UBetIFold;389269 wroteEdit: TLDR. Cliffs: box - good, Internet - bad
Initial thoughts
Unpack and plug it in, as previously mentioned it starts updating right away. After update was complete I tested how it would play videos from my computer through the network. It works about the same as another dlna device I have. Although I don't like the layout, having to go through file by file which I have hundreds of tv shows / movies doesn't seem the most intuitive. It's also possible I could change the view setting for a better layout which I didn't look for a whole bunch.
From loading pages, switching apps etc, it's fast, really fast, just as other reviews have said. Something about a 8 core video something or other and quad core processor.
Initial setup is done with wifi, connected to network good and started update soon after automatically.
Went into kodi (labeled media center on home screen) haven't downloaded any new repositories yet to get the best add ons (1channel, Phoenix etx) I guess it comes with one built in already.
I d/l'ed a hgtv program, you tube, sportsnet 3. Opened up hgtv and proceed to play the first thing there. House hunters.
This is where I'm at now, as I've seemed to have encountered a problem. It'll play great, amazing picture and sound......for about 10 seconds then it starts buffering.
Back to the home screen, there is a browser tab, open that and go to a speed test page thinking its probably my wifi. It's coming up with only 2.88 d/l, and 2.18 u/l. Go upstairs to where my main desktop (hard wired internet) and wifi router are located and perform the same test from the same website. I'm getting 13.3 D/L and about the same U/L as the G box.
This is also down from when I also tested the other day, possibly it's a peak time right now not sure.
So now I'm not sure, I don't even know how possible it's going to be to get a wired Internet connection to that box without running it under doors and down the stairs.
Any suggestions?
That's interesting about the view thing you mentioned. Sounds like the same thing my wdtv does when it hiccups with the network shares. I can't see anything new I've added to my pc, and I have to scroll through every single song, picture and movie I have in that media directory to find what I'm looking for. Hope that gets figured out here with the Gbox.
It's weird that you're getting such a low dl rate relative to your ul rate downstairs from wifi. That's gotta be a wifi issue since your hardwired connection ratio is more what I would expect (13.3./2.8). Argh, that's gonna be a pain having to run an ethernet line that far. How old is your router? A year or so ago, we were having wifi issues. I think Comp suggested a new router as mine was several years old. I invested in a new one and problem solved.
I'm always impressed when I'm working in newer homes and they're completely wired with this stuff in mind. One central location for all the required hardware (modem/router, etc.), and every room is hard wired with ethernet. Luckily, our house is so small that pretty much nothing can physically be more than 25' away from the router!
I'm gonna have to do some self editing when talking to my wife about this thing and try and remember not to mention that we might be able to get the hgtv stuff. I got rid of cable tv hoping I'd never have to see stuff like House Hunters ever again.