Dolby Vision for Minix U22X-J (Max) and Ugoos AM6+

[madmanmoon]

This has now arrived, @Portisch … I’m on site now to find what I need to do to flash everything.

But for anyone that cares? … ugoos .store seems to be pretty much OK. Although there was a loose / broken internal standoff. But that could be the same from anywhere.

@madmanmoon

I fear I have been rash … I bought a Ugoos AM6B Plus 2021 from ugoos .store.

I checked them out on a fair few security sites, and they looked OK. But it only just dawned on me that it’s not mentioned on ugoos .com … That said, they do have a number of disparate sites … so hopefully it’s OK!

Either way, I’ll be more than happy to test anything that you like if/when it arrives.

[borygo]

Have you got it running already?
There is one more in stock and I’m about to pull the trigger

Do you have any experience with s905x4 boxes? Is there significant speed boost over it?

[speedy]

@Portisch

Android uses the closed source mediacodec and awsome decoder. So we don’t know how to fix FEL at all. It’s a issue with the decoder maybe as the FEL frames fail to decode and block the stream at all.

Has anyone reached out to Minix and/or Ugoos to see if they’d be willing to help figure this out? They’d sell a ton of these devices if true Player-led Profile 7 Dolby Vision were possible.

[ludotaku]

I was about to buy a used Ugoos Am6b when I saw it would be Dolby Vision compatible but I had no idea it would more complicated than just being able to decode DV or not because of all these profiles.
It may be safe to keep my GT King until a stable version is released as I mostly interested in getting DV on UHD discs ISOs or remuxed MKVs.
Thanks for all the hard work on CE.

[speedy]

@ludotaku

I was about to buy a used Ugoos Am6b when I saw it would be Dolby Vision compatible but I had no idea it would more complicated than just being able to decode DV or not because of all these profiles.

Your safest bet for now is a Homatics BR4K+ (or one of the sibling S905X4 devices). These can reliably display properly mastered Dolby Vision Profile 8.1 files.

The only files you don’t want to directly convert to Profile 8.1 are Profiles 7 FEL files where the FEL Expands Brightness. The only way to properly watch these movies is with a FEL-capable Blu-ray player or by manually generating DoVi/HDR10+ dynamic metadata in DaVinci Resolve Studio.

[ludotaku]

Thanks for the advice but I would like to keep a S922X as it is the best for EmuELEC since I use my box with both CoreELEC and EmuELEC (even if its future is uncertain at this moment).
I will check how to generate dynamic metadata to see if it’s worth the effort.
Your message really helps understanding how DV works.

[madmanmoon]

I might have been blind, but didn’t see this piece of advice for UGOOS AM6b Plus ( AM6b+ ) users attempting this.

I couldn’t work out how to trigger the CoreELEC install, since there’s no option to boot to SD in the (poor, soz ugoos!) Android experience. The usual recommendation found online involved holding the power button (which may be dodge on mine) or holding the power on the remote (which I don’t understand as it’s bluetooth) to provide dual boot options.

ANYWAY.

If you flip the device over, there is a pinhole ‘Recovery’ boot button. If you hold this down whilst powering on (which may mean an awkward slide in of the PSU barrel) then it will look at the SD card, and boot, install, resize, and configure, CoreELEC for you.

---

For those that care, after that I managed to test a couple of files and managed to get DV out of the gate on both medium and high bitrate content from an MKV. A few sparkles and issues with some 1080p SDR, but I’m sure I’ll figure that out … it’s usually cable related, but I’ll check the cables as best I can.

However … I’m currently at the stage (that I feel has happened before) with CoreELEC where everything looks hunky-dory, but no sound is being delivered by the HDMI options.

Passthrough required, obviously, otherwise what’s the point.

This isn’t a request for help on the matter, however it is updating folks on how me (a dumbass, who’s done this two or three times on various devices) can cuff up somehow and not know how. I’m here now to trawl forums for answer, with a full on raging deja vu boner.

Suffice to say, at least I’m motoring now.

[madmanmoon]

Sorry, @ragico … I can’t seem to find the way to personal message you!

I’m not expecting you to reply to this, but if you have any tips on getting the sound working I’d be all ears, mate.

@ragico

Testing now on Ugoos AM6B plus.
Dovi p8.1 woks flawlessly, audio Dolby Atmos True HD Ok in passtrough. Will test P5 and P7 and report.

Edit: Profile 5 ok. Problems with profile 7. Tried with default settings and the colors are very very bright and wrong . Tried with min.EL setting and also with lossless and got yellow or red screen.
HDR 10+ ok.
I use this device in android with @monsoons’ kodi build and it works perfectly with P7 engaging the 2 video decoders…
You are fantastic devs.

[ragico]

I have the Ugoos directly connected to one of the hdmi ports of my TV and my TV is connected via eARC to a soundbar,
Audio setting in CE is very simple. In System you leave Audio output device default Alsa:AML-AUGESOUND, HDMI Multi ch PCM… Leave all the configurarions as they are by default. Then Allow passtrough and, change output device from the default Alsa:AML-AUGESOUND, S/PDIF to ALSA: AML.AUGESOUND, HDMI. After that enable all the audio formats of your choice.
That’s all

[madmanmoon]

Cheers!

First off, mind … nothing is ‘very simple’ if you don’t know it.

Secondly, I actually did all of this (I have normal ARC but only played back non-HD sound), but not in that exact order.

---

I switched to HDMI before setting the passthrough. Was that my mistake?

That feels like something that shouldn’t be possible if it’s going to screw things up, no?

Also, have I now interminably set the sound to be kerfunkled? Or is there a way back to basics?

( again, no response is expected, but if you’re bored enough, I’m listening )

@ragico

I have the Ugoos directly connected to one of the hdmi ports of my TV and my TV is connected via eARC to a soundbar,
Audio setting in CE is very simple. In System you leave Audio output device default Alsa:AML-AUGESOUND, HDMI Multi ch PCM… Leave all the configurarions as they are by default. Then Allow passtroughand, change output device from the default Alsa:AML-AUGESOUND, S/PDIF to ALSA: AML.AUGESOUND, HDMI. After that enable all the audio formats of your choice.
That’s all

[borygo]

Where do you expecting sound from ? Do you have any av receiver or sound bar ?
Let us know your setup
You won’t get sound if you enable pass through and use only tv speakers

[madmanmoon]

Yes, mate. Well aware.

[qq185929728]

Testing now on Minix U22X-J Max
dv works flawlessly
but there is a serious problem，The network cable connection often fails to obtain the ip address.
wifi is ok.
This is true in both 20.2 and 21 versions

[Zuma]

This problem sometimes happens to me, and the reason is a problem with the cable or router
try change cable or restart router

[qq185929728]

try to reboot sometimes is ok
But the device restarted again and it reappeared

[freddy]

Both ethernet and wifi are in ready status.

Click on wifi
And disconnect.
Status will change to idle

Ethernet will hold now.

Happy Testing

[qq185929728]

thanks for reply，disconnect wifi Ethernet still no internet

[Portisch]

Wrong CE version? Wrong DTB?
https://wiki.coreelec.org/coreelec:ce_support

[Janaboy]

If i downgrade to Nexus will I have DV?
Ugoos box.
Just following the restructuring inductions…
How can i even downgrade without reinstall?
The guide is not working.

[YadaYada]

@Portisch Could this DV support potentially work with the 2nd gen Cube (s922z / s922x rev b variant)? It does have Dolby Vision support in FireOS. I’m not sure if Amazon’s implementation is the same as Minix and Ugoos.