<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote">On 13 January 2014 04:33, geoffrey mendelson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:geoffreymendelson@gmail.com" target="_blank">geoffreymendelson@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<div>Forgot to send to the list, with
some additional information.<div><div class="h5"><br>
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<td>Re: Any experience with cubox-i?</td>
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<td>Sun, 12 Jan 2014 15:50:47 +0200</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>geoffrey mendelson <a href="mailto:geoffreymendelson@gmail.com" target="_blank"><geoffreymendelson@gmail.com></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>Amos Shapira <a href="mailto:amos.shapira@gmail.com" target="_blank"><amos.shapira@gmail.com></a></td>
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</div></div><pre><div><div class="h5">On 1/12/2014 12:59 PM, Amos Shapira wrote:
> Hi,
>
> After moving to a new rented unit I found that it's going to be a bit
> (or very) tricky to get my aging desktop (which I mainly use for
> Bittorent and "storage server" these days) connected to the ADSL modem
> using wired Ethernet.
>
> Instead, I though that I might get myself some media-centre computer -
> it'll be either so small that I can still keep it close to the
> modem/router/wifi point or it'll suport wifi so I can put it somewhere
> else in the unit. It'll also hopefully be power efficient so I could
> afford to keep it turned on 24x7 (both for economic and environmental
> concerns).
>
> But I don't feel like running around designing my own hardware, order
> it then build it myself, so I searched a bit for "linux media center
> hardware" and the top results all point to <a href="http://cubox-i.com/" target="_blank">http://cubox-i.com/</a></div></div>, which
> after reading a couple of reviews turned out to be based in Israel.
>
> I'm considering getting myself the CuBox-i4Pro, and perhaps do it
> while I visit Israel next Passovah (not sure yet).
>
> Everything I read about this unit so far is just 100% positive. Does
> anyone here have experience with it, the service? hardware quality?
> Cost of shipping in Israel? Is pick-up from their offices an option etc?
>
>
What about one of those Chinese Android tablets without a screen? Google </pre></div></div></blockquote><div>To clarify - I don't currently have a TV and am more interested in a "home server" to enable me to run Bittorent client 24x7, very occasionally serve media to my laptop and tablet over WiFi and perhaps offer backup storage space. If/when I buy a TV I'd consider buying the Google Chromecast to send the media to.<br>
</div><div><br></div><div>Now - what's the advantage of buying those "Chinese Tablets" for a couple of years over the cubox, which seems to be a more open platform? The cubox can run both Android and multiple Linux distributions.</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"><div><pre>sells one dedicated to streaming videos using various US based services,
and there are many of them on eBay. Google calls theirs the Chromecast.
I don't know if it would be worth buying one for use outside of the US,
but as I said, there are plenty of them out there. I read an article
from one of the US financial websites complaining that they sell for
very little money in China and come preloaded with so many pirate movies
that they have become the latest media in video purchase and rental.
You plug them into your HDMI port (which powers it) and it connects to
the outside world via wifi. I don't remember how they connect to remote
controls, but they do.
added:
I was looking around eBay and found some nice looking devices. They run a fixed version of Android
(no updates promised) so I guess they are good for a year or two. For around $100 US, you can get
a quad core CPU, HDMI output, wifi, USB, ethernet and even a place to insert a laptop SATA drive
directly.
It also comes with a remote control.
I also found this page: <a href="http://apcmag.com/how-to-stream-video-to-an-android-device.htm" target="_blank">http://apcmag.com/how-to-stream-video-to-an-android-device.htm</a>
Following the instructions I was able to watch videos on my various computers (e.g. Linux file servers,
Windows workstations) on my Chinese android tablet. It has an annoying Android interface, not a smooth UI,
like AppleTV or XBMC, but it worked. I lack the HDMI mini or micro cable to connect my tablet to my TV, but
it should work there too.
XBMC does not run on my tablet as it lacks the necessary video hardware, but if it did, it would be a lot easier
to use than my WD LIVE streamer.</pre></div></div></blockquote><div>So what's the advantage of this "Chinese Tablet"? It's limited to old Android (I found them on eBay too now, they all list Android 4.2 or 4.0), can it run a Bittorent client properly? No HDMI cable etc. So why?</div>
<div><br></div><div>Thanks for your response.</div><div><br></div><div>--Amos</div><div><br></div></div>
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