If you have problems loading EmuELEC with the HK1, you may have an updated version of the box. Check out Team Pandory's video for the fix: ruclips.net/video/oeaV_YbS4f4/видео.html
@@dlemos0313 For what it's worth, I asked the same question about a week ago ... but you don't actually need it. My HK1 box is up and running perfectly with EmuELEC without LibreELEC.
a great fan of your channel. that said, I think we are overlooking the happychick emulator. a lot of top channels refuse to talk about this emulator. but I found happy chick to be a beast of an emulator and if u choose the phone or the tv version, both do great work for cheap tv boxes. it plays all these emulators just mentioned very well. I use happy chick as my number one go-to on my x96air and I have very little to complain about when it concerns gaming on the budget. pls check it out. I recommend the phone version for these cheap boxes as I have come to realize it works better on them. Luv ur 2 channels boss
@@krissokaro6230 that does look compelling, but coming from a guy who just had his channel hacked, there is no way I am sideloading a Chinese apk right now :)
Very nice! I picked up the T95 max awhile back after seeing ETA Prime's video on it and I've been really happy with EmuELEC so far! The android box is slowly replacing the PS Classic & SNES Classic, there's just so many added perks to enjoy once you get into the customization aspects of the firmware. And nothing beats chillin out and enjoying those scraped video screensavers you put me onto!
I have to get me one so I'm looking forward to the other reviews. I wanted to go for the Console X Pro because it was plug and play. But I spent all night yesterday setting up DIG on my phone with an ipega controller and it's all working fine so far. Setting up an android box like this suddenly doesn't seem so confusing anymore
Russ helped me put together an emulation box using an X96 Air TV box. S905X3 and 2GB of RAM. Cost me $25. Plus EasySMX KC-8236 wireless gamepads and 128GB microSD. Total cost $76. Btw EasySMX is a great brand if you don't wanna spend too much on a wireless controller. Got mine for just ~$18.50 each including the dongle and shipping. I don't think it's Bluetooth though; you really need that dongle it comes with. Works with no fuss. Very solid and responsive. The only thing I don't like is that it follows the Xbox ABXY arrangement.. Emuelec follows the SNES arrangement. If you configure the buttons as it says on the buttons your games will have flipped ABXY controls. I dunno if you can make Emuelec follow the Xbox ABXY button layout while still playing like you're using an SNES gamepad though, but for me, what the heck I followed the SNES-style layout anyway. It's hard to play games like Streets of Rage and Punch-Out!! with flipped buttons, especially if you're used to the SNES key mappings.
I happened to buy it 2 months ago. Very happy with it. I can even play some N64 titles such as super Mario in 2x or 3x resolution and the result is beautiful ! It's another game. For the price, it's a very good android box. I highly recommend it. I wonder if it's not even more powerful than the pi4.
The android side can be a bit better as you mentioned, DIG is a great option for that. Excellent tutorial! I find myself dancing to the intro every time I put one of your videos 😅
Firstly thank you for the great usual quality of any of your reviews. To me, the HK1 is one of the best ATV at the moment! And of course the interesting price upgrade the interest in this compact wonderful machine! 🙂 Thanks and congratulations for this video! 👍👏
Yeah, I watched Team Pandory's vid on this a while back and came so close to getting one. Infact I had another type on order but was cancelled at seller end but it wouldnt have been a very huge upgrade over my PSC. Yeah it can play systems like N64,Dreamcast better that the PSC often struggles with. But in the end I went the Lenovo Mini PC route and havent looked back. But these are defo a cheaper alternative and good value, price depending ofcourse.
EmuChicken and I were just discussing that the next logical step after S905x3 would be a mini PC, and not the S922x devices. I think you made the right choice!
@@RetroGameCorps Oh yeah, so much more it can do. Depending on what you get and your specs ofcourse. But for my set up, not only can it emulate the systems the PSC and android boxes struggle with fantastically, but I can also run even higher end systems as well that those could never do. Im running Batocera though and having a blast, still testing and tweaking what works best etc. If anyone is really interested in Batocera PC side of things I suggest check out yt channel Batocera Nation, great info and guides on Batocera for PC.
I bought the 256gb Super Console X a few months back. While it has a ton of games, like most other Android boxes, it has a weak CPU & struggles with many Dreamcast, Saturn, PSP, & Playstation games. Don't even think about trying to emulate Gamecube, PS2, & the original XBOX with Android. Also, the Super Console X has a ton of games on it that will require to use a keyboard to play. On some of the emulators, the controller isn't set up properly either. Fortunately, I a box on Ebay, with a much stronger CPU & more ram that runs Batocera 3.0, for under $100. I've been porting ROMs from one to the other and it runs flawlessly.
Hi Ross! A useful Android app to help with OS swapping is "Reboot to LibreELEC" (also works with CoreELEC/EmuELEC). On EmuELEC you already have "Reboot from NAND" option to boot Android without ejecting SD card every now and then. Happy gaming! ;-)
He is using this app on android side. But isn't using the function "reboot from nand" on the emuelec side. Me the whole video: "it's there, just use it!"
I had this box and upgraded to the GT-King (S922x chip) because I wanted more power to run N64, Saturn and PSP better and it’s been working great! A few months ago I wanted to sell my HK1, but it just won’t start anymore. 😭 Oh well, at least I’m super happy with GT-King running EmuELEC!
The issue that I ran into with running android games and emulators was the console simply throttles at 70c, which most games ran the cpu temp up there quickly. I purchased a 5volt 20mm high blower fan, like for a laptop, and wired that to the inner leads of the usb 2.0 port. After installing that, I also added some stick on cooling fins from a raspberry pi advertised kit, made sure the air flowed across everything and away it went running great. Neat mod, and a little in depth, but the performance gain was great.
Thank you for the video, Russ. I was thinking, maybe with some work it would be possible to transform and cheap (or not) old (yet quite powerful) android smartphone into a emulation machine with the best of both worlds: connect it to a TV (some phones are capable of doing that) and a bluetooth controller to couch play or just use the phone with a controller for portable gaming. I'm considering doing that to my galaxy s10 later on (it's not a cheap phone, it's still very powerful so I guess I could play almost everything available), maybe in one or two years when I will consider buying a new smartphone (I'm love messing up with configurations, the only thing I care is that the final result is practical and stylish, I don't mind the process to get there).
ETA prime has an excellent video on just this that was released a couple of days ago, and yes, it’s an excellent choice after it’s set up. Check it out!
seems pretty nifty! I'm thinknig about doing Uber for some extra cash, but also was toying around with the idea of setting up an EmulationStation based device up for passengers. This little box seems perfect for that.
Check out something like the Super Console X Stick too, it is USB powered so a bit easier to power from inside the car. Either way, your customers are going to love it!
I'm assuming two months later you've realized Uber passengers are trash... yeah they can go by their own Android box with the tip they didn't give you lol
This is now the 3rd video of yours that has prompted me to buy a new device! Your Vita jailbreak guide helped me with my Vita 1000, but I also bought a Vita 2000 after I was done to have a backup while the prices are reasonable. Then I bought a Powkiddie V90 as my throw in the pocket when running out the door, and this HK1 will be my set top box for retro on the big TV! I love your videos, but it's getting expensive! :P
Hi, I have the same HK1 box. followed your guide step by step, but everytime it boots from the emuelec app, I just get the no command android screen. Would appreciate your help. Thanks!
How about playing games for 2 to 4 players at least on original resolution up to PS1? Does it perform well? Does plugging a second controller on the 2.0 USB port have performance issues like input lag especially on wireless usb adapter for controllers like 8bitdo? Or does games have slow down up to PSOne for 2 to 4 player games? Does plugging a multiple usb 3.0 port perform well to 2 to 4 players up to PSOne?
Well, I can tell you I am using an 8 year old laptop, a dell latitude e6430s, an it runs Wii and GameCube games just fine (PS2 seems to be it's limit). I connect it to the tv using HDMI. And I use PS3 controller via Bluetooth. So, a much modern machine would be able to handle those console emulator, called dolphin
Yes, but the chip on the R2 is not compatible with EmuELEC, so you'd only be able to use it for Android gaming. The S922X (like on the Beelink GT King) is the fastest processor that works on EmuELEC.
@@matthewdavies2057 according to the EmuELEC wiki they don’t have any plans to support more devices at this time. Fingers crossed they add more in the future!
@@RetroGameCorps it’s the top of the line for android boxes in both price and performance at $200, and it is a great device. I’m happy with mine (though there’s no SD card slot!). At that point though, you’re edging toward the Xbox Series S at $300, which is much more capable for emulation and also gives you access to gamepass and the Xbox platform.
Have you considered reviewing a hacked Playstation Classic? Sony was selling them for $20 (includes console, 2 controllers and HDMI cable) a couple years ago. It was a steal at the time although now they are likely $50-60. The PS Classic can emulate a similar range of games as this android box via retroarch.
@@RetroGameCorps www.reddit.com/r/playstationclassic I use Autobleem but some prefer Project Eris more. Retroboot is also popular for those who just want it to boot directly into Retroarch. Arcadepunks has over 50 different pre-built images you can put on a thumbdrive and test out. The ps classic scene died out last year but it is still a capable device for emulation.
@@samnite3 Yeah I was using a PSC with ES frontend and a 256GB flash drive. Had it all set up great, always updated to the latest kmfd cores as he does some great work with core optimization. But a little while back I went the Lenovo mini PC route and havent looked back. So much better but ofcourse you gotta pay a bit more for a decent set up.
@@fonzitheman Yeah. There are better devices out there but of course they are more expensive. I tend to fall into the trap of going for the cheaper device as I always feel bad when they get outdated so fast. Ultimately it is more cost effective to get a good quality device with constant community support/updates so you don't have to feel you need to upgrade so fast. I had been hesitant with the anbernics due to cost but after trying the 351V I wish I never wasted time with the other cheaper devices.
Bought the super console X. Really sucks can't save games on it. Updated to Emulec 4.1 and now it freezes randomly and sucks more. So I bought an Odroid-c4. Much happier with the c4. The odroid case looks much slicker than the random design of these TV boxes. I didn't want something looking random on my shelf
there are new tv boxes with 8gb of ram ... not optimized though .. yet exciting times are every time, coz knowing the next year.. a box for the same price is going to do so much better is just amazing
Hi, it's not quite ready yet. WiFi and storage partition expansion aren't working, which makes it very difficult to add games or apps. As soon as it is ready I'll make a video!
Considering that when running Android is where you get better performance, running a front UI for gaming instead of using Emuelec would be a better use for the box and a fix to N64
What would the problem be when I use the right file rename to dtb.img, and then run libreelec... the system comes to a android screen with update options and things liike that?
Russ to boot back into android press start then go to quit reboot from nand and it will boot up in android. However if the sd card stays inserted the box will boot up in emuelec evry time.
Speaking of Nvidia Shield TV, any plans to do a video on that? Lots of people have them, myself included. So much potential. Yeah man, I wanna do it, but I need the guide!
I am using a ShieldTV too and it's quite powerfull. Retroarch is really good on it and there's a lot of emulators to choose from. It's a bit finnicky with controllers from time to time, but still a very nice experience on the whole. Cheers
@@yoshiram2290 Yes that is true but, the majority of us old school gamers are not as tech savy as the new school gamers. Thats why I dont mind paying just a lil bit more for the non hassles of plug and play.
Question: can I do this with my old Samsung S10? Currently have it connected to tv via HDMI cable and use it as a TV box (tired of TV boxes unable to play Disney+ and Netflix at the most unexpected time!!!
Excellent video. I remember only a few years ago the Android boxes coming out of China were very closed systems... preinstalled with bloat and hard to work around. This is amazing stuff for an Android TV box. - if set up right, might become a nice machine that the kiddies can play too (trying to keep a plug and play form somehow). PSClassic modding -> I hear Russ might make a video on that sometime (fingers crossed). I personally like to keep PS stuff on the PSClassic only, The SNES Classic for SNES and NES stuff. - it's a type of History Lesson for the babies : I remember a nephew saying to me when I first brought home an 8BitDo Pro controller - oh hey = that is the same controller as the Nintendo! :D -> yes, but this one has no wires :D :D :D Exciting times for the Android space. Fingers crossed on the next set of stronger chipsets/DreamCast Emulation (Chao Garden, and Shenmue minigames on the go, here I go).
@@RetroGameCorps aww man. There's a few in our circle that dig this box. I think you're member #5. I'll send you the club card and pin badge once you write up your details. We need your credit card, pin number, all usernames and passwords...
I had two of these boxes. They overheat. I had to run them upside down because of that. I still run one in my bedroom. But once the holidays are over I'll be replacing it.
I've tried all the different S905X3 2/4GB tree files. none of them work, my device crashes every time I try and boot. I've tried forcing it up to reset with the hardware button, that didn't work. I have the exact product here and I've tried Emuelec 4.1 and 4.2, nothing. So frustrating and a waste of time.
@@RetroGameCorps I flashed it from my handheld that I've been using, and even reformatted and put back into my handheld and played on it all night 😕 it's also a SanDisk. I have no clue what the problem is. I guess I need to buy something on the officially supported list.
Android TV box these days quite good and NDS performance is spot on that alone make me give big 👍, i don't really care with Dreamcast and PSP as these 2 system always pain in the butt to emulate on Cheap android so it's not big lose there for me, but it's will be great if you also test Saturn performance.
Hey! I've got a question. Can you use this set up with bluetooth controllers connected wirelessly? The only way I can have this one working is with my controller plugged to the USB port
I don’t like the corner usbs had connectivity problem using it in an arcade setup. I would recommend the X96 Max+ (a different model than the one you’ve showed. It has ridges on top) which has the same processor and 3 USBs.
@@RetroGameCorps naturally. But, imagine these tv boxes (or consoles like super console X) with SoCs by MediaTek, HiSlicon Kirin or Qualcomm Snapdragon! :-O Man can dream. A man can dream...
Hi, great video! I picked up a HK1 box but Libreelec doesn't seem to work to reboot this TV box? It just powers off instead. Any ideas? I have the correct dtb file and I have changed the resolution to 1080P/60
Have you tried the “toothpick method” instead? You basically just push a toothpick into the AV port to root the device and then it should work without having to use the LibreELEC app.
off topic for a second... Are you named after that amazing Hong Kong Cantopop/Actor/Artist? I've been rewatching some movies - Farewell my Concubine and 'Rouge'...
Take a toothpick and poke it inside the headphone jack. That should root the device and reboot it into the SD card. I know it sounds crazy, but it works!
@@RetroGameCorps I can feel the switch inside the headphone jack but that didn;t work, Mine is Android 10, wasn't yours Android 9? Maybe that's the difference.
Awesome work as Always BTW, can you do few videos on PS Classic as it's been left undone since 2019 modding scenes. I have it laying around for few months as I use retro arch on the PS3 now but ya the system definitely had enough meat to do with retro gaming
@@RetroGameCorps would love to see ur work on that. Personally I have made 2 usb sticks with autobleam and project iris but both are over a year old or more. Haven't seen much light during end 2020 or 2021. If u come up with something, I'm sure will be very helpful to many people
@Retro Game Corps Hi, just a heads up, buying this android box today is a hit or miss situation if using emuelec is what's intended. For what I managed to gather from reading lot's of people complaining lately, maybe some firmware change or something, can't boot emuelec... In my case a brand new Sandisk 128Gb Ultra SD can't boot, only an old 16gb sd card (which is SDHC) I had lying around booted successfully. Other than that I could also boot with success from an usb pen 64Gb, but that defeats the purpose of having only 2 USB ports where I planned to use for 2 controllers. That said maybe this isn't the box to recommend anymore, I bought Rg351P and PowKiddy V90 out of your recommentions and I'm pretty happy with both of them, but unfortunately pretty disapointed with this HK1 MUB box :/
One of the main downfalls of these boxes is they are using older versions of MAME from 2012 so all the extra games that were added since 2012 and all the bug fixes that were added since 2012 are missing. If the most current arcade experience is what you want get a mini or SSF PC and run it with Windows or Linux using the latest emulators for the best experience.
Hi russ want to ask for thus android box if they can use 2 controllers??? I want to use this for me and my son. The Mxq pro i watched a review and its like this hk but the mxq pro doest support 2 players... Can you check if this hk box can support 2 joypad. Thanks in advance.
@@RetroGameCorps wow really oh thats good!!! Thank you so much for your reply. Im a fan of what you do brother. Giving us the chance to get back to become a kid again amidst covid. Thank you russ.
I have a question : for Processeur : Aigame 905M RAM: DDR3 1GB , which DTB file choose ? it's for GD20 Game Stick comes with 4.3 but many bugs freeze on systems choose menu thanks in advance for your answer
Hello, I recently bought HK1 BOX but I am having issue with X3 T3 Bluetooth Gamepad Joystick it acts crazy it stops from working after few seconds and it come back after but without disconnect error, I have second spare but its the same its android tv issue. Please help me I would like to enjoy with this box but I dont know how to fix this.
If you use vulkan instead of OpenGL on ppsspp you can play psp games full speed at 2x and even 3x. I have one s905x4 (basically the same as the s905x3 but with less heat problems) and it does psp very well... Games like God of War will not be playable ofc but everything else is playable and with 2x or even 3x.
Well, I just tested it again and it appears that Vulkan is not available on PPSSPP on the S905x3. Looking at the documentation, the S905x3 only supports Vulkan 1.0, and S905x4 supports. Vulkan 1.1. That might be the difference.
@@RetroGameCorps oh didn't know that. Nonetheless I guess that some games will run just fine. Eta prime did a similar video with one T95 Max Plus and it did run psp games reasonably well
Do you know if a PS4 original controller can be paired via Bluetooth? I've used other boxes were the controller worked fine, but read some comments that it was not working on this box :(
I just got one and tried using Lemuroid (Retroarch front end with very few options, but with google drive cloud sync for saves and states between devices) and the performance was horrible. Evenn GBC games had lag and the audio was super crappy, while some stand alone emiulators did work just fine. No idea why., so will look into getting it to run EmuELEC instead, thanks for putting a guide on how to install that as well!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
If you have problems loading EmuELEC with the HK1, you may have an updated version of the box. Check out Team Pandory's video for the fix: ruclips.net/video/oeaV_YbS4f4/видео.html
I just got my HK1 box, but LibreELEC doesn't seem to be downloadable anymore. Are there any alternatives?
I can't find LibreELEC app on the play store anymore. Is there a replacement for it, or the apk to manually install it? Thanks!
@@dlemos0313 For what it's worth, I asked the same question about a week ago ... but you don't actually need it. My HK1 box is up and running perfectly with EmuELEC without LibreELEC.
@@SorenBorgquist I just posted this video on how to load Emuelec on the HK1 Box: ruclips.net/video/5oeSed83OAU/видео.html
Love your new retro intro 👌
Dreamcast & PSP is a problem for cheap boxes indeed 🙃
Thanks buddy! Yeah it's a subtle update :)
Maybe the s922x will be in cheap boxes in the near future. It's getting older :)
@@gvanderlee2703 I hope so!
a great fan of your channel. that said, I think we are overlooking the happychick emulator. a lot of top channels refuse to talk about this emulator. but I found happy chick to be a beast of an emulator and if u choose the phone or the tv version, both do great work for cheap tv boxes. it plays all these emulators just mentioned very well. I use happy chick as my number one go-to on my x96air and I have very little to complain about when it concerns gaming on the budget. pls check it out. I recommend the phone version for these cheap boxes as I have come to realize it works better on them. Luv ur 2 channels boss
@@krissokaro6230 that does look compelling, but coming from a guy who just had his channel hacked, there is no way I am sideloading a Chinese apk right now :)
I've had this TV box for months now and I'm very happy with it.
I'm definitely late to the party, but I'm glad I came :D
But do you just use the games or do you use iptv as well
@@goblue7516 I do both and both are flawless
@@andrepido747 is therr any overheating problem on the hk1 box?
Just bought a T95 android tv box for $3 yesterday & I'm gonna add Emuelec to it
Very nice! I picked up the T95 max awhile back after seeing ETA Prime's video on it and I've been really happy with EmuELEC so far! The android box is slowly replacing the PS Classic & SNES Classic, there's just so many added perks to enjoy once you get into the customization aspects of the firmware. And nothing beats chillin out and enjoying those scraped video screensavers you put me onto!
Great point about the screensavers! I definitely prefer this UI more than on my SNES Classic.
Turning the resolution down to 720p 60hz in emuelec menu makes a difference in many games performance
I have to get me one so I'm looking forward to the other reviews. I wanted to go for the Console X Pro because it was plug and play. But I spent all night yesterday setting up DIG on my phone with an ipega controller and it's all working fine so far. Setting up an android box like this suddenly doesn't seem so confusing anymore
Russ helped me put together an emulation box using an X96 Air TV box. S905X3 and 2GB of RAM. Cost me $25. Plus EasySMX KC-8236 wireless gamepads and 128GB microSD. Total cost $76.
Btw EasySMX is a great brand if you don't wanna spend too much on a wireless controller. Got mine for just ~$18.50 each including the dongle and shipping. I don't think it's Bluetooth though; you really need that dongle it comes with. Works with no fuss. Very solid and responsive. The only thing I don't like is that it follows the Xbox ABXY arrangement.. Emuelec follows the SNES arrangement. If you configure the buttons as it says on the buttons your games will have flipped ABXY controls. I dunno if you can make Emuelec follow the Xbox ABXY button layout while still playing like you're using an SNES gamepad though, but for me, what the heck I followed the SNES-style layout anyway. It's hard to play games like Streets of Rage and Punch-Out!! with flipped buttons, especially if you're used to the SNES key mappings.
I happened to buy it 2 months ago.
Very happy with it. I can even play some N64 titles such as super Mario in 2x or 3x resolution and the result is beautiful ! It's another game.
For the price, it's a very good android box. I highly recommend it. I wonder if it's not even more powerful than the pi4.
The pi 4 plays Dreamcast
The android side can be a bit better as you mentioned, DIG is a great option for that. Excellent tutorial! I find myself dancing to the intro every time I put one of your videos 😅
What is “DIG“ ?
Firstly thank you for the great usual quality of any of your reviews.
To me, the HK1 is one of the best ATV at the moment!
And of course the interesting price upgrade the interest in this compact wonderful machine! 🙂
Thanks and congratulations for this video! 👍👏
Thanks for watching, David!
For the price it’s not to shabby at all
For $45 it's quite a steal!
I have to admit you’re the only channel I watch on RUclips lately 👍🏽👾😎 (Russ Rocks)
Wow i purchase x96 years ago i didnt know it play game i have Aladin in my phone thank u for the info stay safe
Yeah, I watched Team Pandory's vid on this a while back and came so close to getting one.
Infact I had another type on order but was cancelled at seller end but it wouldnt have been a very huge upgrade over my PSC. Yeah it can play systems like N64,Dreamcast better that the PSC often struggles with.
But in the end I went the Lenovo Mini PC route and havent looked back.
But these are defo a cheaper alternative and good value, price depending ofcourse.
Thanks 😊👍
EmuChicken and I were just discussing that the next logical step after S905x3 would be a mini PC, and not the S922x devices. I think you made the right choice!
@@RetroGameCorps
Oh yeah, so much more it can do. Depending on what you get and your specs ofcourse.
But for my set up, not only can it emulate the systems the PSC and android boxes struggle with fantastically, but I can also run even higher end systems as well that those could never do.
Im running Batocera though and having a blast, still testing and tweaking what works best etc.
If anyone is really interested in Batocera PC side of things I suggest check out yt channel Batocera Nation, great info and guides on Batocera for PC.
I bought the 256gb Super Console X a few months back. While it has a ton of games, like most other Android boxes, it has a weak CPU & struggles with many Dreamcast, Saturn, PSP, & Playstation games. Don't even think about trying to emulate Gamecube, PS2, & the original XBOX with Android. Also, the Super Console X has a ton of games on it that will require to use a keyboard to play. On some of the emulators, the controller isn't set up properly either.
Fortunately, I a box on Ebay, with a much stronger CPU & more ram that runs Batocera 3.0, for under $100. I've been porting ROMs from one to the other and it runs flawlessly.
Hi Ross! A useful Android app to help with OS swapping is "Reboot to LibreELEC" (also works with CoreELEC/EmuELEC). On EmuELEC you already have "Reboot from NAND" option to boot Android without ejecting SD card every now and then. Happy gaming! ;-)
He is using this app on android side. But isn't using the function "reboot from nand" on the emuelec side. Me the whole video: "it's there, just use it!"
@@3STYLER haha, I had no idea what that option did, now I know :). Thanks!
I had this box and upgraded to the GT-King (S922x chip) because I wanted more power to run N64, Saturn and PSP better and it’s been working great! A few months ago I wanted to sell my HK1, but it just won’t start anymore. 😭 Oh well, at least I’m super happy with GT-King running EmuELEC!
I'm very tempted with the S922x devices! Thanks for inspiring me to get into this stuff :)
The issue that I ran into with running android games and emulators was the console simply throttles at 70c, which most games ran the cpu temp up there quickly. I purchased a 5volt 20mm high blower fan, like for a laptop, and wired that to the inner leads of the usb 2.0 port. After installing that, I also added some stick on cooling fins from a raspberry pi advertised kit, made sure the air flowed across everything and away it went running great.
Neat mod, and a little in depth, but the performance gain was great.
Please do more of these android box reviews
What would you like to see next?
@@RetroGameCorps I would recommand the gt king or the pro version this one is the best box after the nvidia shield
we asains don't peel that plastic cover until it changes color. hahaha, nice in-dept review and tutorial
ive had an A95x for a year and i use it for streaming primarily and my nvidia shield for gaming but I agree this is a great value!
I am very tempted to test out an NVIDIA Shield... :)
@@RetroGameCorps you will not regret it. The Nvidia shield is a beast, you can even tun gamecube games there 🥳
I did this ages ago with a kodi box, i have about 2 500 games on it, lol
It will fit loads more but I decided to only put the games I play regularly
You play 2500 games regularly?
@@IcoKirov ha ha no but none are ones that I think I wish I hadn't clicked that one, they are all platform or shoot em up or puzzle, no fighting ones
Thank you for the video, Russ. I was thinking, maybe with some work it would be possible to transform and cheap (or not) old (yet quite powerful) android smartphone into a emulation machine with the best of both worlds: connect it to a TV (some phones are capable of doing that) and a bluetooth controller to couch play or just use the phone with a controller for portable gaming. I'm considering doing that to my galaxy s10 later on (it's not a cheap phone, it's still very powerful so I guess I could play almost everything available), maybe in one or two years when I will consider buying a new smartphone (I'm love messing up with configurations, the only thing I care is that the final result is practical and stylish, I don't mind the process to get there).
I think this is a great option! I recently bought a used Android phone with HDMI out capability, I plan on making a video on it soon.
ETA prime has an excellent video on just this that was released a couple of days ago, and yes, it’s an excellent choice after it’s set up. Check it out!
@@Binighted I'm going to watch it, thanks!!
seems pretty nifty! I'm thinknig about doing Uber for some extra cash, but also was toying around with the idea of setting up an EmulationStation based device up for passengers. This little box seems perfect for that.
Check out something like the Super Console X Stick too, it is USB powered so a bit easier to power from inside the car. Either way, your customers are going to love it!
I'm assuming two months later you've realized Uber passengers are trash... yeah they can go by their own Android box with the tip they didn't give you lol
11:41 ACCEPTAHR, magnificent
Jaja its always fun to hear english speakers try to speak spanish 😅
Thanks for doing this, bought mine a few months ago but hadn't set it up for gaming yet.
Would love to see a review of the X88 King box that you suggested in your written guide. And then compare the S905X3 (HK1) vs the S922X (X88 King).
This is now the 3rd video of yours that has prompted me to buy a new device! Your Vita jailbreak guide helped me with my Vita 1000, but I also bought a Vita 2000 after I was done to have a backup while the prices are reasonable. Then I bought a Powkiddie V90 as my throw in the pocket when running out the door, and this HK1 will be my set top box for retro on the big TV! I love your videos, but it's getting expensive! :P
Haha, sorry :)
Hi, I have the same HK1 box. followed your guide step by step, but everytime it boots from the emuelec app, I just get the no command android screen. Would appreciate your help. Thanks!
I have the same problem...
Same issue. Ended up installing RetroArch app on android instead
@@alexsherbak2187 You can solve it by installing an older firmware from 2019...
I love these Android modified devices these videos and devices are really interesting
Can you hook up more than 1 control for multi-player games?
Intriguing. I’m gonna check this out.
I so want to do this. I love your channel by the way! I wish I had 1/2346th of your subscribers!
The Android Interface is Awesome
How about playing games for 2 to 4 players at least on original resolution up to PS1? Does it perform well?
Does plugging a second controller on the 2.0 USB port have performance issues like input lag especially on wireless usb adapter for controllers like 8bitdo? Or does games have slow down up to PSOne for 2 to 4 player games?
Does plugging a multiple usb 3.0 port perform well to 2 to 4 players up to PSOne?
For my man cave i want something that emulates gamecube and wii u games good. What do you guys advice me? I want to play on TV.
Well, I can tell you I am using an 8 year old laptop, a dell latitude e6430s, an it runs Wii and GameCube games just fine (PS2 seems to be it's limit). I connect it to the tv using HDMI. And I use PS3 controller via Bluetooth.
So, a much modern machine would be able to handle those console emulator, called dolphin
I recommend You a Pc Bro.
Ehy Russ, I followed your guide and everything works fine but when I put it back in my pc I don't see eeroms popping up
The revised version of this is out. HK1 Box R2 it's called. 2GHz.
Yes, but the chip on the R2 is not compatible with EmuELEC, so you'd only be able to use it for Android gaming. The S922X (like on the Beelink GT King) is the fastest processor that works on EmuELEC.
@@RetroGameCorps I did not know this fact. Wonder if this chip will be added?
@@matthewdavies2057 according to the EmuELEC wiki they don’t have any plans to support more devices at this time. Fingers crossed they add more in the future!
@@RetroGameCorps Fudge!
Nvidia shield tv pro is the way to go if you've got the money- but this looks like an awesome cheap alternative!
I'm very tempted to check it out!
@@RetroGameCorps it’s the top of the line for android boxes in both price and performance at $200, and it is a great device. I’m happy with mine (though there’s no SD card slot!). At that point though, you’re edging toward the Xbox Series S at $300, which is much more capable for emulation and also gives you access to gamepass and the Xbox platform.
Have you considered reviewing a hacked Playstation Classic? Sony was selling them for $20 (includes console, 2 controllers and HDMI cable) a couple years ago. It was a steal at the time although now they are likely $50-60. The PS Classic can emulate a similar range of games as this android box via retroarch.
I grabbed one for $20 when it was cheap, just need to get around to hacking it!
@@RetroGameCorps www.reddit.com/r/playstationclassic
I use Autobleem but some prefer Project Eris more. Retroboot is also popular for those who just want it to boot directly into Retroarch. Arcadepunks has over 50 different pre-built images you can put on a thumbdrive and test out. The ps classic scene died out last year but it is still a capable device for emulation.
@@samnite3
Yeah I was using a PSC with ES frontend and a 256GB flash drive.
Had it all set up great, always updated to the latest kmfd cores as he does some great work with core optimization.
But a little while back I went the Lenovo mini PC route and havent looked back.
So much better but ofcourse you gotta pay a bit more for a decent set up.
@@fonzitheman Yeah. There are better devices out there but of course they are more expensive. I tend to fall into the trap of going for the cheaper device as I always feel bad when they get outdated so fast. Ultimately it is more cost effective to get a good quality device with constant community support/updates so you don't have to feel you need to upgrade so fast. I had been hesitant with the anbernics due to cost but after trying the 351V I wish I never wasted time with the other cheaper devices.
@@samnite3
As far as handhelds go Ive bought my fair share too.
And will be getting the RGB10 Max in the mail very soon 😉
But we're not a modern games channel. I liked that.
The two other devices you showed in the unboxing section, how did those ones pan out with your testing? Any differences worth mentioning?
Bought the super console X. Really sucks can't save games on it. Updated to Emulec 4.1 and now it freezes randomly and sucks more.
So I bought an Odroid-c4. Much happier with the c4. The odroid case looks much slicker than the random design of these TV boxes.
I didn't want something looking random on my shelf
Select and R2 . Select and Y to bring up menu and tap load save
there are new tv boxes with 8gb of ram ... not optimized though .. yet exciting times are every time, coz knowing the next year.. a box for the same price is going to do so much better is just amazing
I agree!
Great Review!! Easy Tutorial!! Thanks!!
17:30 if ocarina of time runs well in kokiri forest then the whole game should run well. kokiri forest is the most intensive area of the game.
Russ really loves tennis
Could you upload a video talking about android 10 in rg351p or showing how to install it?
Hi, it's not quite ready yet. WiFi and storage partition expansion aren't working, which makes it very difficult to add games or apps. As soon as it is ready I'll make a video!
Considering that when running Android is where you get better performance, running a front UI for gaming instead of using Emuelec would be a better use for the box and a fix to N64
You can use DIG, is quite straightforward and easy to use on android. And its freeeeeee
I followed all steps exactly but when I reboot it seems to hang on the HK1 Series screen. What can I do to fix it?
EMUELEC 3.9 Why doesn't my main menu have no configuration file to edit?
Hi, I am upgrading from S912 to this box, but can't get it to work, no mater what I do, it'll go to the android recovery. Please help...
... no one knows
Not to bad at all, I use Parallel 64 on my chrome book and can run Mario Tennis 64 fairly well. Good vid as always Russ.
Thanks Jason!
Great video. Great channel. 🤙🏾💯
Thanks John!
Really had me going when you were running android games on here, killed me seeing DC not running as well as I hoped 😔
What would the problem be when I use the right file rename to dtb.img, and then run libreelec... the system comes to a android screen with update options and things liike that?
Russ to boot back into android press start then go to quit reboot from nand and it will boot up in android. However if the sd card stays inserted the box will boot up in emuelec evry time.
Speaking of Nvidia Shield TV, any plans to do a video on that? Lots of people have them, myself included. So much potential. Yeah man, I wanna do it, but I need the guide!
I am using a ShieldTV too and it's quite powerfull. Retroarch is really good on it and there's a lot of emulators to choose from. It's a bit finnicky with controllers from time to time, but still a very nice experience on the whole.
Cheers
i’m sold again , i need this now!
Plug and Play all the way... I dont mind paying extra for plug and play.
Works for certain issues but sometimes you don't end up with the best possible experience by settling with plug and play.
@@yoshiram2290 Yes that is true but, the majority of us old school gamers are not as tech savy as the new school gamers. Thats why I dont mind paying just a lil bit more for the non hassles of plug and play.
Question: can I do this with my old Samsung S10? Currently have it connected to tv via HDMI cable and use it as a TV box (tired of TV boxes unable to play Disney+ and Netflix at the most unexpected time!!!
Excellent video. I remember only a few years ago the Android boxes coming out of China were very closed systems... preinstalled with bloat and hard to work around.
This is amazing stuff for an Android TV box.
- if set up right, might become a nice machine that the kiddies can play too (trying to keep a plug and play form somehow).
PSClassic modding -> I hear Russ might make a video on that sometime (fingers crossed).
I personally like to keep PS stuff on the PSClassic only,
The SNES Classic for SNES and NES stuff.
- it's a type of History Lesson for the babies : I remember a nephew saying to me when I first brought home an 8BitDo Pro controller
- oh hey = that is the same controller as the Nintendo! :D
-> yes, but this one has no wires :D :D :D
Exciting times for the Android space. Fingers crossed on the next set of stronger chipsets/DreamCast Emulation (Chao Garden, and Shenmue minigames on the go, here I go).
Welcome to the MUB club :)
Party of two!
@@RetroGameCorps aww man. There's a few in our circle that dig this box. I think you're member #5. I'll send you the club card and pin badge once you write up your details. We need your credit card, pin number, all usernames and passwords...
@@TeamPandory 😂😂😂
@@TeamPandory this aged well. 😂
I have a similar TV box nice to know about it.
Yeah man, I wanna do it
I had two of these boxes. They overheat. I had to run them upside down because of that. I still run one in my bedroom. But once the holidays are over I'll be replacing it.
Nebst dem RG351M ein must have für Retro Fans.
Another awesome Video, thx!!
Would be my next buy.
You don't need the link, you could just use an micro sd card that boots into emuelec, and connect a usb gamepad.
Emuelec also has shaders for all you modern retro gamers...
It seems like Android runs things a bit better. What advantages other than ease of setup and overlay would I have with emuelec?
I've tried all the different S905X3 2/4GB tree files. none of them work, my device crashes every time I try and boot. I've tried forcing it up to reset with the hardware button, that didn't work. I have the exact product here and I've tried Emuelec 4.1 and 4.2, nothing. So frustrating and a waste of time.
Could it be a bad SD card? If I was in your shoes I would try a different card to see if that resolves it.
@@RetroGameCorps I flashed it from my handheld that I've been using, and even reformatted and put back into my handheld and played on it all night 😕 it's also a SanDisk. I have no clue what the problem is. I guess I need to buy something on the officially supported list.
Could you post a link to the controller you used here... or a close facsimile?
What about multiple controllers? Buy a multi USB port connection and plug in?
Android TV box these days quite good and NDS performance is spot on that alone make me give big 👍, i don't really care with Dreamcast and PSP as these 2 system always pain in the butt to emulate on Cheap android so it's not big lose there for me, but it's will be great if you also test Saturn performance.
Hey! I've got a question. Can you use this set up with bluetooth controllers connected wirelessly? The only way I can have this one working is with my controller plugged to the USB port
Do you have the correct file for the new Hk1 with the rockchip3318?
I don’t like the corner usbs had connectivity problem using it in an arcade setup. I would recommend the X96 Max+ (a different model than the one you’ve showed. It has ridges on top) which has the same processor and 3 USBs.
Nice feedback, thanks!
Great stuff RGC! Now, it's up to Chinese workshops willingness to pay for beefier SoC...
Definitely! But EmuELEC will need to expand its supported chipsets too, to accommodate beefier chips :)
@@RetroGameCorps naturally. But, imagine these tv boxes (or consoles like super console X) with SoCs by MediaTek, HiSlicon Kirin or Qualcomm Snapdragon! :-O
Man can dream. A man can dream...
Hi, great video! I picked up a HK1 box but Libreelec doesn't seem to work to reboot this TV box? It just powers off instead. Any ideas? I have the correct dtb file and I have changed the resolution to 1080P/60
Have you tried the “toothpick method” instead? You basically just push a toothpick into the AV port to root the device and then it should work without having to use the LibreELEC app.
@@RetroGameCorps I have and it does work. Its just a pain having to do that every time.
off topic for a second... Are you named after that amazing Hong Kong Cantopop/Actor/Artist?
I've been rewatching some movies - Farewell my Concubine and 'Rouge'...
Ran into a problem. I get a message that says that the reboot app won't run because it doesn't have root access. Any idea?
Take a toothpick and poke it inside the headphone jack. That should root the device and reboot it into the SD card. I know it sounds crazy, but it works!
@@RetroGameCorps I can feel the switch inside the headphone jack but that didn;t work, Mine is Android 10, wasn't yours Android 9? Maybe that's the difference.
Does Bluetooth is usable with emuelec?
Awesome work as Always
BTW, can you do few videos on PS Classic as it's been left undone since 2019 modding scenes. I have it laying around for few months as I use retro arch on the PS3 now but ya the system definitely had enough meat to do with retro gaming
I've been getting this question a lot lately, I have one here at the still in the box, might have to bust it out soon.
@@RetroGameCorps would love to see ur work on that. Personally I have made 2 usb sticks with autobleam and project iris but both are over a year old or more. Haven't seen much light during end 2020 or 2021. If u come up with something, I'm sure will be very helpful to many people
What in your opinion is the best and most powerfull plug and play box to purchase if you like atomiswave and more arcade games
The emu elec system works well at the end of the day only? What about other times of the day?
great review, but please add Saturn to your testing, judging by the specs, yabasanshiro should work fine on the android side
For sure, thanks for the feedback.
@Retro Game Corps Hi, just a heads up, buying this android box today is a hit or miss situation if using emuelec is what's intended.
For what I managed to gather from reading lot's of people complaining lately, maybe some firmware change or something, can't boot emuelec... In my case a brand new Sandisk 128Gb Ultra SD can't boot, only an old 16gb sd card (which is SDHC) I had lying around booted successfully. Other than that I could also boot with success from an usb pen 64Gb, but that defeats the purpose of having only 2 USB ports where I planned to use for 2 controllers.
That said maybe this isn't the box to recommend anymore, I bought Rg351P and PowKiddy V90 out of your recommentions and I'm pretty happy with both of them, but unfortunately pretty disapointed with this HK1 MUB box :/
Another excellent video
Thank you!
One of the main downfalls of these boxes is they are using older versions of MAME from 2012 so all the extra games that were added since 2012 and all the bug fixes that were added since 2012 are missing. If the most current arcade experience is what you want get a mini or SSF PC and run it with Windows or Linux using the latest emulators for the best experience.
Hi russ want to ask for thus android box if they can use 2 controllers??? I want to use this for me and my son. The Mxq pro i watched a review and its like this hk but the mxq pro doest support 2 players... Can you check if this hk box can support 2 joypad. Thanks in advance.
Yes it can, either through Bluetooth or usb controllers. It should support up to four players at once.
@@RetroGameCorps wow really oh thats good!!! Thank you so much for your reply. Im a fan of what you do brother. Giving us the chance to get back to become a kid again amidst covid. Thank you russ.
Never thought cheaper and better would go together 😆🤣😂
Best intro
A question: whitch is better ? Ia onde ir a95 f3 pra they até the same? Or is better sair tô get a95 f3 or me cool mk6?
My android smart watch has an MTK6761 in it, so it trades blows with and sometimes exceeds the s905x3.
But can it run Crysis?
@@RetroGameCorps sure, at 60 seconds per frame 😂
May I ask which chip Amlogic S912 vs S905x3 and Gpu T820 vs G31 is stronger? Thank you
I have a question : for Processeur : Aigame 905M RAM: DDR3 1GB , which DTB file choose ? it's for GD20 Game Stick comes with 4.3 but many bugs freeze on systems choose menu thanks in advance for your answer
Hello, I recently bought HK1 BOX but I am having issue with X3 T3 Bluetooth Gamepad Joystick it acts crazy it stops from working after few seconds and it come back after but without disconnect error, I have second spare but its the same its android tv issue. Please help me I would like to enjoy with this box but I dont know how to fix this.
If you use vulkan instead of OpenGL on ppsspp you can play psp games full speed at 2x and even 3x.
I have one s905x4 (basically the same as the s905x3 but with less heat problems) and it does psp very well... Games like God of War will not be playable ofc but everything else is playable and with 2x or even 3x.
Ah crap I forgot that Vulkan is supported on S905x3! Back to the lab for testing...thanks for the tip!
Well, I just tested it again and it appears that Vulkan is not available on PPSSPP on the S905x3. Looking at the documentation, the S905x3 only supports Vulkan 1.0, and S905x4 supports. Vulkan 1.1. That might be the difference.
@@RetroGameCorps oh didn't know that. Nonetheless I guess that some games will run just fine. Eta prime did a similar video with one T95 Max Plus and it did run psp games reasonably well
Do you know if a PS4 original controller can be paired via Bluetooth? I've used other boxes were the controller worked fine, but read some comments that it was not working on this box :(
I just got one and tried using Lemuroid (Retroarch front end with very few options, but with google drive cloud sync for saves and states between devices) and the performance was horrible. Evenn GBC games had lag and the audio was super crappy, while some stand alone emiulators did work just fine. No idea why., so will look into getting it to run EmuELEC instead, thanks for putting a guide on how to install that as well!