Directv VS Dish

[Yammer Dan]

I doubt a antenna would do me any good where I am. Hate to loose my sports channels but I don't speak Spanglish and am getting tired of that crap.

[Barrycuda]

I doubt a antenna would do me any good where I am. Hate to loose my sports channels but I don't speak Spanglish and am getting tired of that crap.

 

Si señor Yamma

[friesman]

I wouldnt buy a dish OR have cable. For the last year I have cut off my cable tv in favout of an Android TV box that streams all kinds of tv and movie to your tv through your internet connect. It doesnt usually even require an etheret cable connected to it as it will run on your wireless network in your home. The good boxes run about 60-125 bucks in price and you dont have any more charges for programming. I ordered my boxes from here , http://www.aliexpress.com/item/M8S-Android-Smart-JAILBROKEN-TV-Box-Amlogic-S812-Chip-4K-2G-8G-wifi-Bluetooth-HDMI-XBMC/32441552788.html?spm=2114.01010108.3.39.do4BZW&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_7_79_78_77_91_80,searchweb201644_5,searchweb201560_9 . these guys offer free delivery in most cases and this box was fully configured except for my wireless settings when I got it. Its a good solution foro tv for free...

[camos]

I wouldnt buy a dish OR have cable. For the last year I have cut off my cable tv in favout of an Android TV box that streams all kinds of tv and movie to your tv through your internet connect. It doesnt usually even require an etheret cable connected to it as it will run on your wireless network in your home. The good boxes run about 60-125 bucks in price and you dont have any more charges for programming. I ordered my boxes from here , http://www.aliexpress.com/item/M8S-Android-Smart-JAILBROKEN-TV-Box-Amlogic-S812-Chip-4K-2G-8G-wifi-Bluetooth-HDMI-XBMC/32441552788.html?spm=2114.01010108.3.39.do4BZW&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_7_79_78_77_91_80,searchweb201644_5,searchweb201560_9 . these guys offer free delivery in most cases and this box was fully configured except for my wireless settings when I got it. Its a good solution foro tv for free...

Looks very interesting Brian. What TV programming is available for free with that box? I have not had cable TV for over ten years. There are a few channels that run on the back side of my cable internet connection that mostly give me as much TV as I want but there are times there is nothing of interest on so I'm always looking for decent non subscription options.

[friesman]

Hi Clive

Here is a link to a youtube vid that shows exactly how it works and just a few of the streaming options available. Its been quoted the Canadian news as legal because not downloading, you're just viewing the show or movie. You have to keep in mind that its free and you do need a bit more than a bare bones internet connection, and occasionally you may have to click on more than one connection to view a program. it works well on my work connection which is the 2nd slowest available. There is a bit of a learning curve as its so much to absorb all at one time with all of the choices and no central directory, but I mark mine as favourites and its all good for me. Make sure you get a Bluetooth keyboard with a touchpad, it will make using the unit so much easier... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Lc655Zvos

 

Looks very interesting Brian. What TV programming is available for free with that box? I have not had cable TV for over ten years. There are a few channels that run on the back side of my cable internet connection that mostly give me as much TV as I want but there are times there is nothing of interest on so I'm always looking for decent non subscription options.

[cowpuc]

Hi Clive

Here is a link to a youtube vid that shows exactly how it works and just a few of the streaming options available. Its been quoted the Canadian news as legal because not downloading, you're just viewing the show or movie. You have to keep in mind that its free and you do need a bit more than a bare bones internet connection, and occasionally you may have to click on more than one connection to view a program. it works well on my work connection which is the 2nd slowest available. There is a bit of a learning curve as its so much to absorb all at one time with all of the choices and no central directory, but I mark mine as favourites and its all good for me. Make sure you get a Bluetooth keyboard with a touchpad, it will make using the unit so much easier... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Lc655Zvos

 

Very interesting and thanks for the info!!

 

I think that is the type of stuff that my Phone repair guy was telling me is causing the "industry" to wonder just how long the Cable Networks and stuff are gonna go on. According to him, it has already made a huge dent in their sales. He came to do some repair work on our phone line (which is also our internet = DSL) and blurted out the sales pitch of what it would cost us extra for their TV. I told him that we had never had Cable or Dish, just always used Antenna (free TV) and that we also do a fair amount of "streaming". He totally got it and said A LOT of folks are going with "Ruku" (or the like), which I believe is similar to what you are using @friesman?

The question I asked him (and he didnt know how to answer it) and would like to ask you is, is there a monthly fee for these systems or is it just a one time shot? Are you only getting streaming and such that you could find on the web anyway? Also might add, a couple weeks ago we were at our local Library checking out some books (sometimes reading a book is even more entertainment than watching the tube - shows ya how old school Tip and I really are ) and I noticed they had a flyer posted that their system now offers Movie Streaming accessible with a Library card. Just food for thought....

[camos]

Here is a link to a youtube vid that shows exactly how it works and just a few of the streaming options available.

So the guy in the video has customized what is shown, probably for a fee, fair enough. Is there much of a learning curve to getting a usable setup?

 

Make sure you get a Bluetooth keyboard with a touchpad, it will make using the unit so much easier... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Lc655Zvos

Did you mean a number pad, or, a touch pad as in mouse?

 

In any case, looks very interesting. Thanks for the info Brian, will be looking into this further.

[friesman]

Clive and Cowpuc

In the original link I posted the mini usb keyboard was included from AliExpress. It really doesnt require much setup just a bit of reading if you get the box pre set up like the one I mention is. I just plugged mine in connected it to my wireless and I was watching tv in a few minutes. If you want to try out Kodi before you buy the Android Box there is a windows version that will run on a windows 7 or higher computer and just watch it on the computer or plug the computer to your tv. Here is the link to the windows version of KODI from the tvaddons.ag (their version is called TVMC and its the version I like the best) people. Its a self updating version if you read all the way to the bottom of the page it will tell you everything you need to do the download and install. http://www.tvaddons.ag/tvmc-windows

 

BTW, I still have a ROKU3 box and used to use it a lot before I got the Andoid box running KODI, ROKU is a bit easier to use, but choices in programming are a lot more limited. THe reason to go to an ANdroid box instead of just using a windows computer is that the Android box runs things faster and is easier to use with a tv. (also only 65 bucks instead of tying up a computer worth a few hundred.)

Edited November 19, 2015 by friesman

[camos]

BTW, I still have a ROKU3 box and used to use it a lot before I got the Andoid box running KODI, ROKU is a bit easier to use, but choices in programming are a lot more limited. THe reason to go to an ANdroid box instead of just using a windows computer is that the Android box runs things faster and is easier to use with a tv. (also only 65 bucks instead of tying up a computer worth a few hundred.)

Read a few good reviews, didn't find any bad reviews or rave reviews for that matter. A few features don't work so well but that is likely due to the version of XBMC and could be fixed with an update.

 

Yes, I started to upgrade an old computer a while ago to get a media box running XBMC but it looked like it would cost a few hundred dollars or more to make it perform adequately so the project got shelved. So, last night I bit the bullet and ordered the M8 from AliExpress. It was US$62 which translated to CA$84 delivered courtesy of the tanked Loony. Should get here before Christmas.

 

Looking forward to spending the winter shut-in with some new entertainment options.

Thanks for the idea Brian.