QacQoc M9C Max - Android Stick & Console AMLogic based Computers

I picked up the QacQoc M9C Max a few weeks ago and have been evaluating it for stability for a few weeks. Previously, the Chinese box I'd been using was the DoCooler M9S-Pro (32GB/3GB) because of the large amount of internal storage that it had in the EMMC.
The M9C Max had similar hardware (S905X vs S905); slightly different processor, and less RAM and smaller ROM. But it did have a major advantage that I'd missed with the DoCooler I'd been testing: it was running Android 6.0. With a good microSD card, storage problems seem moot.
The box came with a typical IR remote, standard for Chinese boxes, and I was nonplussed to discover that there were no batteries included. I didn't have any AAA batteries lying around, so I pulled them from the DoCooler remote to test. Before I did, I tried the DoCooler remote on it -- works fine. So if you already have a Chinese box with an IR remote, and you enjoy controlling it with an IR remote, there's a good chance that they're interchangeable. Included also was an HDMI cable, which was nice. The M9C Max has the following ports:
Analog A/V (cable not included)
SPDIF
Ethernet
HDMI
2 x USB 2.0
1 x microSD
Out of the box it booted up with the typical Marshmallow bootscreen, and after setting it up, you are greeted with a very typical Chinese box launcher.
I opened the "OnlineVideo" app and was given a choice to link this to any application I wanted. I'm guessing that this was designed to run with Kodi and did not come with it for ease of being sold on Amazon. The stock launcher did not stay for long, and I quickly put NovaLauncher on instead.
Google Play came preloaded -- not the AndroidTV Leanback version, but the version on tablets, and I was able to install a wide variety of apps. The literature indicated that the box was pre-rooted, and I downloaded a root checker to verify. Sure enough, the box arrives rooted. I was concerned that this would be problematic for Netflix operation, since I'd learned that rooted users might have some difficulty installing the app, but Netflix came preloaded and I had no difficulty viewing TV episodes.
As far as I was able to tell, the box does not have bluetooth. If you are interested in using it to game (why? it has a Mali-450 GPU only) you will need a Bluetooth dongle. I tested one, and I had no trouble pairing my old OUYA controllers. Because it was rooted, all I had to do was put the keylayout files in the proper folder and they worked fine. The box was also able to put out enough power to play from my external 2.5" movie drive.
Everything seemed pretty stable. Antutu scored 32,437, which by today's standards is not great, but is good for the S905x. In normal operation everything seems very quick. I was easily able to sideload Kodi and it worked fine. I don't think it was any faster than the other S905 I had.
Anyhow, the M9C Max is on Amazon for $50, and I paid nearly twice that for the Docooler M9S-Pro. There's less RAM and a smaller ROM, but I don't think it makes a difference with the expandable storage. The GUI for this and other Chinese Android boxes is not very good. I recommend installing Nova Launcher and getting a good Keyboard/Touchpad combo: I use the Logitech K400r. Using it this way, one of the two USB ports will be used by the dongle, and the second will probably be used for an external hard drive.

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shdware said:
I picked up the QacQoc M9C Max a few weeks ago and have been evaluating it for stability for a few weeks. Previously, the Chinese box I'd been using was the DoCooler M9S-Pro (32GB/3GB) because of the large amount of internal storage that it had in the EMMC.
The M9C Max had similar hardware (S905X vs S905); slightly different processor, and less RAM and smaller ROM. But it did have a major advantage that I'd missed with the DoCooler I'd been testing: it was running Android 6.0. With a good microSD card, storage problems seem moot.
The box came with a typical IR remote, standard for Chinese boxes, and I was nonplussed to discover that there were no batteries included. I didn't have any AAA batteries lying around, so I pulled them from the DoCooler remote to test. Before I did, I tried the DoCooler remote on it -- works fine. So if you already have a Chinese box with an IR remote, and you enjoy controlling it with an IR remote, there's a good chance that they're interchangeable. Included also was an HDMI cable, which was nice. The M9C Max has the following ports:
Analog A/V (cable not included)
SPDIF
Ethernet
HDMI
2 x USB 2.0
1 x microSD
Out of the box it booted up with the typical Marshmallow bootscreen, and after setting it up, you are greeted with a very typical Chinese box launcher.
I opened the "OnlineVideo" app and was given a choice to link this to any application I wanted. I'm guessing that this was designed to run with Kodi and did not come with it for ease of being sold on Amazon. The stock launcher did not stay for long, and I quickly put NovaLauncher on instead.
Google Play came preloaded -- not the AndroidTV Leanback version, but the version on tablets, and I was able to install a wide variety of apps. The literature indicated that the box was pre-rooted, and I downloaded a root checker to verify. Sure enough, the box arrives rooted. I was concerned that this would be problematic for Netflix operation, since I'd learned that rooted users might have some difficulty installing the app, but Netflix came preloaded and I had no difficulty viewing TV episodes.
As far as I was able to tell, the box does not have bluetooth. If you are interested in using it to game (why? it has a Mali-450 GPU only) you will need a Bluetooth dongle. I tested one, and I had no trouble pairing my old OUYA controllers. Because it was rooted, all I had to do was put the keylayout files in the proper folder and they worked fine. The box was also able to put out enough power to play from my external 2.5" movie drive.
Everything seemed pretty stable. Antutu scored 32,437, which by today's standards is not great, but is good for the S905x. In normal operation everything seems very quick. I was easily able to sideload Kodi and it worked fine. I don't think it was any faster than the other S905 I had.
Anyhow, the M9C Max is on Amazon for $50, and I paid nearly twice that for the Docooler M9S-Pro. There's less RAM and a smaller ROM, but I don't think it makes a difference with the expandable storage. The GUI for this and other Chinese Android boxes is not very good. I recommend installing Nova Launcher and getting a good Keyboard/Touchpad combo: I use the Logitech K400r. Using it this way, one of the two USB ports will be used by the dongle, and the second will probably be used for an external hard drive.
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I got the same box but mine came with some different pre installed apps.
How has Nova Launcher been going? Do you notice if it's any smoother/less resource intensive than the native launcher?
Also, you mentioned about Netflix and potential root problem. Have you been able install Magisk or some other root hiding app on this box? I would like to get to systemless root but I don't think I can "unroot" since my box came pre-rerooted.
Would love to know what other tips or feedback you have for this device. Thanks.