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Incoherent ramblings and thoughts on TV box upgrade

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MrIan

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I am using a hard wired to internet Zgemma h5.2tc for terrestrial tv, sky fta and iptv. My TV has a maximum input of 1080/60 so I output from the Zgemma in native resolution and use a high quality external scaler to convert to 1080p.

All works pretty well. It is stable and relatively few drop outs. Downsides being, the box crashes periodically. The EPG guides don’t populate until the source (Freeview/Sky) used.

I like having all three sources on one box, when I had a freeview and skybox running together it was a pain switching between the 2.

The quality of IPTV seems to be improving and I am wondering if a newer box would give further improvement.

It would be useful if I could have a web browser preferably with mouse and key board operation – is this possible?

5.1 surround sound – is this possible over IPTV? 4K channels down-sampled to 1080?

I am thinking the web access etc is pushing me towards an android box. Views seem polarised, Formuler Z8 (£119) looks to be popular but Z7+ (£69) is much cheaper and looks pretty much the same spec. But I have seen posts staying both are cheap boxes with a good IPTV app within.

Firestick UHD is £29 – good reports but wifi only (unless I spend another £15 on an adapter) and I suspect more tricky to use. Keyboard/mouse impossible I guess.

What else ?? pros/cons
 
MrIan said:
I am using a hard wired to internet Zgemma h5.2tc for terrestrial tv, sky fta and iptv. My TV has a maximum input of 1080/60 so I output from the Zgemma in native resolution and use a high quality external scaler to convert to 1080p.

All works pretty well. It is stable and relatively few drop outs. Downsides being, the box crashes periodically. The EPG guides don’t populate until the source (Freeview/Sky) used.

I like having all three sources on one box, when I had a freeview and skybox running together it was a pain switching between the 2.

The quality of IPTV seems to be improving and I am wondering if a newer box would give further improvement.

It would be useful if I could have a web browser preferably with mouse and key board operation – is this possible?

5.1 surround sound – is this possible over IPTV? 4K channels down-sampled to 1080?

I am thinking the web access etc is pushing me towards an android box. Views seem polarised, Formuler Z8 (£119) looks to be popular but Z7+ (£69) is much cheaper and looks pretty much the same spec. But I have seen posts staying both are cheap boxes with a good IPTV app within.

Firestick UHD is £29 – good reports but wifi only (unless I spend another £15 on an adapter) and I suspect more tricky to use. Keyboard/mouse impossible I guess.

What else ?? pros/cons
Click to expand...
Z8 has good reviews! I have 4k stick which suits me! You don't really need keyboard mouse but stick has Bluetooth so remote is good, all my set up to same TV is two Zgemma H7s and one stick connected to home theater via optic cable hdmi to three on TV sound superb on all three of the TV has optic connection! My old TV had coaxial and had to have adaptor for all to work, on theater! Switching sources is the only extra work to do.
IPTV is easy on stick with numerous apps to choose from! I have put mine on three different ones and flit between them for a change!
 
MrIan said:
I am using a hard wired to internet Zgemma h5.2tc for terrestrial tv, sky fta and iptv. My TV has a maximum input of 1080/60 so I output from the Zgemma in native resolution and use a high quality external scaler to convert to 1080p.
The quality of IPTV seems to be improving and I am wondering if a newer box would give further improvement.
I am thinking the web access etc is pushing me towards an android box. Views seem polarised, Formuler Z8 (£119) looks to be popular but Z7+ (£69) is much cheaper and looks pretty much the same spec. But I have seen posts staying both are cheap boxes with a good IPTV app within.
Firestick UHD is £29 – good reports but wifi only (unless I spend another £15 on an adapter) and I suspect more tricky to use. Keyboard/mouse impossible I guess.

What else ?? pros/cons
Click to expand...
Yes android box is the way to go for web access IMO. A standard logitech mouse with the dongle plugged straight into a USB port works great. Install chrome or firefox and press home to access.

Formuler Z7+ was the best custom built IPTV box but the original MYTOL is now not supported so that is why they are £69. Z8 has MTOL2 and was the best until the 4GB RAM BuzzTV boxes appeared a few months ago. The reason RAM is important with IPTV boxes is the EPG is loaded into it so more is better for faster zapping. Don't spend £119 on a Z8 when there are better cheaper BuzzTV boxes available.
 
The info above on MYTOL is very helpful. I have a stick on the way see how I get on. If I move the IPTV to the stick it should free up ram on the Zgemma for freeview/freesat use only and hopefully reduce the lock ups, these usually occur after updates. in normal use its reasonable but not 100% stable. The Zgemma is already running atv6.4 with WB with unused plugins removed so I doubt a reflash will make much difference, but thanks for the suggestion. I have changed the EPC refresh frequency see if that helps with the EPG and set it to power on in channel 1 (BBC1)

The 4k stick looks to have 1.5gb ram, I agree 4gb sounds better, but many people seem to be getting on ok with a stick. I am hoping I can down sample 4k to 1080 and still get ac3 audio on some channels. If I can bluetooth to a mouse/keyboard combo that might actually work better than wireless. I can get 90Mbs over wifi on my phone so hopefully the lack of hardwired cable wont be an issue.

see how I get on, for £30 there is little to loose trying the firestick first - sideloading will no doubt be another learning curve.
 
MrIan said:
The info above on MYTOL is very helpful. I have a stick on the way see how I get on. If I move the IPTV to the stick it should free up ram on the Zgemma for freeview/freesat use only and hopefully reduce the lock ups, these usually occur after updates. in normal use its reasonable but not 100% stable. The Zgemma is already running atv6.4 with WB with unused plugins removed so I doubt a reflash will make much difference, but thanks for the suggestion. I have changed the EPC refresh frequency see if that helps with the EPG and set it to power on in channel 1 (BBC1)

The 4k stick looks to have 1.5gb ram, I agree 4gb sounds better, but many people seem to be getting on ok with a stick. I am hoping I can down sample 4k to 1080 and still get ac3 audio on some channels. If I can bluetooth to a mouse/keyboard combo that might actually work better than wireless. I can get 90Mbs over wifi on my phone so hopefully the lack of hardwired cable wont be an issue.

see how I get on, for £30 there is little to loose trying the firestick first - sideloading will no doubt be another learning curve.
Click to expand...
4k firesticks are really good for iptv even on WiFi with the speeds you get on your phone can't see there been a problem when you get your stick connect to amazon account and WiFi download downloader turn apps from unknown sources off and go to downloader if your provider has a tiny url for an android based app enter the url in downloader and download install their app open it then just enter your details if they don't have one then APK are easy to get hold of
 
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