if all devices r in use at same time, i think there will be congestion.

no idea about cctv but one tvbox + 2 laptops/tablets shud still be ok for 5mbps.

well, try it to know. if no good, upgrade to 10mbps for another rm30 or so?very true... the roadblocks will come, in one form or another.

save while u can!!

this, need someone else to help you.

i am not into online games...

key words - live, hd, football (soccer)...

this one and hk cantonese drama... top faq's.

but there is no good answer - becos not easy to find. if u find, may not be hd or not stable or comes and goes, doesn't work anymore after a while.

perhaps paid iptv services has something better to offer but are never discussed much in forums... becos legit or not...?

if there is something very good and reliable, i like to know too.

for now, if one only wants hd and stable live soccer and canto drama, stick to astro as i doubt there is a good alternative.

media/android boxes are best for online streaming of english recorded material, i.e. vod or video-on demand.

pls guys... google... nothing is really dead... they all live...

that post is 2 yrs old. an awful lot has happened. boxes have become more powerful, faster, more capable in handling video and audio streams.

xbmc is now called kodi. navi-x is not very reliable. iptv stalker and bbts are a lot more reliable.

azdrama is just one of the many ways to watch chinese stuff. these apps or addons come and go too. there are more reliable ones now. qualifier - cantonese/hk ones not so easy to find, mandarin stuff a lot easier.

as good as astro hd 1080i? not quite, most of the stuff available foc are in sd. some are in hd 720p/1080p, quite good. audio is mostly stereo 2.0

well, if $ not a concern, stick with cable or satellite tv - much easier to use - impt for older users.

other methods, other boxes require quite a bit of knowledge, patience and continuous effort.

not in a position to comment on that since i hv only used one make of androidtv boxes.

assuming u have adequate broadband already, yr choice of box will depend on preferred language, types of videos, audio quality, heavy or light user and budget. it will not work if u say "i want all of it".

can read these 20 odd pages as a starter:
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3126605

and sellers threads in this section:
https://forum.lowyat.net/HomeElectronics&Wares

u pay for cable, satellite and iptv tv becos they are designed for ease of use.

for "diy" boxes and apps, it takes a lot of work esp for noob with no idea of such boxes. in that sense, best to read, check, ask questions first. finally, best to buy from a knowledgeable and helpful seller. caution: if u read more, u will find a fair bit of user grumbling about unpopular models, unhelpful sellers, etc...

This post has been edited by AVFAN: Jul 10 2015, 05:25 PM

answer is yes and no.

u need to read:

this thread, all of it plus:

androidtv box
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3126605/+820

kodi
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3139601

hypptv
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2918894/+1660

not all smart tv's are made the same.

just like not all boxes are made the same.

so, depends on what u want and willing to pay - smart tv or box.

youtube is an easy one.
not so for some other apps.
not so easy to get reliable good quality live sports or hk/canto stuff.
if that easy, astro and other pay channels would have closed shop long ago.

androids come in all shapes and sizes.
what is specifically built in the tv does matter.
latest ones in higher end 4k smart tv's are normally better than lower end smart tv's.
generally, the android works the same whether in box or a tv.
but need to how to get it to work.
androids need some knowledge and maintenance to make it work, not plug n play.

if new to the subject, best to read these 2 threads:
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3126605/+1320
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3139601/+3660

skysports incl f1 is available with many apps on android box, android phone, android tv, even pc.

just that it is hard to get it reliably, consistently, in HD and FOC.

ahem (illegit) iptv's like cloudtv is possible.

my suggestion to you is to ask yr friends, colleagues and neighbors if they got it the way u want. ask them reliable or not, easy or not. then u can decide.

becos some people find it easy to work with this alternative while others find it very frustrating, throw the box away, stick with astro.

assuming u have decent broadband, there are two things that are very easy to get for free on smart android tv's or android boxes - english and mandarin movies and tv series, incl in HD.

on the other hand, there are two things are much harder to get for free - hongkong canto movies/tv series and live sports.

i don't use any ahem iptv, so i can't comment much on that. there is a thread on cloudtv, can read and/or ask there.

the most popular global app is probably KODI. this app can be used on pc, android box, smart tv, tablet or mobile phone. streams can be in sd or hd.

it has a ton of stuff but NONE of them are guaranteed, so u need to keep updating, searching, changing, trying new, etc. that's the nature of open architecture for all. KODI is the most loved and most hated app of all time.

i was watching skysports f1 earlier. it's on a simple app called mobdro installed on a smart tv. it works fine, a bit of lag but still ok. skysports 1-5 also ok. all in SD. so, if u can put up with that, then OK. but if u want HD and 100% relaibility, can't get it. not on a free app but maybe on an ahem iptv.

from skysports, i switched to a china app to watch CCTV 5+, a live sports channel, in HD. always work, almost 100%. BUT... commentary in mandarin, china is trying to get more global viewers, so it is good. i will probably be watching this channel in june/july for european cup 2016 in france. Skysports in KODI or other apps will probably carry some matches but are mostly in SD, so i can watch whichever is good.

what i want to say is this: for certain preferred things, u hv to pay for it. but if u can adapt to a slightly diff alternative, there are choices.

i suggest u read these threads below. many experienced users were just like you 2-3 years ago, started from scratch...

android box
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3126605/+1560
kodi
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3139601/+3760
cloudtv
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2970945/+100

100mbps...

the joy will be full when u use it for a uhd 4k tv and a premium android box.

This post has been edited by AVFAN: Mar 30 2016, 05:15 PM

these channels can be found in many addons or plugins of kodi.

this you watched, was it live? in HD? stable?

it will be double "headache" to try to get a new TV and a new android box!

there is no "best". just $, your willingness to explore and make it work.

with 30mbps, it is good for most things, so that's a good start.

the dilemma is this - will be a hassle for you to do all things android on a an android tv if u have no knowledge with androids.

and if u buy an android box so that it comes preinstalled with goodies or can get help easily, it is a waste not to use the android inside a good smart tv.

so, you first have to decide what u r looking for, what budget, how much time and patience u have to learn, fiddle with gadgets, pc, usb, etc.

i also think u should decide on the budget for your tv first. if low, u will be better off buying a std 1080p tv and then an entry level box.

but if u want good tv, like say >rm4k, then getting a 4k tv with a good android built in will be worth it if u can get it to work well.

read up these reads, the knowledge is impt. can ask questions there:
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3126605/+1580
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3811168/+420
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3139601/+3780

This post has been edited by AVFAN: Apr 4 2016, 02:45 PM

this thread very old... better u read/ask here:

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4200167/+4260
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3115619/+980
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4405774/+140