Advice android boxes

[DaGaffer]

Anyone got any experience of Android TV streamers? I want one to stick under the telly as my Roku 3 won't play back MKV files (my Synology NAS doesn't support transcoding), and I don't really want to spend hundreds on a micro PC either (still got loads to do on the house so no frivolous spending at the moment, and my fucking coffee machine has just blown up so I'm going to have to replace that). I know I could use a Raspberry Pi (and I actually used to do just that) but price wise there's actually not much in it versus these generic android boxes.

So, anyone recommend a good one? They all look fairly generic on Amazon so I'm just guessing get the maximum RAM you can?

 

[MYstIC G]

For Android I'd probably go with Amazon FireTV Stick with the non-voice remote. Sideload SPMC (fork of XBMC/Kodi) and that should be that for a cheep and cheerful, though obviously ymmv.

Personally though, I think you're better off with the RPi as you can always install and reinstall.

 

[Moriath]

I got a RPi on my down stairs and a fire stick up stairs. Both workfine i use plex from my synology box.

I prefer the RPi tho

 

[Raven]

I have used all sorts over the years and always found they fall short one way or another. Got an old workhorse PC from work that was heading off to be recycled, stuck a fanless £40 graphics card in, 4gb of cheapo ram and an old SSD and it works like a charm.

 

[DaGaffer]

For Android I'd probably go with Amazon FireTV Stick with the non-voice remote. Sideload SPMC (fork of XBMC/Kodi) and that should be that for a cheep and cheerful, though obviously ymmv.

Personally though, I think you're better off with the RPi as you can always install and reinstall.

Does the Fire Stick have any problems with large hi-res files?

 

[Deebs]

It will suffer if your WiFi is shit. I replaced mine with the Amazon Fire box and used ethernet. Not had any problems since.

 

[MYstIC G]

Does the Fire Stick have any problems with large hi-res files?

I've not had any particular issues with mine but as T says, if you're worried on that front then plonk for the full Fire TV. The Android sticks are nice and all but they'll never get any long term updates.

 

[Moriath]

Ethernet owns for streaming