Fun when it does function
Except for the virtual Android Keyboard popping up constantly.
Do not buy, unless
Found a little workaround for the virtual keyboard thing. So now I can actually type this text using the Ecency dApp web interface. Trial and Error, that seems to be the name of the game. The Oracle stated: "You will learn from your mistakes, you will have a lot to learn today...", well thanks for the heads up then. Have had a lot of coffee already, somehow that is helpfull. But I seem to have a hard time keeping my focus. Weird, coffee seems to worsen my already easy distraction. Anyway got Python installed, Pip updated and fingers crossed... YES, whoop there it is: BEEMPY! That calls for a celebration, more coffee! Tzak tzak, dali, dali, oh, have to get it myself, never mind then. Now BEEM me up Scotty!
Now the good part of the X96 Mate Plus Mediabox is that it has two USB ports. And I had some old USB Keyboard and Mouse available. Works like a charm, except for the [Enter] key. Yet with [Num Lock] on I am able to use the [Enter] key on the Number pad. Great, managed to stop the Virtual Keyboard from popping up every bleedin' time I need to do some typing. Now I can give this little bugger a new purpose in life. Because it sucks at being an Android TV thing. By the way, as a dApp developer could you be ever so kind to add support for this Android TV nonsense, thanks a million! Little Apps I flung together using MIT AI2 Companion work like a charm, so if a clums like me can do it... Oh and Google Play is just awefull, but luckily there is F-Droid! And I swap APKs using Telegram, no need for SDs or an external drive, awesome!
If you really would like to buy a Mediabox, then make sure it has AV1 hardware support build in. Companies like Netflix will be using it a standard. AV1 is a very effecient and fast Video codec and it is Open Source, beats H265 hands down. And I whished I had done better research before I bought the cat in a sack, the X96. Luckily I still have the Chromecast thing, to make our dumb TV smart again. That leaves the X96 open for me to have some fun with, so "On Y va!", as some say in Belgium.
Now where are those other great Python Hive(Engine) projects made by the programming wizzard known as Holger80? With them running on the low energy (less than 10 WATTs) quad core ARMed machine it might have some use to it after all.
Oh happy day, Beempy installed and running!
(uploading not working?) 🙄
Screenshot by Oaldamster