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

Finally a tv box that is a true premium services 4k streaming box, and a high end media player. I was using a zidoo z9x with a 16tb hdd to play my movie collection in my home theater, but I had to add an nvidia shield for streaming netflix, etc., in 4k, hdr. Dolby vision and atmos.I have been able to sell the zidoo and shield with this one box and an external enclosure for my 16tb movie collection hdd. It does everything as advertised. No youtube reviews on the dune hd version of the homatics box, but the chigz tech review of the homatics box applies. This is actually the homatics box that is licensed for the Dune Media Center. I could not download the app from the play store as dune is still tinkering with it, but you go to the dune website and they have the app there. Excellent help center as to how to set it up and use it. Full featured to say the least. It plays all formats you can throw at it including av1 which the shield does not have. Perfect for home theater at a bargain price. I am truly ecstatic with this box. You can easily side load apps not in the playstore. Some of these will not show in the menu, but you can install sideload launcher from the play store and using this. See and launch hidden apps like Chrome and adblock browser.Finally, when I connected my movie hdd to the box via the USB 3.0 port, opened the dune media center, and scanned/indexed the movies on the hdd, I had 99% matches on the movie and tv shows. It only took 10 minutes to match the few movies it had issues with.With the zidoo, I had to spend hours fixing .Oviedo matching errors in their home theater app.I cannot recommend this box highly enough.

works fine.

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.

I purchased this as the Amazon listing and the manufacturer's website both state that it will play an ISO file (Blu-ray of DVD disk image). I have an ISO file of a Blu-ray disk with menus and it will not even start. The same ISO image can be played and menus controlled using the VLC media player on a PC or a Mac. The image can also be burned to a Blu-ray disk and play properly in a Blu-ray player.In addition, the Remote Control does not contain any of the controls you would need to select menu items on a Blu-ray or DVD disk. I am returning it. I would be interested in any recommendations of a hardware based media play which will actually play an ISO image with menu control.