- N-WLAN
- Connections for Full-HD and analog TV (SD)
- Play as many audio and video formats
- Play from local media and network shares
- DLNA / UPnP Support
- Price less than 100 euros
There are quite a few media players that meet these criteria. The Xoro Box won the race due to the low price and due to the fact that the box under running Android instead of a proprietary firmware. Android allows you to install almost any apps, where you also have access to the Google Play Store with over 600,000 apps with the Xoro box. And that turned out to be absolutely essential. The preinstalled apps proved namely at least in part as unfit. Really useful the box was only after installation of additional apps from the Play Store.
After a lengthy employment and countless experiments with the box, it occurs to me now somewhat hard to make a really clear verdict. The reason lies in the fact that the unit on delivery turned out to be absolutely unreasonable, but was turning into a quite useful media player for patient tinkering. Could I the delivery status and the state in which I then even the unit have changed, be assessed separately, would the former only one star, but the latter will receive three to four stars. Here is the brief summary of my impressions:
1. The box is not for the impatient. Those looking for a device that works as desired immediately after unpacking and connecting, should stay away from the Xoro box.
2. Wi-Fi, you can forget. Who can set up the box directly (!) Next to his router or integrate wired into his LAN, should look also for another device.
3. the English one should be powerful. Despite setting to "German" many menus, set points and apps still come therefore in English. Even in parts of the German manual translation of some passages was forgotten. Other passages were indeed translated, but some contain rather hair-raising mistakes.
4. It should be set to fumble on the network by matching apps. Not all the preinstalled apps function as desired. Important functions such as DLNA support for. Absent, but can be (Android goodness!) Retrofitting via App.
5. The purchase of additional hardware (eg. As a wireless keyboard with touchpad) is almost essential. The supplied remote control is thenceforth good for nothing more than to turn on and off and to adjust the volume.
Here is a list of the pluses of the device on delivery:
+ Reasonable price
+ Versatile connectivity, including for analog TV
+ Low power consumption in operation and standby
+ Very compact, attractive design
+ Playing media files on local USB storage devices work well, the playback quality is fine
+ Is stable, there has been even after a long operating time no hangers or crashes
Not at all satisfied I was against it with the following points:
- Lack of user manual (too concise in very small print, translation errors, not about important settings)
- Opportunities the supplied remote very limited
- Some basic apps do not work as they should. For example, was the pre-installed "Network" app on my network not only Windows share (Windows 7 and XP).
- No DLNA support. Thus lacking at least when delivered the second ability to play media files from other network clients. It is initially only playback of files on local disks possible.
- Completely useless Fi. Just one thin wall between player and router allows the data throughput break so that not even SD videos played smoothly, not to mention all HD.
- At the beginning of each play loud crack from the analog audio output
- The Android toolbar at the bottom is also used in video playback is not hidden (except for playback with the media player pre-installed, but is only suitable for playback of locally stored files, network streams, he does not). When playing back network streams, for which I wanted to use the box primarily, therefore, a real full-screen playback is not possible. I've found so far no app that solves this problem.
But some of these problems I could solve by installing (free) apps from the Google Play store:
1. The "ES File Explorer", unlike the pre-installed "Network" app easily access to Windows file shares. A playback of media files on other computers in the LAN, making it possible. Ruckelfrei but this works only if the LAN connection via Ethernet cable, because only that is fast enough. To play the files found by the ES File Explorer but can not be the pre-installed media players are used (as opposed to subsequently installed player apps this is not offered for selection). But since additionally installed Player can not hide the toolbar at the bottom of the screen, you have to give up real full-screen playback.
2. I have the DLNA support missing can be retrofitted by the app "Skifta" (there are other apps that serve the same purpose). In order to stream media files in LAN was possible. Compared to the direct access to network shares that has the advantage that no lead small dropouts in the data stream to stutter. But even here, the WLAN of the box proved useless, it worked satisfactorily only when connected by cable.
3. Because of the pre-installed media player can not play network streams, I have the VLC player installed. Another recommendation is the MX Player. Both players are working without objection together with Skifta, enabling playback of DLNA streams.
No app, but a very useful accessory is a wireless keyboard with touchpad. Only with such a can the box at all make good use of, the supplied remote control is not good for it. I opted for a Logitech K400. The works seamlessly with the box and works fine in a few meters away. So you can also use the German keyboard layout (QWERTZ), the app "External Keyboard Helper" must be installed.
Not I could eliminate the other hand the following drawbacks:
1. the bad wireless reception
2. the annoying toolbar at the bottom of the screen
3. the absence of information largely useless manual
Had the box out of the box works the way that is now doing, they would have gotten from me 3 stars and possibly even a buy rating (5 stars, the box does not deserve because of bad WLANs and the disturbing toolbar in the picture). About the described deficiencies and necessary for the good use handicrafts (probably prepare specifically inexperienced few headaches) I have, however, so annoyed that I unfortunately had to withdraw a star. Nevertheless, I decided to keep the box for now, because it at least in broad terms is working as it should and I am fortunately not dependent on the wireless module. But I suspect that quite a few buyers this box will be disappointed because it does not as easily my impression, as promised by the manufacturer.
