Freeview streaming dongle or Vodafone TV?

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dafman

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#268297 10-Mar-2020 18:22

I'm looking at either the Dish Freeview streaming dongle or Vodafone TV, which is best?

I don't need or want Sky.

Freeview has the advantage in that it is a one off purchase whereas Vodafone TV is a monthly cost.

Vodafone TV advertises 3-day rewind which would be great. Is it any good? Can Dish do this?

Can either freeze live TV?

There was a lot of press about Vodafone being very buggy, still the case?

All feedback greatly appreciated!

Behodar

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#2435889 10-Mar-2020 18:25

I believe that you can get Freeview over Vodafone TV without a monthly cost. I haven't used either system so can't say which is best though.

Elmoz

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#2435890 10-Mar-2020 18:29

Vodafone TV does not have a monthly cost.

You can pause Vodafone TV - not sure if you can for the DishTV freeview. Vodafone TV has cloud storage for recording - the DishTV dongle doesn’t

You have more channel options with Vodafone TV (including some on demand channels) but you can also add certain apps to the DishTV freeview dongle.

Note that they are both streaming devices.

We have both and they both have their nuances.

dafman

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#2435897 10-Mar-2020 18:46

I'm currently a Vodafone customer and moving to Vodafone TV will cost me $5 per month more to change my plan vs $130 to buy the Freeview dongle outright. Cost is a minor issue, but Vodafone TV is not free for me.

DjShadow

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#2435901 10-Mar-2020 18:56

I would vote for Vodafone TV, shop around as some retailers have them on special

Linux

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#2435915 10-Mar-2020 19:27

Vodafone TV works very well myself and my parents now use it

dafman

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#2435917 10-Mar-2020 19:29

DjShadow:
I would vote for Vodafone TV, shop around as some retailers have them on special

Can you buy outright? I thought only supplied via Internet subscription?

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Linux

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#2435920 10-Mar-2020 19:35

You can buy the unit off the shelf from many retailers and don't need a VodafoneNZ broadband connection!

FTA channels are all free

Edit: I'm on a 2degrees fibre connection 100/20 and no issues

DjShadow

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#2435944 10-Mar-2020 20:03

dafman:
DjShadow:

I would vote for Vodafone TV, shop around as some retailers have them on special

Can you buy outright? I thought only supplied via Internet subscription?

Correct, it is a Gen 2 unit also which has Wifi as well. You activate it via a Portal and can add/remove Sky channels if you wish to have Sky

JB Hifi currently have them for $149 - https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/vodafone/vodafone-tv/377881/

dafman

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#2436016 10-Mar-2020 21:28

OK, thanks. I'll pay the extra and get the Vodafone for the live pause alone. Great to know I can buy outright as I'm definitely ditching Vodafone at contract renewal. For live pause, is there storage on the device or is it all handled via the cloud?

turb

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#2436017 10-Mar-2020 21:32

I have bought two of the smartvu dongles. (Still $99 at the warehouse I think)

They are okay, but google some reviews first. They do run very hot, not that it seems to affect their functioning. They both took a long time to load up the EPG on the first run.

If I was getting something for my main TV I'd probably go for something else.

Needless to say, they need a decent wifi connection - one of them was suffering some dropouts on Spotify but fine since I got the wired connection kit.

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

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#2436018 10-Mar-2020 21:40

Further to this the VodafoneNZ TV units only support 5Ghz Wi-Fi and Ethernet no 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi support

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#2436089 11-Mar-2020 01:21

There is nothing to compare!

Vodafone TV is a professional offering, with high quality proper iptv delivery system with catchup, ondemand, cloud recording , apps and 3 day rewind. The other thing is a overheating poorly supported android dongle using a mishmash of internet streams.

Go buy the the vodatv device outright, there is no FEE to use the apps and freeview channels.