Until now, it has been difficult to get an inexpensive TV box with Google certification that allows you to watch media in high quality on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, and others. But thanks to Mecool KM2, it comes with a Google Certification DRM level L1 to stream HD or 4K and is equipped with an Amlogic S905X2-B quad-core SoC which offers superior performance in all tasks and it’s powered by Android 10, in addition to 2GB RAM and storage capacity of up to 8GB, all this allows you to watch and enjoy thousands of movies and series in 4K resolution, so it’s time To talk about this TV Box and see if it is worth investing in and what its pros and cons.
Mecool KM2 TV BOX Features
- Amlogic S905X2-B Quad-Core SoC
- ARM Mali-G31 MP2
- Android 10
- Google Certified Widevine L1
- DDR3 2GB, eMMC 8GB
- 2.4 & 5G Dual Wifi
- Audio Codecs: Dolby Digital & Dolby digital Plus
- Video Codecs: H.264, H.265, VP8&VP9
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Design And Build Quality
The design applied in the Mecool KM2 is very simple but with some elegant touches to suit any of the smart TV setups you have in your room, it’s just a square white plastic box with curved edges and the Mecool logo on the top, in the front, we find a 3 lamps green LED for power, network, and IR. From the bottom, there are ventilation holes and four rubber legs for added stability.
Moving on to the ports, what we often find in TV BOX devices includes Ethernet 10/100 connector, AV jack, HDMI 2.1, SPDIF, IR extender, and power connector, on one side we have a USB 3.0, another USB 2.0, and microSD reader with a maximum capacity up to 32 GB, and unusually, there is a physical ON/OFF button.
Under The Hood
The SoC used in the Mecool KM2 is Amlogic S905X2-B 64-bit Quad-core ARM Cortex A53 at 1.8GHz but that they are slower than the Cortex-A55 that we can find in the Amlogic S905X4. This processor is known for its good manufacturing quality at 12nm and gives you more performance than the previous generation compared to the S905 found in most old TV box devices. Also, It’s designed for high-performance devices with compatibility for HDR, Dolby Digital & Dolby Digital Plus.
The Mali-G31 MP2 GPU offers good performance without forgetting the 2GB RAM for greater multitasking capabilities and provides excellent results in navigating and running applications. And storage capacity, it has 8GB eMMC and there is a TF card slot to support expansion up to 32GB. Unfortunately, one of the weaknesses of this TV box is a small memory, which is the minimum, and in 2021 I think it is not acceptable, and more memory capacities must be provided to choose.
Connectivity Of Mecool KM2
For connectivity, the Mecool KM2 box contains 2.4GHz / 5GHz WIFI IEEE 802.11 b / g / n / ac dual-band, the network is acceptable but not the most stable, and has a 100MB LAN port, not the best thing but its more reliable than WI-FI and provides even better data transmission. And has Bluetooth 4.2 is not the latest generation but is It works well, however, is acceptable at this price point.
Software
Mecool KM2 TV Box equipped with Android 10 to provide you with more efficient and safe operation and better compatibility with the latest apps, so better user experience (not rooted).
In the beginning, it’s fast to boot up, it will not take 30 seconds to take you directly to the launcher with some configuration wizard, where we can connect to the Wi-Fi network and define which apps will be installed by default.
The launcher is clean with a flat design and has a complete desktop layout for Android 10, What I find missing is the lack of a navigation bar and status bar for easy navigation and multitasking. However, it does contain Google Assistant for voice control, once a controller with a voice function is connected and you’ve got shortcut Apps which you can customize yourself. The overall performance is very good, we can move smoothly and quickly between menus.
However, Google Assistant is integrated into the remote control, and thus users simply press the Google Assistant button to activate voice control and ask an unlimited number of questions such as checking weather information, finding the latest blockbuster, playing popular music, etc.
Applications
Android 10 allows the installation of apps from Google Play Store (Google Play Store version for Android TV OS) and contains pre-installed apps such as YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, Hulu, Spotify, Tubi TV, and many more.
Mecool KM2 supports Google services and allows you to install some app that is available in the play store because is not a certified Android TV box don’t get access to the full Google Play Store, or you can use a third-party store or use Google browser to search the apk app, then download and install the app you want.
Features of this firmware include
- 4K display up to 2160 at 59.9Hz with HDR display and Dolby vision.
- You have HDMI CEC options.
- You have audio output options with Dolby audio passthrough feature.
- You have the Google assistant feature.
- You have a built-in Chromecast.
And you have the digital surround sound audio output options.
This is the official Android TV OS, so you don’t get features from the mobile version such as root access, navigation bar or status bar, screen rotation, etc.
Note: Mecool KM2 Supports OTA updates, it is necessary to solve some possible problems or upgrade the system.
Mecool KM2 Performance
Video playback
Mecool KM2 supports 4K 30fps video output via HDMI 2.1 port which brings you high definition viewing and fluent video playback, making it the highest resolution signal available for home movies to let you watch 4K movies smoothly, every detail of the screen is clear and with high color saturation and quality excellent picture, no lag or stuttering, that’s the strength of this device.
When playing some 4k video samples from a USB Drive on a USB 3.0 port via the included Kodi Media Player, it’s shown on 4k 60 FPS, it little struggled to play smoothly, however, on 4k at 30 FPS played ultra-smooth and very nice.
Mecool KM2 Streaming Service
As it’s known, it’s not possible to watch paid services like Netflix and Amazon Prime in 4k because these applications require specific licensing, This tv box has the DRM support level L1 to stream HD or 4K. And this is where the strength of Android TV OS, which you cannot find in other budget TV boxes.
here you can see that finally, you can now watch your movies in HD and 4K on Netflix and Amazon prime video and the other platforms it’s the same as you can now watch your movies UHD quality. However, IPTV services remain one of the solutions that you will find on this tv box and support any high resolutions you want, and there are also other programs similar to Netflix for free.
YouTube Quality
When you go to YouTube, you can play videos on 4k 30FPS, and this is the maximum limit to enjoy high quality without freezing and with smooth performance, although playing videos on 2k will be more than enough. However, this box has a maximum refresh rate ranging from 40 to 60 fps on average in FULL HD / 2k.
Play Games
The graphics processing in the Mecool KM2 is based on the Mali-G31 MP2, which offers good performance on medium games like Asphalt 8, and this is at a resolution of 1080p because at 4K the situation will be disastrous, as for powerful games like PUBG or Call of Duty you will be able to play with low settings, that is why I think that the rest of the games will not face any problems and the gameplay will be smooth for the best gaming experience.
When you put this Mecool KM2 under pressure its temperature can be reached 80ºC or more, causing a performance little drop. But on normal use like watch movies, the temperature is acceptable between 50ºC – 60ºC And I find that the cooling system is fine on this box because the body has a big number of ventilation holes, which provide the necessary cooling of the tv box. and you can make it even lower by using a cooling fan for this purpose.
Remote can’t navigate on some Apps, It is a common issue for almost all android tv boxes that are hard to navigate on some Apps with the remote, as these Apps are mainly provided for tablets and phones that have a touch screen. I suggest purchasing the iPazzPort mini Wireless Keyboard/Remote, It will make it much easier navigating the screen in apps that aren’t remote-control friendly.
Conclusion
In general, the Mecool KM2 smart TV box provided good performance, especially in playing 4K videos without any problems, as for YouTube, 4K resolution may have some delay, All the popular TV streaming apps are available, playing games was ok, The launcher remains fast. the system we have is Android TV 10, which is very stable, moves very smoothly and we can run any game or app compatible with Android TV. In short, the new Mecool KM2 is a good TV-Box under $65.
Mecool KM2 Price And Where To Buy
The Mecool KM2 TV BOX is currently available on Banggood and Aliexpress Store and Amazon for a very good price So, don’t miss out on this great deal. And to view its price or buy it, you can access the offer by clicking on the store icon.
Package Contents
- Mecool KM2 TV Box
- Remote control
- Power Supply(12V/1A)
- HD Cable
- User Manual
Mecool KM2 TV BOX Specifications
| Hardware Key Specs | Amlogic S905X2-B 2Gb DDR4 8 Gb eMMC WiFi&BT RT8822CS 2R2T |
| Interfaces | HDTV support 4K*2K@60 max resolution output USB 2.0 USB 3.0 TF CARD Support 1~32GB 3.5 Phone out CVBS&L/R output SPDIF IR expand RJ45 LAN DC 12V/1A |
| Audio Codecs | AAC & HE-AAC Dolby Digital & Dolby Digital Plus & MS12 Dolby Atmos Passthrough |
| Video Codecs | H.264 AVC, H.265 HEVC, VP8 & VP9 |
| HDR | HDR10+,HDR & HLG |
| DRM | Widevine L1, Playready 3000 |
| Software Features | Android TV based on Q ATV Standard Launcher Non-A/B GOTA USB Upgrade Boot Splash screen with a retail brand PAI as per country requirement HDMI-CEC |
| GTVS | Play Store, Play Movies&TV, Play Games, YouTube, YouTube Music, Assistant/Search, Chromecast Built-in, etc. Netflix Amazon Prime Video Disney + (installed during FTI via PAI) Other Apps to be installed during FTI via PAI Allow Skip Network Setup for FTI Allow Skip Google Account Sign-In for FTI |
| Certifications | Google ATV Netflix Amazon Prime Video MS12 including DD & DD+ HDMI2.1 (with CEC) HDCP2.3 CE,FCC, RoHS,PoPs,REACH |
| 110*110*24.05mm | |
| Packaged weight | 530g |
