The Probox2 gadgets are solid Best Android TV Box that we've evaluated favorably in the past, so when we listened to a new model had actually a been released that isn't really simply an incremental upgrade, we leapt at the chance to inspect it out. Offered for $155 bundled with the Remote+, or $130 for simply the box, the Probox2 AVA includes room in the event for a 2.5 ″ SATA HDD, and the capacity to tape from an HDMI source. Those are rather engaging additions, so allow take a look at the details and see just what we thought of it.
Design and also Specifications
- Realtek RTD1295 system-on-a-chip.
- 2GHz Quad-core A53 CPU.
- Mali T820 GPU.
- 2GB RAM.
- 16GB on-board storage.
- Expandable with SATA HDD/SSD, and SD card.
- Support 4K 60FPS HDR10 and also HLG HDR handling.
- Wi-Fi (Air Conditioner), Ethernet, and Bluetooth 4.0.
- SPDIF audio.
- HDMI IN for HD recording.
- 200 x 125 x 21mm/ 265g (omitting optional hard drive).
- $ 155 w/Remote+, or $135 without.
A standard remote is consisted of in the basic package, but I 'd strongly suggest obtaining the package with the Remote+. The enhanced Remote+ hasn't already in fact changed considering that we last examined out the Probox2 Ex-spouse+, but allow's state why it's so great. It comes with its very own USB receiver dongle, so it can be utilized with all your tools, not simply the Probox. There's likewise a microphone for voice control features.
There's nothing else added additionals in the package in addition to the fundamentals: power adapter, HDMI wire, and also screw on Wi-Fi antenna (optional, provided the presence of a gigabit Ethernet port).
On the side you'll locate an USB3, sd, and usb2 card slot. On the back there's the HDMI IN, HDMI OUT, SPDIF sound, and Ethernet. The HDMI result supports complete 4K at 60FPS as well Dolby DTS up to 7.1. Unfortunately, I don't have a 4K TV or source device to test out those attributes, yet I was able to examine the 4K media decoding to an HD display.
Fast Wi-Fi as well as Gigabit Ethernet finish the well-shaped requirements, though for 4K media streaming over your neighborhood network, you'll want to ensure you're using Ethernet on both the Probox gadget as well as the network storage source you're streaming from. Omitting the Wi-Fi antenna, the device determines 200x125x21mm-- this is substantially much longer that the Probox Ex lover+ tool, but a lot of that area is internally vacant-- assigned for a 2.5 ″ disk drive expansion.
Despite coming equipped with just 16Gb of internal storage space, the system can in reality be upgraded in a number of ways. Both the USB or SD storage space can then be totally integrated to the interior system thanks Android 6.0 Adaptable Storage, and also do not remain as just an outside drive (aka "portable storage space"). There are no constraints on the dimension of the HDD or SSD you can install, though this is an entirely optional feature and the tool isn't supplied with one.
New to the Android 6.0 series Probox tools is the Apex UI launcher, a more obtainable TV interface with a straightforward menu structure as well as big symbols. There's additionally a quick switch button in the edge, allowing you to right away switch over to an alternative launcher of your selection, need to you call for something extra familiar. It's quickly enough nevertheless that I really did not feel the should change it with anything else.
An extremely fascinating enhancement to the AVA model is the capability to tape from outside HDMI resources, as well as monitor them with Picture-in-Picture setting. Realize that the device can not remove HDCP duplicate security devices (though you could still do so with an imported HDMI splitter), as well as it could introduce a minor hold-up.
In testing I discovered it to be extremely easy to utilize-- in raw comparison to some of the tethered PC-based capture tools I've attempted. I just connected in something with HDMI result, and opened up the app from the house display. Simply record from HDMI resource, at details times.
Apparently in a competition for the amount of features could be packed into a single device, the Probox 2 AVA likewise runs OpenWRT, which is an open source server system, normally utilized for ingrained routers. In the context of ProBox AVA it provides a file server, media server, Torrent downloads, as well as Time Machine back-ups. The system runs at the same time behind-the-scenes, and also there's no have to dual-boot anything.
If you have packed an SATA disk drive in here as well as really did not currently have a Network Attached Storage system in other places on your home network, I can definitely see the benefits of being able to sling your media straight over the network as well as store it in your area on this little box. You 'd completely remove any streaming delays from network playback.
It's absolutely no substitute for an actual Network Attached Storage device, with multiple drives and RAID back-ups. Nevertheless, it must be ample for the average customer to dabble in running numerous servers at home.
Antutu scored the Probox EX2 AVA with a somewhat unsatisfactory 38,000; GeekBench gave it a rating of 600 for single core, 1725 for multi-core, and GPU compute renderscript score of 911. This is about according to a budget smartphone, and I would mostly connect that to the modest 2GB RAM.
That claimed, I really felt the user interface was stylish as well as just effective enough to obtain the job done. It isn't mosting likely to do well with 3D pc gaming, yet I ran some emulators simply fine. Truly, package isn't really created for hardcore efficiency, yet a lot more tuned to media playback.
To check the media, I booted my networked Plex server and also installed the customer. I evaluated out some random movies and also TV programs. Unfortunately Plex gave me some mistakes regarding streaming speed, though this has even more to do with that I have the data on a networked storage space drive in the loft space, shared to my Mac Pro where the actual web server runs, after that streaming back over Wi-Fi to the Probox.
There's great deal of network stagnation there. While I could see HD material similar to this, it stammered a lot on some 4K video footage from our drone review. When I duplicated the exact same data locally, it repeated fine, so there's certainly no concern with the box itself and also 4K video. If you have plan to stream 4K, you will certainly need suitably fast network foundation. Keep every little thing wired with Ethernet for finest efficiency.
The Probox2 AVA is a wonderful little Android TV box stuffed packed with features. Whether those additional attributes of any type of usage to you is going to need your very own personal judgement. Being able to really merely record HDMI is mosting likely to be very beneficial for me. I also have much more old hard disks than I do USB drives. I'm regularly searching around for a USB adhere to sling media into. Having the ability to send out data across the network to a large storage drive developed into the gadget is an attribute I can a lot appreciate.
My only grievance is that the OpenWRT features really feel a little pointless without a far better interface to establish them up. The arcane web user interface isn't something I 'd wish to spend the moment right into learning. Again, regardless of the incorporation of a basic infra-red remote, it's well worth obtaining the bundle with Remote+. There are absolutely times when a D-pad really feels much as well cumbersome, as well as you'll yearn for a real mouse tip.
