Mecool KM2 is the TV-Box certified with Netflix 4K support that we will see today in its analysis or review. This new device has Android TV 10 OS, has Google certification and interesting hardware.
The new Mecool KM2 has a solvent Amlogic S905X2-B processor that allows moving Android TV agilely, a much more powerful SoC than the Xiaomi Mi Box. This device comes with a bluetooth remote control is included (which we have already seen in other devices) and has a microphone to use the Google Assistant. We also have Chromecast to send content from our Smartphone, it is compatible with Google Home devices and has all the permissions for popular streaming services. Let’s see in our review how the Mecool KM2 behaves and what it offers compared to its rivals.
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PRODUCT DETAILS
Unboxing
The Android TV-Box Mecool KM2 comes in a cardboard box with the image of the product in the upper area and some information of its functions. Inside we find the small TV-Box, remote control, charger 12V 1A and a manual of first steps.
Description
This Mecool KM2 is a device manufactured by Skyworth with Netflix certification within the Hailstorm program, Mecool slo brand has remarked and performs its distribution. A device with a fairly conventional design, in the rear area we have Ethernet 10/100 connector, AV jack, HDMI 2.1, SPDIF, IR extender, ON/OFF button and power connector, on one side we have a USB 3.0, another USB 2.0 and microSD reader with a maximum capacity up to 32 GB.
We also have Bluetooth remote control that has a microphone for Google Assistant, at the front we have a status LED, some keys that have no direct use, but we can remap for other functions. The IR emitter of this remote control has no practical use, we have no settings in Android to configure it.
This TV-Box has a Wifi aC + Bluetooth 4.2 chip with internal wifi antennas. The passive cooling system works perfectly because the Box hardly heats up. In the lower area it has a reset button to reboot the system if it suffers a software catastrophe and to reset it.
- Remote Control: Basic BT + IR Remote with mic / Compatible with keyboard and mouse / App control for Android TV.
SYSTEM AND PERFORMANCE
Environment and Android system
After connect the Mecool KM2 it boots automatically, we are shown the configuration wizard where we can set the Wi-Fi connection, define which apps will be installed by default and select the type of content we want to see on the main screen. Once configured we get to the new Android TV launcher based on rows with tabs of the contents or shortcuts to the installed apps. By default the system comes with some rows that can be disabled and leave the environment quite clean. The overall performance is good, we can move smoothly and quickly between menus.
- Launcher: We can change de the launcher / Android UI rendering at 1080p.
- Multitasking and access: Multitasking NOT available / Notifications the upper icon.
- Languages and Google Play: All the international Android languajes / Google Play for Android TV installed.
- Check our Android TV User Manual to install classic Android Apps, prevent screen rotation and much more.
System
We check the system data and the options it includes as far as root is concerned, we also observe what power on/off system this device allows us. This TV-Box will have updates via OTA to correct possible failures.
- On/Off Controls: Sleep mode / Shutdown settings available.
- System version and root: Android TV 10 (32 bit) / NO rooted / NO root menu / CPU r0p4 (S905X2-B) / Model Skyworth HP40AX2.
- Support: Meecol OTA support / IMG firmware NOT available, only OTA update.
Network, storage, RAM and ports
The Android TV-Box Mecool KM2 has installed 2 GB of RAM and for storage we have 8 GB eMMC that we can expand with a USB memory. It has a USB 3.0 port for connecting external drives (read only) or peripherals and we also have another extra USB 2.0. In the network section we find a wireless adapter Wifi ac + Bluetooth 4.2 that as we can see in the tests the results are good. The internal memory is fast and helps us to use the system with no lag.
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- Storage: Total 8GB – Free 3.5GB / Expandable with a USB external memory.
- RAM: Total 2GB – Free 1GB / DDR.
- Network: Good speed with internal wifi antennas / Range 40dBm, good. / Bluetooth YES.
- Read/Write Ports: USB 3.0 OTG / On external USB drives it is only possible to read data.
- We recommend reading our Tutorial SAMBA on Android networks if we are going to use files from our network PC.
Power and performance
In the performance section the Mecool KM2 has the Amlogic S905X2-B Quad Core SoC with ARM Cortex-A53 processors up to 1.8GHz and in the graphics section has a mid-range Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. As we can see in the results we have a pretty good performance that exceeds some generic box, this hardware is matched against the Fire TV-Box 4K and the new Googlecast TV, far exceeds the Xiaomi Mi Box which is already quite amortized.
- CPU performance: Min 0.5 GHz / Working 1.1 GHz / Max 1.8 GHz
- Check our Amlogic S905X2 SoC Comparison against all SoCs in the sector for more details.
As for games we can run PUBG in medium/low quality and also cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GForce Now or Google Stadia using the APK to install it. In the emulators section we can get at most run some Wii titles, but we will not have problems with 2D games of classic consoles with emulators like Retroarch or using KODI, the full OS EmuELEC is not compatible.
- Games and emulators: NOT possible to play titles such as PUBG / YES Vulkan support / Basic emulators in RetroArch or KODI.
- Controls: Compatible with Bluetooth or USB Gamepads.
This SoC is manufactured in 12nm, has a fairly low power consumption and the cooling system maintains low temperatures in normal use. The processor manages the speeds correctly so as not to heat up excessively.
- Thermals: Min. 39ºC / Working 50 ºC / Max. 62ºC / Maintains performance up to 100% / Heat zone on the top / Noise 0db
- Consumption: Off 0.9W / Min 3W / Working 3.6W / Max. 5.2W
VIDEO AND AUDIO TEST
Video playback test
In the video playback section, the Mecool KM2 is compatible with most modern video formats such as h.265, VP9 with native resolution support 4K@60fps HDR, although it does not support the recent AV1 codec that for now has a testimonial use. It does not have a video quality settings app and no automatic refresh rate change. We have official HDR support is available to get a better image from some streaming services.
It is possible to use players like KODI or PLEX without the slightest problem by installing them directly from the Android TV store. In terms of audio we can play DD 7.1 and DTS up to 5.1 through its HDMI port, 5.1 via SPDIF and stereo via the AV jack. The Chromecast system works perfectly with all compatible services.
- Video Settings: NO image quality settings / RGB, SDR / HDMI-CEC available, see manual / Automatic refresh rate not available.
- Audio Settings: HDMI 7.1 / NO USB audio settings.
- Color and HDR: 10Bit / RGB / HDR 10+ / HLG.
- Media sharing: GoogleCast YES / Miracast NO / DLNA with BlubblePnP / Airplay NO.
- LibreELEC: This model is NOT compatible with LibreELEC or CoreELEC.
- Tutorials: Install add-on in KODI / Judder effect, how to fix it / Multi-channel audio guide / Correct dark video playback in Android.
- We recommend reading the Setup Guide of our TV to get the best picture quality.
Video and audio results
| Formats | Result |
| h.264 / 1080i / 8bit | OK |
| h.264 / 1080p / 4K / 8bit | OK |
| h.264 / 1080p / 10bit (anime) | Frameskip (SW) |
| h.265 / 1080p / 8bit | OK |
| h.265 / 1080p / 10bit (anime) | OK |
| h.265 / 4K@24fps / 8bit | OK |
| h.265 / 4K@60fps / 10bit HDR | OK |
| VP9 P1 / 4K@24fps / 8bit | OK |
| VP9 P2 / 4K@60fps / 10bit HDR | OK |
| VP9 P2 / 8K@60fps / 10bit HDR | Frameskip (SW) |
| AV1 / 4K@24fps / 10bit | Frameskip (SW) |
| Max. Bitrate | 100 Mbps = 12,5 MB/s. |
- The maximum bitrate depends on the port used to connect or the limitations of SAMBA Networks.
- SW = does not have hardware acceleration and may have have some frameskip in very heavy files.
| Audio Formats | Result |
| Dolby | 5.1 / Plus / True HD = OK | Atmos = Core |
| DTS | 5.1 = OK | MA / HR / X = Core |
- PCM – Stereo only doing downmix from DD or DTS
- Core – Only the core of the format is played back with what we passed to the Dolby or DTS base system / More info
Streaming services
We tests this device on streaming services to check how the most popular services work. The Mecool KM2 offers maximum compatibility with all the most popular streaming services. We can watch in 4K HDR quality content from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and in maximum quality others like HBO.
- DRM: Google Widevine L1 / Playready.
- Audio/Video certification: Dolby Audio / Chromecast.
- Tutorials: Change the size of the captions and the mouse pointer on Android / Install Addons in KODI in a simple way
| Streaming service | Calidad / Audio |
| Youtube | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 |
| Google Play Movies | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 |
| Netflix | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 / Netflix Guide |
| HBO | FullHD (1080p) / Stereo / HBO Guide |
| Disney+ | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 / Disney+ Guide |
| Amazon Prime Video | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 / Prime Video Guide |
| Apple TV+ | 4K (2160p) / 5.1 / Apple TV+ Guide |
| DAZN | HD (720p) / Stereo |
| IPTV | FullHD (1080i) / Stereo |
CONCLUSIONS AND BUY LINKS
Opinion
After testing for several days the new Mecool KM2 we must say that we are facing an interesting certified TV-Box at a good price. Thanks to the efficient SoC Amlogic S905X2-B we can move the system and any app smoothly, this chip far exceeds the Xiaomi Mi TV-Box, its great rival. The Bluetooth remote control with microphone included is practical and we can use Google Assistant without problems on a daily basis.
In the connectivity section the Mecool KM2 integrates a Wifi aC + BT 4.2 adapter without speed problems, we also have USB 3.0 connectivity, another extra USB 2.0 and microSD slot to expand internal storage. As operating system we have Android TV 10 fully stable and hopefully with OTA updates. This model does not heat up at all playing video, in normal use or playing a demanding title thanks to its cooling.
This TV-Box has all the certificates for streaming apps allowing us to play our contracted services in 4K HDR quality. We can also use other apps such as IPTV players, PLEX or KODI to watch local content. We have the usual limitations of Amlogic SoCs such as the lack of image quality control or automatic refresh rate change.
With this Mecool KM2 we have a good TV-Box for streaming, a device much more powerful than the Xiaomi Mi Box but that is somewhat below other options that have recently come out.
Score
Where to buy
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Mecool KM2
0.00
Pros
- Cheap
- All certifications
- Good BT remote
- Fast Android TV 10
- Chromecast & Google Home
Cons
- Ethernet 10/100
hi mecool km2 has the android 12 update
Mecool km2 plus punya saya masih terhitung baru dan baru di test bbrp kali.. ternyata output optik dan av nya malfunction..dari output optik kluar suara berisik ga jelas.. suara.frekwensi tinggi…. dan dari av… ga ada gambar dan ga ada suara….Klo output hdmi normal. Ada yg bisa bantu ?
Unfortunately, none of the reviews pointed out that it could not actually output HDR, and the HDR was destroyed in the latest firmware. This is my review. I published the original review on reddit: I found some disadvantages of it: 1) It does not support HDR in C2.1.4_20220613, the reason may be a problem with the firmware. 2) If you disable Netflix in the app, you can see a new option “Adaptive HDR” in the HDR settings. 3) If you find “Dolby Vision” displayed briefly when the power is turned on, that doesn’t actually mean it supports Dolby Vision, and… Read more »
It is well manufactured and works stable.
After turning power supply on, device turns on, which is really annoying. It should go into standby.
CEC volume doesn’t work. CEC can turn on TV but doesn’t turn on Yamaha AV receiver.
All sounds transmited by HDMI are converted to DD+, including stereo PCM. Receiver always shows multichannel audio, even if there is no sound for rear speakers.
There is no support from manufacturer, so these bugs won’t be corrected. I have gladly replaced it with Chromecast with Google TV, which has none of above problems.
In You tube app play videos and transmit the audio with mecool bluetooth. The Bluetooth audio transmit sound to bluetooth speaker there is a distinct audio/video lipsync problem.
The av port on the back of the mecool KM2 does not work at all.
Wish reviews tested all the functions on these devices, would not have bought KM2 if this bluetooth and av port problem was known.
The box has always HDR on, you have to manually decrease brightness when watching non HDR content.The colour is shown right (no washed out colours). In settings there is a choice to turn on or off HDR but it does not work.
I use a cheap usb 2.0 to ethernet adapter and it works fine. It supports bitrates up to 280 Mbps . If you buy a usb 3,0 to ethernet adapter it will reach Gbps speeds
Every time I go to use the box it has to be restarted, everything is shaded pink and green, very annoying……
I dislike the ethernet 10/100. Is the firmware compatible with a USB 3.0 Gigabit Hub in this case?
I can’t figure out how to get the optical output to work, (it works via HDMI at the same time). There is no setting to specify which output you want, either way my AV receiver remains on PCM and doesn’t decode anything.
i cant play flie dts rear speker not hear anything
dobly is ok (sound bar q90r)
I can not get Kodi to run in anything other than 1080p on this device.
The white list has only one entry.
Suggestions anyone?
The Mecool KM2 has serious limitations. The remote can only control 1 peripheral like a tv or sound bar, but not both, unlike the Firestick 4K remote. The Mecool remote is poorly designed with a small enter button and an overly wide navigation ring. Android TV 10 does not have a fully functional web browser like Silk on the Firestick I bought this item based on advertising big mistake. I tried to use it for 3 days and because of it’s limits immediately went back to my Firestick 4K. Mecool km2 sits on my bureau and will remain there until… Read more »