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Old 11-29-2017, 09:38 AM
 
27 posts, read 28,103 times
Reputation: 15

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I previously inquired about options for cutting the cord and switching to other means like Firestick, Chromecast, SLing TV, Hulu Live TV, Plex TV etc. Lately I came across the option of Android TV Boxes and would like to get inputs from those who have any experience on these.
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Old 11-29-2017, 12:13 PM
 
1,027 posts, read 1,580,936 times
Reputation: 1209
I have two called Magic Box. My model is discontinued but there is one called streemy box that is similar. It runs several apps one which is called Kodi current version is Krypton. We get tv and movies on them. You need a smart tv or at least one that has hdmi ports. It does take some fiddling with them and you do wait a little bit while the stream loads but it does give a good 1080P picture on most of the streams. You don't get to watch TV live but usually only about 30 minute delay. I got mine at the home show at South Point and the people I bought it from were very helpful even after the show. Ended up buying a second one from them for another TV.
If you go on you tube there are a lot of videos on how to use them. I still have Cox but fewer channels. They cost about $250-$300. Sure you can get Kodi different ways but they load all the apps on the Magic Box so less hassle.

Last edited by Packrat1; 11-29-2017 at 12:19 PM.. Reason: Edit
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Old 11-29-2017, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Lancaster, CA / Henderson, NV
1,107 posts, read 1,418,305 times
Reputation: 1031
If your moral compass is ok with stealing content, that is fine and your choice. But just know that if you are using these things to watch TV shows and movies without paying the provider that you are in essence stealing the content and committing a crime. True you are not downloading the content and watching later like back in the Napster days. But you are still watching first run movies for example without paying the makers of the movies and the actors etc. Of course using these boxes to watch first run movies is usually more trouble than it is worth given you are generally watch a version of the movie (often with Chinese subtitles) that was recorded with a camcorder in a backpack in a movie theater so it is generally a less than stellar experience.
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Old 11-29-2017, 01:08 PM
 
27 posts, read 28,103 times
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Thanks for the inputs. Totally agree about the non stellar experience from movies streamed through those boxes. We are just into cutting the cable to reduce our bills as we only watch limited TV (mostly local news and kid shows). We hardly watch movies and if we do, we rent them at Redbox. I do believe that these android tv boxes are legal (or so they say in their ads) so I have no worries about "stealing". The valid worry I do get is invasion of privacy which are so common in all these techie stuff coming out.
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Old 11-29-2017, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Lancaster, CA / Henderson, NV
1,107 posts, read 1,418,305 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by Algae27 View Post
Thanks for the inputs. Totally agree about the non stellar experience from movies streamed through those boxes. We are just into cutting the cable to reduce our bills as we only watch limited TV (mostly local news and kid shows). We hardly watch movies and if we do, we rent them at Redbox. I do believe that these android tv boxes are legal (or so they say in their ads) so I have no worries about "stealing". The valid worry I do get is invasion of privacy which are so common in all these techie stuff coming out.
The boxes themselves are perfectly legal the same way that kitchen knives are legal. It's what people decide to do with them that is either legal or illegal.

If I cut up my steak with my kitchen knife I have broken no laws. If I cut up my neighbor with my kitchen knife, I have broken the law.

If you watch free TV with your android TV, for instance many local news casts stream over the web and are free to watch from anywhere on any device. You are not using the box illegally to watch in that case. If however, you are using the box to stream the most recent episode of (insert name of cable TV show here) without having paid to view that content, then you are in fact stealing.

For instance, ESPN charges your cable company something crazy like $7.00/month per cable subscriber in order for your cable provider to be able to offer ESPN. You cable company then turns around and charges you and all the other subscribers that amount or more in order for you to be able to watch ESPN.

If you are no longer paying your cable company, but still watching SportCenter every night, you are in fact stealing it from ESPN and there is an illegal use of the box.

I personally could care less what you do. I am just letting you know that it is illegal to stream content for free that you would otherwise have to pay for and just like the RIAA made a few examples of people during the Napster haydays, don't be surprised if one day the broadcasters decide to do the same. I personally would hate to be the one out of the millions that they choose to make the example of.

Sling TV, Hulu TV, YouTube TV, Playstation Vue, DirecTV Now. All of these are reasonably priced alternatives at $20-$60 month to the way overpriced cable and satellite providers. I am happy to pay $40 for Sling per month and not worry about being made an example of in court.
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Old 11-29-2017, 04:15 PM
 
1,027 posts, read 1,580,936 times
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Well put C_A_Braun, free TV and TV movies are fine to watch on them which is what we use them for.

My wife likes to watch free TV series like NCIS, Blacklist etc, but in order to record them to watch later we would need the Cox DVR at $28.49 a month for DVR record 6. Using the Android box she can watch the shows like a DVR.

I doubt it would be hard for Cable companies to prove what content you watched on an Android box.
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Old 11-29-2017, 08:23 PM
 
145 posts, read 146,824 times
Reputation: 161
Just a heads up about Kodi add ons and repositories, many of the major ones have shut down and more are expected to due to cease and desist orders. It's like Napster all over again.
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Old 11-29-2017, 09:00 PM
 
2,076 posts, read 4,063,026 times
Reputation: 2589
As CA described, Kodi (which is the main Android TV app) is generally streaming pirated video. The content sources come and go as they move on and offline. There are some legal video sources but not for mainstream content.

The cable co doesn't need to prove what content you were watching. The content owners (whoever owns the rights to NCIS, etc) would be the ones who 1) find the content streaming sources 2) try to pull logs of who was accessing the content 3) inquire to the ISP based on the logs to find out who is the customer.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) requires ISPs to respond to these types of requests as part of the requirements that they not be liable for the copyright infringement that is occurring over their networks.

Of course once Net Neutrality laws are repealed, then Cox (or whoever) can step in and completely block Android TV related traffic or charge extra to use it.
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Old 11-30-2017, 07:34 AM
 
555 posts, read 772,656 times
Reputation: 579
the android boxes used to work great but many of the add-on providers are stopping their support.... the add-ons are what allow your box to search for , obtain and stream the illegal content from the internet. The lack of support means you will have a hard time finding good quality content to view. If you're tech savvy there are ways around this but not everyone is tech savvy.
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Old 12-03-2017, 08:55 AM
 
2,928 posts, read 3,539,634 times
Reputation: 1882
Build an HTPC. Most Android boxes are under powered junk boxes that you will stop using after a few times.
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