Android TV boxes

[Organboi]

Hi all

I see these Android tv boxes for sale at Takealot, Game, Loot, etc. Most of them come with a warning that the apps are pre installed and wont work if you update them. And that the current dstv now software on the box works, But wont work when updated. Is this all legit?

 

[CranialBlaze]

Those are not Android TV boxes those are android media boxes. The warning are correct and that is because they are not running Android TV OS but instead the mobile os that we have on our phones with a more TV compatible Launcher.

The apps comes preinstalled are also quite old, Netflix for example will be from 2018 before Netflix stopped supporting media boxes.

Telkom Lit and Xiaomi Mi are 2 of the Android TV boxes that are available locally, I think there may be a couple more, but the majority are media boxes.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Is this all legit?

What isn't legal is the way companies like DSTV try and dictate what devices you can and can't use to access their service.

 

[namzsteve]

What isn't legal is the way companies like DSTV try and dictate what devices you can and can't use to access their service.

I think it's fair hey, if you don't want a certain boy looking at your daughter...
Terrible example but in line with the principal. If DStv doesn't want any device using their service, then let DStv be, you're either in or out.

 

[STORMERSFAN]

What isn't legal is the way companies like DSTV try and dictate what devices you can and can't use to access their service.

If you looking for a Google certified box to play dstv now perfectly Irecommend the skyworth android box.. I had one and it does all updates and was a pleasure to use.. Doesn't have Netflix unfortunately but showman works fine

 

[Dairyfarmer]

I think it's fair hey

I don't. Imagine your child's school says, if you don't drive a Fiesta, you are not allowed to bring your child to school in a car. Next year they decide that it needs to be a Corolla.

 

[CranialBlaze]

I don't. Imagine your child's school says, if you don't drive a Fiesta, you are not allowed to bring your child to school in a car. Next year they decide that it needs to be a Corolla.

It's more about experience and security, the media boxes are pretty much. Ustom roms in the end, they almost never get os updates and never get security updates. Often the android 5 or 6 that comes with the divice is the last version it will every gey.

Android TV devices get the official Google controlled os with a guaranteed 2 years of major updates and 3 years of security updates.

If you were to buy an Android TV now with os 7 on it, you would have a dozen updates to download including is 8 and 9 followed by all the monthly security updates for 9 up until Dec 2019.

In addition a number of quality updates came with the os allowing for actual 4k streaming, lower but rate, better process usage, better compression support, etc.

So it's far closer to the school dictating that you cannot bring your kid to school in a mobile meth kitchen.

 

[Soprono]

What isn't legal is the way companies like DSTV try and dictate what devices you can and can't use to access their service.

It's due to the security that those boxes provide and the certificates that come along with it being Google Certified. DSTV have not said you may only use X brand, all that is said is you have to use a Google Certified device which happens to be only 4 out there available to us.

In your anaology it's the same as the school requiring the car your child arrives in to be ncap 5 safety rating and no less....

It's fair and it's to ensure content stays as safe as possible on the device and making it more difficult to pirate or screen record episodes and content off the platform.

 

[Dolby]

I recommend the skyworth android box. ... and was a pleasure to use. ... Doesn't have Netflix unfortunately

But that's actually a big thing for most people. Like, a huge thing.