sandspider Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Hi all I know there's a few threads on this already but I'm a bit confused. I'm looking for one internet TV box that will do everything, (ideally fairly legally) - download / store to HD, series record, get lots of channels and films etc. We live in a Welsh valley, so the TV signal isn't great, but the internet is reasonably fast - about 8MB down stream!! (Hence it would be useful to be able to store to HD rather than having to live stream everything). Considering Netflix, or some sort of HD box (e.g. Humax), or a Kodi box (though they don't seem to have hard drive options, and I'm not entirely sure of the legalities). Would be nice to have the option to browse the channels (like freeview) rather than having to specifically search for an exact program. And to choose a program without having to get up and prod the laptop. (We already have Chromecast). What's the best and simplest way to do this? Could get Kodi and a HD box if the two will talk to each other? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted December 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Just to add, I'd rather not have to use a VPN as our connection is not fast anyway and the overhead might kill it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimmie Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) If you haven't got good internet then I wouldn't bother, you'll be for ever waiting for films and programmes to "buffer" i.e. Load up enough to keep watching them. It's very frustrating, trust me. That's using a box with kodi on Edited December 13, 2016 by rimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Your best option would be to install kodi on a laptop and also install a torrent client (plug laptop into tv via hdmi) so you can download and store on hd as well as streaming, both these options are free so long as you have a spare laptop. As for legality that's for you to decide. Edited December 13, 2016 by Luckyshot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn2233 Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Do you have a sky dish ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted December 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Thanks all. Hmm, feared that might be the case - though our internet is fast enough to stream iPlayer, most of the time... Would rather not have to plug laptop into TV, as that's what we do now and it's a bit fiddly. Is Freesat any good? There is an old satellite dish in the garden, but I'm not interested in paying for Sky etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Thanks all. Hmm, feared that might be the case - though our internet is fast enough to stream iPlayer, most of the time... Would rather not have to plug laptop into TV, as that's what we do now and it's a bit fiddly. Is Freesat any good? There is an old satellite dish in the garden, but I'm not interested in paying for Sky etc. Plugging laptop into tv is no different to using a box but, each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn2233 Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Buy this if you have sky dish http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-ZGEMMA-H-2S-DUAL-CORE-SATELLITE-RECEIVER-DVB-S2-TUNER-FREE-TO-AIR/161782567727?_trksid=p2053742.c100463.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150527183144%26meid%3D54bf7bef668549e1839e7501c2624d81%26pid%3D100463%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26 And spend 10 reading this and flash the box looks like sky but only free channels and has iptv like kodi but better http://www.techkings.org/zgemma-star-h-2s/89685-wooshbuild-v3-00-usb-cam-transfer-plugin-basebuild-openatv-5-1-a.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 do a speed test first before shelling out wonga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted December 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Plugging laptop into tv is no different to using a box but, each to their own Surely i can use an app on my phone to control the TV box and don't have to get off the sofa?! Buy this if you have sky dish http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-ZGEMMA-H-2S-DUAL-CORE-SATELLITE-RECEIVER-DVB-S2-TUNER-FREE-TO-AIR/161782567727?_trksid=p2053742.c100463.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150527183144%26meid%3D54bf7bef668549e1839e7501c2624d81%26pid%3D100463%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26 And spend 10 reading this and flash the box looks like sky but only free channels and has iptv like kodi but better http://www.techkings.org/zgemma-star-h-2s/89685-wooshbuild-v3-00-usb-cam-transfer-plugin-basebuild-openatv-5-1-a.html Thanks Martyn, and for your useful PMs. Will have a look in detail later. do a speed test first before shelling out wonga I get about 8MB down, which is enough for iPlayer in HD and apparently netflix in HD too. Upload is painfully slow, but hopefully that won't matter too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Surely i can use an app on my phone to control the TV box and don't have to get off the sofa?! Thanks Martyn, and for your useful PMs. Will have a look in detail later. I get about 8MB down, which is enough for iPlayer in HD and apparently netflix in HD too. Upload is painfully slow, but hopefully that won't matter too much. None of the boxes Ive ever had have been controllable via my phone (not saying they all cant be) I use a wireless mouse and my laptop it plugged in via hdmi (1 wire) and is permanently left turned on so can do more things quicker than most boxes can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Surely i can use an app on my phone to control the TV box and don't have to get off the sofa?! Perhaps not a lot of help as this doesn't cover TV but I have a laptop connected to a projector via a surround sound system. The laptop runs Windows and I have XBMC (Kodi) installed to manage all of the movies on the connected hard drive. The laptop is connected to the wifi which allows me to control XBMC from an app on my phone while sat on the sofa. Quite handy as anywhere in the house I can choose a movie and put it on, pause it, rewind etc via my phone. Edited December 13, 2016 by Munzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Surely i can use an app on my phone to control the TV box and don't have to get off the sofa?! Thanks Martyn, and for your useful PMs. Will have a look in detail later. I get about 8MB down, which is enough for iPlayer in HD and apparently netflix in HD too. Upload is painfully slow, but hopefully that won't matter too much. Surely i can use an app on my phone to control the TV box and don't have to get off the sofa?! Thanks Martyn, and for your useful PMs. Will have a look in detail later. I get about 8MB down, which is enough for iPlayer in HD and apparently netflix in HD too. Upload is painfully slow, but hopefully that won't matter too much. you have slow broadband speed sounds like your snookered behind the black ball on this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Just spent a while going through my Apple TV box thing :( Apart from Internet radio and some YouTube content there's nothing to watch that you don't have to pay for through Apples I tune store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longspoon Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Bought a Humax box for Freesat, does all I want, record, play on demand, has a good epg and coupled with the Amazon firestick, is all I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-uk Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Dont spend anything yet. Just try Kodi on your PC/phone and see if it works first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted December 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Good thought that man. I think our internet will be just about fast enough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Dont spend anything yet. Just try Kodi on your PC/phone and see if it works first. Just like I said in the first place, no need to buy these boxes if you have a laptop at home as with a laptop you get the best of both you can stream and keep tv programme/films on your hard drive for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAYBURN Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 As above put kodi on laptop or PC try it out. 8Mb download is plenty as long as there aren't to many other users on different devices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted December 17, 2016 Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 so if a pc is plugged into the tv and kodi is on the win10. what else does one need to install to watch programs from pc to tv. i use to use yify.tv but not sure on this kodi thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn2233 Posted December 17, 2016 Report Share Posted December 17, 2016 so if a pc is plugged into the tv and kodi is on the win10. what else does one need to install to watch programs from pc to tv. i use to use yify.tv but not sure on this kodi thing https://www.tvaddons.ag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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