Android Boxes

Started by snoopdog, July 30, 2015, 09:49:46 AM

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AZOffaly

Lads, ye've probably already answered this, so don't go mental. I'm a Sky subscriber, with multi room, Sky Go etc. I find it brilliant, but I don't like the fact that multi room is €15 a month. I bought an Android box off of Groupon for the craic. I don't want to do anything too fancy, but I'd like to try and stream TV stations onto a TV in another room, so I'm planning on just putting it on our wi-fi, plugging it into the TV , and letting it off. Will I just be able to download something like Mobdro onto it and work away? Or is it more complicated than that?

I'm completely new to Android boxes and the like, so be gentle!

Boycey

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 12, 2016, 11:11:56 AM
Lads, ye've probably already answered this, so don't go mental. I'm a Sky subscriber, with multi room, Sky Go etc. I find it brilliant, but I don't like the fact that multi room is €15 a month. I bought an Android box off of Groupon for the craic. I don't want to do anything too fancy, but I'd like to try and stream TV stations onto a TV in another room, so I'm planning on just putting it on our wi-fi, plugging it into the TV , and letting it off. Will I just be able to download something like Mobdro onto it and work away? Or is it more complicated than that?

I'm completely new to Android boxes and the like, so be gentle!

Yeah Mobdro is a pretty good, simple start to the world of Android boxes before we introduce to you the full power of what you can do :-)

A word of warning though it can be a sometimes frustrating pastime and if its the "Sky" experience you are looking for it won't replicate it. Have you thought of the dodgy box route as per the other thread? I have both going side by side but I'm a bit of a nerd..

AZOffaly

Not really the 'Sky' experience. I have Sky for that :) I'm not planning on getting rid of Sky at the moment anyway. This is more of a supplement to Sky, and for tellies in other rooms. I'd obviously like to be able to watch some of the Sky Movie/Sport Channels, but the big thing for me is the channels that are not on Sky. American ESPN, NBC, ABC etc showing college football in the States. Things like that.

nrico2006

Anybody up to speed on all the leatest with regard to these sky replacement boxes?  My da has a dreambox the past 4 or 5 years, gets every sky channel as well as sky sports box office and boxnation.  I haven't checked but wonder if he gets the box office movies etc too?

A friend of mine is offering to set me up with a zgemma box that will give me basically the same as I have mentioned above, it can pause and record too though.  He is looking £70 for the box and £20 a year subscription.  Thinking of getting it as fed up with the bother when trying to watch a boxing fight really.  Are there still Dreamboxes or are the zgemma the new leader?  Or are there others that are better?
'To the extreme I rock a mic like a vandal, light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle.'

Boycey

Quote from: nrico2006 on September 12, 2016, 11:28:18 AM
Anybody up to speed on all the leatest with regard to these sky replacement boxes?  My da has a dreambox the past 4 or 5 years, gets every sky channel as well as sky sports box office and boxnation.  I haven't checked but wonder if he gets the box office movies etc too?

A friend of mine is offering to set me up with a zgemma box that will give me basically the same as I have mentioned above, it can pause and record too though.  He is looking £70 for the box and £20 a year subscription.  Thinking of getting it as fed up with the bother when trying to watch a boxing fight really.  Are there still Dreamboxes or are the zgemma the new leader?  Or are there others that are better?

I've a zgemma and they're miles ahead of the dreamboxes in my opinion. The user interface and EPG can be set up to mimic Sky rather than the basic menu of Dreamboxes. At £70+20 hes giving it to you at cost but I'd imagine there is no hard drive included for the record/pause etc at that price. You can buy a 1TB hard drive though for about £50 or use an even cheaper memory stick but that will limit the amount you can record.

nrico2006

Quote from: Boycey on September 12, 2016, 11:42:37 AM
Quote from: nrico2006 on September 12, 2016, 11:28:18 AM
Anybody up to speed on all the leatest with regard to these sky replacement boxes?  My da has a dreambox the past 4 or 5 years, gets every sky channel as well as sky sports box office and boxnation.  I haven't checked but wonder if he gets the box office movies etc too?

A friend of mine is offering to set me up with a zgemma box that will give me basically the same as I have mentioned above, it can pause and record too though.  He is looking £70 for the box and £20 a year subscription.  Thinking of getting it as fed up with the bother when trying to watch a boxing fight really.  Are there still Dreamboxes or are the zgemma the new leader?  Or are there others that are better?

I've a zgemma and they're miles ahead of the dreamboxes in my opinion. The user interface and EPG can be set up to mimic Sky rather than the basic menu of Dreamboxes. At £70+20 hes giving it to you at cost but I'd imagine there is no hard drive included for the record/pause etc at that price. You can buy a 1TB hard drive though for about £50 or use an even cheaper memory stick but that will limit the amount you can record.

Are many people caught using Dreamboxes or these type of devices?
'To the extreme I rock a mic like a vandal, light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle.'

Tony Baloney

Quote from: nrico2006 on September 12, 2016, 11:28:18 AM
Anybody up to speed on all the leatest with regard to these sky replacement boxes?  My da has a dreambox the past 4 or 5 years, gets every sky channel as well as sky sports box office and boxnation.  I haven't checked but wonder if he gets the box office movies etc too?

A friend of mine is offering to set me up with a zgemma box that will give me basically the same as I have mentioned above, it can pause and record too though.  He is looking £70 for the box and £20 a year subscription.  Thinking of getting it as fed up with the bother when trying to watch a boxing fight really.  Are there still Dreamboxes or are the zgemma the new leader?  Or are there others that are better?
Are you expecting anyone here to answer that question?

A mate bought a box with internal 500Gb harddrive and Kodi with full Sky (all sports, movies, box office etc.) for £280 plus £50 p.a. Sky sub.

Smokin Joe

How does zgemma / dreambox function?

Does it just use broadband, satellite or are both needed?

Boycey

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 12, 2016, 11:23:27 AM
Not really the 'Sky' experience. I have Sky for that :) I'm not planning on getting rid of Sky at the moment anyway. This is more of a supplement to Sky, and for tellies in other rooms. I'd obviously like to be able to watch some of the Sky Movie/Sport Channels, but the big thing for me is the channels that are not on Sky. American ESPN, NBC, ABC etc showing college football in the States. Things like that.

Android box with sportsmania app installed then and a subscription to sportsmania or ultimatemania which is all the same sports channels plus more tv channels.

AZOffaly

Good man, I'll check out that. How much is a sportsmania subscription?

Smokin Joe

Quote from: Boycey on September 12, 2016, 01:25:21 PM

Android box with sportsmania app installed then and a subscription to sportsmania or ultimatemania which is all the same sports channels plus more tv channels.

Boycey, I have that.  What would be the gain for me in getting zgemma?

Smokin Joe

Quote from: AZOffaly on September 12, 2016, 01:26:05 PM
Good man, I'll check out that. How much is a sportsmania subscription?

It's something like £26 for 6 months

Tony Baloney

Quote from: Boycey on September 12, 2016, 01:25:21 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on September 12, 2016, 11:23:27 AM
Not really the 'Sky' experience. I have Sky for that :) I'm not planning on getting rid of Sky at the moment anyway. This is more of a supplement to Sky, and for tellies in other rooms. I'd obviously like to be able to watch some of the Sky Movie/Sport Channels, but the big thing for me is the channels that are not on Sky. American ESPN, NBC, ABC etc showing college football in the States. Things like that.

Android box with sportsmania app installed then and a subscription to sportsmania or ultimatemania which is all the same sports channels plus more tv channels.
Any specific Android box required or any oul thing do?

Boycey

Quote from: Tony Baloney on September 12, 2016, 01:21:12 PM
Quote from: nrico2006 on September 12, 2016, 11:28:18 AM
Anybody up to speed on all the leatest with regard to these sky replacement boxes?  My da has a dreambox the past 4 or 5 years, gets every sky channel as well as sky sports box office and boxnation.  I haven't checked but wonder if he gets the box office movies etc too?

A friend of mine is offering to set me up with a zgemma box that will give me basically the same as I have mentioned above, it can pause and record too though.  He is looking £70 for the box and £20 a year subscription.  Thinking of getting it as fed up with the bother when trying to watch a boxing fight really.  Are there still Dreamboxes or are the zgemma the new leader?  Or are there others that are better?
Are you expecting anyone here to answer that question?

A mate bought a box with internal 500Gb harddrive and Kodi with full Sky (all sports, movies, box office etc.) for £280 plus £50 p.a. Sky sub.

The zgemma box will do all that for you at £70 plus the cost of a hard drive

Boycey

Quote from: Smokin Joe on September 12, 2016, 01:27:00 PM
Quote from: Boycey on September 12, 2016, 01:25:21 PM

Android box with sportsmania app installed then and a subscription to sportsmania or ultimatemania which is all the same sports channels plus more tv channels.

Boycey, I have that.  What would be the gain for me in getting zgemma?

We have sort of merged two topics here

The Android boxes are streaming content from the internet, I'm sure you know this if you have a Sportsmania sub. The zgemma/dreamboxes are satellite receivers working through your dish and only using the internet to get a 'code' to allow the box to work.

What will you gain from having a zgemma? Nothing, if you just want it as AZOffaly does back up the page what you currently have is fine. Its more of a Sky replacement