Android/Dream Box [ Illegal discussion = Ban ]

yabadabado

If thats the case I suppose it comes down to what you want to spend.
If you have a smart TV could just load on a IPTV app instead of buying a box.

BandMember

See, I knew that I was gonna get the hate here from people when I dared to point out the Mi Box is not what it's cracked up to be! :pac:

I note that nobody offered any solutions to those issues though or explanations as to why they are occuring....

Invincible wrote: »

The majority of poster's cant be wrong!
After having M8,M8+,Tronsmart & H96 pro+, id have to say this is the most reliable/polished unit of them all. The Mi box will receive updates, unlike the others.
Suppose we'll have to accept, nothing compares to minix boxes ;-)

Except the Shield. Say what you want about the Minix boxes, but they actually work properly....

The high horse brigade

BandMember wrote: »

See, I knew that I was gonna get the hate here from people when I dared to point out the Mi Box is not what it's cracked up to be! :pac:

I note that nobody offered any solutions to those issues though or explanations as to why they are occuring....

You're not the only one. I convinced both my mam and brother buy Mi boxes and both had issues with IPTV, returned them to Amazon and replaced them with Shields which work flawlessly. Although I've since suspected that my mams issue was that it was connected to a 4k TV.

yabadabado

BandMember wrote: »

See, I knew that I was gonna get the hate here from people when I dared to point out the Mi Box is not what it's cracked up to be! :pac:

I note that nobody offered any solutions to those issues though or explanations as to why they are occuring....



Except the Shield. Say what you want about the Minix boxes, but they actually work properly....

Hate :rolleyes:

I can only point to my experience using them and it's been positive .I'd have no solutions to your problems as none of them have happened to me or at least not that I recall with any regularity. I think the majority of people here are happy with their purchase but you seem to have gotten a year.Probably should have returned it and gotten a replacement or go for something different.

Again you have mentioned Minix boxs even though they are a lot more expensive than Mi Box.i have used Minix boxs previously, U9 most recent, I honestly thing I'd go for Mi Box ahead of it when all things considered.

BandMember

yabadabado wrote: »

Hate :rolleyes:

Oh c'mon, I meant that in the most light hearted manner possible! Sometimes things don't translate well for me...

Anyway, you may be right in that I got a dud box, but, I can only post my own experience and, as you have read, it has not been good....

yabadabado

Your experience seems to be the minority, certainly on here.
imo you definitely got a dud and should have got a refund/replacement.Any piece of tech,no matter brand/cost can have a dud.Its happened to me with one or two things I've bought over the years and one in particular was over 1k.When it happens not a lot you can do other than contact the seller .

BandMember

Fair post. I've seen others had a bad experience too, so I know it's not just me. Anyway, all I meant to do was provide some user experience and feedback - unfortunately, it wasn't good but it might provide some perspective from the another view....

Normally, I would have been on to the seller immediately if/when there was a problem with a product, but, for some strange reason, it never occurred to me on this occasion..... Too late now though. You live and you learn I guess...

iba

People complaining about mi box, I can't give answers to your Kodi or IPTV issues. But my understanding of Kodi and IPTV is that your accessing streams. In order for streams to be hitch free I imagine the source and the fewer people accessing the stream the better it is for the end user. In addition, your internet speed would also play a role. Also the quality/release of your hdmi cable and cat cable play a factor. I use cat 6 and hdmi 2.

So what I'm saying is that there are several factors that can be influencing the quality etc.

I use it a lot for streaming files from a Nas drive and pc with Plex and it works great. I also use it for YouTube and it works great.

Hope that helps

BandMember

Nope, not one bit I'm afraid. I've been using Kodi and devices like this for a number of years now and know how things work along with how to set things up properly. As I said in my original post about the Mi box, I have other devices with the same set up and have zero issues with any of them. It is 100% definitely the box - not the source, internet etc. I appreciate you taking the time to respond though, it might come in useful to others so fair play.

corwill

The odd dud is absolutely inevitable, in any line of consumer electronics, especially one as competitively priced as the Mi Box.

DLBuild

I read the conversation you guys were having re the MiBox and took the plunge. Thank you. It arrived quite quickly, was a teency bit less than intuitive for apk install but I got there in the end. I'm suitably impressed at how small and overall easy to use it is.
Now I also note a whole bunch of confusion, perhaps even stubbornness re the thread title and will try to steer clear of breaching the rules here. My question at this point to all and sundry is, what is the best way to record the feed from the MiBox which comes via hdmi.

Thanks in advance for your help.

iba

DLBuild wrote: »

I read the conversation you guys were having re the MiBox and took the plunge. Thank you. It arrived quite quickly, was a teency bit less than intuitive for apk install but I got there in the end. I'm suitably impressed at how small and overall easy to use it is.
Now I also note a whole bunch of confusion, perhaps even stubbornness re the thread title and will try to steer clear of breaching the rules here. My question at this point to all and sundry is, what is the best way to record the feed from the MiBox which comes via hdmi.

Thanks in advance for your help.

As you probably know already, you install apks using sideload launches and es file explorer - there are videos on YouTube - easier than me trying to explain.

The feed does not come from hdmi, it comes from the internet. The hdmi is sending the signal to your AVR or TV.

DLBuild

Thanks for the response. I guess my wording was a little off. Yeah. I meant I have hdmi out of my Mi Box and want to know for the purpose of watching at a different time could that feed be recorded in any way and if so how or using what?

Thanks again.

stdidit

Cant someone tell me if this would be a decent buy:

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/VORKE-Z6-Plus-S912-3GB-32GB-KODI-Media-Player-399854.html

Suckit

stdidit wrote: »

Cant someone tell me if this would be a decent buy:

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/VORKE-Z6-Plus-S912-3GB-32GB-KODI-Media-Player-399854.html

Nope. Lots of problems with apps crashing and the box freezing. Nothing to do with overheating so must just be bad hardware.
Custom firmwares are having similar issues and also problems with the bluetooth and wifi.

Best stay away from it, even if a new cfw comes out and seems to have fixed the issues.

Edited
I just read on this forum that the new cfw is decent. I still would probably avoid it, although it is up to you.

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s912/mecool/firmware-roms/691094-vorke-z6-plus-android-7-1-2-s912-3gb-32gb-tv-box-firmware-update/

glic83

Any thoughts on this 3gb ddr4/ 16gb storage

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/MECOOL-M8S-PRO-3GB-DDR4-16GB-eMMC-TV-Box---Rii-i8-Black-378603.html

Suckit

glic83 wrote: »

Any thoughts on this 3gb ddr4/ 16gb storage

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/MECOOL-M8S-PRO-3GB-DDR4-16GB-eMMC-TV-Box---Rii-i8-Black-378603.html

That is a decent box, but price seems a bit steep with the keyboard. I am not sure if the Hebrew version is more expensive, but those keyboards are usually around €10.

They are another Chinese company that have a confusing naming system.
They have the
M8S Pro, M8S Pro Plus, M8S plus, M8S Pro W, M8S Pro L, M8S Plus and probably a few others.
I think that one is around a year and a half old, which doesn't mean a lot, but I think the price should be between €50 - €60 without any extras for the 3GB/16GB version.
There are a couple of good firmwares for it, so it has support too, but many of them may be moving on by Christmas unless Mecool are going to pay them to update.

glic83

I thought it was a little on the high side but then I thought it might have been due to the ddr4 ram the "L" version is ddr3 ran, think it's about 60-65 minus the keyboard. I'm open to other options if anyone has suggestions

glic83

So has anyone any other recommendations for a similar box and the same money or better?

actuar90

I haven't made the purchase yet, but planning on pulling the trigger on a xiaomi mi box for 60 quid, unless anyone knows of any issues with this box or better alternatives for the price?

I know that is doesn't handle 4k stuff very well but that's not an issue and other than that the hardware seems similar spec to others on the market

.red.

I'm on the lookout for a box to run IPTV. It'll be for my dad who's about as tech savvy as a broomstick.
What's the best option? I've an app on my android box for mine and it works without issue but I know he wouldn't use it if I went that route. Way to "complicated"
What's the craic with the Mag or a Zgemma boxes? I've never seen one in action, once set up are they pretty much, turn on and select a channel?
Any recommendations on an actual box? I've no issue paying what needs to be paid but it really needs to be simple to use.
Thanks.

iggy

.red. wrote: »

I'm on the lookout for a box to run IPTV. It'll be for my dad who's about as tech savvy as a broomstick.
What's the best option? I've an app on my android box for mine and it works without issue but I know he wouldn't use it if I went that route. Way to "complicated"
What's the craic with the Mag or a Zgemma boxes? I've never seen one in action, once set up are they pretty much, turn on and select a channel?
Any recommendations on an actual box? I've no issue paying what needs to be paid but it really needs to be simple to use.
Thanks.

I'd get him a mag 256 box..
Simple to use if it's just iptv he wants

yabadabado

Dont bother with a Zgemma .

Do you have a smart TV?Could use that if purely for IPTV.

Mag box is handy for someone who isn't tech savvy as thefe is nothing else on it bar the menu screen/channels.I will stand corrected but Mag boxs probably the simplest set up Iv seen.

.red.

yabadabado wrote: »

Dont bother with a Zgemma .

Do you have a smart TV?Could use that if purely for IPTV.

Mag box is handy for someone who isn't tech savvy as thefe is nothing else on it bar the menu screen/channels.I will stand corrected but Mag boxs probably the simplest set up Iv seen.

I'm lucky he has WiFi and the TV has hdmi so definitely won't be a smart TV.
I've been looking the boxes up but clueless as to what their like.
If the mag box is pretty much turn on and play(after set up) then it's likely I'll go with one of them.
Thanks.

Wanderer78

.red. wrote: »

I'm lucky he has WiFi and the TV has hdmi so definitely won't be a smart TV.
I've been looking the boxes up but clueless as to what their like.
If the mag box is pretty much turn on and play(after set up) then it's likely I'll go with one of them.
Thanks.

is his router next to his tv, he ll probably need a direct connection to it for iptv to work best?

.red.

Wanderer78 wrote: »

is his router next to his tv, he ll probably need a direct connection to it for iptv to work best?

He's only getting about 15mbs which should be loads for SD which is what he's used to anyway. It's in the same room so I'll run a cable down to it, or else use home plugs.
Do these things come up and down in price like the better android boxes?
The 256 is anything between €70-110, don't need it till October for his birthday so no rush to buy it.

Wanderer78

.red. wrote: »

He's only getting about 15mbs which should be loads for SD which is what he's used to anyway. It's in the same room so I'll run a cable down to it, or else use home plugs.
Do these things come up and down in price like the better android boxes?
The 256 is anything between €70-110, don't need it till October for his birthday so no rush to buy it.

home plugs might do the job but direct cable best of course. no knowledge on ip boxes, but im considering getting one myself, looking around on the internets today about them, unsure how to set them up, but i ll keep looking

yabadabado

I'd go for the Mag box if you only want IPTV. They ain't the best but imo are perfect for someone who isn't savvy with tech.Its hard to mess them up.

Suckit

I'd say it would be a tie between the Formuler boxes and Mag boxes, but with a formuler you can install apps easily.
They are both very easy to set up.
So you could have an STB emulator running too (on a formuler) if someone preferred that layout.
The only real advantage of that I suppose is, if there were two users that preferred the different layout, or if the preferred layout was not the box you got.
Also with other apps available and their own market it makes anything else easier too.

.red.

yabadabado wrote: »

I'd go for the Mag box if you only want IPTV. They ain't the best but imo are perfect for someone who isn't savvy with tech.Its hard to mess them up.

The Mag 256 comes in a w1 and w2. W1 is 150mbps, the W2 is 600mbps.
I know that means it can read speeds upto 150/600 but when your getting 15/30/60mbps does it matter which one I get? I'll be hoping to have an ethernet cable attached but if he wanted to move it elsewhere or bring it somewhere would the W2 have a stronger WiFi receiver.

Also, the Formuler boxes also seem to get good reviews, the Z is €30ish cheaper than the Mag 256, is there much difference?
Thanks.