Recommendation for best 5V/2.4a powered hardware?

Hi,

I currently have a small Motorhome, setup with a portable projector, 4G router, Firestick 4K and an Anker Bluetooth speaker.

All are powered by an Anker powerbank (the projector/router/speaker also have their own batteries when needed)

Usual usage is Netflix, Prime and Plex. They work perfectly with the current setup.
However I’ve being doing more ‘wild camping’ and sometimes I don’t have any mobile/data signal.
What I’ve ended up doing in those situations is using an OTG cable/USB drive on the Firestick, sideload Kodi and copy content from my Media server when at home to play when out.
I came across some issues:

  1. All my content is BD MKV backups made with MakeMKV, the Firestick only supports FAT32 filesystem so this meant I had to add an extra step of converting the file down below 4GB just so I could take it with me to play, I don’t want to have to do this.
  2. Kodi isn’t an offical app on the Firestick and it is a bit buggy and can be slow.

So I’m looking for something to replace the Firestick for local playback.
My friend said he just got a new ODROID N2/CoreELEC setup and loves it, but after a quick look it seems it is 12V input (that’s what brought me here to ask .)

Must have:

  1. 5V/2.4 PSU
  2. Ability to play BD MKV’s in CoreELEC from USB stick formatted with a filesystem that can store BD size rips.
  3. Smooth interface, no lag or slow loading etc.
    Nice to have:
  4. Bluetooth transmitter for connecting the speaker (is this possible in CoreELEC?)

Budget - $100-$150.

I know I can use my 12V vehicle power, but I want to avoid this as it powers everything else in the van.

Thanks for any help.

Incorrect. All boxes supported by coreelec run on 5v except n2.

The H96 Pro Plus comes with a 5V 2A power supply, it probably could use the 2.4 amps in times of highest load (I bought a 3A supply to be sure). It has bluetooth that connects to headphones and speakers.

As with most of these devices, they run hot and replacing the existing heatsink with a larger one that extends outside the case cover will help maintain reasonable temperatures, especially in a mobile environment where the ambient temperature is often not well controlled.

Many CoreElec devices are similar, this being one of the higher end with a S912 SOC. S905* should be adequate for the 1080P capability you require. Those will tend to use less power and run a bit cooler and might be a better fit even if you need to add a USB bluetooth dongle. As noted, almost all use 5V at <=2A nominal.

Most bang for your buck will likely be putting together an Odroid C2 system.

SBC:
$46.95 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/odroid-c2

32GB MicroSD card:
$7.99 USD - https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-MicroSD-Adapter-MB-ME32GA-AM/dp/B06XWN9Q99/

USB Bluetooth Dongle:
$5.95 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/usb-bluetooth-module-2

USB WiFi Dongle (if you wish to go the WiFi route) with decent range for camping sites with Wifi:
$6.95 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/wifi-module-3

Regular Case (though most Raspberry Pi cases work too):
$5.95 - https://ameridroid.com/products/odroid-c1-c2-case

USB-to-1.35mm barrel power connector cable:
$4.49 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/usb-to-dc-plug-cable-3-5mm

Powering from the 3.5mm jack (vs MicroUSB OTG) can save power and give you more time on the battery, as long as you remove the J1 jumper, per instructions:

https://wiki.odroid.com/odroid-c2/hardware/otg_power_enable

As an addendum, I’d feel I’d be remiss not to mention using an eMMC instead of a MicroSD card on the C2. You’ll get improved speeds over what already runs relatively snappy, but they cost more per GB. Either way, you’ll need to burn the CoreELEC image onto your storage medium of choice.

A 16GB eMMC should be more than big enough for CoreELEC (just overwrite the preinstalled Linux):
$14.95 USD (on sale now) - https://ameridroid.com/products/emmc-module-c2-linux-red-box?variant=7245907460130

But would also require a USB-eMMC writer like this:
$12.95 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/usb-3-0-emmc-module-writer
or a MicroSD-eMMC adapter like this:
$3.99 USD - https://ameridroid.com/products/emmc-adapter

In regards to the hardkernel eMMC modules. They do have an advantage over the onboard eMMC of other devices, in that they are compatible between Hardkernel devices, plus you can pick what size you want. So if you decide a year or two down the road to upgrade from the C2 to maybe an N2 or an other newer Hardkernel device, you can re-use the same eMMC module you already have for the C2 just by flashing the OS for the new device on it.

The removable eMMC module with the usb 3 eMMC writer also has an advantage over internal eMMC in that you never have to worry about bricking the device since you can always attach the eMMC module to the writer, plug it into your computer and reflash an OS as easy as you would with an microsd card.

Excellent point.

Where’s the 5V supply feed from? The N2 at 12V won’t use more than a similar 5V device. The N2 uses latest fabrication (less power) than older chips/boards I’d reckon.

Edit: These power supplies are their Rated Max, not actual power consumption. The N2’s 12V/2A (24VA) is provided to drive 5 USB ports plus additional boards. As a media player it uses next to nothing.

True. But it can be risky going with the bare minimum. Your PSU will never supply more current than the device needs, but using a higher current supply ensures you’ve got what you need when you need it (like the spin-up of HDDs), and puts less wear and tear on it, prolonging it’s life.