Popping the hood on the Vodafone TV (gen.2) - Sagemcom DIW387-UHD (NZ-512/131329)

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Popping the hood on the Vodafone TV (gen.2) - Sagemcom DIW387-UHD (NZ-512/131329)

freakalad

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#271771 26-May-2020 15:30

Hi folks,

I recently got the (newish) Voda streaming box (the smaller Android TV dongle-thing I had before kept failing due to overheating), but it really does not meet my needs.

Is there a way to get under the hood: to load my own ROM or sideload apps? I honestly don't care about the warranty.

I honestly don't care for the EPK or broadcast streaming, but rather need something do drive Netflix, NEON, VLC, Kodi/Plex/Yatse.

On spec, the device looks OK, but I'm fining it tricky to get a hook.

Else I'm be up for a trade with someone wanting to upgrade from a capable device

FLOSS'er, aspiring Maker

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#2491907 26-May-2020 15:45

The VTV is its own beast - it's not running Android so you won't be able to load any of those apps onto it. I suppose you should probably be looking for swapping with a mi box or similar if you are after a cheap android Kodi box.

Lias

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#2491973 26-May-2020 17:08

tieke:

The VTV is its own beast - it's not running Android so you won't be able to load any of those apps onto it. I suppose you should probably be looking for swapping with a mi box or similar if you are after a cheap android Kodi box.

Really?

God I should really have checked the NZ ones were the same as the Aussie ones that run Android TV before I ordered one then *sigh*.. I just assumed they would be because we never get our own stuff lol.

What the hell is the point of a a TV box that can't load Plex in this day and age? It'll be a paperweight.

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#2491978 26-May-2020 17:21

Lias:

What the hell is the point of a a TV box that can't load Plex in this day and age? It'll be a paperweight.

Depends on what you require...

I've personally got 3 of them, my parents have got 2 (and love them). It enables live TV and the common streaming apps and that is the market it is aimed for. You're just in the wrong market.

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Lias

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#2491991 26-May-2020 18:04

michaelmurfy:

I've personally got 3 of them, my parents have got 2 (and love them). It enables live TV and the common streaming apps and that is the market it is aimed for. You're just in the wrong market.

Not really, I need something that does both. I have non tech users in the house who want something mainstream, idiot proof, that does TVNZ, TV3, Sky and Plex in one box, because they find swapping between the Roku for Plex and the TBoX for the others annoying. The VTV was struggling with Family Acceptance Factor (tm) as it was because of the inability to record some shows/channels and the non local recording, but I thought getting one box to rule them all would overcome that. No Plex/Kodi will make it a non starter, they'll stick with the T-Box & Roku I suspect.

Why is it so hard to find a single box that does everything :-(

mattwnz

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#2491992 26-May-2020 18:11

The problem is finding a box that does everything, and also get very good streams from the TV networks.Does it exisit. I think it is a fact of life that people just need multiple devices. I am not sure if there is a Android TV, either a box, or built into a TV, that will stream NZ TV content live, without going through one of the apps.

freitasm

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#2491993 26-May-2020 18:15

There's a very long discussion in the Vodafone sub-forum. It's been clear from the start this is a Linux-based box. No app store. Apps come built-in. Developed in Europe.

It's a streaming box with Sky built-in (you can hide Sky channels if you are not a subscriber).

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Lias

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#2491994 26-May-2020 18:17

mattwnz:

The problem is finding a box that does everything, and also get very good streams from the TV networks.Does it exisit. I think it is a fact of life that people just need multiple devices. I am not sure if there is a Android TV, either a box, or built into a TV, that will stream NZ TV content live, without going through one of the apps.

There's no technical reason we need multiple devices, the reasons we can't have nice things pretty much all come down to greed on the part of media & content companies.

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#2491995 26-May-2020 18:18

freitasm:

There's a very long discussion in the Vodafone sub-forum. It's been clear from the start this is a Linux-based box. No app store. Apps come built-in. Developed in Europe.

It's a streaming box with Sky built-in (you can hide Sky channels if you are not a subscriber).

I'll be honest, I skipped that thread because it IS so long.

freitasm

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#2492000 26-May-2020 18:27

Lias:

freitasm:

There's a very long discussion in the Vodafone sub-forum. It's been clear from the start this is a Linux-based box. No app store. Apps come built-in. Developed in Europe.

It's a streaming box with Sky built-in (you can hide Sky channels if you are not a subscriber).

I'll be honest, I skipped that thread because it IS so long.

Ask a question before buying something...

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#2492002 26-May-2020 18:29

freitasm:

Ask a question before buying something...

Oh yeah totally my bad for assuming it would be the same as the Aussie one, which is Android TV, and you can sideload onto.

mattwnz

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#2492109 26-May-2020 18:57

Lias:

There's no technical reason we need multiple devices, the reasons we can't have nice things pretty much all come down to greed on the part of media & content companies.

You aren't wrong, but often these boxes are part of a business model, where that isn't possible due to a range of commercial factors. A media PC theoretically can display all content and do everything, but people just want simple easy to use and lower cost solutions.

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freakalad

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#2492566 27-May-2020 10:00

such a shame....

SPec seems to indicate that I *should* be able to hook into it - built for Linux/ATV

https://sagemcom.com/old/broadband/audio-video-solutions/uhd-set-top-boxes-product-line/uhd-hdr-stb/diw387-dtiw387/

I really don't need/want the ad-laden live freeview cruft clogging up the interface - really need it as a dedicated Netflix streaming received, then NEON, then DLNA target (VLC, Kodi, Plex, etc)

If/when I get desperate, I may have to pop the lid & get into the bus to see if if I can hook it via terminal

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allan

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#2492691 27-May-2020 12:04

What about the Xiaomi Mi Box, $129 from PB Tech? Stream IP TV via Live Channels with an app like TVirl or PVR Live (allows recording), plus install Plex, VLC, Kodi, On Demand apps to your heart's content 🙂

wheatmeal

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#2501030 8-Jun-2020 23:09

freakalad:

such a shame....

SPec seems to indicate that I *should* be able to hook into it - built for Linux/ATV

https://sagemcom.com/old/broadband/audio-video-solutions/uhd-set-top-boxes-product-line/uhd-hdr-stb/diw387-dtiw387/

I really don't need/want the ad-laden live freeview cruft clogging up the interface - really need it as a dedicated Netflix streaming received, then NEON, then DLNA target (VLC, Kodi, Plex, etc)

If/when I get desperate, I may have to pop the lid & get into the bus to see if if I can hook it via terminal

Hey did you ever get a chance to look into this? I also accidentally brought a vodafone tv thinking it was the same as the aussie version 🙃

I've tried connecting via usb to pc but the computer does not detect it and I cannot seem to find how to boot in recovery mode or anything (I have no idea when it comes to linux)

Would be great to wipe it clean and install android so I could at least use it for Kodi etc

Any help would be great!

michaelmurfy

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#2501039 9-Jun-2020 00:17

@wheatmeal Just return it.

Guys, the VTV box is just that - a basic TV box with some apps. You're going to have to get a Raspberry Pi, Android TV box or an Apple TV if you want any of the features you're after. A quick Google search will show just that, it is a Freeview / Sky box with a few apps. They make no mention of the OS, or if apps can be loaded onto it.

Whilst I do like hardware / software hacking myself you guys are literally not going to get anywhere. Believe be, I've already tried. If you bought this box with the intention of loading Kodi or other apps such as Plex on it then just know you'll likely never be able to do this. Yes, the box is Linux based but it is incredibly locked down and if there is a serial header, it is not marked and likely won't give you anything useful unless there is a dev version of the OS on it. These boxes are designed to be in customers homes and many customers (such as myself) will attempt to tinker with them and the providers don't want this for piracy reasons. There used to be a method of holding down the reset button on the back to fully reset the box back to a basic Linux STB operating system but when you do this, you've essentially bricked the box. I strongly suspect Vodafone have already patched this and no, I won't be trying to confirm. If you try it and brick your box then that's on you. A few customers have done this by accident on release and there is nothing exciting to be seen.

Anyway, for proof so nobody else does - if you want to open your box be prepared to get blue thermal grease everywhere to add to the disappointment you got from finding really nothing else (I don't want to ruin my box by potentially damaging it).

If you do find a way to exploit the box then don't post it on here. We don't want to know about it, keep it to yourself or do the best thing you could ever do to yourself and disclose this to Vodafone directly and hope they have a bounty program. I would consider this (along with modding Sky boxes and other pay TV boxes) a breach of the FUG for grey-area piracy reasons.

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