Does this device not work with Netflix (constant user) Max, Paramont +? If not I will pass on the SK1. Thanks you all in advance for your sage advice.
It works with those but is not a “certified” device. I am not a Netflix user but I believe because it isn’t certified it will only show in SD.
The SK1 does not have near the video or audio settings of the Shield. I also have to learn about Amlogic super scaling and AI scaling to understand how they all blend to give me a better picture. My remote did not function as Troy’s did right out of the box. The mouse pointer would not move by simply waving the remote around and it took me a fair bit of time, with the help of @Anth to figure out how and why. Turns out the remote that came with the SK1was not paired properly. I ended up having to go to the Additional settings and noted that the SK1 had my Shield remote paired to it, and even though the SK1 remote was working it wasn’t paired to the SK1. So i forgot the Shield remote in the settings and proceeded to pair the SK1 remote which is UR02 in the Other Devices section under the Connected devices. I made sure that Connection preferences was set to Bluetooth. You can also change the remote by going into the Bluetooth settings. The keyboard is awkward for me and I have to figure out how to do things like a cap lock. Just takes time.
A small update since I have had this device for 3 days. If stock Android is better than Android TV I don’t know how. I absolutely hate the air mouse. Such a pain to control no matter what settings you change. The Hamburger button, as I call it, I’m accustomed to it opening “Settings”, but for the SK1 if you are running say Stremio and want to adjust the colour or test a different GHz setting and so on, clicking it does not open the side panel “settings” but opens the app “Menu” and using the built in key mapper there is no setting to change it to open settings. In fact the options, in my opinion, do not “enhance” the usability of the remote. The SK1 does not have anywhere near the combinations of Video and Audio settings as the Shield. Recording in TiViMate was easy to setup on the SK1 and works flawlessly for me. I noticed a couple of incidents of buffering and much to my amazement it did not interfere in any way with the recording. I will keep using the SK1, but is it better than the Shield Pro? I personally don’t think so. It is slower to load and to start the soundbar and TV. Speed tests with 6 different test apps did show a better ethernet speed (+20Mbps up & down) than the Shield, and the stream, for some reason, seemed “steadier”, although maybe that isn’t the proper term. With the large RAM it certainly is faster.
If anyone has, or knows where I can find, an SK1 manual as well as the remotes button map or a full options/settings manual, I would be eternally grateful.
FYI even though the SK1 has 8 GBs of RAM it can only presently use 4 here is why>
Can Kodi take advantage of 8 GB of RAM memory?
No, the answer is negative, at least for the time being. Since the operating system is 32-bit, you need to use the 32-bit Kodi Apk, as the 64-bit version won’t work. This means you’ll be restricted to a 4 GB RAM range, with only 50% of the total 8 GB RAM accessible and usable by Kodi. The resolution of this issue relies mainly on Amlogic SoC company to deliver genuine “64-bit” OS support and experience, rather than Ugoos.
@Miki Thanks for your review. Much appreciated.
As one of our original purchasers of the SK1 along with PapaS, thanks for your initial review. This device is lightning fast and for those of us who like open source apps, it is a dream to customize and operate. The remote functionality is a big upgrade over the older Ugoos remote. The only recommendation I have is that the box ventilation could be enhanced with a usb cooling fan as the cooling vents on the bottom could be larger for better airflow. That said, the processor heat sink on the SK1 is huge and is a big reason this device is heavier that your typical streaming box. Ugoos has advised me that when AmLogic comes out with a software update to enable full 8 gigabit RAM, 64 bit processing, Ugoos will make this available.
My RAM shows 7.77GBs and most frequently uses 3.5 to 4.5. of the 7.77 I honestly haven’t found it to be any faster than the Shield Pro and for me it is often slower when changing channels as an example.
Might want to contact James at Ugoos to see if he can send you a detailed set of instructions for programming the UR 2 remote.
That’s a good idea.
Email sent to James.
How does this box compare to the UGOOS AM8 AM8 Pro TV BOX?
The SK1 has virtually the same hardware and specifications as the AM8 Pro. The remote for the SK1 seems to have more functionality however.
I have been in touch with Ugoos by e:mail to request a manual for the UR02 remote with a key map or a function list. The same for the SK1 for settings. They don’t have one or are not willing to provide one. Absolutely no help what so ever. Not happy with non existent customer service.
You’ve probably already stumbled on this. A small bit of info on the remote.
Yes sir I have that thank you. Absolutely useless without a Key/function map. Even contacted Ugoos and they gave me that same link. The manufacturer has no info for the UR02 remote settings or the SK1 itself either. Again, tx for the info my friend. Have a great day.
For those wanting to map various buttons on the remote TVQuickActionPro works great. The Button Mapper feature is for accessories that we connect and I’m assuming that’s for gamepads, etc., it’s not for remote control. I haven’t tried this yet but will report back once I do.
Here’s a video where I show how to use TVQuickActionsPro.
