REVIEW: Mecool KM9 Pro with Google certification and Android TV 9

PRODUCT DETAILS

Description

The model Mecool KM9 Pro TV-Box is presented in a cardboard box with magnetic lid, inside we have the TV-Box, remote control with microphone, HDMI 2.0 cable, small manual first steps and 5V 2A power adapter with its adapter if necessary. The IR + Bluetooth remote control with microphone can be connected automatically by pressing OK + Vol- on the remote control.

• Remote Control: The default IR + Bluetooth remote with integrated microphone, basic but functional. We can choose other alternatives.
• Voice control: By default we can use Google Assistant to perform searches by pressing the microphone button.
• Alternate control: We can control remotely using the app  Cetusplay / Don’t have its own remote control app.

This TV-Box Mecool KM9 Pro has a classic design, is a black box only with logo of the brand in the top. On the front we only have a small discrete white LED and on the perimeter we have all the connectors, the USB 3.0 port that is new in this SoC, we also have HDMI 2.1 connector up to 4K@75fps, AV jack, another USB 2.0, microSD reader and indicated with a red circle the power connector. In audio jack we have a hole for the update button of your firmware if necessary.

• Materials and measures: Plastic / 109 x 109 x 18 mm / 167 gr.
• Package contents: Manual / Adapter DC 5V 2A / HDMI cable / BT+IR remote with microphone (2x AAA batteries not included).
• Interfaces: HDMI 2.1 4K@75fps / AV Jack 3.5mm / Jack AV / 1x USB 2.0 / 1x USB 3.0 / MicroSD / Reset.
• Leds and panel: Frontal RGB LED.

When opening the TV-Box we can see the Wifi ac + Bluetooth 4.1 (AP6255), It has one internal antenna fixed to the outer shell. The cooling system consists in a metallic piece stuck to the upper cover that comes in contact with a thermal paste that presses the SoC to transmit the heat.

SYSTEM AND PERFORMANCE

Environment and Android system

Connecting the Mecool KM9 Pro to the DC adapter the TV-Box starts automatically with an animation and the frontal LED lights up. The system installed by default is Android TV 9, an Android version focused on its use on television screen and use with remote control that has its advantages and disadvantages, we have a lot of installed streaming apps (too many, we recommend deleting them). The performance is very good and the system moves fast, it shows much more powerful hardware than a Xiaomi Mi Box S with the previous S905X.

• Launcher: Android TV 9 Launcher / We can’t change the default launcher / Android UI rendering at 1080p.
• Multitasking and access: Android TV notification system / Multitasking available directly with long press in Home.
• Installed apps: Google play, Netflix, Sideload launcher, Youtube, FX Explorer. Settings and dozens of streaming apps.
• Languages: All the international Android classics.
• On/Off Controls: If we keep press the power button we have reset and power off option / Configurable in settings.

We check the system data within the Android settings and through analysis software, we can see the details of the system installed by default, in this case in Android TV 9 with support for 32bit apps only. The system has a Google Certification because Chromecast has an encrypted system that can only be obtained with that license, but that does not mean that we have Google system updates, we will only find a firmware file or online OTA released by Mecool if we are lucky.

• System version: Android TV 9 (32 bit) / Kernel 4.9.113 / Build 2019-03-29 / Reference U211.
• App store: Google Play with all the apps available for the Android system.
• Settings and root: Android + Droid Settings / The system IS NOT root by default / NO menu to deactivate it in settings.
• Support: Mecool DON’T has a website to contact / Firmware available / Custom firmware no yet

Power and performance

In the power aspect the Mecool KM9 Pro has very good results in the line of the new Amlogic S905X2 Quad Core SoC with ARM Cortex-A53 processors and Mali-G31 MP2 GPU in a very good position. The new SoC S905X2 made in 12nm offers us a good efficiency, the temperatures do not reach a worrying figures at any time and works fine with any level of work.

• Consumption: Off 0W / Standby 2.6W / Basic use 3.8W / Maximum 7.1W
• Thermals: Minimum 46ºC / Maximum 72ºC / Maintains performance up to 100% / Small heat zone on the top / Noise 0db
• You can read our Comparison article for Amlogic S905X2 SoC with all its technical details

We pass our benchmarks and we can see how the Amlogic S905X2 SoC is almost on par with the most powerful Amlogic last generation SoC the S912. In general the results are below that a powerful SoC like the Rockchip RK3399 or the new S922X (see our Beelink GT-King review) that already has superior ARM Cortex cores, but the results are very good in general.

In the following you can see a test of how PUBG moves in medium settings with the S905X2 SoC, the result is good and we can move without problems. We recommend reading our tutorial to play with keyboard and mouse to PUBG in a TV-Box.

• Games and emulators: IS possible to play demanding titles such as PUBG / Emulators up to Wii / NO Vulkan support.
• Controls: Compatible with Gamepads by cable or bluetooth.

Network, storage, RAM and ports

In the Mecool KM9 Pro model we have integrated eMMC memory as internal storage, USB 3.0 ports and SD card reader. In the network section we have a Wifi ac + Bluetooth 4.1 (AP6255) and Ethernet 10/100 port. The performance of the Wifi chip is good but it would be nice to have two antennas instead of one.

• Storage: Total 32GB expandable with a USB memory stick / NTFS + exFAT compatible.
• RAM: Total 4GB – Free 3GB / DDR4.
• Network: Good speed in 5G with one internal wifi antenna / Range 38 dBm, correct. / Bluetooth works OK.
• We recommend reading our Tutorial SAMBA on Android networks if we are going to use files from our network PC.

VIDEO AND AUDIO TEST

Video playback test

At video playback level the Mecool KM9 Pro has the S905X2 SoC and a Amlogic TruLife Gen8 VPU compatible with most modern video formats such as h.265 and VP9. In this TV-Box we can use players like MX Player or install KODI from Google Play without the slightest problem, the system comes by default with the option to install to install KODI that works without problems. Thanks to the Google Certification we can use Chromecast from applications such as Youtube, Google Play Movies, Music or similar, but due to security limitations and certifications we can not use it in apps like Netflix or similar.

• Settings and HDMI-CEC: NO image quality settings / RGB and SDR modes available / HDMI-CEC works
• Automatic refresh rate change: Not available.
• Media sharing: Chromecast NO / Miracast NO / DLNA with BlubblePnP / Airplay NO.
• LibreELEC: This model is NOT compatible with LibreELEC yet.
• Tutorials: Judder effect and how to avoid it / Multi-channel audio guide / Correct dark screen when playing video on Android.

We pass several multimedia playback tests with the Mecool KM9 Pro and check that it works perfectly using the new Amlogic S922X SoC, which has video output support for HDMI 2.1 that theoretically allows maximum resolution up to 4K@75fps with HDR information with  support for Dolby Vision, check the video settings.

• Performance: HEVC 10 bit HDR OK / VP9 P2 OK / 8K no compatible / 1080i with frameskips.
• Ports: HDMI 2.1 4K@75fps / Jack audio stereo
• Max. bitrate: 100 Mbps = 12,5 MB/s.
• Tutorials: Install Addons in KODI in a simple way / LibreELEC installation guide for the TV-Boxes with Android

Video results

• You can see more details in the article Video decoding tests with Amlogic S905X2 SoC.
• The maximum bitrate depends on the port used to connect or the limitations of SAMBA Networks.

Audio playback test

For testing the audio in the Mecool KM9 Pro we use a Yamaha AV receiver, we check that they supports DD and DTS pass through sound. We can only listen to the multi-channel audio up to 5.1. If we do not have an AV receiver to listen the files with AC3 or multichannel sound we must configure the system to listen to configure the system to listen to multichannel AC3 videos in stereo on any TV.

• Ports: HDMI up to 5.1 / Stereo Jack
• Passthrough and certification: Available in settings / NO official certificates / NO Chromecast audio.
• Tutorial:  Multi channel audio configuration in Android devices

Audio test results

• 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 / DTS base system
  * Our AV receiver does not support these native formats but we verify that it is played back to 7.1

Streaming services

In our classics tests with streaming services we see how the most popular services work. The Mecool KM9 Pro presents an unusual configuration since we are certified with both Google Widevine L1 and Microsoft Playready, in addition to support HDCP 2.2. On a practical level despite these certificates we can only see Netflix in SD+ quality, other services such as HBO or Amazon Prime Video are compatible in some ways.

• DRM: Google Widevine L1 / Microsoft Playready / HDCP 2.2.
• Certification: No
• Tutorial: Change the size of the captions and the mouse pointer on Android / Install Addons in KODI in a simple way

CONCLUSIONS

Score

Opinion

The model Mecool KM9 Pro continues the line of the latests Mecool that integrate the new S905X2 SoC, this model has a Google Certification, a certificate that allows to use the Chromecast system in Google applications although unfortunately outside of these app we can not use it, the certificate does not provide special support or something extra remarkable. At the network level, the Wifi ac Dual band works fine although the internal antenna is not the most powerful, it is a shame that a simple 10/100 Ethernet port is mounted instead of a Gigabit one that gives much more performance.

In the Mecool KM9 Pro we have on its motherboard 4GB of DDR4 RAM, something that allows us to load several apps from the internal memory and to switch between them from the included remote control. This TV-Box has the latest Android TV 9 system that allows us to handle it in a very comfortable way on our TV and we can give orders with the microphone through Google Assistant, it’s a shame that it is not Flymouse because it limits the use of certain apps. A model that behaves well as a video player, for example with KODI, all kinds of commonly used apps or for powerful games.

This new model has Chromecast (to some extent), is also perfectly valid for local content playback or streaming, has a remote with microphone that facilitates use at the user level and moves the system fast by its power. Consult our recommended models to see other alternatives.

WHERE TO BUY AND ADD-ONS

Add-ons

Mecool KM9 Pro _

0.00

7.1

DESIGN AND CONNECTIVITY

8.5/10

HARDWARE

6.5/10

SOFTWARE

7.5/10

SUPPORT

6.0/10

PRICE/QUALITY

7.0/10

Pros

• Powerful
• Compact
• BT remote with voice
• Android TV 9 fast
• Chromecast (with limitations)

Cons

• Wifi antenna can be better
• Ethernet 10/100
• No flymouse remote