your sony tv is using google ANDROIDTV, same as that found in some boxes.

what u experience with live sports streams on kodi is normal whether with TV direct or box.

becos skysports have sworn they will block and stop these live HD streams, esp EPL.

they have taken a few people to court in the UK already.

google to read all the news.

other than live sports streams, the rest are OK.

there are ways to get them, but will require VPN, extra cost, some work.

some people may also say they can still get it free... but for maybe 10 mins... after that, they start to buffer.

live sports is billion $ biz, the owners will not sit idly and let everyone watch for free!

if u don't mind SD, u can try mobdro - the channels work good usually.

as for whether a separate box is better than the tv, i will say if u know how, there is no diff.

the androidtv in yr tv is about the same as the average 2/8 gb or even 2/16 gb android box.

not as good as those premium ones with super audio or complex videos capabilities.

better than those low end that can't do astrogo, hyppewhere and ilfix like yr tv can.

there is truth in what u say.

kodi is a big powerful app but is only as powerful as the addons.

as the authorities clampdown on the illegalities of the addons esp live streams, the usefulness has declined.

and as the addons come and go, need replacement, updates, etc... a lot more work to keep up to get something - tiring.

after a few years using it, i started to walk away... now using it only for 1 or 2 addons.

at the same time, standalone apps have improved and some are very good now - simple, fast, stable and in HD.

u listed some of those; they are many more, of course.

so, to each his own - use whatever app, addon or method that u find best!!

This post has been edited by AVFAN: Sep 8 2017, 12:19 PM

kodi 17 will not overwrite 16.

erase old complete, redo all.

no other way.

even if u save and reuse old folder org.xbmc.kodi, u will get errors, incompatibility, etc.

Go to kodi thread, read first couple pages, understand how it works.
Kodi is an app, a platform. The kodi app owners provide it but do not put things there.
Other users make their own addons, let public use it for free.
Hk, korean dramas are found in some addons, but rather limited.
These addons depend on the owners who dun always maintain well.
Keep in mind kodi is more of a western.eng app.
Fans of tvb worldwide is tiny compared to eng or even mandarin.
Asian app makers tend to do their own standalone apps, not put in kodi.
So, u get some... but dun get upset when u dun get enuf or they dun work!

Boxes come in all shapes n sizes.
Cheap no good, good no cheap.
But it really depends on what u want.

Some hv no ethernet port, only wifi; some relatively small storage.
Some unable to do hd audio, some cant even do dd/dts.
If u want better features n capabilities, u need to pay more for better boxes.
And dun be fooled... another box with same specs may not be the same at all.
A lot has to do with the box firmware, done by the box manufacturer and continuous support.
Consider things like start up, shut down time, responsiveness, video n audio quality output, networking, utilities, wifi strength.

No and yes.

Axtro is axtro, u pay, decoder gives u those channels of yr package.

There is illegal axtro which i will not talk about in public and i suggest u dont to avoid trouble.

But if u mean certain live channels, yes.

They can be obtained with the right apps.

But dun expect all of them, in hd, and free!

There are also video on demand besides live.

Quality, reliability, stability varies a lot, depends on yr speed, device, the app n links themselves.

Kodi is just one app, there are dozens of others.

In general, eng videos is easiest to get.

Free live sports in hd is hardest to get.

U can read and ask more about boxes and apps in other dedicated threads.

As this is a kodi thread for newbies.