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Android TV Box

Discussion in 'Android TV boxes (Kodi, XBMC, etc)' started by bobeey3k, Oct 25, 2013.

  1. bobeey3k

    bobeey3k Regular member

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    Got speaking to a guy last night who said that with an Android TV box with alternative software/OS on it which he provided, I could get loads of channels, movies and sports for a few Euro a month (he didn't specify which channels exactly but Sly was mentioned...) and no need for a dish or sub to a provider!

    He did say that they weren't like the "dodgy boxes" of times past....he was even offering a trial, I only needed an internet connection.

    Forgive me if I'm wrong but it sounds like sharing of some sort?

    Can anyone advise me further or point me in the right direction as I am looking for an alternative to paying a sub to cable provider or setting up a dish?

    Cheers.
     
  2. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    old apple tv2 cracked a few you tube videos over there but not to sure about working hd but sly sd were working just with internet.
    if you get a sat dish up you can get a combo box,sat and dtt/freeview and get over 100 channels for free and an aerial to pick up the non sat channels and internet for services like epg.
     
  3. bobeey3k

    bobeey3k Regular member

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    Thanks cactikid.....wasn't sure if I was going to go the sat route at all but as times are tough and my UPC sub has gone up €15 p/m, I'm considering getting rid off the TV package and keeping the Broadband only and investing in a HD combo box, maybe the Blade box....there seems to be a lot of options out there....a bit confusing to be honest!!

    Used to be into the whole cable set top box scene when it was worth it but those days are gone....hahaha.

    To be honest, I'm happy enough to get FTA, dtt and freeview as well as Saorview for the few Irish channels there are but would like to be able to get the likes of Sky One/Two and Discovery channels, in HD if possible.

    Probably need to do a lot more research and read through the many threads on here and make a decision but again, if anyone in South Ireland has experience or further advice on how to do this with the best possible set-up, I would really be in their debt!

    As far as I can see, a motorized dish would be the best set up for sat and an aerial for the Irish channels.
     
  4. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    ok your in southern ireland i use a triax combo tsc114 get freesat and with an aerial you get the irish ones great picture.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgtlHyU3_Ys

    if you want the other channels in hd like sly1 hd etc you are heading into a card sharing area,but be warned about the possibility of something happening soon may leave these boxes as fta only,other boxes like vu solo2 can do other things [ enigma2 ]

    yes sat dish on motor much better than fixed.
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2013
  5. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    Bob I have one of those Android running XBMC and dont be fooled, its free to get those chans you speak of, they are streams thats how they work, dont pay anyone for em, great boxs and the addons are great, for film, tv etc, as Cacti says a combo box is a good option for use in Ireland, DTT and SAT, but for cheap and good, skybox is the winner, good pic, chan files are handy,
     
  6. tongs007

    tongs007 Active member

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    agree with mikah those boxes just need configuring to install plugins and add ons, although its weird how he can charge 15 permonth as you dont sub to anything? so once your set up thats it, unless he can put some timer lock or something (thinking to myself)

    sorry my mistake at the 15 euro a month thats for your UPC but still states a few euro a month
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2013
  7. bobeey3k

    bobeey3k Regular member

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    Thanks for the replies lads, might give the Android boxes a go to start off with.

    Mickah/tongs007, could you guys recommend any particular Android box or supplier?
    Would the configuration of these boxes be straight forward enough?

    Was looking at some links on Google in relation to rooting Android tv boxes...seems easy enough but I'm no expert, just interested in messing around with this kinda stuff.....
     
  8. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    Bobby, I am using the Sumvision X2 Cyclone, it is easy to flash and ad the add-ons, once done the box and addons update themselves, for an extra 15 euro get the air remote for it, like the WII you can move around the screen and type etc, but the box has the most comprehensive feature such as 4 USB, hdmi 1.4 for 3d tellys, digital and optical out for home cinemas etc, I am running the Geniatech firmware (sumvision stock firmware is muck and glitchy) which is the best firmware and havent looked back with it, replaced my trusty WDTV box, sports addons, movies, TV such as One Chan etc, loads on ebay!

    To Add, the box does this running XBMC which loads automatically when you load the Geniatech firmware all the addons are used via XBMC, rarely do i use this for android apps at all,
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2013
  9. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    Thats what i said above, all running XBMC on Android, its 12.2 frodo running fine on it, there was talk of Linux but, not sure if thats a runner, stay away from rockchip boxs nothing but trouble, the X2 is a dual core box and has the best extras of any box out there, SPDIF and optical out, so for those with a sound system, this is a must, have streamed 720p and 1080p over wireless and works fine! sound out in DTS and DD5.1,

    But dont pay anyone for so called IPTV, the android boxs have this and lots more, Free
     
  10. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    spammer spammed.
     
  11. horro53

    horro53 Member

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    Hi Mickah,

    I am going to order one of these so do i just put software that you have linked and its a plug and play type thing Sorry i am a newbie on this but i am interested in having a look
     
  12. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    you load the genitech version firmware onto the box, the Sumvision firmware is glitchy, once loaded, you then have to add in your addons, its a simple process and once done, the box updates itself with firmware and addons update themselves, I suggest you read up on XBMC and how to add those repositorys and addons
     
  13. fintannl

    fintannl Regular member

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    Would seem to be the next development when cs ends. Personally I like dream box solution mainly for tsmedia streaming. In the future it would seem that streaming of everything is the way forward
     
  14. cactikid

    cactikid Active member

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    problems now with tsmedia not running right on some boxes like vu.
     
  15. pudzyryan

    pudzyryan Regular member

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    i bought one, but my broadband is crap. i threw it in press, till de upgrade my broadband.. but yes this seems to be the way forward..
     
  16. fintannl

    fintannl Regular member

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    tsmedia not working well on any box at the moment. did have a look at iptv streams on tsmedia and they were pretty shite even with a good broadband connection. can only assume the quality sucks also on android box. so its just nice to have quality highdef with cs. have used xbox streaming of sky channels with hdmi connector and it is pretty sad. mickah, your opinion?
     
  17. tongs007

    tongs007 Active member

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    no you can get really good quality streamed to an android box, mine sucks as i only have a single processor but you can get dual core, with 1 gig of ram and the quality is excellent, i used to have it running on ps3 cfw and it was flawless,
     
  18. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    The streams are not bad actually, they are taking the streams from the sites directly it would seem, BT etc, even the addons which stream from 1chan and 720p and higher, the quality is excellent!

    There is so much stuff on the addons you really are spoilt for choice, new movies, boxsets, HD, PPV, 3D movies and more! Throw Navi-X into the mix and your onto a winner! There is new version of XBMC coming out called Gotham 13, just waiting on a stable build and will load the box with it,
     
  19. sajbyjaan

    sajbyjaan Member

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    I have Sumvision X2 running the current XBMC with the usual dropouts, glitching etc, but I also encounter an additional annoying problem when playing a movie though its generic movie player. It plays them in a small window in 420i resolution messing up all other setting. To get back to the desired resolution I have to go into the settings every time to change them.
    I read somewhere that the issue is with the original crappy firmware, version 21030510, so I tried to update it with the Geniatech firmware, version 20130805, but I am not having any joy.
    Here are the methods I have tried without any success:-

    1 Using the Android upgrade app. with the firmware on a USB stick. The box appears to go into hibernation. To reawaken it I have to unplug and replug the power supply,
    2 Holding in the reset button at the back and plugging in the power cable, this just resets the box but I do not get the recovery menu to allow firmware upgrade.

    Any help on how to update the firmware or resolve the playback resolution issue will be appreciated.
     
  20. MICKAH

    MICKAH Active member

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    You need to use a SD card to do this, not a USB, when you hold the reset button then plug in the box, hold it until the Android man goes off the screen and you will then be in the recovery menu, select update IMG (you need to make sure both the files are renamed on the SD CARD to IMG files)

    Rename to .img instead of .zip .

    Install SPI update first then Firmware second. Reboot.

    http://www.geniatech.com/news/dual-core-box-20130805-firmware-release.asp
     

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