Kodi 15.2 (Final) for Rockchip 3368

[hdmkv]

Guys, agree this firmware is a big improvement, but let's not lose sight of critical fixes that are still needed...

There's still no 23.976 (so microstutters are noticeable), there's macroblocking in several 3D ISO's, some 3D ISO's have playback freezing after a couple mins of playback ('Avatar' 3D ISO), HD audio pops/crackles are present (and bad for AVR/speakers), and finally lip synch issues are present (especially when you skip ahead in video).

[MortUK]

Guys, agree this firmware is a big improvement, but let's not lose sight of critical fixes that are still needed...

There's still no 23.976 (so microstutters are noticeable), there's macroblocking in several 3D ISO's, some 3D ISO's have playback freezing after a couple mins of playback ('Avatar' 3D ISO), HD audio pops/crackles are present (and bad for AVR/speakers), and finally lip synch issues are present (especially when you skip ahead in video).

The lip sync is the only real problem for me... I have issues with my TV taking too long to switch frequencies so i stay in 60hz, Although a big part of that is because i use Kodi for TV watching through PVR, I haven't had any issues with freezing, I have to say i've never really noticed an issue with smoothness in 23.976 anyhow.. No pops of cradles in the audio either, So for my purposes it's an "almost" finished product...

I've used my H8 quite a bit with this new FW release and it's pretty solid to use... Much nicer than my Pi...

Mort..

[hdmkv]

Just curious if you're playing any 3D ISO's with HD audio? That's where you'll notice the issues with mostly.

[MortUK]

Just curious if you're playing any 3D ISO's with HD audio? That's where you'll notice the issues with mostly.

I've tested a couple and have to say that I have vertically no issues with 3D iso and DTS-HD... With the exception of the audio sync that is, and that can be sorted within Kodi..

Watched the whole of Big Hero 6 tonight, 3D iso with DTS HD I heard 2 pops from on of the fear speakers half way through and that's it.... As I'm writing this I'm 20 mins into The Avengers - Age if Ultron, 3D iso DTS HD, I've had absolutely no issues... No video artefacts etc and it looks beautiful..

My TV doesn't show the difference between 24p and 23.976.. It just shows it as 24hz.. It's a 2012 LG and as far as I know it can handle both..

Mort,

[pepe]

The new Kodi can handle now 23.976 fps movies, (my LG notice it as 24 fps) and the stutters every few seconds,
when the old fw played it with 60fps, are gone. Maybe the 23.976fps movies are played with 24fps, because there are stutters every 42 seconds
or so. But my LG reports no difference between 24 and 23.976 fps.

But strangely not all of my 23.976 fps movies are detected correctly. Some were played with 60fps as before.
I cannot see any differences in the file/movie structure, as Mediainfo reports it. Some are HEVC/x265 coded, some AVC/x264,
with DTS or AC3. I cannot see any hint, what is the reason for this.

The weired audio effects with pasthrough are gone. But my receiver is able to handle DTS 5.1, but no DTS-HD 7.1.
A DTS-HD 7.1 track gives only distorsions/jam in the speakers, when Kodi is set to audio passthrough and 'DTS capable receiver'  is selected,
but 'DTS-HD capable receiver' is NOT selected. Is this behaviour correct? Should Kodi remix a DTS-HD 7.1 track to PCM in this case?

And with the new FW my TV (LG 79UF8609) has problem to synchronize the HDMI-signal when Kodi starts ('No signal') Then I have
to switch the TV off and on again or change the H8-resolution with the H8-remote control. Then the Kodi gui appears correctly.

I haven't tested 3D ISO until now...

Peter

[hdmkv]

Those pops/crackles are bad for your speakers.

[MortUK]

Ok, so I got hold of Avatar overnight and gave that try.... There are major issues playing it with regards to video.... I guess it depends on the video file....

I played Big Hero 6, Dispicable Me 2, Avengers Age of Ultron and Minions.... All in 3D iso with DTS HD audio with no problems...

Mort...

[hdmkv]

Ok, so I got hold of Avatar overnight and gave that try.... There are major issues playing it with regards to video.... I guess it depends on the video file....

I played Big Hero 6, Dispicable Me 2, Avengers Age of Ultron and Minions.... All in 3D iso with DTS HD audio with no problems...

Yep. Another one that has issues is 'Gravity' 3D. I have over 200 3D rips & haven't tried them all obviously, but macroblocking, video freezing & HD audio popping/cracking needs to be fixed, stabilized. Also affects Zidoo's X6 player.

[MortUK]

Ok, so I got hold of Avatar overnight and gave that try.... There are major issues playing it with regards to video.... I guess it depends on the video file....

I played Big Hero 6, Dispicable Me 2, Avengers Age of Ultron and Minions.... All in 3D iso with DTS HD audio with no problems...

Yep. Another one that has issues is 'Gravity' 3D. I have over 200 3D rips & haven't tried them all obviously, but macroblocking, video freezing & HD audio popping/cracking needs to be fixed, stabilized. Also affects Zidoo's X6 player.

"Ant Man" also has issues, plays fine in Himedia's internal player though...

[Kilroy]

[futeko.com]

[Kilroy]

[futeko.com]

It should be pretty clear what the ad say and what the machine/box cant, you only have to read treads here and on Kodi, I know that you follow treads on both homepages, things that is claimed that it can do.

So if you realy want it written I can do that but there are serious problems with sound, there are serious problems with Iso 3D, cant play 23.976, subtitles on 3D Iso is hopeless we are talking about up ti 10 seconds from start (where subs work i sync) lipsync is the same.

Sure ordinary small DB rip in mkw folder works fine but that can even machines to half the price also, sure it can be a very good box but right now it aint and that is not mentioned in the ads, neither the 3D/2D iso problem, lipsync or subs out of sync is not mentioned in the add, problems that should work from day one when they where set for sale.

The firmware should not be updated every two months but weekly on a new product if a company decides to sell before all functions are working as surposed.

Picture quality is fine no doubt about that, it realy fast even with a big libary but what is it worth if you have to resync sound and subs every 5 minutes (I dont se that info in the ads) maybee you think my words are a little hard but I only tell the truth, sadly the truth often aint apriciated when its not only positive things that are said.

I have said many positive things here and on Kodi forum but I also say the bad things, when you buy a surposed "premium" player you buy it to get exactly the ability to play the more demanding files flawless and it dont, not even close for now, do a customer have to wait for months before it works as surposed then the machine is sold to early.

I realy dont understand why even asking people about what they want to get added in the future, the goal must and have to be to get exsisting problems fixed first and asap when a unfinished product are sold to customers who thought they got a fully working product.

Would I have bought the box if the fine review HDMkv made on Kodi forum if it where made one day earlier, defenatly not but it where shipped the same day the review so I decided to see what I got and for now Im not impressed if I think on the video player part but again it will probably be very fine in time but when ?

Add did and do not say alpha or Beta product anywhere, the hardware part is very fine but firmware realy need a big improvement, the last firmware did a big difference but still need a lot of work until then I will not be happy or satisfied and the add and the machine will be a perfect fit.

Sure it not positive words and tone are hard but the hard truth are the only way to say things, when the other way is positive then I will talk very positive and recomend highly, for now I cant.

* H8 plays 3D-ISO well. Top 5 of all similar products on the market. There is room for improvement though and it will be further improved.

* We never advertised it as outputting 23.976. Himedia didn't either. Hopefully 23.976 will be added, but it's more down to Rockchip implementing it in chipset firmware.

* Subtitles on 3D ISO, fair enough. This will be improved.

This is an open forum and we appreciate all feedback. I did think your opinion was overly negative, but you are entitled to it.

If Himedia had waited 6 months to release then they'd have lost most sales to companies like Rikomagic, Ugoos who put zero effort into firmware and rush release products virtually weekly based on whatever new hardware is out there. There is a balance to be struck between getting the hardware out and perfecting firmware. I actually think H8 was released too early, the first firmwares were bad. But now, 3 months down the line, the firmware is pretty good.

Himedia have a proven track record of continuous improvement to their products and they will continue to improve H8.

[HDMediaplayer]

That early FW has bugs - OK.
That hardware comes to market too early, because of competitors - OK.
That a lot of missing features will come later - OK.

Normally I am patient,
but H8 is announced/advertised as premium mediaplayer and >90% of the actual movies are in 23.976!!! So don't tell the people "Hopefully 23.976 will be added".
It is absolutely no question HiMedia and Rockchip have to implement it in the next weeks or the H8 customers are very annoyed, me included.
And the opinions in the forums are not good about Rockchip today. If they disappoint end-customers again, people will also lose the trust in Himedia and their, then bad decision to go with a RK SoC. (The SoC is the key component in the box, so I think HiMedia had choosen a supplier in which they can trust implicitly.)
So 23.976 is no question of hope this is an absolute must.


To your praise and glory of the H8:
Sorry Kodi plays some 3D-ISOs well but also some others not. - So this is C- grade.
Himedia player as temporary workaround plays 3D-ISO better but without forced subtitles. This means in practise no subtitles. - This is C+ grade.
And also standard files are not played well - I still use my very old and very slow Asus media player. (I would be happy if I could use my H8 with Kodi instead.)
What would you say if your car would be half the time in the workshop? - It is a useless car!

H8 is a premium box for a premium price. So it has to have A+ or minimum A grade and not C+ as HDMKV wrote very friendly here http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=247537.
A mediaplayer with C+ grade is practically useless!

So from a customer point of view I can understand why Kilroy is upset.

[MortUK]