So this is what they have been working on .... The Humax A1
Spec Sheet:
My Humax Forum » Freeview HD » Aura UHD
So Will the Aura Get Android TV 11 & Netflix?
(10 posts)-
| Tue 30 May 2023 13:15:47 #1 |
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This just seems to be an Android box without a HDD so it is not a PVR. Since I have a Sony A80J OLED TV with Google TV, I do not think that I will have any use for this. Recently, I have been using Freesat rather than Freeview due to it having more HD channels and the SD picture quality seems to be better.
| Tue 30 May 2023 13:41:40 #2 | -
Quite why anyone would buy this box is beyond me going by Humax's lack of support for the Aura with no updates for about 2 years and numerous bugs/issues still to be resolved.
| Tue 30 May 2023 14:24:25 #3 | -
So what does this do that you can't do with a "Google Chromecast 4k"?
| Wed 31 May 2023 12:55:42 #4 | -
Nothing by the looks of it.
Apparently, the UK broadcasters’ apps – BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and My5 are NOT currently compatible with the A1, but they may be added in the future.
Go figure that one out!
| Wed 31 May 2023 13:35:25 #5 | -
Actually that's not entirely unheard of for brand-new devices that have just been released due to the way that the broadcaster apps have too be licensed. Especially in the case of iPlayer and it wouldn't surprise me if ITV now does something similar with ITVX.
Typically, the broadcaster apps have to go through a certification process on particular devices in which devices added to a white list. Basically, when the broadcast at starts up. device details are compared against the device white list that is held on the servers of the service concerned. If the details don't match up with what is on that list, then the apps aren't able to run . I think what probably happened here is that Humax neglected to tell UK broadcasters that they were launching this device, so this process must now be started after the launch. Bit silly, isn't it.
But I think it has something to do with the apps giving people access to UK broadcast channels.
Back in the days when I beta tested a few of the Now branded devices . We used to have no end of trouble with iPlayer in particular due to what I described above
The one app we will probably never get the is all4 as Channel 4 don't support any android TV/Google TV device that isn't also Freeview play certified
| Wed 31 May 2023 19:11:26 #6 | -
To answer matts question. The only thing I can think of is expandable storage as the A1 has an SD card slot which would enable apps to be transferred to SD card, assuming the developer allows it. One of the major problems that the Google TV dongle has is that it only has eight gig internal flash storage and no expandable storage capability. Unless you use an ATG cable, then everything just looks an ungodly mess
AV1 video decoding is also supported by the A1 box. This is a video codec that is increasingly used by the likes of Google, Netflix and Amazon due to its efficiency in comparison to older video codecs. This codec is not supported by the Google TV 4k dongle. But, oddly, is supported by the HD version
| Wed 31 May 2023 19:16:52 #7 | -
MattB1 - 3 weeks ago »
So what does this do that you can't do with a "Google Chromecast 4k"?Nothing but the Chromecast with Google TV doesn't have memory expansion or a network port built in.
Both could be crucial.
The Humax A1 has an over the top selection of ports:
Ethernet X1
MicroSD X1
USB A X2
USB C X1
3.5mm audio port x1To add storage to the Chromecast with Google TV you need to buy a USB C Hub with Power Delivery so you can plug it's USB C cable into the hub.
To add ethernet to the Chromecast with Google TV you can either use the same hub if it's got an ethernet port or pay £20 for the official Google plug with an ethernet port.
So you're soon paying more than the Humax A1 £60.
And it's a lot messier but certainly doable.
Ash21 - 3 weeks ago » the A1 has an SD card slot which would enable apps to be transferred to SD card, assuming the developer allows it.
That isn't essential as you can also format the extra memory as internal storage. You'd then not be able to unplug it but it increases the storage android can access.
Samsung phones by design don't support this but it's been an Android feature for many years.
| Tue 27 Jun 2023 19:58:29 #8 | -
A mate has a Humax A1. It's good. Not the fastest in the world but by no means sluggish.
He considered replacing it for the Chromecast with Google TV but his WiFi is sketchy so he's keeping it and uses the ethernet port.
To connect the Humax A1 to ethernet, I recommended he get an ethernet powerline pack. They're about £30 on Amazon.
You just plug one into a wall socket next to the Humax A1 and one into a wall socket next to the router. Then plug in the ethernet cable that comes in the box into the Humax A1 and into the powerline plug.
Then the same for the one that's by the router. Literally just plug it in and it works.
He's also got an older Humax Youview box which has iPlayer. So for him it's no loss the Humax A1 doesn't have these.
| Tue 27 Jun 2023 20:00:59 #9 | -
The Google TV interface is a little better than Android TV but not by a lot. It's still based on Android TV. Both have Google Play to install your own apps.
And you can still Chromecast iPlayer to the Humax A1.
Both the Humax A1 and Chromecast with Google TV have 8GB internal storage and 2GB memory (1.5GB on the CCWGTV HD model).
| Tue 27 Jun 2023 20:08:08 #10 |
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