Advice.

by top10playsfootball

Budget - around 100 NZD - 70 USD

Current TV set up

I have a "dumb" 1080p tv . I have the vodafone tv , got free from provider. This has the basic apps such as netflix , youtube , prime. However you can not sideload any apps , and there is no 'app store'. I also have a 2018 google chromecast that i use to cast sports streams , and movies etc. This however is quite laggy.

What i want to improve.

I dont mind the 1080p quality, however i dont want lag (chromecast) , i thought a box would reduce this as you are directly streaming from tv. I dont like the vodafone tvs closed ecosystem either.

What I want to do with the box/stick/dongle

I have heard that with these devices you can access a wide range of free content using something called iptv. I have reaserched Kodi and thought i would use this , however if there is a better media service you use let me know . I am a complete beginner to IPTV so looking for tips on how to set up a good ui with sports , movies and tv shows would be much appreciated. I may also use this for freeview and normal apps like spotify , youtube etc, but that is not the main use. I want a box that is fast , and doesnt lag that is my main concern.

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Boxes i am thinking about.

Mi box s - https://www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-Android-Google-Assistant-Streaming/dp/B07KLWGGYS

Fire stick 2nd gen - https://www.amazon.com/Fire-TV-Stick-with-Alexa-Voice-Remote/dp/B0791TX5P5

Mi stick - https://www.amazon.com/Mi-TV-HDMI-USB-Replaces/dp/B09B9BPXF2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=mi+stick&qid=1633225948&sr=8-3

Google tv - https://store.google.com/nz/product/chromecast?hl=en-GB

Smart vu dongle https://themarket.com/nz/p/smartvu-android-tv-dongle/4-202711?skuid=7776023&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwhuCKBhADEiwA1HegOR3CLq_zPzCninV81u5_StFST_qz-zti1TcUb3jwupy-fqev7yp5SRoCxv0QAvD_BwE

Smart vu box https://themarket.com/nz/p/dishtv-smartvu-android-tv-freeview-receiver/4-193621

Please let me know any alternatives and opionions on these.

Thanks

nimito_burrito

I'm in NZ as well. where are you getting the Google TV from? as far as I know it's not available here. if you can get it I'd recommend getting that. I have an Android TV and am looking to get that in the future.

it has great integration with your phone/Google search. if you have a few different subscriptions it categorises movies and shows from all those different services by genre right on the home screen. it has a really good recommendation algorithm and suggests stuff you'd want to watch really well. it also shows you movies and shows currently trending on Google. you can search movies and TV shows on Google on your phone and add them to your watchlist when you're out and about and it will sync to your TV and create a section for your watchlist.

latinriky78

This list may help you out:

CERTIFIED ANDROIDTV/GOOGLETV BOXES WITH NETFLIX AND PRIME VIDEO FOR THE US, EUROPE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD:

- Chromecast with Google TV (more info at http://tv.google )

- Dynalink TV dongle (More info at http://dynalink.life )

- Homatics Box Q (More info at http://homatics.tv/products/homatics-box-q )

- Homatics Dongle Q (More info at http://homatics.tv/products/homatics-dongle-q )

- Mecool KM2 (More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

CERTIFIED ANDROID TV BOXES WITH NETFLIX AND PRIME VIDEO CERTIFICATIONS THAT USE THE NOW OLD AMLOGIC S905X SoC:

- Xiaomi Mi Box S (More info at http://mi.com/global/mi-box-s )

- Ematic Jetstream (More info at http://androidtv-guide.com/streaming-gaming/ematic-jetstream-tv-box )

CERTIFIED ANDROIDTV/GOOGLETV BOXES WITH ONLY PRIME VIDEO FOR THE US, EUROPE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD:

- Formuler GTV (Gigabit ethernet. Exclusive MYTVOnline2 app for IPTV. More info at http://formuler.tv/gtv )

WARNING!, ALTHOUGH MECOOL IS THE BEST OEM WHEN IT COMES TO RELEASING NEW DEVICES EVERY YEAR, THEY ARE THE WORST WHEN IT COMES TO RELEASING FIRMWARE UPDATES TO FIX BUGS AND ISSUES, IF YOU DON'T MIND ABOUT THAT, YOU CAN GET ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MODELS:

- Mecool KM6 Classic Edition (AV1 hardware decoding. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

- Mecool KM6 Deluxe Edition (AV1 hardware decoding. Gigabit ethernet. WiFi 6. 4GB of RAM. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

- Mecool KM7 (AV1 hardware decoding. 2GB/16GB and 4GB/64GB versions. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

- Mecool KT1 (AV1 hardware decoding. DVB-T2/S2/C tuner built-in. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

- Mecool Now (An Android TV device with a built-in camera and microphone, suitable for videoconferencing. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

- Mecool KD2 TV Stick (AV1 hardware decoding. More info at http://mecoolonline.com where you can get a 10% off with the code "mecoolbox" at checkout)

For more info about all certified Android TV devices, head over to www.androidtv-guide.com website.