Recommended Android Hardware

Updated August 2021

We’ve tested the Xibo for Android application on many devices but below are a selection of devices we think work well with Xibo for Android.

As a minimum, Android 4.2 is required to run Xibo for Android 1.7, Android 4.4 for Xibo for Android 1.8 and Android 4.4.4 for Xibo for Android 3.0, but we strongly recommend running on Android 7.0 or later regardless of version…

We make every effort to work with the majority of Android devices available on the market, however there are a small number of lower end devices available currently which change their MAC address on each power on. We cannot guarantee the correct operation of Xibo for Android on these devices. MAC addresses are supposed to be globally unique and fixed at production time by the manufacturer, and so them resetting at each power on is a fault in the device in our view.

Device identifiers known to exhibit this behaviour include “rockchip HX_3229”, although the issue is likely firmware dependent.

None of our recommended devices exhibit this behaviour.

DS Devices DSCS9

DSDevices first ARM based device. Wired and wireless network connectivity. 16GB of storage, upgradeable via microSD card slot. Available from the Xibo Shop.

This device is rooted and uses the standard Xibo for Android APK, not the DSDevices specific build.

Model No: DSCS9

CPU: Amlogic S912 64-Bit octa-core
ARM Cortex A53 processor @ up to 2.0GHz
GPU: ARM Mali-T820MP3 GPU up to 750MHz(DVFS)
RAM: 2GB DDR3
Internal Storage: 16 GB eMMC
OS: Android 7.1.2
HDMI: HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60Hz
Wi-Fi: Dual Band Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac 2.4 and 5.0 GHz
CEC (Consumer Electronics Control)
XIBO - Pre-installed not licensed
TeamViewer - Pre-installed not licensed
Screen rotation
Auto power on
Dimensions: 10.8cm x 12.2 cm
Warranty: 1 Year RTB

This device supports control of screen power on/off via HDMI-CEC. For further guidance please refer to the manual.

Note that H265 video playback is not currently supported. This device does not have a real time clock, but automatically sets the time from the network at power on. The device can output a 4K signal to the TV, but is upscaling a 1080p framebuffer.

The device runs Android 7.1.2 as standard, however Android 6.0.1 firmware is available if you prefer.

The DSCS9 is available from the Xibo shop, and for customers inside the EU customs union ships from The Netherlands, so avoiding any customs process as a result of Brexit.

Legacy Devices

The following devices were previously recommended but may now be difficult to source. We would strongly recommend that you purchase new devices from the newer devices above for a new installation.

DS Devices DSC-J18

A high end device custom built for Xibo with wired network connectivity and support for an optional mPCIe wifi adapter. Native 1080p output by default and 16GB of storage. Available from DSDevices.com.

DSDevices hardware is not rooted but Xibo for Android can be installed as a System Application such that automatic upgrades are possible without the need for rooting. The device supports scheduled power on/power off and screen rotation by default.

Please note that this device is not suitable for use with an HTTP proxy server.

Minix Neo Z64

A robust device with both wired and wireless network connectivity. Note Neo Z64 has power button and does not power on automatically out of the box. It can be configured to auto power on by changing the position of a jumper on the main board. That will involve opening the device and will void the warranty.

Screen rotation is not supported with the standard firmware that ships with this device. Minix have removed any firmware that does support this from general availability and so we no longer recommend this device if you require portrait orientation.

Minix Neo X5mini

A robust device with both wired and wireless network connectivity. Note the X5mini has no power button so powers on as soon as power is supplied to the unit. The device originally shipped with Android 4.2 however an upgrade to Android 4.4 is available directly from Minix which enables true 1080p output. This device does not support screen rotation (portrait displays).

Latest firmware can be downloaded from Minix here: https://theminixforum.com/index.php?forums/neo-x5-mini-official-firmware-releases.105/
This device does not support screen rotation (portrait displays) using that firmware.

This device is limited to a single video playing concurrently on a layout. There may be a short black flash when starting and finishing video playback.

Minix Neo X5

A robust device with both wired and wireless network connectivity. Note the X5 however does not support automatically powering on when power is applied to the unit. You must press the power button to wake the device up. The device originally shipped with Android 4.2 however an upgrade to Android 4.4 is available directly from Minix which enables true 1080p output. This device does not support screen rotation (portrait displays).

Latest firmware can be downloaded from Minix here: https://theminixforum.com/index.php?forums/neo-x5-official-firmware-releases.101/

This device does not support screen rotation (portrait displays) using that firmware.

This device is limited to a single video playing concurrently on a layout. There may be a short black flash when starting and finishing video playback.

DS Devices J19

A high end device custom built for Xibo with wired network connectivity and support for a wireless dongle. Native 1080p output by default and 30GB of storage which removes the need for a SD Card. Available from [dsdevices.com.][2]

DSDevices hardware is not rooted but Xibo for Android can be installed as a System Application such that automatic upgrades are possible without the need for rooting. The device supports scheduled power on/power off and screen rotation by default.

Please note this device is not suitable for use with an HTTP proxy server.

Minix X7mini

A robust device with both wired and wireless network connectivity. Note the X7mini has no power button so powers on as soon as power is supplied to the unit. The device originally shipped with Android 4.2 however an upgrade to Android 4.4 is available directly from Minix which enables true 1080p output.

Latest firmware can be downloaded from Minix here: https://theminixforum.com/index.php?forums/neo-x7-mini-official-firmware-releases.97/

This device is limited to a single video playing concurrently on a layout. There may be a short black flash when starting and finishing video playback.

This device does not support screen rotation (portrait displays) with the latest firmware (linked above). Rotation is possible by installing the Community Edition v2.5.0 firmware, enabling developer options, and selecting Enable Auto-Rotation in the Developer Options. Subsequent Community Edition firmwares don’t support this so you must install v2.5.0 and disable OTA updates for the firmware.

The Developer Options menu is enabled by going to the Android Settings > About phone and tap Build number seven times. Return to the previous screen to find Developer Options at the bottom. You can then change the option required within the Developer Options menu.