Mini PC - a mini review

More recently, the market came cheap ($ 30) mini-computers based on Android system. A couple of weeks ago I had got this one - iMito MX1 - and decided to share his impressions - the pros and cons.

Technical data:
Price: $ 63
Weight: 47 grams
Processor: Rockchip RK3066 1.6Ghz Cortex A9 Dual Core
Memory: 1 GB DDR3
ROM: 8GB
Operating system: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Network: WiFi 802.11b / g / n; Bluetooth
Graphics: quad-core GPU, Mali400, 1080P video (1920 * 1080). 3D accelerator
Interface: 2xUSB, 1xUSB-power, MicroSD up to 32GB
9 photo





2. Manufacturing - China. As I understand it (almost?) All of these so-called MiniPC or «TV Android Stick» produced in China now. Shipment - free, is 2 weeks.

Actually it - Android Phone which removed the display, turn off the phone network and GPS and put the processor faster. If any program you goes to Android phone - and then will go on this computer.

The photo shows the inputs: a full-sized USB, Micro USB for power supply, one microUSB slot for microSD memory cards. At the other end - the standard HDMI, sticks or directly into the socket of the TV / monitor, or via a short HDMI cable is attached. The image and sound are via HDMI.



3. The insides of this device are plain. Posting fastened Wifi antenna, which is a metal plate. It seems that the plate touch the metal body and the body itself, and serves as an antenna. This is the weakest point of the model (which later).
PS: he was too lazy to disassemble, took a photo of the dismantled boxes here.



4. I powered device cheres CSS right from the telly - so it should not be turned on and off separately. There are NO - the device draws a fairly large current with it comes the CSS power supply to 2 amps. But from my Samsung seems to have enough food.
Butitsya somewhere seconds 30. After that, the normal android - screen resolution of 1080p. Below the buttons to quickly adjust the volume, etc ... As usual, you can put any android applications PlayStore - both on the phone. As usual there are several screens.
Management - with the mouse (and Claudia) - This package does not come. I bought for $ 10 mouse and Claudia 2.4 GHz dongle, dongle stuck in the CSS in the device and immediately earned. Blutus mouse should go without dongle (did not try), as blutus in devayse built.
In principle, Claudia is not necessary - you can print as a mouse Softovaya keyboard pops up on the phone.



5. The picture quality on a TV Samsung 42 Yingchao - excellent. No stuck when playing MKV files with 1080p there goes smoothly and accurately - both on my bluray player.
Antutu Benchmark program gives the rate «Score 8045", which is very good, as I understand it.



5. Internet browser.
Put Chrome runs without problems



6. WiFi: problems
This is - the weakest point device. First - the antenna in it - well, no (see. Above). Really need to be at a distance of 2-3 meters from the line of sight Rauter (I have Cisco E2000), the reception is worse than on the phone. I have a distance of 4 meters and the wall between - you can surf the Internet, but to watch movies directly from the desktop or the Internet - no.
What had to do:
1. Set the dd-wrt firmware on the Router. Everything runs much faster. Megavesch the dd-wrt!
2. The 2.4GHz USB-dongle for the mouse and Claudia seems to interfere with WiFi, connected the dongle via CSS meter extension cable ($ 1) and hung it on the other side of the TV set.
3. Put the external directional antennas (9 dbi) on Router instead of internal (1.5 dbi), the picture on the right. As a result of these dances with a tambourine signal went up somewhere for 10 dbi (left) and the device zafurychilo at full speed. I had to drill a couple of holes in the Router and spend $ 10 on the antenna and wiring (Chinese).
4. Raise the transmitter power in the Router does not help - there are outages due to weak transmitter in a mini-PC, ie Router does not receive a response confirmation from him.



7. After that worked smoothly internet television "Russia Free TV», which channels 100, mostly Russian, but there is BBC World News, etc. Online servers are the type of film shows in Netflix resolution HD.



8. Finally - movies from the desktop through the ball.
There is such a feature: it turns a Windows server (share directory) is working on a protocol Samba and for some reason, the speed of data transmission on the android I did not exceed 844 kV / s. I check two different Rauter and 3 Android device (phones) - 844 kB everywhere and that's when the shock files windows share. This vindouzny bast download files through the same WiFi with the same directory with a whistle (6 MB / s). If anyone have any ideas why - tell.

There are, however, a way around the problem - put the Sambar web server and share the same directory on the local network as a web page. The rate went up immediately by 3-4 times and ran haydef MKV movies to 1080p resolution and compression around 15, 000 bps. Sambar server on the desktop with the MX video player on the mini-PC also allow rewinding the film back and forth (some simple web server that does not support it).



9. Verdict:
If you like the idea and functionality of the device, but it will be used at a certain distance from the Rauter - do not take this model and you should look for models with an external antenna (on Amazon and ebee are any).
Check out how it works with the Internet your Android phone at this point - if the Internet is not enough on the phone, so, too, does not work iMito. Check realnue speed jumps file and how your phone shows the movie that you are going to watch.

What I like the Android TV - you can download any codecs and bend. "Smart" TV set with media players are usually not flexible - something to show that, no, tomorrow there is a new compression standard - and change the telly ... I have one such "smart" TV set - one trouble with him is he can, a step to the left and right - have arrived.
END.



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