[Android Stick & Console RockChip based Computers] ndabar:
Everyday there are more and more Chinese gadgets in the market, but not all the products are able to stand out. However it is incredible how those devices can imitate the features from the known brands.

[IMG="iPPLi ip.i9"]http://www.baquia.com/images/easyblog_shared/2e1ax_default_entry_ippiIP.i9.jpg[/IMG]

I would like to talk about the TV-Box iPPLi ip.i9, device which has the SoC Rockchip Rk3288 Quad core Cortes-A17 @ 1.8Ghz, being the first android TV device in the market with this chip.

By default the firmware doesn’t support Google Play, hopefully two weeks later the company developed an upgrade with some improves and including Google Play.

Specifications

[IMG="specifications"]http://www.baquia.com/images/easyblog_shared/specifications.jpg[/IMG]

As we can see in the pictures, the device has a cylindrical shape, which allow the camera to have a better view.

The box includes the remote control however I prefer to use a wireless keyboard with mouse through the USB port and it works perfectly.

Another advantage of the Android operating system is the easy control and manage of the device, it is like another android phone but with the limitations of the tablets without SIMs.

[IMG="AnTuTu"]http://www.baquia.com/images/easyblog_shared/Screenshot_2015-01-05-17-29-25.png[/IMG]

At the moment I am using it as a video player (multimedia contents in my NAS) with Kodi (the new version of XBMC) or video streaming with youtube, Netflix, ipla, etc.

Thanks to the rockchip processor it is really simple to root it, there are different tools which allow you to do that: iroot and/or root_genius.

The CONS points, but don’t forget his low price:

- Microphone doesn’t work or it doesn’t have it.

- Ethernet port doesn’t work or it is not enable.

- Updates from RockChip or iPPLi

The POSITIVE points of this great TV-Box

- The RK3288 chip, which is one of the best chips now in the market for this kind of device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockchip http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/02/27/rockchip-rk3288-specifications-released/

- It is fast

- 100% compatibility with the rest of devices, smartTV, NAS, other mobiles and tablets

- High Definition in the TV, thanks to the HDMI port

- Possibility to modify the OS, a minimum of knowledge is required

- Additional capacity through the TF card slot or through the USB port

- Support from iPPLi (http://www.ippli.com/contacte.asp)

- High benchmark from AnTuTu 37881

- Google play supported, not all TV-Box in the market have this support

- Remote control: iRDa remote control, free rockchip android application, kodi remote controller, or my favorite wireless keyboard (USB port)

Quick upgrade guide

1.Download and extract the firmware image and upgrade tool (FactoryTool, Windows OS)

2.Start the upgrade tool (FactoryTool.exe), change language to English (globe icon)

3.Still in (FactoryTool.exe) load the firmware image file by clicking the Firmware button

4.Plug the AC power adapter to ip.i9

5.Connect the upgrade USB cable (with full USB plugs on both ends) to ip.i9 ONLY!

6.Press and hold the Recovery button (located under the USB OTG port) using a paper clip

7.Connect the upgrade USB cable to PC while still holding the Recovery button, device will now boot into recovery mode

8.Release the button and if you do not have USB drivers installed you will get prompted to install, point to FactoryTool_v1.31/Driver

9.Once the drivers are successfully installed, on the upgrade tool press the RUN button to start flashing the image file

10.Once the upgrade is done the device will boot to finish the upgrade process, disconnect the ip.i9 from PC.

Mine was all time connect to the TV, show I could see the process and when the gadget was booting.

I have re-signed up a new account, so now I have the limitation for the numbers of links, sorry for that.

[IMG="FactoryTool"]http://www.baquia.com/images/easyblog_shared/FactoryTool_Eng3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG="FactoryTool"]http://www.baquia.com/images/easyblog_images/1852/FactoryTool_Eng6.jpg[/IMG]