BuzzTV XRS 4900 Review

This BuzzTV XRS 4900 review was written by Troy after using it extensively for two weeks.

The BuzzTV XRS 4900 Android TV Box has received a lot of praise. It’s considered by many as the best Android TV Box on the market today.

The architecture of the BuzzTV XRS 4900 is based off their built-in IPTV portal that works extremely well with the included remote control.

This streaming box was sold out for multiple months but it’s now back in stock. Due to it’s popularity we anticipate it selling out again.

Before I dive into my review, I do want to point out a few important items to ensure that they aren’t overlooked.

Who is the BuzzTV XRS 4900 For?

This Android TV Box is meant for those who use unverified IPTV services that provide M3U, Xtream Codes, or MAC Server setup.

It’s also important to mention that this box is not running true Android TV. It’s using stock Android 9, which is the same type of operating system found on phones and tablets.

The primary audience for this streaming device are those who use unverified IPTV services and free streaming apps (APKs) such as Kodi, Cinema, Syncler, etc.

If you’re a person who uses verified paid streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, this box isn’t for you. You will want to stick with Amazon Fire TV systems or Android TV devices.

BuzzTV XRS 4900 Review

This streaming device was provided free of charge to TROYPOINT by BuzzTV. However, this review is unbiased and you will see that I point out both the good and bad regarding this Android TV Box.

I’ve gotten away from reviewing generic Android TV Boxes due to the numerous amount of streaming devices on the market developed by reputable companies.

I’m not a big fan of using stock Android on these boxes and definitely prefer the true Android TV experience.

Read Difference Between Android TV and Stock Android

After seeing a few reviews for the BuzzTV XRS 4900 I couldn’t help myself, I had to give this a shot.

BuzzTV XRS 4900 Specs

I will start this BuzzTV XRS 4900 review with the specs so you know what you’re getting with this Android TV Box.

Specifications

Output Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160)
CPU : AmLogic S922X Hexa-core 64bit Cortex-A73 +A53
GPU : Multi-core high-performance GPU
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
Storage: 128GB eMMC
Operating System: Android OS 9 Pie

Networking

WIFI: 2.4G / 5.8G Dual-Band Dual-Antenna 2×2 MIMO
LAN: Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000M
Bluetooth: 4.2

Decoder

Video decoder : 4K@60fps, VP9, H.265(HEVC) , AVS , H.264(AVC, MVC) , Real , MPEG1/2/4 , VC-1
Video Format : TS , MKV , FLV , MOV , AVI , RM , MP4
Audio Format : MPEG-1 Layer 1,2 , AAC-LC , HE AAC V1/V2
Image decoder : JPG , BMP , GIF , PNG
Support Language : Global

Audio

I reached out to BuzzTV and asked what digital audio formats that they support as it wasn’t on their spec sheet. Here is their reply.

We support all of the standard Digital Audio Formats.

For Dolby and DTS, it is supported via FFMPEG on our Buzz App, if what you’re watching is streaming in this audio codec.

Atmos and DTS HD is supported via HDMI Passthrough.

Dimensions

Length : 12cm
Width : 12cm
Thickness: 3cm
Color : Black / Copper

Ports

USB2.0 : 1
USB3.0 : 2
USB Type C: 1
MicroSD: 1
Optical Audio: 1
Power Interface : 1
HDMI 2.1 (CEC) : 1
Gigabit LAN : 1

Power Adapter

Type : 12V 1.5 Amp Adapter

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Setup

When I unboxed the system I was absolutely blown away.

The BuzzTV packaging was well thought out and they provide a free mouse pad with some stickers as well. It’s an actual experience of unboxing the device.

Setup was simple and I was taken through a wizard that basically covered everything.

Once I got to the launcher of the BuzzTV XRS 4900 I setup my IPTV service through the server settings shortcut.

This was straightforward and I was impressed how quickly my playlist loaded.

I proceeded to log into Google Play Store and installed apps with no problems.

I then installed the TROYPOINT App with Rapid App Installer. This allows me to quickly side-load apps not available in Google Play.

Get Free TROYPOINT App with Rapid App Installer

I installed both Syncler and Kodi and both worked fabulously with Real-Debrid.

I tested playing video from both Syncler and Kodi with both performing extremely well. 4K video played with no buffering whatsoever.

I also tested playing 4K video through the included YouTube app and it played perfectly with no dropped frames.

BuzzTV XRS 4900 IPTV Portal

Buzz TV 5 is the name of the IPTV portal that the entire user experience is based upon.

Many of you use TiviMate or IPTV Smarters in conjunction with your service and you can think of Buzz TV 5 as the same type of player.

What sets Buzz TV 5 apart from the other players is the integration of the app into the home screen.

TV channel and VOD favorites are listed on the home screen for one-click access. Users also have quick access to Live TV, VOD, TV Series, and EPG in the top row.

Plus, there is a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) section in the top-right corner where the current channel continues to play.

The IPTV portal does allow for recording and there is plenty of local disk space for that!

One feature that is missing from recording is the ability to record seasons automatically. Example, set a recording for a TV show that airs at the same time each day or week. Many IPTV players don’t do this for some reason and hopefully BuzzTV will implement this in a future update.

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Buzz Utilities

The BuzzTV XRS 4900 offers a utilities panel that allows for some customization.

The System Update link checks for any BuzzTV XRS 4900 updates and applies them.

Home Screen Rows allows you to hide/display various rows such as Live TV and VOD sections.

Power options allow you to set what happens when pressing the power button on the remote.

Navigation bar allows you to show/hide that at the bottom of the screen.

Home screen provides an option to change the default launcher to the following.

BuzzTV XRS 4900 Launcher 1 — BuzzTV Classic

BuzzTV XRS 4900 Launcher 2 — BuzzTV Media Player

BuzzTV XRS 4900 Launcher 3 — BuzzTV Media Player 2

Remote Control

When I first looked at the remote I didn’t like it. I prefer simple remotes with options within the application for the various shortcuts.

But, once I started using it, I really liked it.

The remote is capable of both IR and Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth is much quicker and I wouldn’t even bother with the IR feature.

The nice thing about IR is that if Bluetooth becomes disconnected for any reason, IR will still work so you can at least get it connected again.

The remote control is designed to work in conjunction with the IPTV portal. Users have quick access to recording, guide, live TV, faves, IPTV categories, search, VOD, TV Series, volume, page up/down, source, and more.

With all the options within the IPTV Portal, BuzzTV makes it extremely easy to find what you’re looking for on the remote.

Due to the IR feature of the remote, it can be paired with a television with the up/down volume controls.

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Storage

The BuzzTV XRS 4900 comes with 128 GB of onboard storage.

You can also add an additional 2 terabytes of storage through an SSD or Sata drive.

Adding the additional hard drive would be great if you wanted to build your own media center directly on the device.

I personally wouldn’t have a need for the additional hard drive as I use a Plex Media Server and the internal 128 GB is plenty for my IPTV recordings and applications.

I’m not a big fan of expanding USB drives as internal storage and extremely happy to see that the BuzzTV XRS4900 comes with more than needed out of the box.

Android 9.0

Some may complain that the BuzzTV XRS 4900 is running Android 9.0 and it should be on 10 or higher.

I would agree that this is important for phones and tablets but not Android TV Boxes.

Android 9.0 is a stable operating system and upgrading wouldn’t do much for this device anyway.

Download Speed

I used the Analiti Speed test app for the following tests.

I have one GB Fiber download speed plan through my Internet Service Provider.

During the WiFi tests, I am connected to the 5Ghz band on my Asus AC3100 Router. This router resides in the same room as my BuzzTV XRS 4900 (approximately 20 feet away from the wireless router).

I’m using IPVanish VPN as my VPN on Chicago Server 02 (chi-a02).