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> Currently, for most devices only software decode of audio and video is hooked up. This is a good start, but ultimately, you need hardware decoding. Even if a

> Currently, for most devices only software decode of audio and video is hooked up. This is a good start, but ultimately, you need hardware decoding. Even if a modern phone or tablet could decode 720p x264 in real time (many cannot), the battery usage would make it entirely untenable.

stcredzero 14y ago
Yes, but you could put your tablet on a charger and hook it to the TV. If you then had a remote control app on your phone, that would be perfect. Even better, someone designs a snazzy dock for this function, which may or may not have its own purpose-built remote/controller. Voila, your tablet is now also a media center box. (And could even function as a low-power game box.)
- elemeno 14y ago
  Or get a Gen 1 or Gen 2 AppleTV, both of which are (very) easily rootable and can run XMBC smoothly and cost less than half the price of the Android tablets I've seen.
  - vizzah 14y ago
    There is no 1080p support on AppleTV before v3 (which isn't jailbroken yet) - a major deal-breaker for me, for a home media player.
  - sandGorgon 14y ago
    But what about the AK802 Android 4.0 micro-pc network player with 1.5ghz Cortex A8, 1GB RAM, 4GB flash, HDMI for less than $70 ? Its the size of s thumb drive, so you could make a keychain out of it. XBMC for Android should make this playable out of the box (no root necessary). Pretty cool.
patrickod 14y ago
Is there a list of devices that currently have hardware decoding supported?
- mtgx 14y ago
  I think all dual core phones and up support 720p decoding pretty well.
- darklajid 14y ago
  The article talks about the Pivos box already, it's supposed to be (check first!) this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088IGPM8 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088IGPM8 Not affiliated, no experience with that thing, but I think that's the only device with hardware decoding support as stated by the article.
- nl 14y ago
  Practically any device (eg, $60 Deal Extreme set top boxes) has some hardware decoding these days (H264 decoding at least). Whether it is used by XMBC is another matter.

stcredzero 14y ago

Yes, but you could put your tablet on a charger and hook it to the TV. If you then had a remote control app on your phone, that would be perfect. Even better, someone designs a snazzy dock for this function, which may or may not have its own purpose-built remote/controller. Voila, your tablet is now also a media center box. (And could even function as a low-power game box.)

elemeno 14y ago
Or get a Gen 1 or Gen 2 AppleTV, both of which are (very) easily rootable and can run XMBC smoothly and cost less than half the price of the Android tablets I've seen.
- vizzah 14y ago
  There is no 1080p support on AppleTV before v3 (which isn't jailbroken yet) - a major deal-breaker for me, for a home media player.
- sandGorgon 14y ago
  But what about the AK802 Android 4.0 micro-pc network player with 1.5ghz Cortex A8, 1GB RAM, 4GB flash, HDMI for less than $70 ? Its the size of s thumb drive, so you could make a keychain out of it. XBMC for Android should make this playable out of the box (no root necessary). Pretty cool.

patrickod 14y ago

Is there a list of devices that currently have hardware decoding supported?

mtgx 14y ago
I think all dual core phones and up support 720p decoding pretty well.
darklajid 14y ago
The article talks about the Pivos box already, it's supposed to be (check first!) this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088IGPM8 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088IGPM8 Not affiliated, no experience with that thing, but I think that's the only device with hardware decoding support as stated by the article.
nl 14y ago
Practically any device (eg, $60 Deal Extreme set top boxes) has some hardware decoding these days (H264 decoding at least). Whether it is used by XMBC is another matter.