nldfc

Think I will grab one of those boxes but one of the problems I can see happening is that if the Filmon platform goes tits up or changes its encryptions etc. then the Android box developers will have to be continually updating the apps - Once they lose interest in that then the box wont be as user friendly as it is now

not2old

of course

From what I can see mentioned by 'magnumpi, the box offers more than just the 'filmon package & I think it has FTA digital channels included as well as what looks like Netflix

No different than what the cable operators have been doing going digital, then up the price, make you pay more, adding a 'Digital Box' ... forever changing technology. Include in that the cell phone deals & packages.

It creeps up on you slowly, bit-by-bit, the frustration being choked with ever increasing hit on your wallet & we all roll over after a vent to keep on paying the escalated prices.

For now though, a ~$110+ one time investment wont break the bank. Along the lines of what 'magnumpi' mentioned up thread, it could be the cost of a night out for dinner & a movie

nldfc

No it wont break the bank but there is only so many "boxes" that people will keep buying -
In the house now I have a boxee box which was great to start off with using the XBMC platform as you could get almost anything with it without having to be to much of a techie but after a while it started to get a bit more "buggy" and 75% of the stuff you find doesn't work properly . I use my boxee now just for Netflix and running movies to the tv from a usb stick ( To be fair though I haven't looked for any updates or improvements for a while as they were going down again days after being updated) The boxee box itself is now completely unsupported by the developers with no more updates etc.

I also have a roku 3 box which was great to start of with , the plex unsupported apps channels again would give you almost anything you wanted but a lot of them lately such as clickplay and yifytv have become useless so now my roku box is used mainly for Netflix and running movies from the computers in the house to the tv through the plex server.

I am not completely knocking the various boxes as I keep buying them but if you are planning on taking out your cable service then you will have to be prepared to do a lot of dicking around on the internet to keep the boxes updated and running with the latest channels , apps etc and hope that the developers don't give up on them

not2old

Totally understood that point & its always 'buyer beware'

I have yet to 'purchase' any add on box of any kind other than a VCR, from the point besides being a sceptic 'I am not a techno geek', nor do I spend a penny foolishly if I can help it. Along the lines - this what happens as one gets older IMO. We don't have an audio system, nor do we have a LCD/LED TV, no CD, DVD player or even a radio in the house ... its basic basic & not just because of the cost of it all.

For now, we have Rogers Digital+ with a small side box that provides us with a couple hundred channels for which we pay ~$50 +tax per mth (no contract, price fixed till Nov 2016).

Our TV watching is probably down to 20 channels in total, mostly news, current affairs, discovery, Food, HGTV & the missus watches the odd soap.

I'm happy with it, as I am watching UK TV on camposat

BristolUK

I shall certainly be keeping my eye on these things - as I have been doing since they were first discussed on this forum previously. But we have three TVs that don't have the necessary capabilities even for HDMI. They are very good TVs - but not HD.

Having got the TV cost down to $48 after tax from $104, I'm not unhappy with that. I've lost being able to watch a couple of football matches on TV (and Space - only needed for Doctor Who) but I'll make do with streams and downloading for that.

But watching some streams, even with super-duper fibre optic internet speeds, one still gets "issues" like freezing, blurriness, sound out of synch, the broadcast being cut for Copyright infringement...even getting around the out of the UK thing for BBC and ITV one still gets freezing for a few seconds every 30 or the picture moving on a few frames at a time.

And Rugby internationals can often be patchy.

I know everyone's experience is different (mediahint works for me and not others while other things haven't worked for me and they have for others!) but I see no reason why internet sourced viewing on TV will be any different for me.

While I'm very satisfied with 95% of my viewing needs via laptop (and thumb-drive via PS3 and TV if I want a bigger picture or 'group' viewing) and the others in the house are equally satisfied, I don't want to fork out for all the new stuff - especially compatible TVs - that would be needed.

It helps that there's a lot of quality TV to catch up on as well as current stuff that can be downloaded in top quality within hours of a broadcast.

nldfc

I am pretty much like yourself Bristol - 99% of what I watch is downloaded then either transferred to the tv with thumb drive or I use the plex server and roku box to pick up anything on my computer and transfer to the tv that way .

If there is a game I want to see involving my own team I will pay the fiver to watch it through their website as they aren't on regular tv very often

not2old

is this another 'paid for service' money out of your pocket to add to what ever else (cable TV) that you already have?.

all techno stuff that I do not understand other than it seems like another box + more of, one, two three activation steps to watch something?

BristolUK

Mediahint?

No, it's a free add-on for firefox. I believe there's a version for Chrome too but a few people said they had to pay for it. Pretty sure you can find a free one though. It's just one of those things that disguises where you are allowing you to watch BBC/ITV etc as if you're in the UK.

When I first had it BBC and ITV were perfect. Then BBC kept freezing every half minute during live broadcasts and now ITV plays up a bit too while watching live.

Watching live via filmon is good, although the picture is not quite as good as the "real thing" but BBC/ITV/4OD all work great for catch up stuff with Mediahint.

No, it's easy enough. The PS3 is a box that the kids use for their games. Just as you download onto your laptop, you can download it onto one of these

and then put the thumbrive into the PS3 (playstation) to play/watch on the TV.

I believe others plug the thumbrive into a DVD player and watch the same as if it was a DVD.

Our DVD player is a cheap one without the USB port and that's why we use the PS3.

not2old

Bristol @ post 53 thanks ...

Is there such a thing as (similar to) Netflix that is free?

added after I did a 'geek' search

http://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/where...nline-for-free

http://www.netflixalternative.com/to...-alternatives/

anyone any experience with anything in the link?

magnumpi

Just FYI Bristol and others who are interested, the box I have also has AV out as well, for them there TV folks with no HDMI

Some good points above guys, thanks

not2old

that's me for sure & thanks for this thread magnumpi

magnumpi

Just been in the store today and had a chat with Maliks Brother. I ask they do good deal for u guys, just say u was told about this box via a good looking English guy :@)

Yes they can post stuff, postage cost only, they had a call from Ottawa and waiting to hear back !! Lol think that's from here?

Hopefully u guys will get a good deal, but it's still cheaper than Amazon anyhoo

not2old

I know the place location, its next to the laundromat & donut shop & across from the Lion pub. Faces Hunt St & Food basics?

nldfc

The Android box also has USB ports so you can use it for downloading to your thumb drive and playing to your tv that way

not2old

+1