TV Via Internet

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

Apparently I have 16400 channels if I was to enable the entire world in the package. But there's nothing more annoying that having to scroll past news, kids, entertainment, etc for 118 countries before you get to the country you want. That's why I typically enable just US, Canada and UK for people. And the Latino package for those from this board. Worldwide movies I have about 62,000, (38000 in English) and I have 4149 English series. Total episodes in series worldwide, (including English and non English) is 260k episodes. But like I said, i find it more annoying to have to scroll through the countries you're never going to watch to get to what you want to view. I don't want to have to scroll past Afghanistan, Pakistan and Mongolian TV groups to get to the stuff from England. Luckily my service does always list the US stuff at the top though.. no scrolling for that.

Greg,

I'm interested in your service.

If one wanted to get something "better" than a firestick what specifically might you recommend and why?

I'm thinking some kind of android box and am interested in the minimum specs you'd be looking for to recommend. Thanks

Bonus points for a specific link on Amazon

 

[NotLurking]

Greg,

I'm interested in your service.

If one wanted to get something "better" than a firestick what specifically might you recommend and why?

I'm thinking some kind of android box and am interested in the minimum specs you'd be looking for to recommend. Thanks

Bonus points for a specific link on Amazon

The only real issue with the Fire Stick is its lack of memory for storing movies and TV shows but the same is true for the cheapish Android TV box. It is possible to add additional storage to the Fire Stick, I have 256gb of storage on mine. I use kodi and a few other apps on it and store all the media I want. What you need is a Micro USB OTG adaptor with power and a good USB memory stick. Like this adaptor, a 2 pack for $7.98. *All links are from Amazon.

Or this one for $6.94 but I prefer the first listed

I use this 256gb USB stick from Samsung for $35.99:

You could use its smaller bother 128gb for $20.99 or any other USB flash drive you like, Just make sure it's fast

There are two (2) conditions for using an external drive as Fire Stick storage:

1. Your Fire Stick must have Fire OS 7 or above
2. You must select 'Device storage' the first time the fire stick sees your USB external drive.

Most new Fire Stick come with Fire OS 7 or above.

 

[chico bill]

The only real issue with the Fire Stick is its lack of memory for storing movies and TV shows but the same is true for the cheapish Android TV box. It is possible to add additional storage to the Fire Stick, I have 256gb of storage on mine. I use kodi and a few other apps on it and store all the media I want. What you need is a Micro USB OTG adaptor with power and a good USB memory stick. Like this adaptor, a 2 pack for $7.98. *All links are from Amazon.

Or this one for $6.94 but I prefer the first listed

I use this 256gb USB stick from Samsung for $35.99:

You could use its smaller bother 128gb for $20.99 or any other USB flash drive you like, Just make sure it's fast

There are two (2) conditions for using an external drive as Fire Stick storage:

1. Your Fire Stick must have Fire OS 7 or above
2. You must select 'Device storage' the first time the fire stick sees your USB external drive.

Most new Fire Stick come with Fire OS 7 or above.

So you plug your right angle adapter into the micro USB power port on the side of the Firestick, then the power cable that was in the Firestick into the adapter and the flash drive into the USB ?
And select Device storage under settings and that's it ?

 

[NotLurking]

So you plug your right angle adapter into the micro USB power port on the side of the Firestick, then the power cable that was in the Firestick into the adapter and the flash drive into the USB ?
And select Device storage under settings and that's it ?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: If the USB drive is uninitialized, what I wrote is correct. Selecting 'Device Storage' from the following popup will make the external drive act like internal storage.

If the drive isn't uninitialized try it on the Fire Stick to see if you get the following message

If so, go to settings->My Fire TV->USB Drive->Format to Internal Storage

Finally if you install the USB drive on the Fire Stick and get no prompt, the process is more involved. Try formatting the USB drive on a PC and reinsert it on the Fire Stick. If still no joy, the USB drive needs to be wiped cleaned with a utility like Windows diskpart or the less powerful Windows Disk Management. The same could be done on Mac, Linux or Windows with GParted. Warning all of these methods of cleaning the USB drive not recommended for computer newbies!!!!!!

For reference here is the Fire Stick with a 32gb USB drive use as external storage.

Note: All screen shots are from one of my Fire Sticks

 

[NotLurking]

On more thing I forgot to mention is that if your USB drive is new you shouldn't have any issues. Issues really arise with used USB drive that have multiple partitions on them or formatted with NTFS.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

On more thing I forgot to mention is that if your USB drive is new you shouldn't have any issues. Issues really arise with used USB drive that have multiple partitions on them or formatted with NTFS.

Thanks very much for this valuable info! Much appreciated.

 

[NotLurking]

Thanks very much for this valuable info! Much appreciated.

You're very welcome!

 

[gregvolt]

Greg,

I'm interested in your service.

If one wanted to get something "better" than a firestick what specifically might you recommend and why?

I'm thinking some kind of android box and am interested in the minimum specs you'd be looking for to recommend. Thanks

Bonus points for a specific link on Amazon

HI.. sorry for the delay in responding, If youre looking for an android box, I would say just to make sure you get an android box with an amlogic processor, with at least 4G rom and 32G storage. please make sure you dont get an allwinner or rockchip (rk) processor. Personally I have a buzz tv box on my living room tv (also has an amlogic processor in it) which has a built in app for watching iptv. all you need is the credentials from a service such as mine to use it, but I still prefer to use an app called tivimate over the built in buzz tv app. one other thing about tivimate, it does allow you to record onto a network drive or a shared folder on your pc. so If you have those connected to your home network, you are literally only limited by the drive space on your pc or network drive. you do need to be slightly knowledgeable about network addresses to do it though. incidentally, you can record to your pc on the firestick also using tivimate. it's really a very fully featured app. Here is a link to an android tv box that Ive had good luck with for many of my customers. https://www.amazon.com/Android-H96-Amlogic-S905X3-Quad-core/dp/B077JWN2Z7/

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

HI.. sorry for the delay in responding, If youre looking for an android box, I would say just to make sure you get an android box with an amlogic processor, with at least 4G rom and 32G storage. please make sure you dont get an allwinner or rockchip (rk) processor. Personally I have a buzz tv box on my living room tv (also has an amlogic processor in it) which has a built in app for watching iptv. all you need is the credentials from a service such as mine to use it, but I still prefer to use an app called tivimate over the built in buzz tv app. one other thing about tivimate, it does allow you to record onto a network drive or a shared folder on your pc. so If you have those connected to your home network, you are literally only limited by the drive space on your pc or network drive. you do need to be slightly knowledgeable about network addresses to do it though. incidentally, you can record to your pc on the firestick also using tivimate. it's really a very fully featured app. Here is a link to an android tv box that Ive had good luck with for many of my customers. https://www.amazon.com/Android-H96-Amlogic-S905X3-Quad-core/dp/B077JWN2Z7/

How much better, if it is, is this box than the Firestick Lite setup that NotLurking posted about? It has 256GB vs 32 although I'd guess it's upgradable. Thanks again.

 

[gregvolt]

How much better, if it is, is this box than the Firestick Lite setup that NotLurking posted about? It has 256GB vs 32 although I'd guess it's upgradable. Thanks again.

The boxes area bit more responsive than the firesticks. If you never had over to compare to you probably wouldn't realize it though. You really don't need too much memory because my service records and puts most popular prime time shows into the series section within a week or 2 of airing. So maybe if you're going to record a live sports event you might use recording, but there's not too much need for that. The only other reason to have more memory would be to install additional apps.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

The boxes area bit more responsive than the firesticks. If you never had over to compare to you probably wouldn't realize it though. You really don't need too much memory because my service records and puts most popular prime time shows into the series section within a week or 2 of airing. So maybe if you're going to record a live sports event you might use recording, but there's not too much need for that. The only other reason to have more memory would be to install additional apps.

Would this one do the job? https://www.amazon.ca/Android-Amlog...W6PR/ref=dp_prsubs_1?pd_rd_i=B082HBW6PR&psc=1

 

[gregvolt]

Would this one do the job? https://www.amazon.ca/Android-Amlog...W6PR/ref=dp_prsubs_1?pd_rd_i=B082HBW6PR&psc=1

yes that should be just fine

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

yes that should be just fine

Would this work on a computer monitor?

Or is there a way to run it on a windows 10 or 11 computer itself? Without the firestick or android box?

 

[gregvolt]

Would this work on a computer monitor?

Or is there a way to run it on a windows 10 or 11 computer itself? Without the firestick or android box?

yes you can do it on a pc.. theres quite a few ways, but you would have to use a different app called iptv smarters. which incidentally is also available for the android tv boxes and firesticks but in my opinion is nowhere near as full featured as the tivimate app. Of course you will get all the same content that I offer on either app, its just the way that the app arranges the layout and your abiilities to customize the layout and remote buttons and appearance that, in my opinion, make tivimate better. tivimate is only available on the android box but there are plenty of people who are quite content with iptv smarters. you can install it on your pc from here https://www.iptvsmarters.com/

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

yes you can do it on a pc.. theres quite a few ways, but you would have to use a different app called iptv smarters. which incidentally is also available for the android tv boxes and firesticks but in my opinion is nowhere near as full featured as the tivimate app. Of course you will get all the same content that I offer on either app, its just the way that the app arranges the layout and your abiilities to customize the layout and remote buttons and appearance that, in my opinion, make tivimate better. tivimate is only available on the android box but there are plenty of people who are quite content with iptv smarters. you can install it on your pc from here https://www.iptvsmarters.com/

I think I'll get the box, thanks

Could I hook the box up to a stand-alone computer monitor?

 

[gregvolt]

I think I'll get the box, thanks

Could I hook the box up to a stand-alone computer monitor?

If your monitor is new enough that it has HDMI input then yes. But not to an older VGA monitor.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

If your monitor is new enough that it has HDMI input then yes. But not to an older VGA monitor.

Thanks so much for your help Greg.

 

[NotLurking]

I think I'll get the box, thanks

Could I hook the box up to a stand-alone computer monitor?

If you only have an old VGA only monitor with no HDMI port you can use this HDMI to VGA converter for $6.88 to connect an HDMI output only device to an old VGA monitor. Quality isn't the absolute best but it does work and is acceptable. AKA not that bad.

 

[Kricke87]

If I charge a customer 20 - 25 USD per month (that's the average 10 Mbps residential plan cost in the DR, accounting for at least a 1:10 oversubscription rate), I prefer to such IPTV user "let go" and find service elsewhere (if he finds it). Or such a bandwidth hogging user can get from me a 20 meg dedicated line for 100 USD and we call it day (and that's "I'm doing you a favor" rate).

I like your prices.. You undercharge the low bandwidth customers (just comparing prices from Altice and Claro their 10mbit lines cost between 30-35 USD) and you overcharge customer's for a 20mbit line. I have a 100mbit with my ISP and I pay 100 USD, would never pay 100 USD for 20... (if 100 USD is your "I'm doing you a favor" rate, I don't want to know what's your normal rate is)

 

[rubio_higuey]

I like your prices.. You undercharge the low bandwidth customers (just comparing prices from Altice and Claro their 10mbit lines cost between 30-35 USD) and you overcharge customer's for a 20mbit line. I have a 100mbit with my ISP and I pay 100 USD, would never pay 100 USD for 20... (if 100 USD is your "I'm doing you a favor" rate, I don't want to know what's your normal rate is)

please, learn the READING WITH COMPREHENSION

what I wrote is "20 meg dedicated line for 100 USD "

Ask your ISP how much would a 20 Mbps DEDICATED (hello: DEDICATED, AND SYMMETRICAL) line would cost and then we can talk if I would be doing you a favor at that price. I can tell you how much it costs at Altice .... around 800 USD +30 % tax, per month... and Claro, the same. Viva is a bit cheaper.

You are paying 100 Mbps shared bandwidth, for 100 USD, We sell those for 63 USD.

Nite ....