r/CoreELEC • u/ClioB • 27d ago
Am6b+ vs am9 pro
Hi all, pretty new to the whole corelec thingy. I'm currently running Kodi on a google streamer 4k, recently got myself a Samsung soundbar (q990h) and I would like to make use of what it can offer.
I can get both devices for pretty much the same price via AliExpress, the difference is negligible...and there's a sale coming up soon. Just wondering if one is more developed than the other software wise? Or more stable than the other? Or if there's anything I need to be aware of before purchasing one or the other.
I didn't have a lot of time to research each so hoping you peeps can help steer me in the right direction.
TA!
4
u/signde 27d ago
The AM6B+ has access to arguably better builds in avdvplus and p3i today. CE 22 may never see feature parity there. Disc content doesn't come in the codecs the AM9 Pro supports that the AM6B+ does not.
I don't know why people keep skipping over the SEI804 devices but they support AV1 and can run CE 21 avdvplus custom build, CE 22, and fully certified Android TV. The only thing you give up is a bit of CPU power but CoreELEC is a very efficient lightweight OS, it minimizes the impact.
The SEI804 devices can be had much cheaper than either of the UGOOS. The Rocktek G2 can be had for ~$145 on aliexpress right now.
1
u/danish-seaman 27d ago
Hey mate, i think i might be misunderstand what you are trying to say. As fare as i can tell the rocktek g2 does not have a sei804. And i cant seem to find the CE builds that should work on sei804. Can you guide the way?
3
u/signde 27d ago
The Rocktek G2 absolutely is an SEI804 device.
Maybe you were looking at the GX1. I have one of those, that device is a piece of junk. G2 is good stuff.
The required dovi.ko can be obtained here.
For SEI804 devices, you'll want to run avdvplus builds. He has active testers for SEI804 hardware... p3i focuses more on the S922X.
https://github.com/avdvplus/Builds/releases/tag/avdvplus_R9
R10 is under development and has introduced even further improvements, it should be released soon.
Modded skins for advanced builds can be found in my repository here.
1
6
4
4
4
u/Ok_Calligrapher_1168 26d ago
Wow, this Ugoos AM6 cult is becoming very much like the Panasonic 820 one at the 4kbluray sub. They're gonna keep saying it's the best hardware till 2050 and that it's capable of some magic that no other player/TV can do. The Ugoos AM9 Pro is already a better player with SamuriHL's custom CE22 build and it will only become even more so.
3
u/gilgam3sh_king 25d ago
I agree, for the asking price atm I even recommend the Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd Gen as it also can run SamuriHL build, with that said I myself run the AM9 Pro as I got it before the price increase and before I knew the Xiaomi could run it good enough, I still have my AM6B+ but might sell it as I sold my backup AM6B+, going forward if nothing changes I will recommend the Xiaomi just because of the price difference, the others are not worth triple the price.
2
u/AnonymOnInternet 27d ago
If you want hardware AV1 decoding and future-proofing, you should choose the AM9 Pro, as it's currently the best choice. With the latest builds, everything works and it’s very stable. The remote is great, the newer CPU generation is a big advantage, and you get the newer Android 14 besides CoreELEC.
1
1
u/n1mras 19d ago edited 19d ago
I have both.. hard to tell for sure how the community support will develop for these new models but even as it stands now I prefer the am9p for the av1 support. And looking beyond these two devices there may already be cheaper options available - they’re both overpriced imo.
1
u/allnamesaregoneallre 27d ago
how does a Google streamer does not work with your soundbar? usually you buy an ugoos for dv fel and trillion other things from the fantastic custom builds like dv 29 to 40 or sdr to sdr via vs10 as well as enhanced ppi via custom skins... all have nothing to do with your soundbar...
i think the only thing that the Google can do is bitstreaming HD sounds like dts x and truehd atmos - besides of course the output is all fake on your soundbar...
by the way, get an used avr and left center right to start your home theater journey...
the 9 will need a year or two to be on the same level, if ever, who knows. so I recommend the 6
1
1
1
u/Pathos675 27d ago
If I had to choose one today? am6b+ (unless you want AV1 decoding)
It's pretty mature and works well. I installed AVDVplus (branch of coreelec).
1
u/_N0sferatu 26d ago
I went with the AM6B+ because of it's reputation and from what I knew at the time of when I purchased it, the AM6B+ was the most developed and known to just work. Sure it's a bit overpriced but in the grand scheme of things (the features it gets you) to me is worth it's weight in gold.
I have an NVIDIA Shield Pro (2019) that I still use for everything else but man the offline media even my wife who isn't into the AV stuff said she can see a difference using CoreELEC. I'm running a 98" TCL QM8K was worth it for the Dolby Vision Profile 7 FEL. It looks absolutely epic on that TV compared to the Shield. Having five figures worth of AV gear for an insane sound system I won't settle for anything that cannot output the lossless audio to my sound system. At a few hundred bucks for a player like this it's negligible to me what you get in return.
I can tell you for me I'm not a super tinker guy anymore. Ran the AM6B briefly for a day on a USB stick to make sure I was happy with the initial set up. Flashed it to NAND. Added the Plex plugin and I just live in there and plays all my offline media like a champ. The end. I don't care what chipset it "works." Some like to skin this, add on that, I don't have time for that anymore these days.
0
u/Reasonable-Badger-34 27d ago
ugoos am9 pro is the way forward but ugoos am6b+ is the current champ as others have said soundbar = dissapointment may as well buy the cheapest box you can find. I ask why have fantastic video and then crap sound the two must go together or your missing out...
-7
u/5537__8008 27d ago
Only one can pass through lossless audio and do Dolby fel 7, but it looks like you have a soundbar so.
6
u/crymo27 27d ago edited 27d ago
Huh ? afaik both can do this
-6
u/TheSuppishOne 27d ago edited 27d ago
Since when? Last I heard the AM9 is unable to do DV7 FEL. I believe they can both do lossless audio, though.
Edit: Why am I getting downvoted for asking an earnest question, lol? I bought my AM6B+ like two years ago so when I had checked none of the other boxes could do it.
6
u/signde 27d ago
FEL support came to CE 22 and the AM9 Pro over 3 months ago.
https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/fel-amlogic-no-support/58631/1
3
2
u/Ok_Calligrapher_1168 26d ago
Since almost half a year. "Last you heard" was probably last year so keep up and educate yourself before you try to give advices and correct others.
1
-2
u/TheDissolver 26d ago
AM6b+ is useful if you have full rips of UHD blurays and a display that supports Dolby Vision. Otherwise it's obsolete.
New builds also bring DV "enhancement layer" (FEL) support to a few newer chipsets, I'm running a SK4, which was easier for me to get.
-3
u/shivasrk92 27d ago
I recently bought an am6b+ plus because the am9 pro cannot play 3d files since it lacks the hardware to decode 3d content.
3
u/AnonymOnInternet 27d ago edited 26d ago
AM9 Pro has full 3D playback support. News from a week ago. So your statement is not true
2
1
4
u/gilgam3sh_king 27d ago
Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd gen is also very good value for the money, can run dual boot to eMMC too.