Vodafone TV - new Gen2 box

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#2508673 20-Jun-2020 11:39

DjShadow:
There was an issue I think at the start of the year where Sky had updated some channels to HD but Vodafone TV was still showing the SD version, has this been resolved?

I only have starter, but only Sky 5 is HD, all the mtv channels aren’t, which are on a sky box

Bipedal

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#2508691 20-Jun-2020 12:57

@Linux

I believe I changed/made the settings to hide unsubscribed channels but I'm unsure that actually applies to "On Demand" main menu tab (I assume this is Sky pay-per-view VOD).

Thanks.

Stu1

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#2508692 20-Jun-2020 13:03

The ui is terrible especially the TV guide , it’s really hard for older people to read the text compared to sky. The set up is painful took 3 attempts with the software update. I brought it for my in-laws they found it too hard to use so have gone back to sky. I might stick it out in the garage as a replacement for the older chromecast

Bipedal

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#2508694 20-Jun-2020 13:16

Stu

Good to hear someone else had pain with setup, sorry.

Does this thing support Miracast or act as DLNA UPnP renderer? (Chromecast like).

My partner uses MythTV okay with MM keyboard. I'm not sure a this STB UI & return to tiny remote is possible.

The TV grid guide is a little congested. It's hard to get a good balance of info & too few days/channels.

I do like the single line colour highlighting (MythTV could do with that) but it's the low resolution that I can't tolerate.

Do you find the live TV playing in the background annoying ? That must be problem for vision impaired..

mattwnz

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#2508731 20-Jun-2020 14:01

Linux:

@Bipedal The unsubscribed channels (Sky) can be hidden

I think they mean the 3rd vertical panel on the homescreen, which I don't think can be hidden.

mattwnz

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#2508732 20-Jun-2020 14:05

Bipedal:

Stu

Good to hear someone else had pain with setup, sorry.

Does this thing support Miracast or act as DLNA UPnP renderer? (Chromecast like).

My partner uses MythTV okay with MM keyboard. I'm not sure a this STB UI & return to tiny remote is possible.

The TV grid guide is a little congested. It's hard to get a good balance of info & too few days/channels.

I do like the single line colour highlighting (MythTV could do with that) but it's the low resolution that I can't tolerate.

Do you find the live TV playing in the background annoying ? That must be problem for vision impaired..

I have purchased 2 of them. One before the other. The first as easy because I set it up using and ethernet cable. However the second I decided to use Wifi, and it got stuck in a loop where I enter my wifi details, it then wanted to download updates, then it wanted my wifi details again, and it kept doing this. The only solution was to connect it to an ethernet connection for setup. It does also seem a bit more temperamental than the other box, and note that the serial on it is older than my original box.

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IvanPiacun

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#2508799 20-Jun-2020 15:27

Bipedal:

Stu

Good to hear someone else had pain with setup, sorry.

Does this thing support Miracast or act as DLNA UPnP renderer? (Chromecast like).

My partner uses MythTV okay with MM keyboard. I'm not sure a this STB UI & return to tiny remote is possible.

The TV grid guide is a little congested. It's hard to get a good balance of info & too few days/channels.

I do like the single line colour highlighting (MythTV could do with that) but it's the low resolution that I can't tolerate.

Do you find the live TV playing in the background annoying ? That must be problem for vision impaired..

It does not support Miracast or DLNA UPnP renderer.

What sort of TV are you using VTV with? Are you looking at the Guide by going to Menu and then Guide and then pushing OK, or are you using the down button (under the OK) or the Up button to see different channels which I believe only gives you about two days of programs by using left or right buttons.

Ivan Piacun CITPNZ

Stu

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#2508802 20-Jun-2020 15:37

Not sure if this has been asked already, but can @sansom or @ZollyMonsta advise if there is an update for the Lightbox/Neon app ready to go in time for when the changeover takes place? Will an update actually be required to continue viewing? Cheers and thanks.

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#2508810 20-Jun-2020 15:41

mattwnz:

I have purchased 2 of them. One before the other. The first as easy because I set it up using and ethernet cable. However the second I decided to use Wifi, and it got stuck in a loop where I enter my wifi details, it then wanted to download updates, then it wanted my wifi details again, and it kept doing this. The only solution was to connect it to an ethernet connection for setup. It does also seem a bit more temperamental than the other box, and note that the serial on it is older than my original box.

The earlier version of Gen2 VTV set top box had problems with Wi-Fi which have generally been fixed in more recent Firmware Updates, which is why you would have found the older version had problems requiring you to do updates while connected to ethernet. I have not noticed any problems with the latest firmware using WiFi5 or WiFi6 except when I changed the router to one supporting WiFi6 which used a different gateway address which required the use of an ethernet connection once to establish the new IP address and then reloading the password for the SSID. I have not noticed any problems since even with power on power off. I just suggest you make sure you have done the latest firmware updates before using Wi-Fi.

Ivan Piacun CITPNZ

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#2508867 20-Jun-2020 16:33

Bipedal:
This is the advice & I wished to have found in this thread/topic..
Do NOT buy this box unless you :-

- try it in the flesh

- can live with the terrible UI (eye bleeding low resolution 400 line? & super-soft focus/fuzz filter)

- can live with 1/3 screen filled with Sky content.

- have no Wifi security or have LAN cable.

- believe the develops are willing & able fix the above.

Setup out of the box can be a painful. It required 2 reboots & then could not go into standby until cold reboot.

And all that required entry of SSID & password four times.

The displayed URL for activation code was wrong; Mr Google to the rescue.

I suspect that power cycling the device will require entering the wifi SSID & password again.

The UI is rendered in unbelievably low resolution & then has a soft focus filter applied.

Seems impossible to purge the Sky VOD? from menu interface.

The Sky VOD covers are also barely readable (scaled postage stamps).

The TVNZ & Netflix app UIs do not seem quite as bad (half PQ of desktop browser UI)

This box is probably less likely to survive than some Android solutions & appears very dependant on small development team & buy-in from external providers.
Sadly, this is probably more likely to end in landfill than a cheap Android toy because there is no Android app store.

The actual streaming functionality (TVNZ on-demand & IPTV) is impressive even over Wifi & ADSL.

The UX of TVNZ on-demand & Netflix app is so much nicer than desktop browser equivalent.

So the worst aspects of this device are potentially easy to resolve. The hard stuff works quite well.

But I suspect the Sky stuff can't be removed.

Thought I'd reply, if only to make it easier for others to find your excellent summary.
* Could you clarify which Sky content you refer to? I was horrified at the amount of Sky listings when we got it. Going through the obscure set of steps to turn off channels you don't subscribe to has fixed it for us. (These are elsewhere in this discussion. Ask for someone to repeat them if you can't find them.
* Looks like the WiFi keeps working fine, once configured. (We only use wired.)
* Universal agreement that the UI is amazingly bad. The Vodafone TV app is better. See YouTube comment below.
* I agree with your concerns regarding sustainability. If Vodafone NZ stops supporting it, then we are stuck. It runs Linux (not Android), so lack of hardware drivers is likely to be the stumbling block running anything other than Vodafone distribution of Linux on it.
* As you say - the worst elements of the box are ones that can be fixed with firmware, so long as Vodafone international, and the owners of Vodafone NZ (Infratil and Canadian firm Brookfield Asset Management) keep putting money into development. The Vodafone T-Box was shockingly bad when released. Now it keeps working until something (often the hard drive) breaks.

For us, the VTV was a bit of a surprise. We don't subscribe to Sky, and Sky seems to be a key draw-card of this box. We didn't think the UI could be as bad as it is. Biggest frustration is Vodafone's claimed '90%' of shows that can be 'recorded'. It appears to be able 40% or less of the shows we watch. This is a DRM issue. Not Vodafone's 'fault' maybe, but I think the 90% is deceptive advertising.

Most pleasant surprise is the quality of the apps on the VTV. These are developed by their own content owners, and Google seem to do a very good job of the YouTube app. Link it to your phone or PC and you can use that device to control what VTV shows on the TV, in very good quality. The VTV is great when you don't need to use THAT user interface. Similar thoughts with TVNZ and TV3 apps which we use.

Biggest desire is a DLNA UPnP renderer. Like @Bipedal, we use MythTV, and will continue to use it to record things that VTV won't save for us. Perfect world would be using DLNA to play MythTV content on the VTV box. Is suspect Vodafone has little appetite to do this, as it would be helping the competition.
Other desire is a FaceBook app to watch RNZ Ballet and other content streamed only through FaceBook.

I wonder if Vodafone is under pressure from the rights owners they negotiate with not to add DLNA?

Steve

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#2508871 20-Jun-2020 16:47

Stu: Not sure if this has been asked already, but can @sansom or @ZollyMonsta advise if there is an update for the Lightbox/Neon app ready to go in time for when the changeover takes place? Will an update actually be required to continue viewing? Cheers and thanks.

Yes, this is in the process of being implemented.

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#2508874 20-Jun-2020 16:49

Thanks Zolly!

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

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mattwnz

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#2508882 20-Jun-2020 17:17

IvanPiacun:

The earlier version of Gen2 VTV set top box had problems with Wi-Fi which have generally been fixed in more recent Firmware Updates, which is why you would have found the older version had problems requiring you to do updates while connected to ethernet. I have not noticed any problems with the latest firmware using WiFi5 or WiFi6 except when I changed the router to one supporting WiFi6 which used a different gateway address which required the use of an ethernet connection once to establish the new IP address and then reloading the password for the SSID. I have not noticed any problems since even with power on power off. I just suggest you make sure you have done the latest firmware updates before using Wi-Fi.

Thanks, that could explain it. It was brand new from Noel Leemings this week, but perhaps they just had old stock. Once setup and the firmware updated, wifi seems to work ok. It is just the initial setup and downloading teh updates that needs the initial ethernet connection. So that is perhaps what people need to do, make sure they first set it up by connecting directly to ethernet first, then move it to wifi.

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#2508930 20-Jun-2020 20:16

Bipedal:
This is the advice & I wished to have found in this thread/topic..

Do NOT buy this box unless you :-

- try it in the flesh

- can live with the terrible UI (eye bleeding low resolution 400 line? & super-soft focus/fuzz filter)

- can live with 1/3 screen filled with Sky content.

- have no Wifi security or have LAN cable.

- believe the develops are willing & able fix the above.

Setup out of the box can be a painful. It required 2 reboots & then could not go into standby until cold reboot.

I have it as a 4K device connected to a 4K TV and don't see a "400 line" interface. SKY content can be turned off. WiFi has the same security as other devices on my network.

Not sure where you are seeing these things.

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gmball

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#2508935 20-Jun-2020 20:32

halper86:
DjShadow:
There was an issue I think at the start of the year where Sky had updated some channels to HD but Vodafone TV was still showing the SD version, has this been resolved?

I only have starter, but only Sky 5 is HD, all the mtv channels aren’t, which are on a sky box

No , a lot of the channels which sky broadcast in HD are not HD on Vodafone tv. I recall it was supposed to happen several months ago , something to do with a ‘harmonic license’ I think.

I suspect it’s been delayed due to Covid.

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