Wetek Core

[testman78]

Introduction

Media players are no longer those bulky HTPC systems taking up as much space as a desktop computer. They're also a far cry from the set-top DVR boxes that used to be so popular. These days they're better known as Media Centers, because they play and record media while functioning as an Internet-connected device. Based on Google's Android 5.1 (Lollipop) operating system, the Wetek Core in a culmination of technology into a small tidy plastic package.



In this article I test the Wetek Core.Promoted as a 4K-ready media player with quad-core Amlogic S812 CPU and eight-core ARM Mali-450 GPU utilizing the new H.265 decoder ideal for 4K Ultra HD picture quality, the Wetek fills its compact plastic shell with powerful hardware comparable to most laptop computers. While a 1000-Mb Gigabit Ethernet port is available, the Wetek also takes advantage of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz wireless b/g/n networks.




Packaging & Contents

The WeTek Core comes very neatly packed in a stylish looking box.



WeTek have clearly put alot of thought into the packaging and it shows. Everything is carefully thought out and really does make the device feel premium.



The box included everything that you need to get started:

-12V/1A power adapter with clippable US, EU and UK plugs.The Power Cord needs to be longer.
-Remote control unit
-HDMI cable
-WeTeK Membership Card
-Quick Start Guide
-Update nail



The Quick start guide is a well organized introduction to the box content, first steps and specifications.




A Closer Look

The WeTek logo is on the top of this box which feels quite light.We can see also the power led which also is a power on/off button.The sleek matte case blends in nicely with home theatre equipment and thankfully doesn't attract fingerprints. There is a led indicating:
Off
- The power cord is disconnected.
Red
- WeTek is in standby mode.
Blue
- WeTek is on and the boot image should appears on the screen.



Connectivity is excellent, with a large variety of connectivity options. From left to right: AV Out,10/100 Ethernet,HDMI Out,Optical Audio out and DC In.



Here is a look on the right side of the WeTek Core with two USB 2.0 ports and Micro SD card reader.



WeTek Core is supporting wall mount.



If you want to change the original operating system or perform an upgrade, you can access the upgrade button.



Special mention is needed about its included remote, which is very responsive and almost eliminates the need to buy another remote for the device.The WeTek Core remote control unit is equipped with a 6-Axis remote control unit with microphone integrated to fully enjoy your apps and functionalities. The Air Mouse allows you to browse all the features of the operating system.The AirMouse works with the movement of your remote control, where you will point on the screen, the pointer will follow your movement.If inactive for some period, AirMouse will be disabled, or in case You want to disable it manually just press Microphone button and mouse will be disabled.




Software

Unlike media players such as WD TV Live and Roku which incorporate proprietary operating systems, the Wetek Core builds off the popular Google Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) open-source OS.Dual boot Android / OpenELEC,is selectable from the remote control during a reboot.Booting the Wetek Core takes around a 50 seconds. Resuming from standby is instant.Shut down time is 3 seconds.On the first boot there is a menu where we can do basic configuration to the device,like changing language, Internet, email accounts.



The setup menu is customized by WETEK making it very visual and accessible.I can say that the S812 handles it well.



It's also rooted out of the box.The launcher that?s provided is TV friendly, with a host of common app shortcuts and a Favorites section where you can add your most commonly used apps.



Wetek have also added OTA updates.



Pre-installed are popular applications such as Netflix, Amazon Instant,YouTube, iPlayer and Kodi. Complete access to Google Play is available to download all your favourite Android Apps too. There is no needless bloatware installed from what I've observed, just a clean Android environment with a good mix of the essentials.



There is an customised WeTek Jarvis 16.0 mediaplayer, based on Kodi Jarvis to allow for HD Audio + Kodi AMLogic specific bug fixes.The best thing about Kodi 16 is that there are so many different options and tweaks that you can do to really make it your own from different skins, different backgrounds and, of course, third-party add-ons.HD audio pass-through including DTS-HD Master and TrueHD is working fine.HD Audio (and multichannel PCM) is only available in Android (not OpenElec) on the Core. In OpenElec on the Core you are limited to PCM 2.0 and DD/DTS passthrough.




Testing

As seen in other devices I?ve reviewed, the Amlogic S812's GPU performance is solid. Both Jetpack Joyride and Beach Buggy Racing played well at 1080p and maximum settings. I did have some stuttering during high action scenes in Beach Buggy Racing, but this is typical of other devices sharing the S812 SoC.



Networking performance was tested using WiFi Speed Test. 100Mb of data is transferred between the device and a PC running the benchmarking server application. This is repeated 3 times for each direction and the average is taken.The Wetek's Core wifi performance was solid. Wifi upload and download speeds were 104.1 and 27.8Mbps respectively.In terms of real world performance, streaming 1080p and 4K video via wifi from an NFS share was fine.The Wetek Core comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port.



The Wetek Core scored 35519 on Antutu 5.7.1.



On 3DMark's Ice Storm Extreme benchmark, the Core achieved 5897.



Power Consumption was:

Standby-3.5W
Idle-3.5W
1080p30 Video-6W
Load-7W

USB logitec c270 webcam works fine.External Samsung hard drive of 1TB works fine powered by the Core.




Final Thoughts

The Wetek Core is targeted at those wanting an Android-based media player that's ready to go out of the box.Right now, I can say that this box has moved to my number 1 position.It is not perfect, but very close.WiFi and network speeds were truly excellent.The remote control is also excellent, works from any angle and from a long distance and it's quite easy to use. It's also well built.The device runs cooler as well - it only gets warm when in full load and I didn't experienced any freeze or unexpected reboot due to overheating. Where the Wetek Core does shine brightest is in its playback of high- and ultra-HD content. H.265 decoding is up to 50% more efficient than H.264, and 2GB DDR3 paired to a 600MHz quad-core Amlogic S812 CPU flexes Mali-450 MP6 GPU muscle. Further, Kodi and Android TV both perform exceptionally well with multimedia fetched from the ultra-fast 8GB eMMC ROM storage. Every media CODEC tested played flawlessly, and Netflix streaming quickly buffered into highest quality.If you plan on using Netflix, then WeTek Core is one of the few Android devices that supports full HD with the app.Wetek's Core is certainly ready for 2160p content to become mainstream.I am very excited about dual booting Android and OpenELEC.The WeTek guys really know what they are doing with their Software and more importantly - Firmware.



The Wetek Core can be ordered for $119.90.In conclusion, the Wetek Core is an excellent choice for ultra-HD multimedia enthusiasts interested in customizing their experience with apps from the Google Play Store. Users wanting a more simplified experience would be better suited with a basic playback device, but those willing to take the time will be rewarded by it's flexibility. The Wetek Core earns my Great Job Award for quality recognition.