Dune HD Homatics Box R Plus Android TV Box, Media Player, Chromecast, Mini PC, Netflix in Dolby Vision & Atmos, 4GB/32GB, AV1, Wi-Fi 6, 1Gbit, ISO 4K DV P7 FEL MKV AFR, HDR10+, DTS

So... I have this box and I have the Dune HD Premier 4k Pro. Same guts in both boxes but the 4k Pro comes in an aluminum case and can handle a hot swap 2.5" HDD. If the internal HDD is not needed this Homatics box is a good (great) option.If you are looking at this box you know enough that I don't need to go into the same details as everyone else has BUT now... Dune upgraded the box to Android 12 and as they always do they have released an updated version of their Dune Media software as well.Android 12 allows the box to Passthrough DTS HD MA now! IMO it annihilates the Nvidia Shield it just replaced. I have it hooked to an 85" TCL QM8 and the picture and sound are so good I just want to stay home and watch movies I used to think were mediocre because they look so good. The 4k upscaling is about on par with the Nvidia Shield AI upscaling set to medium to my eyes if you've seen that, which is really good without being too sharp. The box will allow you to play literally everything in HDR if you choose to set it that way or will play native SDR as SDR and HDR as HDR. If you set the box to play everything as HDR on my TV I see that its converted to not just HDR but Dolby Vision and looks remarkable (be advised, Samsung doesn't support DV but it does support HDR10+ which IMHO looks better than DV anyway because it doesn't crush blacks as much, and this box gives you that option). Color pops and the playback is smooth on both streaming and movie files, it all looks good and sounds good also. The Dune Media software is user friendly and I enjoy the way they have it categorized, it looks really clean and organized, something everyone likes to see. Also upgraded is the box's ability to play fractional framerates, which cleans up the smoothness of fast moving scenes. It's been able to play every video and sound codec I've thrown at it so far, and has done it properly without a hiccup or stutter, like flawless actually. This upgrade to Android 12 has been significant to say the least. For the price this Homatics Dune box is really a sweet spot for both streaming and files. IMO it allows your tv to look as good as the TVs capabilities as it also handles both 8 bit and 10 bit color. Personally I'm sold on Dune now and I guess I'm going to be a Dune "fan" if this is what they do lol. If Nvidia ever releases a new box I'll try that also though, investing in technology is the only way to continue getting better tech. You really can't go wrong with this box with this new update and it says something for the company to release these updates instead of trying to sell you more equipment, they are certainly dedicated to their reputation. This is a cinemaphiles box that does streaming really well. Yes, Dune makes better boxes for file playback but I want one that streams 4k services without any issues so choices are limited. With all this being said, obviously I would recommend this box to my personal friends without hesitation because the return on investment is high here and the picture quality is glorious.

Shipped quickly. Was able to install Dune HD Media Center after a bit of searching the Dune HD website.I find it a nice upgrade from my Shield Pro.

Pros======+ Stock Android TV interface+ Allows you to use alternate launchers like FLauncher to avoid Google's ads+ Surround sound bitstreaming (see caveat in cons)+ AV1 support+ Bundled remote is BTCons======+ Only supports DTS bitstreaming, not DTS-HD or DTS:X with no apparent plans to add in the future+ Getting an update to Android 12 or 13 to take advantage of HDMI 2.1 features is up in the air+ Lots of little translation errors in the English UI+ Bundled remote lacks media control buttonsI have been on the hunt for a device that can at least compete with the Shield while providing AV1 codec support and are certified devices for 4K DV Netflix and other services. This device comes tantalizingly close to checking all the boxes, but ultimately falls flat on the audio support. I don't have a lot of media that has DTS-HD audio, but I do have some.Performance is a tiny bit below that of the Shield, but if you're looking more for a streaming device than a retro gaming or GeForce Now device, you'll probably barely notice. You will notice a bunch of odd translation issues with the English UI, like if you set the audio for passthrough it will say things like "sink-led" whatever that means. They're all pretty minor, but they are confusing.The one thing that really got me, however, was the oversight of including a remote for a streaming device that doesn't include basic functions like play/pause of fast forward/rewind. Even their second revision of the remote lacks this functionality. You have to pay extra for one of their optional accessory remotes to get this, or buy something else. Then the website claims that not all functionality will work with the Google certified devices, but doesn't specify what functions won't work.Conclusion==========Probably the closest I've seen to a Shield killer. If they address a few minor issues like the DTS-HD and DTS:X bitstream support it puts it at least on par with the Shield, while also adding AV1 support to give it a small edge. If they release an update for AndroidTV 13, which supports HDMI 2.1 features like VRR, now we're into Shield killer territory as far as streaming media consumption goes.Edit 11/27/24: I see that there is now an Android 12 update which adds bitstream support for DTS-HD MA and DTS:X, but then inexplicably breaks things like converting multi-channel AAC into multi-channel PCM in the process. Something that was working in the previous Android 11 firmware. Exactly how nVidia seems to be the only one who can manage to have full bitstream and multi-channel PCM escapes me.

So when I receive the box, I went to hook it up and it turns out they sent the wrong power cord with the box.. The power cord that they sent looks to be a European style & here in the U.S. that’s not going to work.. Now I was still able to turn the box on because I had a old power cord that worked with it.. So after I get it turned on & everything set up, I try to send a file to the box through a file manager and & every time I get a pop up saying that there is not enough Storage even though there is 28 GB of storage available…. Sonthis box is going back and I’m going to just buy the MeCool KM2+ deluxe which comes with all the same specs, and for about $20 cheaper..