Why does Lightbox have a suicide wish?

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#1251356 4-Mar-2015 21:19

tdgeek: Agreed. But getting a form of STB is not new. I don't use Samsung aside from fridge freezer but a base Sammy BR player that has Smarthub is a very nice and cheap option

Dropping $230 on a new bluray player doesn't seem like a cheap option to me

Jase2985

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#1251365 4-Mar-2015 21:33

can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

tdgeek

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#1251366 4-Mar-2015 21:35

Jase2985: can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

Elsewhere in a LB thread, price circa 100 was mentioned for one.

Wade

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#1251378 4-Mar-2015 21:45

IIRC there was a thread elsewhere on here where the 5500 didn't work on lightbox, you need the 6500 and up models

something about it using Opera TV apps rather than its current smarthub store

MikeAqua

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#1252205 6-Mar-2015 11:44

Jase2985: can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

I have the BD-H5500. The Lightbox app is not available for it. According to Samsung (when I asked them about TV3 Now) content providers choose which devices within each OS family an app is available on.

Edit: And I have to add that SmartHub functions very poorly on this model: -
- It's a lottery whether it will boot up at all;
- Any attempt to login/register/update with Samsung returns a not connected to internet error message (despite TVNZ OD being able to access internet);
- About 90% of the memory is used up before you install a single optional app;
- It's response to remote keys is inconsistently slow; and
- It frequently freezes during operation - TVNZ OD is particularly buggy.

I emailed these issues to Samsung. They suggested I buy a nice new Samsung TV, and cease using SmartHub on my BD player. After sales service well and truly dead.

Jase2985: can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

Mike

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#1252562 7-Mar-2015 07:09

MikeAqua:
Jase2985: can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

I have the BD-H5500. The Lightbox app is not available for it. According to Samsung (when I asked them about TV3 Now) content providers choose which devices within each OS family an app is available on.

Edit: And I have to add that SmartHub functions very poorly on this model: -
- It's a lottery whether it will boot up at all;
- Any attempt to login/register/update with Samsung returns a not connected to internet error message (despite TVNZ OD being able to access internet);
- About 90% of the memory is used up before you install a single optional app;
- It's response to remote keys is inconsistently slow; and
- It frequently freezes during operation - TVNZ OD is particularly buggy.

I emailed these issues to Samsung. They suggested I buy a nice new Samsung TV, and cease using SmartHub on my BD player. After sales service well and truly dead.

Jase2985: can get other ones for about 99 at DSE

BD-H5500

Ouch. I had a quick look at Smarthub, looked pretty darn good. But seeing now that Smarthub HERE is not the same as Smarthub THERE, ouch.
Is there any base Samsung player that has the TV version of Smarthub? I think this is quite misleading,

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Jase2985

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#1252565 7-Mar-2015 07:25

tis a little considering the advertising of it

sultanoswing

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#1252572 7-Mar-2015 08:49

Jase2985: tis a little considering the advertising of it

Thanks for pointing this out - I was looking to purchase a BD player yesterday, and had been seriously considering this model Sammy until reading the above. Went for a Panny DMP-BDT360GN instead.

dafman

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#1261103 17-Mar-2015 14:44

Despite some good content, they can't compete on available devices, and now it looks like they could be gazumped on price as well. Did LB not foresee this as a possibility when establishing the business case for investing $30m into a new streaming venture on the eve of the US-based streaming juggernaut arriving on our shores?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/67424859/netflix-wont-charge-kiwis-gst

NonprayingMantis

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#1261108 17-Mar-2015 14:52

dafman: Despite some good content, they can't compete on available devices, and now it looks like they could be gazumped on price as well. Did LB not foresee this as a possibility when establishing the business case for investing $30m into a new streaming venture on the eve of the US-based streaming juggernaut arriving on our shores?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/67424859/netflix-wont-charge-kiwis-gst

probably (seeing as iTunes also doesn't charge GST it would be largely seen as inevitable)

Having said that, I'm not quite sure I get the argument that the Netflix NZ service is somehow classed as an import,

It will be a service ONLY available to NZers (the Australian and other countries content will be different), it will, presumably, be charged in NZD, and hosted on servers located in NZ

Really to claim this is somehow an import seems kinda silly. (as does the idea that itunes is also somehow an 'import')

As far as the arguments go for not collecting GST on 'imports' because it is too difficult, this is one instance were it would actually be easy to collect.

Question: Does this also mean that Netflix won't need to abide by CGA too, just like other 'imported' goods?

MikeAqua

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#1262431 19-Mar-2015 14:09

Where is the vendor paid? If in NZ then surely GST should apply. If overseas, then perhaps it won't.

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NonprayingMantis

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#1262440 19-Mar-2015 14:19

MikeAqua: Where is the vendor paid? If in NZ then surely GST should apply. If overseas, then perhaps it won't.

depends on your interpretation.

If I'm sitting at my desk in NZ paying Netflix for a service that is ONLY available in NZ and where the content is all hosted on NZ based servers (other countries Netflix is different to NZ Netflix). I'm using my NZ issued credit card,, and I'm paying in NZD, but the Netflix entity that is receiving the money has a registered office in Bermuda where they transfer the money, then is this an import that should be GST exempt?

According to Netflix, yep, it totally is an import.

I still haven't read anything about whether CGA or other laws will be applicable to NZ netflix. Will Netflix have to abide by the recent fair trading act changes which stop unfair contract terms?

And, come to think of it, there is also the question of content ratings. Will NZ Netflix need to get their content rated by the NZ censors board in the same way that Lightbox etc do? Is that another cost they are going to avoid by virtue of claiming to not have an NZ based office?

mattwnz

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#1262479 19-Mar-2015 14:46

MikeAqua: Where is the vendor paid? If in NZ then surely GST should apply. If overseas, then perhaps it won't.

IANAL, but if they are not paying GST, and are essentially operating from outside NZ, then I can't see how they would have to abide by the CGA or FTA, or NZ laws. If all these companies that operate in the NZ market, but base themselves overseas, paid NZ taxes, we probably wouldn't have a need for many charities, and government funding shortfalls to pay for better healthcare and education.

Wade

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#1262510 19-Mar-2015 15:01

I will say one thing in Lightbox's favour, the range of preschool programming is excellent and the iPad app is so easy to use that i can let my 2.5yo loose on it and she can navigate her way around, start programs, change programs etc with ease

JimmyCorrigan

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#1264045 20-Mar-2015 14:05

Seems like the long-awaited Chromecast support is imminent:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/67459019/sparks-lightbox-coming-to-googles-chromecast

Not that I always believe what Stuff publishes, but seems legit :)

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