The Zidoo Z9X PRO can read the majority of audio and video digital files, including those in 60Hz 4K, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks. It also performs 4K and HDR upscaling to provide optimal display for the latest TVs and projectors. Sold for €249, will this multimedia player make you forget Plex or retire your Zappiti player?
Included accessories
The Zidoo Z9X Pro multimedia player comes with a power cable, a High Speed HDMI cable (1.5m) and an e-SATA cable (20cm).
The manufacturer also includes a backlit remote control. Additionally, the box contains a user guide, a mini guide for the remote control and an HDMI connection advice leaflet.
Presentation
The Zidoo Z9X Pro multimedia network player is a universal model designed to play the vast majority of audio and video files, including the ISO images of CDs, SA-CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays. These can be films, series or music shared over the local network or saved on an external hard drive.
Compatible with HDR10+, Dolby Vision and 4K in 60Hz, the Zidoo Z9X Pro can automatically adapt to the native frequency of the viewed source. It supports 23.976Hz and 24Hz files, ensuring perfectly smooth images in all circumstances. Its processor handles upscaling from SD and HD definition to 4K HDR, as well as downscaling from 4K video to HD, to ensure a consistently sharp and precise display, whether your TV or projector is in 1080p HD or 4K UHD definition. This streamer also handles Dolby and DTS audio tracks, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Finally, audio file playback, including lossless formats like FLAC and DSD, means you can enjoy all your digital music too.
Key specifications
- Playback and upscaling up to 60Hz 4K
- HDR10+, Dolby Vision
- Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- 3 USB ports (including 1 USB 3.0)
- 1 60Hz 4K HDMI output
- Network: Ethernet (1 GBps) and WiFi 6
- Remote control with backlighting
Configuration
For our review, we connected the Zidoo Z9X Pro to a TCL UHD 4K Mini LED television using a Premium High Speed HDMI cable (18 GBps). The player and TV were powered by the filtered sockets of the Taga Harmony PF-2000 power filter.
We played video files that were saved on a hard drive via the player’s USB 3.0 port. The Zidoo Z9X was also connected to the local network using an Ethernet cable plugged into the router of the Netgear Orbi RBK852 pack. This allowed us to index video files saved on a remote PC and shared over the local network via the SMB protocol. Note that the Zidoo Z9X Pro can also be connected to an internet modem box via WiFi. It is WiFi 6 compatible, which ensures optimum data speeds with compatible boxes and Netgear Orbi-type solutions.
Our impressions of the Zidoo Z9X Pro
Design
Upon taking it out of the box, we were impressed by the Zidoo Z9X’s streamline design and premium metal finish. The device is very compact, with a width of 19cm, a height of 3cm (14.5cm when the antennas are vertical) and a depth of 15cm. It has a black aluminum chassis and a screen on the front panel that displays white characters.
Two WiFi antennas are present for the wireless network connection. Permanently attached, they should be angled backwards, or raised (if the connection is not optimal) so as not to interfere with the other connectors, notably the Ethernet port. Allow a minimum height of a dozen centimeters if you need to install it in a TV cabinet, antennas raised.
Connectors
The Zidoo Z9X Pro features two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port and a SATA port to connect one or several external hard drives (up to 16TB per drive), or even a separate CD, DVD or Blu-ray player. It can be connected to the local network and the internet via an Ethernet port (10/100/1000 MBps) or through WiFi 6, which allows it to access files stored on a NAS.
The multimedia player is equipped with an HDMI port (60Hz 4K) to connect an AV receiver, 4K television or 4K projector, an SPDIF optical output to send audio to a soundbar or an amplifier, and a mini-jack audio/video output. The rear panel also has an RS232 port for home automation control (mini-jack) and the power connector. An on/off switch is also present to turn the device off completely if necessary.
Last but not least, the Zidoo Z9X Pro has a Bluetooth controller, allowing you to connect Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker.
Interface
Once turned on, the Zidoo Z9X Pro only takes a few seconds to set up. The language and country of installation are selected, followed by the local network connection mode, and then the audio and video outputs. You then access the ZIUI (Zidoo User Interface) home interface, which is based on Android 11.
The Zidoo ZIUI interface features the calendar and weather widgets, access buttons to preinstalled apps, the media library, a web browser (that didn’t work during our test) and the settings menu. The latter lets you adjust numerous video output parameters, such as frame rate (native or forced), definition (auto or forced), Dolby Vision mode, audio output mode, and so on.
Finally, there’s the button for the proprietary Home Theater 4.0 app. Developed by Zidoo, it manages multimedia files (indexing, browsing, playback).
Android 11
The version of Android installed on the Zidoo Z9X Pro doesn’t feature the Play Store. As a result, apps must be added by downloading their respective APK files from an alternative app store. However, it is possible to install a beta version of the firmware that features the Google Play Store (v1.0.65_G) from the manufacturer’s forum. That way, you can directly download the applications you want to enjoy on the Zidoo player, albeit with a few restrictions.
In this test, shortcuts for Arte, TF1+, YouTube, Molotov and UniversCiné were added directly to the home menu, but not those for Prime Video, Google Play Films, 6Play, Crunchyroll or Apple TV+. To launch these apps, we had to go back to the Play Store. Furthermore, we were unable to enjoy content from Amazon’s streaming service in UHD 4K HDR, but in standard definition only. YouTube, for example, worked perfectly in 4K. Remember that this is a beta version of the new firmware, and that these limitations could be resolved with the final version of the OS.
What’s more, this is a minor flaw, as the primary vocation of this media player is to play audio and video files locally, not to provide exhaustive access to streaming services that are already integrated on smart TVs and on an increasing number of 4K projectors.
Note that this media player also allows you to play the games offered on the Play Store, provided you connect a compatible game controller to it. During our test of the Zidoo Z9X Pro, we were able to play Real Racing 3 with a PlayStation controller connected to the player via USB.
Home Theater 4.0
The Home Theater 4.0 interface lets you navigate through your multimedia files with ease. The home menu is inspired by streaming services and provides direct access to films and series.
The menu also displays the content currently playing and recently added material, provides access by genre and allows random selection of a program (Pop-Corn button). Unfortunately, search by actor or director is not possible, as is the case with Plex, for example.
But before you can browse your media library, you have to index your digital files by clicking on the Source button. This menu lets you access storage devices connected to the player’s USB and SATA ports, as well as any servers present on the local network (Samba protocol).
Once the scan of each source is launched, the Zidoo Z9X Pro analyzes the files to identify them by referring to several online databases. It can happen that certain titles are not, or are incorrectly, indexed, particularly if they are not correctly named. In such cases, the player groups them together in a specific folder so that the user can easily identify them. It’s also worth noting that each time it starts up, the Zidoo streamer can scan the disks to detect and index any new files.
When that’s done, you can browse through all the movies and series, each represented by a poster. The device also groups films from the same saga into collections to make them easier to find.
Simply click on a film or series to access its dedicated file. The latter features a wealth of information about the content, including the year of release, film classification and running time, as well as a synopsis. Technical data is displayed in the form of logos (image definition, HDR format, video codec, audio track, frame rate).
The file also includes the production and distribution details, giving access to information on the director and the cast. This includes their biographies, taken from Wikipedia, and a list of indexed films in which they have appeared.
What’s more, you can view the trailer for the selected program directly from its file (via the Internet), and download subtitles if required. Finally, even without an Internet connection, you can access all your films and browse by poster, which is not possible with Plex, for example.
Control app
The Zidoo Z9X Pro comes with a very functional backlit remote control, but it is also possible to control the player with your smartphone. To do this, you must use Zidoo Controller, the manufacturer’s dedicated app. The latter can display your movie and series collection by poster, providing the same information as the interface on the TV, with the ease of tactile navigation.
You can start playback from your smartphone and control it using the virtual remote control available in the app. Control is highly intuitive and responsive.
Lastly, the main settings are accessible via the app’s Quick Settings menu.
Picture quality
With UHD 4K Blu-ray ISOs (uncompressed files), the Zidoo Z9X Pro delivers a picture quality befitting a very good 4K Blu-ray player. The image is precise and highly detailed, with exemplary smoothness and no judder on the tracking shots. The colors are also remarkable, with vivid, lifelike hues.
On 4K UHD movies in H.265 and H.264, this multimedia player also performs excellently. The best picture is obtained with the least compressed files, which benefit from a display that is sometimes very similar to ISO Blu-ray.
The Realtek processor also manages to effectively optimize the display of 1080p HD files. The level of detail and the precision aren’t quite on par with a native 4K image, but the upscaling is still pretty remarkable, notably with HD Blu-ray ISOs and files with low compression. The improvement in definition is undeniable, and is achieved without altering the image, which remains smooth and natural on screen.
Even 720p HD images, when they aren’t too compressed, are pleasant, with a fluid and smooth picture. The same goes for standard and HD definition content on Arte and Univers Ciné, which fully benefit from the Zidoo player’s upscaling.
Zidoo Z9X Pro Vs Zidoo Z20 PRO
The Zidoo Z9X Pro (€369) features the same hardware and software configuration in a slightly larger chassis. This allows the player to feature a hard drive bay, a more aesthetic solution than the Z9X Pro’s SATA port. The Z20 Pro also features a coaxial digital audio output as well as the optical port, and swaps the mini-jack audio/video output for a composite video and RCA audio output. Last but not least, both USB 2.0 ports are situated on the front panel.
Zidoo Z9X Pro Vs Nvidia Shield TV Pro
Ultra-versatile, the Nvidia Shield TV Pro excels in accessing all streaming services with optimum picture and sound quality. It also delivers top-notch 4K upscaling, and the manufacturer offers excellent support, with regular updates.
The Shield requires you to download a dedicated app like KODI or PLEX to manage your personal media library. The latter aren’t particularly easy to use and can sometimes experience malfunctions that alter the user experience. In addition, they do not allow you to browse local files in offline mode.
The Zidoo Z9X Pro may not be well suited to 4K HDR streaming, but it is extremely efficient for local management of multimedia files. Its interface is very easy to understand, and 4K HDR image quality is remarkable, both in terms of detail and colors, as well as smoothness.
Who is it for?
If your collection of digital audio and video files takes up several terabytes of data on a NAS or multiple hard drives, the Zidoo Z9X Pro is for you. Its ease of use and efficiency make it a highly relevant alternative to the PLEX and KODI applications that can be temperamental on an Android TV box. Whether you’ve digitized your Blu-ray discs or are cautiously hiding behind a VPN to compile your video library, it will index all your “vacation movies” and, above all, play them back with optimum image and sound quality.
What we think of the Zidoo Z9X Pro
Ideal for those who watch a lot of digital video content, the Zidoo Z9X Pro is as simple and pleasant to use as it is powerful. The indexation of files is effective, and the user interface is responsive, intuitive and visually appealing. Image and sound quality are equally impressive, with superb 4K HDR reproduction and excellent upscaling. The icing on the cake is the backlit remote control, and the Pop-Corn feature that puts an end to incessant debates over which movie to watch!
We liked
- The ease of use
- The 4K HDR picture quality
- The Home Theater 4.0 interface
- That it worked offline
- The backlit remote control
- The Pop-Corn feature!
We would have liked
- To be able to remove the WiFi antennas
- To be able to search for content by director and actor
