Hi, I have a friend who came home the other day with his Rasberry Pi. I liked it so I wanted to buy one and I type "faster than Rasberry Pi" and Udoo seems to be the one .... My main goal is to create classic emulators but I also want something to read film and go on the net on our main TV. Reason I wanted something faster than Rasberry Pi is that I want something that can run old 3D console like Nintendo 64. Does Udoo ultra would do the job or it is too much ? Does it have a platform like "RetroPi" that use less memory than windows OS ? Thanks
Hi @specjay, All four models of the UDOO X86 contain a processor that's capable of hardware decoding the H.264 (profiles: CBP, MP, HP), and H.265 HEVC (profile: Main) that can be used by media players like Kodi for 4K streams. Depending on the model you choose, it will use one of the processors shown in this Intel spec comparison: http://ark.intel.com/compare/92124,91831,91830 The ULTRA model is a good choice and I would not say it's overkill, as even though the GPU is is 25% more powerful than the ADVANCED models, every bit of extra computational power helps when running emulators Any dedicated platform designed for x86 architecture can be run on the UDOO X86, providing the platform supports the integrated hardware like the USB 3.0 controller. In fact, for some emulators running on a x86 processor gives the best support, for example Lakka emulates the N64 at A quality on a x86 and B & C on the Rasberry Pi 3 & 2 (reference: http://www.lakka.tv/doc/Hardware-support/). Sorry about the delayed reply, after asking you to create this post. Hope I've answered your questions, and feel free to ask anymore. [Edited to correct mistake in first paragraph]
Laura you need to clarify your statements, Braswell can only decode 8-bit H.265 HECV which won't be a commonly used media format. Most media will support h.265 main 10 profile which currently is planned for Kaby Lake and requires HDMI 2.0 supports (DP to HDMI).
@jas-mx Thanks, you are correct - I misunderstood a past entry on the Netflix tech blog. I did not realise Netflix does not stream HEVC Main profile to PCs, apart from Kaby Lake on wards. Will update my post to mention Kodi instead, which supports HEVC Main
Thank you Laura for the time you took to give a complete answer. I will probably go for the Ultra. I will now do searches on how to install OS on those board. thanks again !
You're welcome! To install an OS, follow instructions and use media that will be listed as one of the following - PC; x86-64; x64; x86; or AMD64 (this is a generic name for x64 architecture). When you have a choice between 32-bit or 64-bit OS, it's usually preferable to go for the 64-bit version. The embedded Arduino can communicate with the main processor using a virtual com port, so it will be interesting to see if this feature can be utilised to add functionality to Lakka, which can read serial input. If possible, adding hardware like a coin mechanism might be an option
Hi @specjay, and welcome in the forum. UDOO X86 is much faster than Raspberry Pi 3 as you say. Apart from that, the cool thing is that it's an actual PC, meaning that it can execute PC software with no problems, without the need to wait for a porting of that specific program you want to use. So you can really look at it as a PC. For example, it doesn't run RetroPie - since it's not a Raspberry Pi - but there's so much more retrogaming software you can run on your PC - and so, on UDOO X86! lakka.tv for example, but there are many many others. Speaking of watching movies, UDOO X86 supports up to 4K 8bit 30fps, which means no Netflix in 4k. But if you already got a film in 4K then you can watch it with no problem - and in the quiet of a fanless computer. For what concerns your purpose I'd say that the Ultra is too much. UDOO X86 Basic can do the job perfectly. Of course, Advanced and Ultra are more powerful computers.
Thank you for the answer, for video and films, it seems that every board here will do the job . But I am really hopping to play N64 on it and I'm still not sure that even the Ultra will run it smooth . I'm not even sure any SBC can do it ... I am probably wrong but I am newb to all of this and I really want to make sure it will work before I buy a 300$ board.
@specjay Emulation is resource intensive, therefore if the main reason behind you purchasing the board is to emulate an N64, I'd suggest you wait until community members have shared their experiences of this.
Specjay, UDOO X86 is not just a normal SBC. It is a full-fledged desktop PC in an SBC form factor. Of course it can run N64. Just go to lakka.tv, download Lakka for PC on your X86 and look for a ROM. The emulator for Nintendo 64 is also documented. http://www.lakka.tv/doc/Nintendo-64/ Apart from Lakka I believe you can find a plethora of N64 emulators for PC out there.
