat with the odd Samsung thrown in, and I've never been that keen on Samsung because they won't upgrade fast, or at all (best thing about the Nexus).

2. Replacement kodi box. I could probably just get another Chinese box I suppose. Fire TV not that useful in Ireland, Apple TV no good for Kodi (ditto Roku). Anything else worth looking at? I don't want to spend PC money. nVidia Shield any good?

All recommendations gratefully received.

 

[Moriath]

Kodi box cant you just do a pi 3 and make it up. Used to use that to stream all my stuff and you can get a kit for like 30 quid.

No xp with tablets other than my apple pro cellular that i love. But you dont want apple.

 

[ECA]

Huawei/Lenovo/Asus on the tabs probably, honestly the android tab market isn't great.

 

[DaGaffer]

Huawei/Lenovo/Asus on the tabs probably, honestly the android tab market isn't great.

I bought my kids Lenovo tabs for Christmas and they're fine, but they're wifi only. Seem to be pretty well constructed and the screens are good. I agree the Android tab market is pretty ropey, but I just can't be doing with Apple for video, its so much easier with Android.

 

[DaGaffer]

Kodi box cant you just do a pi 3 and make it up. Used to use that to stream all my stuff and you can get a kit for like 30 quid.

No xp with tablets other than my apple pro cellular that i love. But you dont want apple.

I used to use an RPi but they're not really powerful enough for 1080p, never mind 4K.

 

[Deebs]

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06VTS7DJJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Auto frame rate switching & dynamic range matching - 4K (HDR10) capable Hardware

I have one of these and it properly plays everything I can throw at it including real 4k bluray rips. I bought as my Kaby Lake Intel NUC is fucked when it comes to bitstreaming, blame Intel and the shitty LSPcon chip they use for DP -> HDMI conversion.

 

[Bodhi]

Can't help on the Android TV box as we just install apps directly onto the TV, but on the tablet front I've had a Samsung A6 (iirc) for about 18 months now, and it's been pretty solid. Gets updated often enough, enough grunt to run everything I ask it, 4G built in, etc.

 

[Hawkwind]

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06VTS7DJJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Auto frame rate switching & dynamic range matching - 4K (HDR10) capable Hardware

I have one of these and it properly plays everything I can throw at it including real 4k bluray rips. I bought as my Kaby Lake Intel NUC is fucked when it comes to bitstreaming, blame Intel and the shitty LSPcon chip they use for DP -> HDMI conversion.

I have the same model in Dubai (it is good) and also have the NVIDIA Shield TV box in the UK, I like the NVIDIA one better for general use.

 

[DaGaffer]

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06VTS7DJJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Auto frame rate switching & dynamic range matching - 4K (HDR10) capable Hardware

I have one of these and it properly plays everything I can throw at it including real 4k bluray rips. I bought as my Kaby Lake Intel NUC is fucked when it comes to bitstreaming, blame Intel and the shitty LSPcon chip they use for DP -> HDMI conversion.

Bought this; very good, really fast. Weirdly though, when my old Android box went titsup it seems to have also knackered the HDMI cable, which I didn’t even think was possible. I’ve never had an hdmi cable fail, ever.

It’s a real pain in the arse as well because the tv is wall mounted and all the cables run through a slot in the chimney breast, down the (old, unused) flue to a former fireplace where I locate all my stbs and my router. Pushing the cables through from the top to the bottom is really fucking fiddly.

 

[Deebs]

Bought this; very good, really fast. Weirdly though, when my old Android box went titsup it seems to have also knackered the HDMI cable, which I didn’t even think was possible. I’ve never had an hdmi cable fail, ever.

It’s a real pain in the arse as well because the tv is wall mounted and all the cables run through a slot in the chimney breast, down the (old, unused) flue to a former fireplace where I locate all my stbs and my router. Pushing the cables through from the top to the bottom is really fucking fiddly.

Never had a cable go bad on me, glad you like it. It really is good, just make sure you upgrade the firmware to the latest version to get all the fixes. Like I said, it plays everything I can through at it.

Btw, I have now linked Kodi and Alexa so can voice control Kodi

 

[Bodhi]

Did you ever figure out what to do on the tablet side? I'm due a refresh at work on my iPad 2 (lol) and want to go Android this time, but on the premium side I'm seeing the Samsung S3 and that's about it.

Have I missed any? And is the S4 not due out soon?