TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO with T2 and S2
TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO with T2 and S2 is an Internet set-top box for TV with a built-in terrestrial and satellite receiver. In terms of functionality, the device is a multimedia combine capable of fully satisfying the user's needs. All that is needed, according to the manufacturer's idea, is to connect the set-top box to the TV.
TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO with T2 and S2: specifications
| Chipset | Amlogic S905X3 |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A55 (4 kernels) |
| Video adapter | ARM G31 MP2 GPU, 650 MHz, 2 cores, 2.6 Gpix / s |
| RAM | LPDDR3, 2 GB, 2133 MHz |
| Persistent memory | EMMC 5.0 Flash 16GB |
| ROM expansion | Yes, memory cards |
| Memory card support | microSD up to 64 GB (TF) |
| Wired network | Yes 100 Mbps |
| Wireless network | Wi-Fi 2.4G / 5.8 GHz, IEEE 802,11 b / g / n / ac |
| Bluetooth | Yes, version 4.2 |
| Operating system | Android 9.0 |
| ROOT rights | No |
| Interfaces | HDMI 2.1, 1xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0 OTG, 1xSATA, LAN, SPDIF, AV, S2X, T2, DC |
| The presence of external antennas | Ytn |
| Digital panel | No |
| Networking opportunities | DLNA, Google cast |
| Price | 95-120 $ |
First impression on TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO
If you believe the stated technical characteristics, then the prefix is worthy. Just one device contains:
- TV-Box. Reproduction of any content from the Internet. And also games.
- T2 tuner for terrestrial TV playback.
- Satellite tuner for connection to related equipment.
In addition to the demanded functions for receiving content, the TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO has very cool functionality. This is the ability to install an SSD drive on a SATA interface and USB devices. In addition, you can output the sound to external acoustics in any convenient way, and transfer it as a picture via HDMI 2.1 interface. On the hardware side, everything looks very good.
Of all the technical characteristics, only the wired interface for connecting to the Internet is confusing. For such a functional device, 100 megabits per second is very small. And, if you really find fault, there is little RAM - only 2 GB. But the manufacturer claims that the set-top box can optionally work with 4 GB of RAM. By the way, improved modifications of the console are already available in Chinese stores.
TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO - review and testing
It's one thing to read the specs of the device. And it's quite another matter to connect the set-top box to the TV and try to adjust it to suit your tasks. Let's try to summarize all the problems that we had to face in setting up the TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO.
Connecting an SSD drive
Access to the niche for installing the drive is performed by easily removing the top cover on the device. There will be no problems with connecting the disk. But during operation, it is impossible to write to the drive - only reading. The problem is that the manufacturer didn't grant the user write access. But this is fixable - you need to wait for the updated firmware to be released. If she ever will. Therefore, an SSD drive can, and even need to be put aside.
And, most importantly, the SATA interface in the console is not real. The Chinese implemented it via USB-Hub. Only the read speed was tested. And, interestingly, the SATA speed is lower than the same drive connected to an external USB 3.0 port. This is already forever - the firmware will not fix the problem.
Strange cooling system
The TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO has ventilation holes on the bottom and sides. And the top cover is cast. Air circulates normally, but on one condition - in the absence of an SSD drive. As it turned out, the inserted drive interferes with the cooling of the console. The SSD drive (with ease) heats up to 80 degrees Celsius in idle mode. Not to mention the other built-in components.
A fun moment in the cooling system is the heat sink, which is implemented in the likeness of a set-top box Beelink GT King Pro... Only the technologists of the Magicsee company made a mistake. At Beelink, the metal heat sink rests against the same metal case. And in the Magicsee C500 PRO attachment, the plate rests against the plastic cover. Strongly reminiscent of the film "Dumb and Dumber", how can you not smile.
TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO with T2 and S2 - impressions
In the process of testing the performance of terrestrial and satellite broadcasting, no problems were found. At first. Steady signal, good picture. And an interesting transmission - the body took a horizontal position on the sofa, under a large TV screen. But, after 10 minutes, friezes began to appear. The impression is that there are some problems on the TV channel. When you connect the antenna directly to the TV, everything is shown perfectly. You can't touch the TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO with T2 and S2 - the set-top box is very hot. There is only one conclusion - banal overheating negates the entire efficiency of the device.
It doesn't even make sense to run IPTV, Youtube or torrents on a set-top box. If the terrestrial tuner "killed" the TV-Box, what kind of multimedia can we talk about. Here another is offensive. The prefix costs $ 100. For this money, you can buy 3 separate gadgets and enjoy your vacation in front of the TV. Definitely, you cannot buy the TV-Box Magicsee C500 PRO, under no circumstances. Even if they cost 50 or even $ 20. This is a step towards nowhere.