Australian-owned consumer electronics company, LASER, has today announced a new Android powered 4K Smart TV Media Player (MMC-X40), going on-sale for $249.95.
It’s an Android powered Smart TV box, not an Android TV powered device to be clear. Running Android 6.0 the MMC-X40 multimedia player still gives consumers access to Smart TV features and apps from Google Play including the ever popular Kodi, as well as Australian TV catch-up apps from SBS, Tenplay, ABC TV which come pre-installed. There’s also the option to install all the Streaming Video On Demand (SVOD) services such as Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now and of course YouTube so you won’t be short of content.
The box runs an octa-core Amlogic S912 CPU and 2GB RAM which supports 4K resolution playback, including high compression files from H.265, that plays 4K UHD at 60 FPS and can playback videos from either the 8GB of internal storage, or attached cameras, USB drives, the internal microSD card slot or even laptops thanks to Miracast compatability.
Spec wise, you’ll find 3x USB ports on the front, HDMI out, 1Gig Ethernet port, microSD card slot and Optical out on the rear and support for dual-band AC Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the inside making it really ready to play what you need, when you need it.
Chris Lau, Managing Director of LASER Corporation says
We have received extensive feedback from our customers, who have told us that they are seeking a user-friendly player that delivers smooth playback of 4K content at an affordable price point. The MMC-X40 continues our focus on delivering technology in an accessible and intuitive way that doesn’t break the bank. For those who are very happy with their existing non-Smart TV, it also provides a really easy step-up to access the streaming services that continue to permeate the Australian market.
Though not the Android TV leanback launcher, Laser says that the box has a ‘simple and intuitive user interface’, which is navigated thanks to an ‘Airmouse’ remote which has a built-in keyboard that comes with the player.
If this sounds just like what you’re after you can pick one up from the Laser website
What a slow dog of a product. Hope I can return it. It is so slow to respond to input that its agony.
If you want the best Android media player experience get Android TV + Kodi player. At less than half the price, Xiaomi Mi Box 3 is a fantastic media player that will do everything this Laser box will do. It also comes with a *bluetooth* remote control with voice recognition.
the internal storage is one of my concerns. I’ve been happy with my ~90 buck boxes that I ditch and replace every 2 years but I keep getting corrupted USB sticks when they lock up (and even the biggest brands do lock up regularly enough if you have a few kids using the TV too) 128GB internal with support for 1080p high bitrate X265 video (i.e. heaps of highly compressed media can fit in that memory and be played back smoothly) would be my ultimate as I don’t have a 4K TV yet and don’t plan to until most youtube,netflix… Read more »
TimM this box supports DNLA so its great to read off the network. I put all my movies/tv shows on a Synology and play it from there. No more USB sticks.
The more I look at this the more I like it. I think I will give this Aussie mob a go 🙂
Wayyyy overpriced for what you get…. There are better brand name boxes out there that cost less…. Buyer beware.
So overpriced.. For $160 you can get a wetek play2 which is not a cheap chinese box from ebay or aliexpress… it also has a twin tv tuner and the ability to run Libreelec and tvheadend for an android less resolution or even a dual boot android/libreelec solution..
Once again Aussie get ripped off, way to much for a not so high end media player. If you want the most powerful unit take a look at the Nvidia Shield.
this is overpriced your better off spending your money on a nvidia shield tv
Telstra are releasing a new Telstra TV this year that is 4k compliant. As well as EPG (Bigpond customers) and all its previous android offerings. To me its all dependent on these boxes being able to play all media formats.
When you can source TV boxes with the same chip/memory etc. for ~$80-100 from a chinese site – what does this have that’s worth another $150 ?
A warranty ;P
$150 warranty ?
For that, I’d expect them to deliver a replacement on an ermin cushion, carried by the swedish female volleyball team, riding in a vertical landing jet that arrived 5 mins after I reported the box U/S.
Unfortunately I think the reality is going to be about the same as a chinese reseller – weeks late if you ever have to claim on it, and your responsible for paying to return it.
Still, by that point it will likely be obsolete anyway.
I bought a crappy TV box from Catch of the Day and it died. They replaced it and it died again after a few months. I got my money back. Now I wouldn’t waste my money on rubbish like that. Pay a bit more, get something that works and works well.
We got a WD one that lasted us for years until it went into retirement as we finally got a HTPC.