OSMC Vero 4K Media Streamer Review & Comments

You've taken over my nephew as second home for my kit. But at least you pay :D

I'm sticking with Zap for main and bedroom, since I don't think I could better it. Having said that I am mostly using the Cambridge Audio as my main network streamer these days. So i might mail you if I decide to lose one and need the cash :)
I am reading up on them at the moment and am seriously tempted with the Zappiti One SE 4K HDR that you have due to it's dual HDMI output, I could then stick with the amp that I got from you and am still more than happy with...So go on then, send me a pm and we can do a deal in the classifieds :smashin:


I’d imagine ( like me ) he doesn’t want to spend time installing and using beta versions of the OS and views the box as an appliance!
Exactly, along with I have been reading that a fully working 3D version is coming for far too long now.
 
Slightly off topic, but I upgraded from a Vero 4k to a Zidoo Z9s as most 4k rips were failing to play properly (not playing, stuttering, dropping a/v sync etc). Zidoo has mostly been fine, but a few 4k rips recently have struggled (Gemini Man had huge a/v sync issues, and Dark Fate just died after 7 mins).

I am convinced it is not my NAS after many queries and tests, but wondering if others are having similar issues, or are other players (i.e. Zappiti) better equipped to handle large bit rates?

Note that any 10180p content is rock solid.
 
Slightly off topic, but I upgraded from a Vero 4k to a Zidoo Z9s as most 4k rips were failing to play properly (not playing, stuttering, dropping a/v sync etc). Zidoo has mostly been fine, but a few 4k rips recently have struggled (Gemini Man had huge a/v sync issues, and Dark Fate just died after 7 mins).

I am convinced it is not my NAS after many queries and tests, but wondering if others are having similar issues, or are other players (i.e. Zappiti) better equipped to handle large bit rates?

Note that any 10180p content is rock solid.

That sounds like a processing / bandwidth issue from your NAS, not the player. As a Vero4K and Shield TV ower using a wired connection on a windows server running a 6yr old core i3/4gb ram - not a hiccup even with the highest bitrate 4K movies, inc toture test files (jellyfish etc)
 
That sounds like a processing / bandwidth issue from your NAS, not the player. As a Vero4K and Shield TV ower using a wired connection on a windows server running a 6yr old core i3/4gb ram - not a hiccup even with the highest bitrate 4K movies, inc toture test files (jellyfish etc)
I don’t disagree in principle, but I have QNAP251+ (relatively new) with a ram upgrade wired directly to the Zidoo (this removing any network issues in theory), and have quizzed many different forums on this subject, and most come back to say it’s not/ shouldn’t be the NAS. I also noticed a material improvement in performance loving from the Vero to the Zidoo, so put it down to the player.

On saying that, I also have a shield tv which I tried using Kodi (Also directly aired to the NAS) and it also failed on the same files, suggesting it was the files themselves. However, no one else has reported any issues with those files, so back to square 1 somewhat...
 
I don’t disagree in principle, but I have QNAP251+ (relatively new) with a ram upgrade wired directly to the Zidoo (this removing any network issues in theory), and have quizzed many different forums on this subject, and most come back to say it’s not/ shouldn’t be the NAS. I also noticed a material improvement in performance loving from the Vero to the Zidoo, so put it down to the player.

On saying that, I also have a shield tv which I tried using Kodi (Also directly aired to the NAS) and it also failed on the same files, suggesting it was the files themselves. However, no one else has reported any issues with those files, so back to square 1 somewhat...


I've been doing this a good while, it almost always the NAS - can you sub in a laptop or something and create a share for the media players to read off? If it works, it's the NAS.

I've the Shield, Vero4K and another tube shield in the bedroom.. I can also stream 4K on 5GHZ wifi to this laptop with no decoding at the server (as it would explode)

Logically if it's hot garbage on all players it's the NAS - again rule out the router by using a laptop.
 
I've been doing this a good while, it almost always the NAS - can you sub in a laptop or something and create a share for the media players to read off? If it works, it's the NAS.

I've the Shield, Vero4K and another tube shield in the bedroom.. I can also stream 4K on 5GHZ wifi to this laptop with no decoding at the server (as it would explode)

Logically if it's hot garbage on all players it's the NAS - again rule out the router by using a laptop.
Thanks - good advice - will give that a try. As an alternative, I was entertaining a Zidoo / Zappiti with built in storage purely for 4k content (leaving the NAS for 1080p). Substantially cheaper than getting a new NAS, and in theory should remove any performance issues. Any reasons why this wouldn't work...?
 
Thanks - good advice - will give that a try. As an alternative, I was entertaining a Zidoo / Zappiti with built in storage purely for 4k content (leaving the NAS for 1080p). Substantially cheaper than getting a new NAS, and in theory should remove any performance issues. Any reasons why this wouldn't work...?

Any reason why you wouldn't use an old i3 tower like me? Just curious as the NAS seemed to be expensive for what it actually did last time I looked at them -Synology etc.

I think your problem lies in the NAS or the router, I mean surely you could attach an ext usb driver to the shield or vero as well? There's no 4k movie that's going to go use 50% of the bandwidth and that's being generous.

Unrelated - did you demo those RELs?
 
Any reason why you wouldn't use an old i3 tower like me? Just curious as the NAS seemed to be expensive for what it actually did last time I looked at them -Synology etc.

I think your problem lies in the NAS or the router, I mean surely you could attach an ext usb driver to the shield or vero as well? There's no 4k movie that's going to go use 50% of the bandwidth and that's being generous.

Unrelated - did you demo those RELs?
I was using a usb drive before but it’s a pain copying the files and moving the drive around, (my cinema is in a separate detached garage), plus the wife and kids stream stuff from it all the time. Will investigate options further though.

RELs - no, I demoed a Genelec sub and something else first, but blind purchased the RELs. Doing a good job so far. Much better response across the range, but they do lack the aggressive nature of the sub 1. Like a big engine with lots of power, but a touch lacking in attack. I do like them though
 
I was using a usb drive before but it’s a pain copying the files and moving the drive around, (my cinema is in a separate detached garage), plus the wife and kids stream stuff from it all the time. Will investigate options further though.

RELs - no, I demoed a Genelec sub and something else first, but blind purchased the RELs. Doing a good job so far. Much better response across the range, but they do lack the aggressive nature of the sub 1. Like a big engine with lots of power, but a touch lacking in attack. I do like them though


I just meant use it to rule out the player as it doesn't care, it just reads the info. The QNAP should serve 4K HDR to any player powerful enough to play it. The fact the at 1080p is fine and 4K isn't suggests a setting in the NAS or choking of the bandwidth be it cpu related or other.

For example I see people touting fstab mount rather than smb - but it makes no difference here. SMB while less secure is easily the best way for me to do it here. In fact I got the other Shield for the 4K TV in the bedroom because the TV's processor was just a bit janky trying to buffer efficiently, it worked ok, but just a bit sludgy.

I haven't looked at a NAS in ages but it's something I could diagnose pretty quick if I was there kinda thing.
 
I just meant use it to rule out the player as it doesn't care, it just reads the info. The QNAP should serve 4K HDR to any player powerful enough to play it. The fact the at 1080p is fine and 4K isn't suggests a setting in the NAS or choking of the bandwidth be it cpu related or other.

For example I see people touting fstab mount rather than smb - but it makes no difference here. SMB while less secure is easily the best way for me to do it here. In fact I got the other Shield for the 4K TV in the bedroom because the TV's processor was just a bit janky trying to buffer efficiently, it worked ok, but just a bit sludgy.

I haven't looked at a NAS in ages but it's something I could diagnose pretty quick if I was there kinda thing.
Makes sense. Will test usb tomo and see what happens. Thanks!
 
Just ordered A vero 4k+. hoping it performs better than my shield with kodi for rips.
 
I use Nova on my shield-2015 with rips, works perfectly.
 
I just meant use it to rule out the player as it doesn't care, it just reads the info. The QNAP should serve 4K HDR to any player powerful enough to play it. The fact the at 1080p is fine and 4K isn't suggests a setting in the NAS or choking of the bandwidth be it cpu related or other.
I use a QNAP 412 (yes that old) to deliver 4k HDR over wifi - AC to a 2015 Shield in a separate room. No issues.
 
Just ordered A vero 4k+. hoping it performs better than my shield with kodi for rips.

.mkv rips? No, not at all. The vero is noticeably slower to navigate - in fact no rips at all. They're both versions of kodi.
 
What do you mean slower to navigate? The menu system or seeking through MKVs?

Both I believe.. The Shield is definitely snappier - I really only use the Vero if I suspect something wrong with the file and that's been a fair while now. I should probably sell it.. anyone looking one let me know.
 
Both I believe.. The Shield is definitely snappier - I really only use the Vero if I suspect something wrong with the file and that's been a fair while now. I should probably sell it.. anyone looking one let me know.

Its not about the speed of it for me. I believe the the android implementation of passthru audio is lacking quality.

Lack of development for kodi android is also an issue going forward.
 
Both I believe.. The Shield is definitely snappier - I really only use the Vero if I suspect something wrong with the file and that's been a fair while now. I should probably sell it.. anyone looking one let me know.
Ah gotcha. The menus can be a bit slow, especially if you go for a heavier skin.
Upgrading my Vero4K with a faster USB network card (so it's the same as the 4K+) fixed any seek issues I had and that works really well.
Most of my films are in MKV - uncompressed.
 
Its not about the speed of it for me. I believe the the android implementation of passthru audio is lacking quality.

Lack of development for kodi android is also an issue going forward.

I've a shield hooked up to a Lyngdorf / MK system - the Vero has absolutely no advantage over the shield watching movies, whoever told you that it was, whether audible or even measurable is talking complete bollocks.

As for KODI support in Android, what is it you need for movie watching that isn't available? I would think android would actually have healthy support going forward with Kodi since it's used mainly on Android platforms - I'm not sure what player/s you think come close to the numbers of android based ones?
 
Ah gotcha. The menus can be a bit slow, especially if you go for a heavier skin.
Upgrading my Vero4K with a faster USB network card (so it's the same as the 4K+) fixed any seek issues I had and that works really well.
Most of my films are in MKV - uncompressed.

Even wired it's slower Eddy. It's not massive but definitely noticeable the Vero4K+ is a £99 KODI box - it's not a fair comparison to a Shield.
 
I've a shield hooked up to a Lyngdorf / MK system - the Vero has absolutely no advantage over the shield watching movies, whoever told you that it was, whether audible or even measurable is talking complete bollocks.

As for KODI support in Android, what is it you need for movie watching that isn't available? I would think android would actually have healthy support going forward with Kodi since it's used mainly on Android platforms - I'm not sure what player/s you think come close to the numbers of android based ones?

If its crap or i cant hear the difference ill sell one of the boxes.

HDR to sdr and correct tone mapping
Correct frame rate matching
...
There are more but Ive done my research and am happy to try it out.
 
Ah gotcha. The menus can be a bit slow, especially if you go for a heavier skin.
Upgrading my Vero4K with a faster USB network card (so it's the same as the 4K+) fixed any seek issues I had and that works really well.
Most of my films are in MKV - uncompressed.

Same here. Got nearly 42 TB worth of UHD/BD rips (1:1). Vero 4K+ reads by WD 14TB HDD without any issues. There is one issue where chapter skipping sometimes crashes the player with Atmos only mkvs.

For £107, its easily the best value no nonsense 4K media player.
 
If its crap or i cant hear the difference ill sell one of the boxes.

HDR to sdr and correct tone mapping
Correct frame rate matching
...
There are more but Ive done my research and am happy to try it out.

Try it out, there's nothing visual or audibly different between the 2 boxes. Frame rate matching is displayed as it should be HDR and SDR are fine also. The last test I used was switching between the exact same scene of the same file on my server. It was SDR DTS 5.1 and there was no difference in quality at all.

The Vero is fine as a good cheap KODI box, but there's nothing magical about it over anything else these days - perhaps in the past when there was some shield bugs, but those have been resolved for many months now.

I actually bought the Vero because I could get the devs to write a patch that would allow 4K HDR to pass thru a 10.2Gbps chipset on a 60hz GUI.
 
Even wired it's slower Eddy. It's not massive but definitely noticeable the Vero4K+ is a £99 KODI box - it's not a fair comparison to a Shield.
I'll have to give it a go on my Shield. It's the faff of setting up Kodi for my library that puts me off a bit, although I do have Plex
 

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