Comparison Dune HD Neo 4K T2 Plus vs Dune HD Pro 4K Ultra

— Proprietary system. The operating system of the device is represented by the proprietary software shell of the manufacturer. Usually, such operating systems have an attractive and convenient menu. A proprietary operating system is developed directly by the manufacturer for the hardware resources of a particular model or a whole line, but has limited capabilities.

— Android (AOSP). This type of operating system is a modification of the popular Android OS, mainly notable for being open source. It is a versatile operating system that gives the user much more freedom to create changes and customizations within the system itself. At the same time, the installation and stability of certain applications on this platform are not guaranteed, and the overall system management was not specially “tailored” for large screens, which may cause some inconvenience. First of all, such solutions will interest users who understand the features of the Android OS, like to customize and control everything for themselves, and have time for this.

— Android TV. Devices of this type have full-fledged Android TV software, specially adapted to work on large screens. In accordance with the name, it is a type of Android OS, specially designed for such equipment. In addition to the common features of all Androids (such as the ability to install additional applications,...including even games), it has a number of special features: an optimized interface, integration with smartphones (including the ability to use them as a remote control), voice search, etc. Thanks to this, TVs with this feature are significantly superior in functionality to models with a “regular” Smart TV. Of course, a dedicated processor, graphics subsystem and memory are provided for the operation of a multifunctional OS, and the presence of such hardware resources is reflected in the overall cost.

— Google TV. Rebranding of the Android TV platform for TVs and smart consoles, or rather, a new shell on top of the operating system under the sign of the “green droid”, introduced since 2021. Among the innovations, it has a redesigned user interface, an improved knowledge base that more efficiently distributes content by genre and collects search information from the entire list of installed applications and subscriptions. The voice assistant now understands the needs of the audience better and provides a detailed list of what was found. A separate tab in the interface contains live broadcasts of current events, whether it be sports events or a rocket launch to Mars. Among other things, the aspects that involve the use of TV as a command post for managing a single ecosystem of a “smart” home have been improved in the system.

HDMI is the most common modern interface for working with HD content and multi-channel audio. Video and audio signals with this connection are transmitted over a single cable, and the bandwidth in the latest versions ( HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1) is enough to work with UltraHD resolution and even higher. Almost any modern screen (TV, monitor, etc.) with HD support has at least one HDMI input, which is why most media players and TV receivers have outputs of this type. However, there are also models without HDMI — these are mostly outdated or the most inexpensive solutions that use only analogue video interfaces. There are also models for several HDMI and in most cases one of these ports is for the incoming signal, while the HDMI ports differ in versions.

— v 1.4. The version presented back in 2009, however, does not lose popularity to this day. Supports 4K (4096x2160) video at 24 fps and Full HD at 120 fps; the latter, among other things, allows you to transfer 3D video over this interface. In addition to the original v 1.4, there are also improved versions v 1.4a and v 1.4b, where the possibilities for working with 3D have been further expanded.

-v 2.0. Version released in 2013. Among other things, it introduced the ability to work with 4K video at speeds up to 60 fps, compatibility with ultra-wide format 21: 9, as well as support for up to 32 chann...els and 4 audio streams simultaneously. HDR support was not originally included in this release, but was introduced in v 2.0a and further enhanced in v 2.0b; media players from this category can support both the original version 2.0 and one of the improved ones.

— v 2.1. 2017 version, also known as HDMI Ultra High Speed. Indeed, it provides a very solid bandwidth, allowing you to work even with 10K video at a speed of 120 fps; in addition, a number of improvements have been made to HDR support. Note that the full use of HDMI v 2.1 is possible only with a special cable, but the functions of earlier versions remain available when using conventional wires.

The volume ofits own storage installed in the media player.

In this case, storage means permanent memory available to the user — the storage that you can fill with movies, music, applications, etc. The larger the volume of such storage, the more convenient it is for the user; on the other hand, this parameter significantly affects the cost of the entire device. In addition, it should noted that external media are also quite suitable for films and other multimedia content — flash drives, portable HDDs, drives installed in a slot (see below), optical discs, etc. So specifically look for a model with a capacious storage makes sense in two main cases. The first is if you want to keep an extensive collection of content in the media player, so as not to bother once again with connecting flash drives, loading disks, etc. it is best to put it in the built-in memory, and often this is the only possible option).

As for specific volumes, the capacity up to 4 GB is considered very limited nowadays; such a storage is not enough even for a movie in HD 720p, its purpose is mainly to store a small set of applications. 8 GB and 16 GB are also relatively small, but this already allows you to work with a fairly extensive set of software and store individual movies in HD resolutions. And if you initially intend to store a large...amount of content on the device, you should definitely pay attention to models with a capacity of 32 GB or more.

The amount of RAM installed in the media player.

In general, this volume is selected by the manufacturer in such a way that the device can normally cope with the tasks that are claimed for it. On the other hand, all else being equal, more RAM usually means faster performance. This parameter is especially important if the media player runs under the Android OS (see above): such firmware allows the installation of additional applications that may have rather high requirements for RAM.

As for specific values, by modern standards, a device with more than 2 GB of RAM is considered a fast media player.

The presence "under the hood" of the device slot for installing an internal drive.

This feature is found both in models that already have their own drive, and in devices without built-in storage. Anyway, the drive slot allows the owner to equip the media centre with built-in memory at his discretion, independently choosing the volume and other characteristics of such memory. Such an opportunity will be especially useful for those who would like to keep an extensive collection of films and other content directly in the device’s memory: choosing a model with the desired set of characteristics and purchasing a hard drive of the required capacity for it is easier than looking for a device that initially has both certain operating parameters and sufficient amount of built-in storage.

Note that the slots for the drive can have a different form factor and connection interface; this point should be clarified by the characteristics. However, with the search for hardware for such slots nowadays, usually, there are no problems.

Codec — from the phrase "Encoder-DECoder" — in this case is the format used for encoding digital video during storage/transmission and decoding during playback (without encoding, video data would take up an unjustifiably large amount of space). Do not confuse this parameter with the format of video files: different files of the same format can be encoded with different codecs, and if the corresponding codec is not supported by the player, video playback will be impossible, even if the file format itself corresponds to the capabilities of the device. And in models with online TV support (see "Features") this nuance also determines compatibility with a specific broadcast: the general format of the broadcast is indicated by the codec used for this.

In general, modern devices usually have quite extensive sets of codecs (one of the most advanced is H.265, AV1 codecis also popular), and there are usually no problems with video playback; in extreme cases, you can use special programs for transcoding files. As for specific codecs, detailed data on them can be found in special sources, but with standard use of media players, such details are not needed.

The set of audio codecs supported by the device

Codec — from the phrase "Encoder-DEcoder" — in this case, the format used for encoding and compressing sound in digital form during storage/transmission and decoding — during playback (digital sound is basically impossible without encoding, and compression allows to reduce the amount of data). Information about supported codecs is relevant primarily for assessing whether the player will be able to work with sound in a particular video file. The fact is that even in video files of the same format (see below), sound can be compressed by different codecs; and if the player supports the file format, but does not support the codec, sound playback will become impossible.

Theoretically, these rules are also relevant for audio files and online broadcasts (all formats — TV, video, audio). However, in fact, when working with such content, you can ignore codec data. So, for each audio file format, usually, its own standard codec is used, and file type support automatically means codec support. Broadcasts usually use generally accepted audio decoders like MPEG-1 or MPEG-2, which are practically guaranteed to be supported by any modern player designed for such broadcasts.

As for specific codecs, detailed information on them can be found in special sources, however, with the standard use of devices, such details are usually not needed.

The device has its own external screen. Such a screen has a small size and performs an auxiliary role; various additional information can be displayed on it: operating mode, selected media, file name and location, playback time, etc.

The type of cooling system used in the device.

— Passive. Systems based on natural heat dissipation; usually, one or another type of radiators is used. Passive cooling is absolutely silent, does not require energy and is extremely reliable — roughly speaking, there is simply nothing to break in it. Its main disadvantage is its low efficiency; this is not critical for relatively simple and low-power devices, however, passive systems are not suitable for advanced models (although Android models are often an exception to this rule).

— Active. Cooling systems with forced heat removal; usually the presence of fans is assumed. Such cooling is extremely efficient, making it suitable for use even in the most powerful devices with intense heat dissipation. Its disadvantages are noise, increased power consumption, as well as the probability of failure (very low, but nonetheless existing).