Is the DishTV SmartVU 11 worth buying or does it have the overheating problems of the X?

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Is the DishTV SmartVU 11 worth buying or does it have the overheating problems of the X?

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#2668669 6-Mar-2021 08:24

My 2c

I recently purchased the new Chromecast, the one with the remote. It's amazing, no phone required.

Besides Netflix etc you can load Neon, TVNZ and Three. No need to sideload or anything.

It's also a remote control for the TV power and volume. It's replaced our Chromecast and smart TV functions. Don't even use the origi6remote anymore.

For $100 I'd really recommend importing one of these from Kogan rather than getting some other janky solution.

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#2668742 6-Mar-2021 10:33

@DAH12345:

Hi there,

Thank you for the post about Chromecast. From what I can gather yes I understand that you do not stream from the device unless you mirror it, which you have to do for certain NZ apps. It is not as intuitive to use and that you either have to have apps downloaded to your phone, or log into a specific website to access, or copy the display from your device which to me does not sound desirable personally.

If I am mistaken in my thinking please correct me, but this is what I have gathered so far.

The main apps in New Zealand (TVNZ on Demand, Spark Sport, Three) all support the Chromecast standard streaming, no need to mirror for those. Same for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video. I don't know about the Sky apps though. But this is off topic.

tchart

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#2668743 6-Mar-2021 10:36

The new Chromecast does not require a phone. It's standalone like apple TV etc

freitasm

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#2668747 6-Mar-2021 10:51

The new one has a built-in Android TV, yes but the old ones still need a phone - and the new one is not available in New Zealand yet.

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#2669016 6-Mar-2021 13:53

Does anyone know when the new Chromecast with google tv will be available in NZ, or likely just ordering from Australia the only option for the foreseeable future? The only NZ site I have seen it on is one called einfo.co.nz but I am not sure if it is legitimate.

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#2669019 6-Mar-2021 13:55

DAH12345:

Does anyone know when the new Chromecast with google tv will be available in NZ, or likely just ordering from Australia the only option for the forseable future?

there are a number of parallel importers already selling it in NZ

tchart

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#2669022 6-Mar-2021 14:05

DAH12345:
Does anyone know when the new Chromecast with google tv will be available in NZ, or likely just ordering from Australia the only option for the foreseeable future? The only NZ site I have seen it on is one called einfo.co.nz but I am not sure if it is legitimate.

I'm sure it will be soon as Neon etc only just got a supported app for it..I think Google are probably waiting for the main streaming platforms to Advertise with it in NZ.

That said it's cheap(er) and straight forward to get from Oz - Kogan, Dick Smith or even Trademe. I've sen it as low as $80/90 on Kogan and shipping is less than $10. I doubt you will be able to buy it here for under $100 when it is released.

Most retailers I've spoken to didn't even know about it even though it's been out for months.

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#2669098 6-Mar-2021 16:43

@DAH12345:

The new 'Google Chromecast with Google TV' is an awesome unit but doesn't support the Freeview TV app that the Smartvu 11 does (as far as I can find) which is why I was considering that unit at the start of this thread for a friend in Oz. Not to be confused with the Google Chromecast or Ultra.

Apart from that, it is Android TV just like many of the others being discussed, and the same as a number of TVs. It is easy to order from Oz through Dick Smith or similar with no obvious downside. And.... Yes... you can 'cast' to it if you want but if you are using it to make your TV smart then there is probably no need. Once set up you just grab the Chromecast remote, turn on the TV pick the service you want to watch (Netflix/Disney+/Youtube/Plex/Hulu/...) and start watching. Change volume on the TV with the same remote, navigate to another app etc etc. Only limitation appears to be that the overseas versions haven't licenced Freeview for streaming Live TV. That may change if an NZ version comes along but it may not too! :-) Obviously the Mi units discussed earlier are also options.

I bought a 'Google Chromecast with Google TV' for my brother in Canada as he has a dumb TV with an old Chromecast and casting everything from their phones to it. He hasn't looked back and seems to really like it. I subsequently got one from Oz for our old rumpus room TV and it has been a big success too. Identical interface to our main TV so easy for everyone in the house to use and access to all the same apps. Well worth considering if you are happy to flick over to live TV instead of having Freeview streamed.

Tink

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#2674082 14-Mar-2021 08:33

Re: latest Chromecast (thanks for the recs!). Dick Smith has it on presale, shipping in a couple of weeks. It does specifically say "Australian version". Does this impact on ability to get Freeview / TVNZ OnDemand / Threenow? Should I be waiting a bit longer for a "NZ version"?

Want to stream local content, and be able to watch live eg New. ThreeNow app does have the ability to stream live, which would work for me.

Have a Sat dish, so planning to flag that altogether and just rely on streaming via apps. So would this device be a good bet for all this?

tchart

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#2674084 14-Mar-2021 08:41

AFAIK the Australian version just means you get a NZ/AU power adaptor.

PS I've ordered a replacement power adaptor off AliExpress which has ethernet built in.

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#2674140 14-Mar-2021 09:40

Tink:

Re: latest Chromecast (thanks for the recs!). Dick Smith has it on presale, shipping in a couple of weeks. It does specifically say "Australian version". Does this impact on ability to get Freeview / TVNZ OnDemand / Threenow? Should I be waiting a bit longer for a "NZ version"?

Just remember Dick Smith is an Australian brand and ships from Australia (who knows in the future, seeing owner Kogan bought Mighty Ape and they might at some point use local warehouses... But not currently).

Bananabob

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#2688356 8-Apr-2021 14:41

Confused on the Chromecast with Google TV.

Does it allow you to download apps from the Google Play Store?

I am after getting Acorn TV and the new Beamfilm easier to use for non-tech people in the house than via the little more difficult to understand phone and Chromecast.

tchart

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#2688374 8-Apr-2021 15:25

Bananabob:

Confused on the Chromecast with Google TV.

Does it allow you to download apps from the Google Play Store?

I am after getting Acorn TV and the new Beamfilm easier to use for non-tech people in the house than via the little more difficult to understand phone and Chromecast.

Yes, but there is a BUT...

The play store is limited to apps that are "optimized for Google TV". You can easily sideload apps however - this is what I did with Neon before they had an "optimized" app.

The other BUT is that while it will work it may not (easily) be navigable with the remote. Again with Neon sideloaded unofficial app, it worked but navigating with the remote was difficult. You could overcome tyhis with a mouse for example.

In saying that Ive loaded several apps on that work just fine - VLC, file explorers etc.

Bananabob

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#2688378 8-Apr-2021 15:32

tchart:

Yes, but there is a BUT...

Why do Google have to make everything so difficult? When you say sideload what does that involve?

Interested that you got VLC going on it, were you able to access your local content on another device on the network?

tchart

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#2688384 8-Apr-2021 15:41

Bananabob:

Why do Google have to make everything so difficult? When you say sideload what does that involve?

Interested that you got VLC going on it, were you able to access your local content on another device on the network?

Sideload means downloading the APK (Android executable) file from the internet and installing it outside the Play Store. Not recommened! I only did it for Neon. If the services you mentioned are pretty popular they may already have support for Google TV.

VLC is great, and yes it plays content off my network (NAS). I think you can use Kodi but I didnt need anything fancy just something that would play media off the network.

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