New Vero?

I’ve got my entire library available over network the Vero only scans and plays them, it doesn’t even have the db on it.

Faster network = less time to scan stuff, +lower latency = snappier interface when browsing around after scanning new content. And last but most important faster network = smoother fast forward/backward and shorter time from pressing play until it actually plays.

It’s not about constant bitrates during playback but about peaks, the better it can handle those peaks the smoother and snappier it will be. And faster network = more room for those peaks.

Yeah, my Seagate Exos hdd does 250MB/s, with the cache software that I use the speed is well over 10x that (for content that is in that cache). Even without the cache software 250MB is about 2 gigabit.

If I didn’t need more speed there would be no difference between the wireless and the wired connection on the Vero 4K+, but there is and it is a huge difference.

For me what will make the next Vero snappier is: better networking, more ram, faster cpu in that order. Sure being able to playback more formats with hardware acceleration is key but that is a given so no need to mention it.

@platon it’s all about a smooth experience.
I use the resource hungry AuraMod skin with a lot of widgets that pull data both from library and internet and the only time it is slow is when waiting for the network. ok, it is a bit slow when restarting and loading all those widgets at once (but that will be solved to an extent with a bit faster cpu). (and, yeah, the default osmc skin have the same waiting for the network)

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I did way back when it happened. I was able to buy a new remote once, and the second time my order was cancelled because of no stock.

It’s a media player. You don’t think “What kind of media can it play?” is a relevant question?

even panasonic, sony etc haven’t released a 8K bluray player. in fact the most are stopped to produce a bluray player. where do you wish to find the 8K content? this is a very irrelevant discussion.

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On YouTube.

with that kind of bitrate? i wonder if you are a truly fan of good content.

I also have my entire library on a NAS available on the network running MariaDB remotely.

Kodi’s database design as well as some challenges with how the Python interpreter gets invoked when scanning new content means that a faster network connection is not going to make content scans or database lookups faster. Probably ever. Scanning new content, for instance, is processor bound. It is slower on the Vero 4K+ that it is on a full fledged PC.

Python and the MariaDB server are going to bottleneck well before your 1gig network ever does.

If your FF, RW, and PLAY responses are slow, you likely have an issue that a faster network isn’t going to fix. I have never seen any issues with those three things on my setup.

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For my setup I have a windows 10 machine that functions as a file/database server.

I have cache set up for my db as well so any repeat queries to it is more or less instant (most of kodi:s db queries are repeat ones). and my other cache makes file writes/reads faster. :slight_smile:

Kodi:s database design have been improved over the years, which makes it a great deal faster than it used to be.

Try to do a FF/RW and play of a low quality + low resolution + low bandwidth video and then try to do the same on one that is really high quality + high resolution + high bandwidth. There is a difference in how fast it will play/FF/RW, that difference is peak network usage. It requires a lot more MB to buffer that high quality than the low quality one. That’s also why its faster/snappier to use a wired than the wireless on the Vero 4K+.
For those huge in MB 4K HDR movies/series a faster network would make a visible difference.

This sounded like an interesting thing to test so I did. The results seem a bit complicated as network interface or CPU seems to be able to have a major influence or not depending on the situation. All tests run twice, lower number taken, no significant deviations, Kodi artwork level the same on all, 850mb/s internet connection, shared Mariadb and files from Win 10 PC with clients all connecting to the same database and using Kodi paths. Both PC test were done on the same 6-core laptop and the same USB NIC was used for those respective tests. The timed test was a refresh of 266 episodes of Murdoch Mysteries from the internet using the “TMDB TV shows” scraper.

PC USB gigabit NIC - 6:31
PC built in wifi - 2:08
RPi4 integrated gigabit NIC - 7:33
Vero 4K USB gigabit NIC - 13:23
Vero 4K integrated 100mb NIC - 13:13
Vero 4K built in wifi - 14:05

would be interesting to also test the performance using the vero:s builtin wifi.

Checked it and was able to get over 100 mb/s on my vero:s [sic] wifi so I ran the test that way and updated my post.

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@sam_nazarko I see you have had the new Vero V banner up for some time so imagine it’s release is imminent but can you give an ETA - is it likely to be available for purchase this month? Ta

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Still aiming for a Summer launch.

how is the integration with the plex app? can we set the vero v as a plex-server?

The software side is exactly the same as with current devices so it runs the three different Plex add-ons the same as with current devices.

You can manually install the Plex server software the same as you can with current devices. It will have a faster CPU and drive access so it will likely act a bit better than some of the older devices, but I don’t think you’ll have access to hardware transcoding so if that is a needed feature you may be better off with a PC or NAS devices with that support for this particular task.

yeah, but the plex-app is awful in vero 4k+. it’s really buggy and slow. i hope to get the same quality as the plex-app on the shield pro.

We don’t need the extra power of vero v for 4K movies, because the vero 4k+ have that horse power already. but the advantage of the new systemspecs of the vero v can be used well as a plex-server like transcoding for example.

We don’t work for Plex or have any affiliation with them, so don’t expect anything novel in that regard.

Transcoding on the S905X4 SoC is limited to 1080p, so even if someone were to write a Plex server app for the platform, and even if you could somehow enable hardware-accelerated transcoding, it still couldn’t transcode 4K.

https://www.amlogic.com/#Products/415/index.html

I don’t find it slow and although I mostly only open it for testing purposes, my daughter has three OSMC RPi’s that she uses only for the Plex app and has reported no issues to me. There is also the option to integrate a Plex server with a Kodi library via PKC or Composite. Composite can also be used in file browser type of setup if one prefers.

Good luck with that. Plex has put most of their efforts into their Android, iOS, and smart TV apps. Kodi and PC get relatively little love. This is outside of our control.

But to get hardware transcoding the Plex server has to be written to take advantage of the specific hardware and I don’t think that is going to be the case. Even on a Windows PC Plex server can’t do HDR hardware transcodes even though it does it on the same hardware in Linux so it is probably best to do a lot of reading before settling on a platform to run it from. Without hardware transcoding your not going to do it in real time. You would still be able to transcode ahead of time but honestly that has limited usefulness. The real nice thing about Plex transcoding is when your bandwidth limited and it being able to compensate for that.

Don’t get me wrong, the V is way faster than the 4K in both CPU and drive access, but transcoding video is a monster task even for full blown PC’s.

I’m so hyped. I assume signing up for the newsletter is the best way to get it ASAP? In Australia btw. :slight_smile:
Got the Vero4k+ >4 years ago when I got my first OLED. I just purchased my first audio upgrade. I am one happy fucker.
Thanks for your work (: