Equiso Smart TV: $69 Android powered PC-on-a-stick

A company called Equiso is throwing its hat in the Android-powered Smart TV/mini PC space. Equiso is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise at least $100,000 to produce and distribute a device it calls the Equiso Smart TV.

If you pledge $69 you get a little stick-sized device that looks like a USB flash drive. But under the plastic chassis is a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A5 processor, Mali 400 graphics, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of storage.

It runs Google Android 4.0 and includes access to the Google Play Store for apps, music, and movies.

Equiso Smart TV

The Equiso Smart TV features 802.11n WiFi, a USB port for a mouse, keyboard, or other accessory, and an HDMI port for plugging in a TV or monitor.

The specs look familiar, and I wouldn’ tbe surprised if the Equiso Smart TV is based on the same design as the CX-01, a similar device that’s already available for as little as $53.

But Equiso isn’t just slapping its name on a Chinese product and attempting to sell it in the US (although the company is almost certainly doing that). The company also plan to offer a few value-added features.

One of the things that sets the Equiso Smart TV apart from similar devices such as the MK802 is that Equiso will include a wireless keyboard with an accelerometer, gyroscope, and QWERTY keyboard on the back with your $69 pledge.

If the company exceeds its fundraising goals it may also improve the specifications, offering 1GB of RAM, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, and 16GB of storage.

Equiso hopes to start shipping the Smart TV in August, with free shipping to customers in the US and $15 shipping overseas.

Overall the Smart TV looks like a pretty nifty product for the introductory price. It’s not clear how much Equiso will charge for the device after the Kickstarter campaign ends.

It’s also not clear if the Smart TV will be quite as versatile as the MK802, which has proven to be a pretty decent little Linux computer as well as an Android smart TV device.

via Slickdeals

Posted on Friday, July 6th, 2012, 11:41 am by Brad Linder | 13 Comments

https://nards-barley.myopenid.com/ Nards Barley

I still haven’t figured out whether I can go from a hdmi connector to a VGA monitor. I read and hear conflicting things on the topic.
http://www.liliputing.com/ Brad Linder

I believe there are adapters that’d work… but these little sticks don’t have dedicated audio jacks, so HDMI is the only way to get sound.
clkeagle

Your best bet to make this into a standalone system would be a monitor or cheap TV with HDMI input.

I really like the look of this one. My problem with most of these devices so far is there isn’t a good way to connect a keyboard/mouse and a USB hard drive at the same time. The remote control on this one alleviates that. I could hook up my 2tb media drive when using this as a video device, or unhook it and hook up a wireless mouse if I wanted to play Angry Birds on the same TV.
http://rationaldreaming.com/ Mike

There’s no simple direct cable or adapter that will convert from HDMI output to VGA input because HDMI, but there are plenty of converter boxes on the market that will do the job, like this one (just found using Google search):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0U008N4201
Matt Densley

Few things. 1. this is not a Chinese knockoff. it is designed in the usa.
2 http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110 – HDMI Switch that splits audio out so you can use with lots of devices.

3. Equiso has 1.4 hdmi while other have 1.3. They have 8gb tf internal while other
has 4gb nand. They have internal wireless reciever for remote, the other
does not. They have an awesome remote, the other has no remote. They provide
free shipping, the others charge over $10.
https://nards-barley.myopenid.com/ Nards Barley

Thanks for the link.
joe

Then it’s a US knockoff.
http://twitter.com/cnxtrans Thai Translator

Or from another point of view: others offer free shipping, but this one charges $15.
luis

well the only way to take the audio out is if the tv or monitor has a audio jack out,like my tv
http://www.facebook.com/MrWareWolf Ware Wolf

Just plug in a small four-port USB hub, problem solved. Why do so many people have an issue with single USB ports on these devices??? Hubs are $8..
Engali

The issue is with keeping a small footprint around your HDTV and having just enough USB ports so you don’t have to lug around a bunch of hubs and cables for portable device.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=192800179 Clint Box

I have the Equiso Smart TV device and I think it has it’s pluses and it’s minuses. For instance, the keyboard/pointer device tends to be very difficult because it’s not nearly (in my opinion) as responsive as a Wii remote. That makes it very frustrating for something that’s supposed to be not only Internet/Computer worthy but also game worthy. In addition, I find that I have to type with the keyboard turned to the side or the signal doesn’t get to the device from the remote. The performance has lots of lags which makes me think that maybe the hardware isn’t truly 4.0+ capable or that maybe there are some processes using up too much memory. Each firmware update has been received with optimism but ultimately installed with disappointment because these issues do not seem to have any resolution. Also, just like GoogleTV, there seems to be no real app market when compared to other devices (i.e. Roku, AppleTV).

For the price, it’s a pretty decent low-end solution. I can’t complain too much though, because it’s the only thing that I could find that could run Chinese Live TV streams for my father-in-law, who speaks zero English, and at least it supports Chinese pinyin input which I can not say for my Boxee Box paper weight or any of the other devices. In fact, I think an Android solution might be the only thing on the market that can do input for other languages. At least it has that going for it…
Magnus33

To correct somethings in Matt Densley post.

It is a Chinese knock off and they admitted it comes from china if looking at the hardware wasn’t enough proof already.

Its got the same hdmi output as the other android tv devices on the market.

Its under powered compared to them and the firmware is a joke.

No need to take my word for it as you can check the Equiso forums where users/investors would like the tar and feather the owners.

Or do a google search and you well see sheeer raw hate that equals what the boxee box gets.

Equiso Smart TV: $69 Android powered PC-on-a-stick

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