Android TV Box - MXQ Pro vs MS8 Plus

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Shaitan00

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Dec 3, 2006
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I am trying to determine which TV Box to buy (stream netflix and local storage from NAS), based on my research the 2 I am most interested in is the
- MXQ Pro (S905 64-bit)
- MS8 Plus (S812)

However I am having a real hard time comparing them to determine which is the best choice...
- the MS8 Plus is more expensive but it runs an older chipset (s812 instead of s905 64-bit), I find it hard to swallow paying more for older technology unless there is a reason
- I don;t care about 4K but I use it WiFi and the MS8 Plus review tend to indicate it has better WiFi (is this true at all?), I have an old Linksys EA4500 router
- I noticed that Kodi 16 (Jarvis) is in the works, would it work on the MS8 Plus? Would rather buy something that can be upgraded
- Is the extra 1GB of RAM worth it (MS8 Plus)?
As you can see I am trying to do a rationale comparison between the two, of course anything else to consider please let me know :)
Of course I am completely open to any other suggestions as well (beside those 2), but for the price vs features they seem like the best bang-for-buck.

One last side-question, I noticed both models are sold by MANY different companies (looking on Amazon), they all seem to be pretty much the same hardware - so the difference is in the loaded software (which honestly who cares - I can reload it manually if needed), so either I take the cheapest or I would much prefer to get that someone has actually used and can confirm works correctly - anyone?

Thanks,
 
Kartajan

Kartajan

Golden Member
Feb 26, 2001
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issues with either: outdated OS (Android 4.x???? Really???)

If I wanted to just do Netflix and streams from my NAS on the cheap, I would get a FireTV Stick (like $40 without "voice" remote, $50 with voice remote). It is from a company that I have heard of (so it will at least have some level of future support), and the FireOS is based off of (aka, modified version of) Android 5.0.
 
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Shaitan00

Member
Dec 3, 2006
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Kartajan said:
issues with either: outdated OS (Android 4.x???? Really???)

If I wanted to just do Netflix and streams from my NAS on the cheap, I would get a FireTV Stick (like $40 without "voice" remote, $50 with voice remote). It is from a company that I have heard of (so it will at least have some level of future support), and the FireOS is based off of (aka, modified version of) Android 5.0.
Click to expand...

But FireTV is locked down now no? I have been reading about a lot of people who can no longer load certain apps and stuff, issues with Kodi/XBMC, etc... I am worried of getting stuck with a limited device due to the firmware ...

And how can FireTV browse my NAS? First I heard of it, is this something you have actual done?
 
Kartajan

Kartajan

Golden Member
Feb 26, 2001
1,264
38
91
The same issues exist on the cheap Android "TV boxes" (IE, not actually "Android TV")like you mentioned interest in at the top...

To play files from your MyCloud:
On your playback device Sideload/install ES File explorer and media player such as Mobo player or MX player. Connect to NAS with ES file explorer, select file to open and select app to play it with.

Alternative:
If you can find a Google Nexus Player (Most likely in Walmart or BestBuy), they have the full proper "Android TV" like the NVidia Shield for $50-80 depending on your luck/ sales/ etc. (I do not have a FireTV, but I do have both the NP and the Shield- I like them both)

Although you would have much easier success if you can get an instance of Plex running on your setup somewhere...
 
Last edited:
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Shaitan00

Member
Dec 3, 2006
99
0
66
Kartajan said:
The same issues exist on the cheap Android "TV boxes" (IE, not actually "Android TV")like you mentioned interest in at the top...

To play files from your MyCloud:
On your playback device Sideload/install ES File explorer and media player such as Mobo player or MX player. Connect to NAS with ES file explorer, select file to open and select app to play it with.

Alternative:
If you can find a Google Nexus Player (Most likely in Walmart or BestBuy), they have the full proper "Android TV" like the NVidia Shield for $50-80 depending on your luck/ sales/ etc. (I do not have a FireTV, but I do have both the NP and the Shield- I like them both)

Although you would have much easier success if you can get an instance of Plex running on your setup somewhere...
Click to expand...

if I need to run Plex I would get the ROKU3 - but really the entire point was to avoid that. And in my house the NAS and PC's are in the basement, the TV is up-stairs (Wireless), I want to avoid even more traffic (between NAS and PLEX server then to TV).
 
Kartajan

Kartajan

Golden Member
Feb 26, 2001
1,264
38
91
I had a Roku3. dumped it due to the interface/ kludgeyness/ slowness.
Got the NP. runs great on AC, and on short runs of cat5 via 3rd party Ethernet.
-The long range run of Ethernet was too much for the 3rd party Ethernet or AC,
Bought Roku4. dumped it for the same reason as Roku3
Got another Shield. Life is good (2x Shield, 1x NP)
(gave the other NP to my mom)
 
Kartajan

Kartajan

Golden Member
Feb 26, 2001
1,264
38
91
best buy sale on NP $50 free shipping right now.
Walmart: OOS
Newegg: $134 (3rd party)
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
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Actually the main Kodi website had a blogpost last night about how bad these Chinese boxes really are. The options are a Nexus Player, a NVidia Shield, or bust.
 
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Shaitan00

Member
Dec 3, 2006
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poofyhairguy said:
Actually the main Kodi website had a blogpost last night about how bad these Chinese boxes really are. The options are a Nexus Player, a NVidia Shield, or bust.
Click to expand...

Do you have a LINK to the article, curious to see what they say exactly...
Thanks,
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
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318
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Shaitan00 said:
Bust?
Click to expand...

Yeah pretty much. Either it uses the Android TV platform or its not worth buying. Everything else is skinned up regular Android with stuff like using a hacked version of the tablet Netflix app for TVs. If I was getting one device that would be supported and get updates not only for Kodi but for for things like Netflix and Hulu from the Play Store I wouldn't consider a device that wasn't Android TV based. Unless maybe I was willing to beat a Fire TV into behaving because I have Prime.

As i said, the Kodi project took a stand last night against random boxes for a reason. Only a few of them do it right and work with developers to have an optimal experience, the rest are just trying to make a quick buck and its hard to tell a difference. Either go Android TV platform (Shield or Nexus) or get two boxes like a Pi 2 and a Roku. Anything else is suboptimal.

Hopefully we will see more devices for the platform soon. Right now the Shield kinda slays everything at the high end but I would love to see some competition.
 
S

Shaitan00

Member
Dec 3, 2006
99
0
66
poofyhairguy said:
Yeah pretty much. Either it uses the Android TV platform or its not worth buying. Everything else is skinned up regular Android with stuff like using a hacked version of the tablet Netflix app for TVs. If I was getting one device that would be supported and get updates not only for Kodi but for for things like Netflix and Hulu from the Play Store I wouldn't consider a device that wasn't Android TV based. Unless maybe I was willing to beat a Fire TV into behaving because I have Prime.

As i said, the Kodi project took a stand last night against random boxes for a reason. Only a few of them do it right and work with developers to have an optimal experience, the rest are just trying to make a quick buck and its hard to tell a difference. Either go Android TV platform (Shield or Nexus) or get two boxes like a Pi 2 and a Roku. Anything else is suboptimal.

Hopefully we will see more devices for the platform soon. Right now the Shield kinda slays everything at the high end but I would love to see some competition.
Click to expand...


Shield is just to expensive, $250+ CDN, the Nexus Player was more reasonable $70+ CDN if I could find one ... I guess eBay has them over-priced... seems pretty popular in the US but up here in Canada we are left with a huge bill...

Anyways - thanks for the feedback, I'll keep trying to find a Nexus Player I guess :)
 
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