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After the success of Nokia's brand partnership with Flipkart in the Indian market, the company decided to take its services overseas. Consequently, the Austrian startup StreamView is to thank for popularizing Android TV boxes and Nokia TVs throughout the continent. Both goods deviate somewhat from their Indian counterparts that were first released. Streaming media players (or "boxes") may seem obsolete in this day and age of Android-powered smart TVs, but they can extend the life of your older, high-quality TV and add value to a standard LCD set that lacks smart features. The Nokia streaming box has increasingly become a favorite among many customers. Below is a complete overview of what these streaming boxes bring.
Nokia Streaming Box 8000 vs. 8010 - A Comparative Review
Nokia's initial set-top boxes, the Streaming Box 8000 and 8010, can transform any TV into a smart TV. They feature a variety of ports, Google Assistant, and an illuminated remote control for a remarkably affordable price, considering they are some of the cheap digital signage players in the market. In this review, you'll learn how these boxes stack up against one another and why they could be a good deal.
Nokia Streaming Box 8000
The Nokia Streaming Box 8000 features Android 10, which may be the device's biggest selling factor. Plugging in a Nokia TV box after utilizing an Android 9-powered Xiaomi Mi Box S should be a welcome change. While the Mi Box S is fine in its own right, Android 9 on TV boxes has become painfully sluggish.
In addition, Android 10 functions well on the more recent hardware. This streaming box uses Amlogic S905X3, four Cortex-A55 cores, and an ARM Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. Although the Stream Box's 2 GB of DDR3 RAM and 8 GB of eMMC internal memory might be greater, it serves its purpose well enough for streaming applications. If you plan on downloading movies via Popcorn, 16GB is a nice round number. The issue is that not all programs will treat external storage devices as additional RAM when plugged in.
You'll also be delighted to realize that you may still charge your device using the USB-C port if you fail to bring the wall charger. The Streaming Box charger has a 12W output; however, a standard 10W smartphone charger is sufficient for powering the device.
You can also connect the Nokia Streaming Box 8000 to the internet at your home or business by Wi-Fi, and as it is compatible with both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, you can expect a speedy and reliable connection. A bonus is that it has LAN cable support for connecting to the internet. In addition, it has Bluetooth 4.2, so you can play basic games while listening to wireless headphones like the Nokia Power Earbuds or using a wireless game controller. The 3.5-millimeter jack allows you to use older or professional audio equipment.
The Nokia TV box has Chromecast pre-installed, so you can effortlessly stream the content of your Android smartphone or tablet to a larger screen, making it ideal for viewing pictures and videos. Additionally, connect the box to a Bluetooth speaker. Thanks to the box's support for Dolby Audio, you can enjoy high-quality audio regardless of what you're streaming. The box can handle displays as high as 4K, but it also functions well at lesser resolutions for older TVs.
Unfortunately, the remote is rather large, but it has shortcuts to Google Play, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, YouTube, and Google Assistant. The numeric keypad is also included, although you cannot use it for TV functions.
Regarding pricing, you can get the Nokia Streaming Box 8000 from various stores today, with costs resting at about $100-120.
Nokia Streaming Box 8010
The Nokia Streaming Box 8010 is the sequel of the Nokia 8000, released in 2020. It runs on Android TV 11, has additional memory and storage, and a newer SoC.
Nokia claims this newer device has twice as much RAM and four times as much storage as the Nokia Streaming Box 8000, which means that 8010 has 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage on board. As a bonus, the new streaming box uses the Amlogic S905X4-K, a chipset with four ARM Cortex-A55 cores plus a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU.
The Nokia Streaming Box 8010 can reproduce material at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second with an appropriate display. Dolby Atmos is also supported, along with Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. StreamingView also has Analog AV and HDMI inputs and outputs in addition to USB Type-A and Type-C interfaces.
The Nokia Streaming Box 8010, an upgraded and more costly version of the original Nokia Streaming Box 8000, is now available for purchase at about $150.
A Comparative Analysis
Although these two models share a model number, the Streaming Box 8010 has Android TV 11 and a far more powerful ARM processor. Likewise, if you have a 4K TV or monitor, the Nokia Streaming Box 8010 can recreate material at 60 frames per second, which the 8000 model may come short of. The Nokia Streaming Box 8010 also supports Dolby Atmos, Bluetooth 5.0, and Wi-Fi 6. Finally, in addition to the HDMI and Analog AV inputs, 8010 has USB Type-A and Type-C interfaces.
When it comes to choosing which of the two devices is the better option, it comes down to your needs and preferences. The Nokia Streaming Box 8010, being the latest version, offers more but will cost you more, so you have to consider other factors before buying your streaming box.
The Nokia Streaming Box for Digital Signage
Your Nokia Streaming Box gives you access to thousands of apps from Google Play, which can come in handy if you want to use it for digital signage and play anything that can help you catch your customer's attention. It plays videos in as much as 4K ultra HD, which means contrasts, colors, and details are four times crisper than normal resolution, making it ideal for digital signage displays.
Transforming Nokia Streaming Box for Digital Signage
The Nokia Streaming Box can do more than serve as an entertainment device. The capabilities of this gadget are appropriate for elementary digital signage player projects in large organizations. For instance, you can use the Look DS platform, which is a great match for your Nokia Streaming Box if you require remote content management. To make your Android device compatible with Look, search for "Look Digital Signage" in the Google Play store, download, and use the app. After signing some authorization contracts and receiving the standard six-digit code shown on the screen, you may integrate it into the Look CMS. Create a new Look account or sign in to your existing one. To add a new screen, go to the "Screens" menu, click the "Add screen" button and enter the 6-digit code you received. You may now use the Look on your Nokia Streaming Box for digital signage.
Using the Nokia Streaming Box to its full potential
The Nokia Streaming Box is quickly gaining popularity and adaptability and becoming one of the most popular streaming gadgets on the market. It's affordable, compact, elementary, and easy to use. The Nokia Streaming Box stands out as one of the best options for digital signage installations, especially for smaller and medium-sized businesses. If you use it with Look DS, you get remote control management for extra convenience.
