Andoer Z4 Android 5.1 TV Box RK3368 Octa-Core

I am tempted to get this Andoer Z4 Android 5.1 TV Box RK3368 Octa-Core and probably hack it to run a pure Linux OS, instead of Android OS. What do you think?

its doable
you would need console access so you could determine what the bootloader is.

its similar to the following device

http://www.cnx-software.com/2015/11/19/geekbox-is-a-hackable-android-and-linux-tv-box-powered-by-rockchip-rk3368-soc/

If you have the means, buy two. This is too significant not to have a way to compare should any issue/feature pique your interest.
I've only had Android on PC as bootable USB stick, and can't stand it.

I'm still trying to revive an old Roku box, so I'd better bail now :-)

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-= Cloud 9 =-

So far, the only concern I have buying such a product from China is the cost to ship back to China (about US$30) if the product I receive is defective. If anyone here knows I can order this device from within the US, this may be great.

PS: I searched through Google and found both Amazon (probably shipped from China) and NewEgg have this for about $90 while e-bay has it about $75 (shipped from China).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2016 08:10AM by habibie.

get it from alibaba or aliexpress
both are reputed to step in if there is a problem, not everything *NEEDS* to be shipped backed. a good supplier and most on the above sites are honourable traders, will send a replacement without you being required to send the faulty one back.

i have been lucky so far in that none of the items i have purchased have been faulty, i have bought more faulty items from ebay. but to be fair to the traders, they have always done there best to bring things to a mutually acceptable conclusion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2016 10:12AM by Gravelrash.

I concur, the Far East is understanding of that kind of thing, like a bad RAM stick I had. They believed me and sent another one that was good.

Worse comes to worse if you have a defective item, just ask if you can a break it in two, take a picture for proof. They'd do it.

Maaan, octal cores though, and on a TV box? You know what I'd do? Have a VM host that could change VMs with the remote control. Debian? Default. Hackintosh? Windows? Why yes thank you.

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I told some friends about this device and got interested. So, they asked me several questions and one of them is if there is any FREE Chinese, Korean, and/or Japanese channels with TV series shows available to stream by this device. I have never used any InternetTV device, so I could not answer such a question. However, if you know then answer, I sure would appreciate you can chime in.

Is this a clone of Andoer Z4? It looks identical to Andoer Z4 (even the specs), except it does not have the Andoer logo. The price is about 2/3 of the least price on an Andoer Z4.

@habibie

im the world of lowcost consumer electronics, many devices are manufactured in the same location and given different logos. In all probability yes.

Wow, better days are here. I want two of them NOW! (lol)

Eight cores, I could run a neighborhood server with 'ole familiar Windows in VM and stay in familiar territory for 'hood administration.

That said, guys permit/forgive me to ask, what's the absolute most efficient VM that stands on a Linux underpinning? I ask because I test something for a Windows company and I'm terrified of a hard drive going down and having to re-authorize every product they had me test, and that's a lot! And whatever it is, it's mighty good I assure you :-)

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habibie Wrote:
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> I told some friends about this device and got
> interested. So, they asked me several questions
> and one of them is if there is any FREE Chinese,
> Korean, and/or Japanese channels with TV series
> shows available to stream by this device. I have
> never used any InternetTV device, so I could not
> answer such a question. However, if you know then
> answer, I sure would appreciate you can chime in.

It's Android, so install Kodi (XMBC), and there are many plugins that stream Asian TV channels and TV series (legally). And you can do the same if it's running Linux. Enjoy!

Update:

I saw that the eBay link shows that this box already has XBMC Frodo. So you can do this right away.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2016 05:51PM by bodhi.

Many thanks everyone.

My friend place an order for some units. Did anyone here order the clone one?

habibie Wrote:
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> My friend place an order for some units. Did
> anyone here order the clone one?

If I have the means I'll try to get two, but don't hold your breath. With two I could dissect one and hopefully convert to Debian, and use the other one as-is. THEN save pennies for a large tablet and stream TV as well as home cloud!

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Joey, you can still get it before the offer is gone. The seller seems to offer 24 units at a time. The last 24 units were gone in two days. My friend told me her order has been shipped, but no tracking # (pretty risky). Also, my friend said the seller doesn't respond to her several questions. See if you will get any response when asking questions related to the product.

Most of my Chinese orders I did get an email with tracking but only as it departed China.
But yeah, if i had $100 to spend right now I'd order two, ten minutes after loading PayPal card. Which is a leap of faith, because for all I know nothing could come in or all the menus could be in Chinese.

I just wrote out $100.00 on a ToDo list, and if it's meant to be it'll happen. If not, then oh well. However it'd significantly help my goal to minimize media politics 'till the election.

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@Joey: This is OT. Today, I watched Bewitched (I think) and there was a mention of Cloud 9. So, I am just curious what is the Cloud 9 under construction ... in your signature.

habibie I've been having those lately, where you think of something and it comes up like that. Many times in the past few weeks, and fortunately a lot of them witnessed where I'd say something and a seemingly impossible echo comes back from a different direction. Why these things happen I don't know.

I DO think, like the scientists say there's nine or ten dimensions, one of which is time, and some people, under certain conditions, tap into that collective unconscious or something like that. I don't know why however. It probably never made me a dime but it might lower the prices at Goodwill LOL But it comes and goes.

* You're not kidding off topic, man :-)

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2016 09:58PM by JoeyPogoPlugE02.

Hey habibie,
That most recent seller of that, check the 23 comments (at this point). Seems they only sold one that's been commented on, the remote control was not the one advertised, and seller ignored that.

All other sales at this point were USB 2.0 items at around 99 cents. 22 transactions of about $1 in 15 months. US-based seller referring economy-shipped items from China. Red flags for sure.

Somewhere between beware and be aware.

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2016 11:48PM by JoeyPogoPlugE02.

JoeyPogoPlugE02 Wrote:
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> Hey habibie,
> That most recent seller of that, check the
> [url=http://www.ebay.com/itm/Z4-Android-5-1-TV-Box
> -Octa-Core-64Bits-2G16G-4K-3D-Kodi-XBMC-WiFi-/2522
> 87986248?]23 comments (at this point[/url]). Seems
> they only sold one that's been commented on, the
> remote control was not the one advertised, and
> seller ignored that.
>

AFAICT, the ad clearly says the package includes 1x (no brand/model) IR Remote Controller. Also, the comment wasn't for this but rather a different product (MXQ S805 Smart TV BOX Android 4.4 Quad Core 8GB WIFI HD 1080P Kodi Media Player (#252234324011)).

Ahh, good critical thinking skillz. We'll navigate this...

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I can't seem to update my Andoer Z4 Android 5.1 TV Box because its asking for a "Master Code". Anyone know what it would be?