Hi there :
A quick update abt. the solution / material we have retained and installed for the application, which is an A/V media client to feed a 10 years old plasma TV set as well as a pair of amplified speakers. (AudioEngine A5+)
We went the way of the single-board computer, as follows :
#1 Odroid C2 from HardKernel, South Korea; it comes with the PSU (5V 2A), and a nice remote control (
https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-c2/)
#2 The dedicated sound card (HiFi Shield 2), which plugs onto the I2S expansion port of the Odroid C2 (
https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/hifi-shield-2/)
#3 The assembly is housed into a polycarbonate-made case (to be assembled, which takes a good two minutes ...)
#4 32GB UHS-1 microSd card (although 16GB would have been enough ...)
#5 Wireless keyboard (Logitech K400r)
The supported OS images (Android, Linux Ubuntu, Debian and many others) are available for download from the HardKernel's Wiki page.
I have downloaded and flashed the microSD with Ubuntu Mate (I prefer Linux over Android ...), inserted the flashed microSD into the board dedicated slot, connected the HDMI cable to the TV, booted, updated/upgraded Ubuntu, installed Kodi ... zero issue !
Very smooth process, indeed !
Installed some utilities as a VNC server so my daughter can share the Ubuntu / Kodi desktop onto her Android phone.
Features & Pros
With the OS Ubuntu Mate + Kodi, the unit can be used either as standalone computer or as a UPnP media client
The Ethernet/LAN port offers a solid network capability up to 1,000Mbps, besides the USB 802.11 WiFi (I have plugged in a module with antenna for my tests)
The OS accepts also a ten years old Bluetooth adapter, so this one plugged in as well !
The OTB USB port is also available
The built-in IR sensor with its remote
The I2S DAC integrates the TI PCM5242 chip, it offers the RCA outputs as well as the Toslink output
HD audio bit-streaming support
Plenty of power to handle the various video codecs
Ubuntu / Kodi ensure ongoing updates and compatibility
Little nice machine, I could not image anything better at this price point !