Best TV box?

[qscwbt]

So my smart tv runs out of memory. I want to rather get a tv box with decent memory.
Any suggestions?

 

[Diablo-D]

Personal preference for me, TELKOM LIT, its nothing really fancy but supports everything and hasnt let me down yet, been using it for 2 years

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Best - Nvidia Shield
Value for money - Ematic / Mi Box

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Are you wanting DSTV? Not all devices support DSTV
Over the years Takealot has come under fire for not saying whether it does or does not have DSTV support.

I now see most of their boxes say Yes or No to DSTV

 

[Herr der Verboten]

The Best - Nvidia Shield
Value for money - Ematic / Mi Box

/thread

You would probably get the nvidia shield tv pro cheaper if you import via amazon.com. Remember you will need an adapter for the plug as well as a decent hdmi cable.

 

[Gtx Gaming]

Best: Apple tv 4k, it actually get software updates lol

 

[qscwbt]

Are you wanting DSTV? Not all devices support DSTV
Over the years Takealot has come under fire for not saying whether it does or does not have DSTV support.

I now see most of their boxes say Yes or No to DSTV

Must have dstv Netflix amazon etc

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Must have dstv Netflix amazon etc

So you basically need something like this.

Also, Takealot does often advise you do not upgrade the device and the apps as sometimes during an update the App is all of a sudden outdated.

Takealot

EDIT: This particular one has 1809 reviews averaging 5 stars out of 5

 

[deesef]

If I was shopping for a TV box, I would choose either the new Google TV with Chromecast (I think that Geewiz sell them), or this Box from Takealot

Takealot

www.takealot.com

They are based on newer technology than most other boxes and their price is reasonable. Both are also Google certified

 

[Herr der Verboten]

If I was shopping for a TV box, I would choose either the new Google TV with Chromecast (I think that Geewiz sell them), or this Box from Takealot

Takealot

www.takealot.com

They are based on newer technology than most other boxes and their price is reasonable. Both are also Google certified

The Google tv 'remote' seems rather under powered/spec'ed. However the maverick seems good if you don't have a shield tv.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Ever thought of getting a used mini pc instead? I did this and it works much better than the smart tv features and the tv boxes I’ve owned. Intel NUC is a nice one to use and right now I’ve got Liva mini PC’s running on the tv’s. Can get them used for slightly more than the tv boxes and then couple one of those mini wireless remote keypads for control.

 

[HunterNW]

Mi Box S. WTF ?? There's a whole thread about it. Just installed my second one yesterday.

 

[agentrfr]

Get a shield or an intel NUC (or apple TV if you're already invested in that ecosystem). Don't waste your time with the rest

 

[Nuro]

The guys recommending a NUC - I haven't run a media pc in years, so a bit out of touch - Is there a better way to get a unified experience yet? What I mean is easily switching between different apps using only a remote. Last time I used it, a keyboard and mouse was always lying around to get between the various apps: Netflix was from the Microsoft store for 5.1 audio support, Showmax was in a browser etc. It didn't bug me, but lost out on the wife approval factor. Have had a Mi Box S for a while now, but it has it's own issues with 4K + Surround

 

[backstreetboy]

Best: Apple tv 4k, it actually get software updates lol

Lol even my el cheapo Mygica got software updates...

 

[SHL]

Best: Apple tv 4k, it actually get software updates lol

So do the others.

 

[deesef]

The guys recommending a NUC - I haven't run a media pc in years, so a bit out of touch - Is there a better way to get a unified experience yet? What I mean is easily switching between different apps using only a remote. Last time I used it, a keyboard and mouse was always lying around to get between the various apps: Netflix was from the Microsoft store for 5.1 audio support, Showmax was in a browser etc. It didn't bug me, but lost out on the wife approval factor. Have had a Mi Box S for a while now, but it has it's own issues with 4K + Surround

I use these 2 apps for "local" control of my windows PCs with my phone:
1. Remote control with mirroring of the screen

Desktop VNC Viewer - Apps on Google Play

PC desktop viewer using VNC

play.google.com

2. Tremor control without screen mirroring

Remote Mouse for Computer - Apps on Google Play

PC remote control using VNC (WiFi)

play.google.com

They work so well that I bought the pro version of both.

 

[Adhvik]

the MiBox S and its little brother going on sale at Takealot for R 999 and R599.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Best: Nvidia Shield Pro or Apple TV 4K.

Shield supports more video and audio codecs but depending on how you're using it that may not matter.

Shield Pro has a much better remote than the Apple TV which has a terrible remote.

Shield runs Android TV which may be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it, Apple TV obviously runs tvOS which has its quirks but is responsive and quite nice to use and just seems a lot more stable than Android.

 

[Gnome]

Best: Nvidia Shield Pro or Apple TV 4K.

Shield supports more video and audio codecs but depending on how you're using it that may not matter.

Shield Pro has a much better remote than the Apple TV which has a terrible remote.

Shield runs Android TV which may be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it, Apple TV obviously runs tvOS which has its quirks but is responsive and quite nice to use and just seems a lot more stable than Android.

What he said. Nvidia Shield Pro. I ran a NUC before and those who advocate for it obviously haven't used something like the Shield TV. It wasn't possible to get a NUC to support Dolby Vision and all the latest features like native refresh rates, etc. 4k content is a problem with NUC unless you pay like R15k+ or have a full fledged noisy PC in your living room. Integration between the NUC and TV isn't at the same level as the Shield and TV (which is perfectly seamless).

PC/NUC for multimedia is dead, you'll always get a lesser product because all the development by Netflix, media player software, etc. is going into Android TV and Apple TV. They just don't have the same level of support for PCs and since most consumers don't want a computer in their living room or want to pay 3x the price, it will never catch up again.

Nvidia Shield Pro does get updates contrary to some of the complaints above about TV boxes not getting updates.

I chose the Nvidia Shield Pro myself after looking for a NUC to replace my older model. To get one that could play 4k would cost R15k and then it couldn't even do everything the shield could. Then I looked at Apple TV but it was lagging behind the Nvidia Shield Pro. So choice is simple.