Mediaplayer 4K Cloud Media Popcorn Hour A-500: il degno successore di A-400 e A-410!

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Nel marzo 2014 iniziavamo a discutere di come sarebbe potuto essere il modello A-500
http://www.avmagazine.it/forum/40-bd...a-fare-insieme
a fine agosto 2015 Cloud Media ha annunciato il progetto dell'A-500 Pro
http://www.avmagazine.it/forum/128-c...sto?highlight=
ma in una recente comunicazione odierna ai (futuri, dal prossimo giugno) possessori dell'A-500 Pro, ha informato che annuncerà il nuovo A-500, simile al PRO fatta eccezione per le pregiate uscite analogiche stereo, non presenti, e del lato Android/Netflix/Chameleon. Sarò reso disponibile per l'acquisto da metà maggio prossima.

I crowfunders saranno quindi accontentati tra un po'. Gli altri subito!

Per le caratteristiche tecniche, potete intanto far riferimento al thread del Pro:
http://www.avmagazine.it/forum/128-c...o-il-suo-posto

Oppure - meglio - verificare le sue proprie qui di seguito: http://cloudmedia.com/products/popcornhour/a-500

Distribuito e acquistabile direttamente da Cloudmedia
oppure in italia dall'importatore 3DM srl: http://www.popcornhour.it/A500.aspx

Comunque, la serie dei chip Sigma installati sui Poppy è la seguente:

A-100 Sigma 8635
A-200 Sigma 8643
A-300 Sigma 8647
A-400 Sigma 8911
V-TEN Sigma 8757

A-500 Sigma 8758
http://www.sigmadesigns.com/news/sig...p-box-chipset/

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/set-top-...rid-socs/Sigma
Designs set-top box (STB) media processing solutions include a broad range of products, supporting everything from entry-level SD/HD video services to premium Ultra HDTV. Designed to meet the various requirements of service providers around the world, Sigma IPTV and hybrid STB processors support the latest standards in the media industry, including: HEVC (H.265) compression; new software technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript and OTT streaming; and advanced UI and content search capabilities.
Sigma brings more than a decade of experience in developing and deploying IPTV solutions, as well as a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for hybrid IP and traditional broadcast (cable, satellite, or terrestrial) services.

	SMP8672	SMP8674	SMP8756	SMP8758
Target Applications	Value-line IPTV and hybrid STBs with 3D graphics support	Value-line IPTV and hybrid STBs with CAS; power-efficient small form factor streamers	High-performance FHD-capable IPTV, hybrid STBs, HEVC capable streaming thin clients	High-performance UHD-capable IPTV, hybrid STBs and HEVC 4Kp30 VOD support
Applications Processor/DMIPS	MIPS 74K (800MHz) 1600 DMIPS	MIPS 24Kf (700MHz) 1008 DMIPS	ARM A9 (1.2GHz) 3000 DMIPS	ARM A9 dual-core (1.2GHz) 6000 DMIPS
Decode Resolution	1x FHD	1x FHD	2x FHD	2x FHD
CODECs	H.264, MPEG-4.2-ASP, SMPTE 421M, AVS, H.261, DV, AAC, HE-AAC, Dolby MS-11, DTS, WMA9	H.264, MPEG-4.2-ASP, SMPTE 421M, AVS, H.261, DV, AAC, HE-AAC, Dolby MS-11, DTS, WMA9	HEVC, VP9, H.264, MPEG-4.2-ASP, SMPTE 421M, AVS, H.261, DV, AAC, HE-AAC, Dolby MS-12, DTS, WMA9	HEVC, VP9, H.264, MPEG-4.2-ASP, SMPTE 421M, AVS, H.261, DV AAC, HE-AAC, Dolby MS-12, DTS, WMA9
OS	Linux	Linux	Linux, Android	Linux, Android

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Firmware:

[A-500] [03 May 2016] Release date: 03 May 2016
Firmware version: 01-01-160429-25-POP-432-802

Release Notes: This is an initiate release that included all the features and improvement we have done for the last couple of months until today for both VTEN and A-500. Major features include

1. Perfect YCbCr color
2. Dolby ATMOS, DTS: X HDMI Bitstream (Passthrough)
3. 3D Subtitles
4. Better SACD, DSF & DFF support
5. Gapless audio playback for DSD, FLAC, MP3 & WAV
6. BL-WDN600 802.11ac Wifi USB Adapter (MT7610U 802.11ac driver) support
7. MKV MVC
8. SACD DST (Stereo tracks only due to DST required very high CPU power to decode)
9. Many more bug fixes and enhancement

NMT Apps Version : 01-01-160105-25-POP-432

Note: Unzip into the root of your USB thumb drive.
Go to Setup->Maintenance->NMT Setup Wizard, and it will pick up the file apps.nmt

http://files.syabas.com/popcornhour/firm...32-802.zip

Mobile NMJ and NMJ Navigator also available at Google Play Store and App Store
1. Mobile NMJ
- Android version 1.0.4
https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...mj.android

- iOS version 1.0.3
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobile-n...?ls=1&mt=8

2. NMJ Navigator
- Android version 1.0.10
https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...d.activity

- iOS version 1.0.9
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nmj-navi...44146?mt=8

[A-500 & A-500U] [21 July 2016] Release Date: 21 July 2016

A-500
Firmware version: 01-05-160714-25-POP-432-802
http://files.syabas.com/popcornhour/firm...32-802.zip

A-500U
Firmware version: 01-05-160714-25-POP-433-802
http://files.syabas.com/popcornhour/firm...33-802.zip


Firmware Update Steps:
1. Unzip the downloaded file into the root directory of a USB thumb drive
2. Plug the USB thumb drive into USB port of A-500/A-500U
3. Access to Setup->Maintenance in UI
4. Select Firmware Update and press Enter on the "Check For Firmware Update" button
5. If the file a500-update.bin/a500u-update.bin is found in the USB thumb drive, it will prompt for firmware update

*Alternately you can access to Setup->Maintenance in UI to perform online update as well.

NMT Apps Update Steps:
1. Unzip the downloaded file into the root directory of your USB thumb drive
2. Plug the USB thumb drive into USB port of A-500/A-500U
2. Access to Setup->Maintenance->NMT Setup Wizard, and it will start the update when apps.nmt is found in the USB thumb drive

*Alternately you can access to Setup->NMT Setup Wizard in UI to perform online update as well.

Firmware Release Notes:
- Fixed PGS drop during multiple ts seamless transition
- Fixed certain APE version 3.97 or earlier unable to start playback issue
- Fixed some ASS next line tag unable to take effect issue
- Set ASS border color to default black if primary color happens to be same as border color
- Fixed SRT color tag unable to display at correct position when encoding in other languages like Greek
- Fixed WAV PCM 5.0 wrong channels mapping issue
- Fixed Youtube video with pipe character title crash issue
- Fixed some PGS subtitle show wrong position and corrupted subtitle display issue
- Removed redundant 1KB size indicator for BDMV or DVD folder
- Added support for multi-channels ALAC codec (M4A). Note: Gapless playback and ID3 support will implement later.
- Fixed PGS sometimes display too fast issue
- Fixed some FLAC skip few seconds during gapless transition
- Fixed WAV 3, 4, 5 and 7.1 channels unable to start playback issue
- Changed LPCM 3 channels layout from 2.1 to 3.0
- Fixed BDMV or BDISO, M2TS, TS unable to auto stop playback or repeat after finish issue
- Fixed some MPEG AVI playback has no video display issue
- Fixed vobsub 3D rendering issue
- Fixed vobsub and sub idx sometime not being rendered issue
- Fixed external subtitle out of sync after seeking in BDISO or BDMV issue
- Fixed 25fps HEVC video not showing issue when framerate sync turn on
- Fixed setting display to 4K output causing no display upon reboot issue
- Fixed NMJ Wall and List view browsing error issue
- Fixed some FLAC causing static sound and skip during gapless playback transition issue
- Fixed SACD ISO with upper case extension (ISO) unable to start playback issue
- Fixed Component output resolution issue
- Fixed SACD DST (Stereo) playback issue
- Fixed TVMode + Color key not functioning issue
- Disable HDMI CEC completely
- Fixed inconsistent TV mode before and after playback when framerate sync is on and TV mode is set to auto
- Fixed 3D text subtitle sometimes have 500ms - 1s delay issue when subtitle rendered back to back
- Fixed PGS with fading effect unable to display properly issue
- Added LAME Padding handling for MP3 seamless playback
- Fixed FLAC, WAV and MP3 seamless playback with short clips have small glitch issue
- Fixed now playing Lyrics panel rendering issues
- Added ID3 Year tag into get_current_aod_info API
- Changed now playing artist, album, genre and audio resolution label to icon display
- Significant improvement on NMJ Wall and Listing loading speed
- Fixed some vobsub rendering problem
- Fixed some ATMOS MKV file passthrough no sound issue
- Fixed TrueHD passthrough sometimes have no audio output after switching audio track issue
- Added audio sampling info
- Applied rsize=8192 for NFS mount
- Added DSD Gain option
- Added External Video Scaler option
- Added PCM SPDIF option to allow HDMI output PCM up to 24 bit
- Fixed some MP4 encounter crash issue
- Fixed some H264 MP4 playback have no video display
- Fixed some FLAC have noise in gapless playback issue
- Fixed DSD gapless have minor pop sound before next song start playback issue
- Fixed BDMV unable to get subtitle entry when it placed at same level as BDMV folder
- Fixed some video clips show wrong fps info issue
- Fixed SSA or ASS has vertical top alignment overlapped timestamp causing crash issue
- Fixed position tag in SRT unable to show properly in full-scale OSD
- Fixed color tag in SRT unable to take effect
- Fixed SRT with SSA position tag (0,0) causing crash issue
- Fixed SSA or ASS position is not relative to video frame aspect ratio
- Fixed some video clips with no audio stream keep trigger rebuffering issue.
- Fixed SAMBA share cannot save credentials in shortcut or Home Add On
- Fixed MKV AAC multichannels playback have no audio output issue
- Fixed some HEVC MKV causing video freeze issue
- Added XAVC support
- Fixed LG 4K OLED TV doesn't switch back to 2D after stop the 3D playback issue

NMT Apps Release Notes:
1. Updated to Transmission 2.92
2. Updated to NZBGet 16.4

This firmware is same as last RC 4 build. ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73587 ). You don't have to update if you already running last RC 4 firmware.

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[A-500 & A-500U] RC 1 Firmware 01-05-161007-25-POP Attenzione: questo è l'ultimo firmware disponibile. Si tratta di una release candidate 1, non ancora ufficiale, che fa seguito a 5 firmware Beta Version! Release Date: 7 Oct 2016

A-500
Firmware version: 01-05-161007-25-POP-432-802
https://www.sendspace.com/file/u7aizi

A-500U
Firmware version: 01-05-161007-25-POP-433-802
https://www.sendspace.com/file/n22691

Firmware Update Steps:
1. Unzip the downloaded file into the root directory of a USB thumb drive
2. Plug the USB thumb drive into USB port of A-500/A-500U
3. Access to Setup->Maintenance in UI
4. Select Firmware Update and press Enter on the "Check For Firmware Update" button
5. If the file a500-update.bin/a500u-update.bin is found in the USB thumb drive, it will prompt for firmware update

Release Notes:
- Fixed 4K H264 playback no video output issue
- Fixed certain MKV PGS unable to show subtitle issue
- Fixed some PGS subtitle entries display too fast issue
- Added bitrate changing info for BD, DVD and M2TS issue
- Added audio and subtitle language indicator for M2TS and bdlite
- Fixed some SRT has long subtitle entry showing extra empty lines after word wrapping handling issue
- Fixed MKV and MP4 encounter random crash when first start or stop playback issue
- Fixed some text based subtitle may cause framework crash issue
- Fixed 720p24 clip play in tvmode 720p60 instead of 1080p24 when external video scaler is on issue
- Fixed DVD without video_ts folder unable to start playback issue
- Fixed some DVD encounter video freeze when start playback issue
- Added support for DVD angle changing with Angle key
- Added support for DVD menu jumping with MENU key
- Fixed 3D BDISO unable to continue playback after iframe forward or backward issue
- Fixed UTF8 text subtitle display style at wrong segment position issue

Beta 5 Release Notes: ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73832 )
- Fixed unable to access NMJ through file browser issue
- Fixed some DVD audio streams get wrong sample rate issue
- Fixed some DVD menu navigate to wrong sub menu issue
- Fixed DVD switch audio sometimes have no audio output issue
- Fixed some DVDLITE playback has no audio output issue
- Fixed some DVD still frame may encounter buffering issue
- Fixed DVD Audio unable to show highlight buttons issue
- Fixed some DVD Audio unable to start playback issue
- Fixed some DVD display wrong order of menu navigation when start playback issue
- Added language indicator on subtitle menu for DVD and MKV
- Fixed encounter framework reboot when playback corrupted DVD file issue
- Fixed filename with xml escaped symbol unable to start playback issue
- Fixed SACD ISO with unknown title or artist cause framework reboot when playback twice consequently issue
- Fixed certain MKV PGS with heavy animated effects cause buffering issue
- Fixed wrong chinese translation for subtitle track issue
- Fixed SRT with 'an9' tag causing framework reboot when adjust y position issue
- Added italic, bold, underline and color tag handling for SMI
- Fixed color tag unable to display properly for certain languages issue
- Fixed sometimes unable to retrieve weather information correctly in Setup Wizard issue
- Fixed MKV invoke closing PGS function in text base subtitle playback issue
- Force system to perform clean reboot instead of restart framework when framework crash
- Fixed WMA/WMA Pro no output in A-500U issue

Beta 4 Release Notes: ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73821 )
- Added support on Full DVD Navigation
- Fixed MKV which has forced subtitle unable to start playback if forced subtitle only option is selected
- Fixed certain MKV with SRT subtitle playback cause framework reboot issue
- Integrated new Sigma Designs SDK with playback engine and HDMI driver update

Beta 3 Release Notes: ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73722 )
- Fixed some DVDLITE has wrong sequence of audio streams issue
- Fixed some MKV PGS subtitle entries display too fast issue
- Fixed some MKV x264 playback has no video display issue
- Fixed some zlib compressed PGS subtitle stream unable to display properly issue
- Fixed APE version greater than 3.99 unable to start playback issue
- Fixed DVDLITE unable to go to the next chapter with info bar turn on issue
- Fixed showing exclamation mark and unable to display lite menu when select same DVDLITE title issue
- Fixed DVDLITE get video freeze forever after seek till end of the clip issue
- Fixed DVDLITE title menu subtitle selection issue
- Fixed some JPG crash in zoom transition issue

Beta 2 Release Notes: ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73664 )
- Fixed MKV encounter crash when repeat playback issue
- Fixed unable to set device name without NMT app installed issue
- Fixed MKV audio menu show 'undetermined' for 'und' tag issue
- Fixed DVD show wrong elapsed time after seek and sometimes playback from beginning when perform 10% or 20% seek issue
- Fixed MKV encounter crash when manually turn on external text subtitle issue
- Fine tuned MMS prebuf and underrun buffer
- Fixed SMB share showing invalid login after removing username and password in edit share
- Adjust IR remote control responsiveness
- Enhanced handling for DVDLITE module

Beta 1 Release Notes: ( http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=73627 )
- Update to new kernel to support SSD formatting and MMC 5.0
- Optimized PGS subtitle rendering speed to support special PGS subtitle effect
- Fixed video with framerate 25fps output wrong tv mode when external video scaler turned on issue
- Added MMS Internet Radio support
- Fixed MP3 Internet Radio streaming issue
- Fixed for some APE playback cause framework crash and some APE with ID3 tag unable to start playback issue
- Fixed for APE with ID3 tag unable to get metadata info issue
- Fixed for some MKV VOBSUB unable to display subtitle issue
- Fixed for some SACD ISO unable to perform seek issue
- Added Genre and Channels info for get_current_aod_info API
- Added language indication for BD or DVD or MKV Audio menu switching
- Fixed for some DVD ISO encounter crash at starting of playback issue
- Fixed FLAC ID3 album art not displayed in Music Home issue
- Always show device name option at preference settings
- Fixed unable to save username or password when edit samba shared issue
- Added MKV audio default flag handling

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Futureproof post #3

[malvagio]

269€ potrebbe anche essere un prezzo onesto se il processore fosse scattante (la lentezza di accensione del 400 ancora oggi mi lascia basito) e non venissimo troppo usati come beta tester....ci si potrebbe fare un pensierino.
Scusate poi la domanda magari banale...ma metterci una hdmi 2.0 per un supporto al 4k@60 non sarebbe una cosa sensata? Oppure per i film non ha/avrà comunque senso?

[AirGigio]

L'HDMI 1.4 all'alba del 2016 non si può vedere

[kayama728]

concordo!!!

[malvagio]

Si, ma io dubito che quelli di cloudmedia siano proprio dei rimbambiti, mi pare quindi strano che buttino fuori non uno ma due prodotti che dovrebbero avere una vita utile di almeno 3 anni (in attesa di un 510 ) e in pieno sviluppo, con il feedback degli utenti e l'hw della concorrenza che incombe non si facciano 2 domande...
Cosa gli può costare implementare una hdmi 2.0? Considerato anche il fatto che i loro prezzi non sono propriamente popolari...
Per questo chiedevo...magari essendo il 500 pensato solo ed esclusivamente come un mediaplayer ritengono che mai si renderanno necessari qualcosa in più dei 30fps.

Forse il procio non reggerebbe i 60?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njUXJRYpLSw

[ovimax]

è uscito unboxing di cnx http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/05/...-and-teardown/

[kayama728]

SCAFFALE con hdmi 1.4
anche il pro avrà la 1.4?
sul titolo cambierei da "degno" a "poco degno" :-D

[vnatale69]

spero non soffra dell'annoso problema LAN strozzata e SDK con i vecchi sigma A400/VTEN e l'insopportabile rotellina che gira quando riproducevi file pesanti via LAN da NAS

P.S. mi pare che rispetto al PRO abbia anche la metà della RAM a bordo...

[ovimax]

Mini review
http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/06/...Development%29

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Leggendo con più con calma le specifiche della macchina si evince però che è piuttosto diversa dalla Pro.
In un primo momento pensavo che il 500 fosse una Pro senza uscite analogiche.
In effetti, come sostiene il recensore, si tratta di un upgrade hardware del V-TEN, mentre la 500 Pro è la prima ibrida di Cloud Media, riassumendo in sé, con il dual booting, un V-TEN e un Chameleon, ovverosia la piattaforma tipicamente sviluppata in-house da Cloud Media e quella più tipicamente Android.

[kayama728]

nessuna delle due HDR