--- author: '' category: '' date: 2012/10/03 14:15:52 description: What happened in these 100 days? Do I still like the Mele A1000? link: '' priority: '' slug: 100-days-with-the-mele-a1000 tags: '' title: 100 Days With the Mele A1000 type: text updated: 2012/10/03 14:15:52 url_type: '' --- I have been using the `Mele A1000 `_ for a few months now. I think I have settled into a usage pattern, so let's do a quick roundup of what it's good for and what it's not very good at. First a quick reminder of what it *is*: * Small computer running Android (4.0.4 right now) * HDMI/VGA/Composite video output, ideal for using with a TV * SATA connector, full size SD card, 3 USB ports: basically unlimited storage capacity. * Remote control that works with most apps * Wifi and Ethernet * It will cost you ~ $90 to get one. * No noise, low power usage. I have it in my bedroom, next to my old CRT TV. I could put it in the living room with the newer LED one, but I have a Mac Mini I got for work there anyway. Having it plugged to an old TV means the video quality sucks. However, it works great for watching videos, and when connected to a modern display it works perfectly. So, what do I *do* with it? **I watch movies and series on Netflix.** Version 1.8.1 of the Netflix app works fine (later versions do not!) and lets you see movies and series legally for a flat low monthly cost. The remote provided doesn't really work all that well, because you can't do "drags" and therefore can't scroll the movie lists left and right. So, to take full advantage of this you need to get a keyboard/mouse set. I use `this one. `_ However, if you know what you want to see, it's just a matter of searching for it. **I watch videos in general.** `MX Player `_ works very well, and gives smooth, well synced video. The Hardware video decoder works just fine, but **you have to switch to software audio decoding.** Having a pluggable SATA drive is very useful here. Just get any 2.5" SATA drive, plug it in, and start using it. **File Server** I used `Samba Filesharing `_ and it "just works". You set it up, configure user and password, and your drives are now shared locally and accessible to all your other devices. I am using it to store backups from my "real" computers, created using `rdiff-backup `_ but any backup tool that can store in a remote folder should work. **Radio & Music Player** There are plenty of android applications that handle music streaming and playing your local music collection. Just use the one you like. **Weather Gadget** I like my TV telling me the weather. Uses a random widget from the play store. **VNC Server** In order to use it more comfortably, or be able to do stuff in it when I am on the notebook, I am using `Droid VNC Server `_ and that even means I can use my own phone as a "remote" using the `Jump VNC client `_ Yes, that means I am in my bed using my android phone as a remote to my android TV's screen. If the performance were better, it would be as cool as it sounds. I am using Jump because it's the only Android VNC client I found that supports dragging things (and it's not perfect by a long shot). **Possible future uses** * Skype box (need to hook a webcam. Microphone?) * Game console? I have Need For Speed: Shift and I would love to play it on a large screen, but how would I control it? I need to investigate controllers, maybe joysticks or gamepads. I bought this with the idea of using Ubuntu on it, but the lack of accelerated drivers and Netflix support has made that a non-starter. So, I am doing lots of things where Android really has lower quality software than Ubuntu, but those are forcing me to stay there. I am quite happy with it, and as a "dumb-tv-smartener" it's quite awesome for its price.