New Freeview SmartVU streaming device: Chromecast, 4K HDR, Android TV

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › New Freeview SmartVU streaming device: Chromecast, 4K HDR, Android TV

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880 posts

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#2373103 12-Dec-2019 10:42

MurrayM:

The Warehouse currently has the SmartVU on sale at $99. I was thinking of getting one as our UHF aerial / wiring is a bit flakey and we sometimes get disruptions, especially on Prime, so replacing the whole terrestrial TV with a SmartVU would probably work out cheaper than getting someone in to try to fix the aerial.

I haven't read this whole thread but noticed someone talking about this unit overheating. Is that still a problem or has the hardware been revised since the initial launch to fix this? Any other problems I should be aware of?

Ive setup a few of these for friends and none have ever had issues with them. Mine runs on top of a fan and for the most part runs perfectly well - the only time it causes me any issues is when Ive been watching YouTube (I watch quite a bit on it!). I cant say much about the freeview on it as I rarely watch live TV (mainly Netflix/Youtube/JellyFin).

I think value for money these are pretty damned good for most people.

MurrayM

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#2374110 12-Dec-2019 11:07

askelon:

Ive setup a few of these for friends and none have ever had issues with them. Mine runs on top of a fan and for the most part runs perfectly well - the only time it causes me any issues is when Ive been watching YouTube (I watch quite a bit on it!). I cant say much about the freeview on it as I rarely watch live TV (mainly Netflix/Youtube/JellyFin).

I think value for money these are pretty damned good for most people.

Thanks for your comments. We don't watch much live TV either, except for the 6pm news, but the Freeview On Demand might be handy to watch interesting things that we didn't watch because they were on at silly times, etc.

How much memory does the SmartVU have (both RAM and storage)?

joshhill96

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#2374237 12-Dec-2019 13:45

MurrayM:

askelon:

Ive setup a few of these for friends and none have ever had issues with them. Mine runs on top of a fan and for the most part runs perfectly well - the only time it causes me any issues is when Ive been watching YouTube (I watch quite a bit on it!). I cant say much about the freeview on it as I rarely watch live TV (mainly Netflix/Youtube/JellyFin).

I think value for money these are pretty damned good for most people.

Thanks for your comments. We don't watch much live TV either, except for the 6pm news, but the Freeview On Demand might be handy to watch interesting things that we didn't watch because they were on at silly times, etc.

How much memory does the SmartVU have (both RAM and storage)?

1GB DDR3 RAM and 8GB Flash Storage

Formerly worked at iStore NZ (Rest in Peace), Sky Network Television, Freeview, Apple, Spark New Zealand Trading Limited, DISH TV Technologies.

Travel Geek: Brazil, Chile, New Caledonia, United States, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Cook Islands

MurrayM

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#2374534 13-Dec-2019 08:17

joshhill96:

1GB DDR3 RAM and 8GB Flash Storage

Thanks. I guess those figures should be ok for doing what this device is designed for, maybe not if you want to start playing games on it, etc.

impracticaljokers

28 posts

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#2375254 14-Dec-2019 12:08

Hi I need a cheap Android TV box to stream TV for around 6 hours at a time. I cannot decide between the Smart VU and the Xiaomi Mi Box S. I have heard that the Smart VU has overheating and WiFi issues. Has anyone here tried both? What is heating like with the Xiaomi Mi Box S? Which box is more reliable for long streaming and which has better performance? Also which is simpler to use and easy to sideload apps? Does Freeview work well with the Xiami Mi Box S? Thank you.

Kiwifruta

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#2375262 14-Dec-2019 12:43

Never touched the SmartVu, I do have the Mi Box S. I've never had overheating issues. Watched the RWC flawlessly on a sideloaded Kayo Sports app.

This is what I do to side load apps, on my phone or PC upload the apk to google drive, then on the Mi Box use the X-Plorer app (available on Google Play) to download the app from google drive.

Disney+ needs another installer to install the apk, but once done the app works perfectly.

Chromecast works well, in my experience.

My device is connected via ethernet (had to buy a Ugreen Mi Box USB to Ethernet adapter), I did run it on WiFi but Amazon Prime was blurry, but fine now on Ethernet.

Xiaomi is beta testing Android TV 9 at moment. I'm a beta tester, and it just keeps getting better.

There is a reddit forum for Mi Boxes here.

I only stream, don't use plex. Plus with Chromecast I use the device to play music over the stereo without keeping the telly on.

NB I use a 1080P telly, the 4k users complain that it's under powered.

steve2222

499 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2376306 16-Dec-2019 14:14

impracticaljokers:

Hi I need a cheap Android TV box to stream TV for around 6 hours at a time. I cannot decide between the Smart VU and the Xiaomi Mi Box S. I have heard that the Smart VU has overheating and WiFi issues. Has anyone here tried both? What is heating like with the Xiaomi Mi Box S? Which box is more reliable for long streaming and which has better performance? Also which is simpler to use and easy to sideload apps? Does Freeview work well with the Xiami Mi Box S? Thank you.

I have the version before the MiBox S and I streamed 12 hours continuously of BBC UK Election (don't ask why!!) coverage last Friday without it missing a beat.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

askelon

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#2376322 16-Dec-2019 14:35

steve2222:

I have the version before the MiBox S and I streamed 12 hours continuously of BBC UK Election (don't ask why!!) coverage last Friday without it missing a beat.

I just got an MiBox S, so far fantastic device. None of the issues I had with the SmartVu X. Thats now been relegated to the lounge for the general consumption of anyone but me. Will see how the smartvu does on a standard HD setup rather than the 4k one like in my room.

Qbrtx

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#2377951 18-Dec-2019 19:24

MurrayM:

The Warehouse currently has the SmartVU on sale at $99. I was thinking of getting one as our UHF aerial / wiring is a bit flakey and we sometimes get disruptions, especially on Prime, so replacing the whole terrestrial TV with a SmartVU would probably work out cheaper than getting someone in to try to fix the aerial.

I haven't read this whole thread but noticed someone talking about this unit overheating. Is that still a problem or has the hardware been revised since the initial launch to fix this? Any other problems I should be aware of?

I got my SmartVU on almost the day of launch from The Warehouse, the Freeview app was pretty unstable for me then, and a little annoyed that it didn't have all Freeview channels. Since then however, the app has improved much better and has extra channels like Prime, I find it a good value android TV device, considering that it has the exclusive Freeview app. The unit has never overheated for me for the entire year I've had it. I used it for 6-12 hours a day at most points, and it stayed fine. This was streaming on Freeview, Netflix, and a U.S TV Service called Sling TV. The device never shut down due to heat, or crashed doing these things. The hardware has not changed, but the software has gotten much better.

Mahon

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#2378047 18-Dec-2019 21:07

I have both a Mi S and a 4k Firestick. I find the firestick quite superior for streaming.

mattwnz

20175 posts

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#2378124 19-Dec-2019 02:10

Qbrtx:

MurrayM:

The Warehouse currently has the SmartVU on sale at $99. I was thinking of getting one as our UHF aerial / wiring is a bit flakey and we sometimes get disruptions, especially on Prime, so replacing the whole terrestrial TV with a SmartVU would probably work out cheaper than getting someone in to try to fix the aerial.

I haven't read this whole thread but noticed someone talking about this unit overheating. Is that still a problem or has the hardware been revised since the initial launch to fix this? Any other problems I should be aware of?

I got my SmartVU on almost the day of launch from The Warehouse, the Freeview app was pretty unstable for me then, and a little annoyed that it didn't have all Freeview channels. Since then however, the app has improved much better and has extra channels like Prime, I find it a good value android TV device, considering that it has the exclusive Freeview app. The unit has never overheated for me for the entire year I've had it. I used it for 6-12 hours a day at most points, and it stayed fine. This was streaming on Freeview, Netflix, and a U.S TV Service called Sling TV. The device never shut down due to heat, or crashed doing these things. The hardware has not changed, but the software has gotten much better.

I am still finding it unreliable and frustrating. The channel button on the main screen don't work anymore. The EPG is often stuck on 'loading'. The app store for updating apps often just displays a blank page. Sometimes the live tv doesn't work. The only way to get it going it to press the freeview button, as the icons on the homescreen don't work. I am wondering if mine is a dud, or just to get a refund on it, I just haven't gotten around to doing anything about it, and hoping it would improve. It does seem to get worse and more unusable the more it is used, so wondering if that has anything to do with overheating. Rebooting it and immediately using it again doesn'tfix it.

keriboi

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#2380243 22-Dec-2019 20:36

My smartvu is great but it does over heat and need a reboot. Im looking for something better.

askelon

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#2380248 22-Dec-2019 21:01

keriboi: My smartvu is great but it does over heat and need a reboot. Im looking for something better.

I've ditched mine for a mibox s. Much more reliable so far. Doesn't have all the on demand stuff but it does have Amazon video.

freitasm

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#2380254 22-Dec-2019 21:23

keriboi: My smartvu is great but it does over heat and need a reboot. Im looking for something better.

Vodafone TV Gen 2.

nathan

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#2380267 22-Dec-2019 23:50

This pathetic product is not wife or grandparent friendly

Mine regularly hangs, requiring someone to go pull the power out.
Apps never ever autoupdate.
Audio regularly “clicks”.
Video regularly flashes for a split second (normally associated with a click)
Sometimes the remote just doesn’t work.

SmartVu support is pathetic, I’ve called them a few times and they just seem to pretend the problems are my fault and are not known issues

Not impressed. What a waste of $99

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