This is my review of the Kata Box, which includes a mini comparison with the Minix Neo U1.
I have been enjoying my Minix Neo U1 for a few weeks that I decided to get another NMT for my bedroom TV. My TV plays only a maximum of 1080p, so the UHD capability of the Minix U1 would not be necessary.
I got the Kata Box last week due to a sale they had wherein they reduced the price of the unit from P2,499 to P1,999, sans controller. I was not interested in the controller as I don't play games.
Specifications
1.5Ghz Amlogic S805 quad-core CPU
Mali-450 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
microSD card support
WiFi
2x USB 2.0
HDMI port
Ethernet
AV Out
DC-IN
107 X 107 X 25mm
Android 4.4.2 KitKat
I initially ran into some problems with the unit, which I will discuss below. I felt that I got a lemon unit so I went back to the store a few days after to have it replaced. They replaced it with another unit which I am using now.
The product comes with a power adaptor and a basic remote. They don't include an HDMI cable, ethernet cable and AV cable.
Setup
Setup is quite easy just like the Minix. Although it has no optical out, I would not need it anyway. What is important is the HDMI slot. In lieu of the controller, I just used my old wireless mouse.
One thing that I noticed is that the unit is quite slow in booting up and opening apps (reaction time from click to opening of the app). This is in comparison to the Minix which I already have an experience with and which has higher specs. If this will be your first android NMT, I don't think you would mind the speed. Also, the Minix is more expensive so I guess I got what I paid for.
Performance
On the second day of using the first unit, I noticed that there are sporadic green and red speckled noise and line which come up from time to time. When this happens, static sounds come from the speakers. I tried using the unit on 3 TVs and using different HDMI cables, and it still happened. The problem is now gone with the new unit that I received, so I guess I just got a bad unit earlier.
It has a free 60-day MegaVPN key which is supposed to allow the user to access some international channels. However, when I tried to play some of the apps and preinstalled channels, a message that the channel is not available in our country appears. I'll try some updates in the next few days to see if it would work.
Picture quality using Netflix and HDD movies are good and clear. The Kata Box plays video at a maximum resolution of 1080p. However, there is some video stuttering when playing Netflix. This happens around 3-4 times during a movie. This doesn't happen with the Minix. With Iflix, it gets worse. I have audio, but no video.
I was quite a bit concerned when the sales guy told me that the Kata Box would not perform well and would get “corrupted” if a terabyte-level HDD is connected to it. He recommends just using gigabyte flash drives. Well, I tried using a 2 tera HDD to play a couple of movies, and they played well, without the stutter that I had when playing Netflix.
My thoughts
All in all, I would say that the Kata Box is ok for an inexpensive Android NMT box, especially if it would be your first time to own one. If you have the budget (and a UHD TV), go for NMTs with higher specs.
Note:
I just read that they are coming out with a Kata Box 2 which has higher specs than the one that I got. I have no idea as to the price and performance though.