hi All

 

Have an older Samsung 42" tv which for most purposes is absolutley fine for our needs. We have Freesat via a horrendous Manhattan set top box and stream Amazon Prime and 4 on Demand via an older Xbox 360.

 

Problem is Manhattan is horrible but works. Xbox was fine but no longer supports "5 on demand" or BBC iPlayer so have to plug laptop in to view which is a pain.

 

Looking at getting a Humax box that I can record on for the Freesat stuff but believe this doesn't support Amazon Prime? And maybe an Amazon Fire Stick thing for the Prime content.

 

Any advice on these or is there a one box that does it all that I might have overlooked?

 

Many thanks

 

Nic.

We're in a similar situation but with a failing Sky HD+ setup (LNB dying, I think).

 

For our purposes I'd like to add Sky to the mix  but is there "one box to rule them all, one box to bind them" out there?--

Amazon FireStick 4K.

 

Connects to any HDMI socket and gets signals through your WIFI - no aerial or dish needed.

 

It has Prime or Netflix if you want to pay, but also free apps like BBC player, ITV Player, All4, Demand 5, UKTV Play, and recently added Youtube - All have live TV or catch-up/on demand too so there's no need to record anything.

 

If none of those apps have the shows you want just run KODI on it and watch any content you can think of.

 

You can also cast to it (and thence your TV) from any wifi device (not from SkyGO APP unfortunately).

 

Firestick 4K easily runs a VPN at the same time as streaming, so take it on holiday anywhere with good wifi and watch British TV live.

 

I've got 2, both bought in the Amazon sales for £35 each instead of the regular £50.

 

 

 

 

Edited 11 November, 20196 yr by camelspyyder

Roku streaming stick - similar to the fire stick above??

3 hours ago, Golf-Fiend said:

hi All

 

Have an older Samsung 42" tv which for most purposes is absolutley fine for our needs. We have Freesat via a horrendous Manhattan set top box and stream Amazon Prime and 4 on Demand via an older Xbox 360.

 

Problem is Manhattan is horrible but works. Xbox was fine but no longer supports "5 on demand" or BBC iPlayer so have to plug laptop in to view which is a pain.

 

Looking at getting a Humax box that I can record on for the Freesat stuff but believe this doesn't support Amazon Prime? And maybe an Amazon Fire Stick thing for the Prime content.

 

Any advice on these or is there a one box that does it all that I might have overlooked?

 

Many thanks

 

Nic.

I run a Humax freeplay box which supports catch up for most channels and netflix, but not Amazon prime. I run a firestick for Amazon prime

I run a Humax YouView box for all the catchup players, plus an Apple TV (use HomeKit) for Amazon Prime.

On 11/11/2019 at 16:45, Golf-Fiend said:

hi All

 

Have an older Samsung 42" tv which for most purposes is absolutley fine for our needs. We have Freesat via a horrendous Manhattan set top box and stream Amazon Prime and 4 on Demand via an older Xbox 360.

 

Problem is Manhattan is horrible but works. Xbox was fine but no longer supports "5 on demand" or BBC iPlayer so have to plug laptop in to view which is a pain.

 

Looking at getting a Humax box that I can record on for the Freesat stuff but believe this doesn't support Amazon Prime? And maybe an Amazon Fire Stick thing for the Prime content.

 

Any advice on these or is there a one box that does it all that I might have overlooked?

 

Many thanks

 

Nic.

I'd refer you to my post in

 

I run a firestick with a vpn on it

 

has Netflix / prime and all catchup tv apps

 

I use IPTV

Hi. An Amazon Firestick is something you can use if you have an Amazon Prime membership (£79 per year - free shipping on lots of stuff and music streaming too).

 

i just got the 4K version for £29 (usually £49). Plugs into HDMI slot on back of tv and uses home WiFi to stream. You get bbc iPlayer, More4, 5 on demand, itv hub etc for free too. You can also subscribe to Netflix etc if you like. 

 

Hope that helps. 

On 30/11/2019 at 12:18, rayshow053 said:

He guys. Hope i'm posting in the right thread here. I'm not technical, but keep hearing about Firesticks here, anyone tell me what exactly they are, are they easy to use, and do you have to subscribe to some TV package to use them, also what is kodi. We have a roku box is this the same type of thing?

 

Firestick is a very cheap way to get TV content on your own home broadband wifi (or use your phone as a hotspot if you don't have home broadband) just like ROKU products.

 

Apart from the cash price £49 (or less) there's absolutely nothing to pay if you don't want to.

Its 4k capable, and has Alexa built in.

Loads of apps allow access to UK channels and catchup.

 

Kodi is a perfectly legal software media player, but one that can be easily modified to find streamed live or recorded content from around the world - TV Movies Music Sports etc. Whether a modified Kodi setup is actually legal is open to debate since users are accessing copyright material without paying for it. 

 

If someone sells you a Firestick, Roku, or other device pre-loaded with a modified Kodi setup, then they are breaking the law in the UK.

 

But if you choose to make software changes to your own device to enhance its capability, that's a much more grey area.

 

 You don't need an Amazon prime subscription to use a firestick, you just won't get (officially) Amazon TV/films.

 

There are lots of other providers for content out there, just a Google search away.

Ironically, the first show I ever watched on my Amazon stick was the first episode of their headline subscription show on Prime - The Grand Tour - on the day it was released too

 

...only it was free  

OK. So got the FireStick and it’s great. Fine for what I need. 

 

Now with different problem - how to transmit from TV in living room to smaller tv in kitchen. It would be nice to be able to watch the same as the family if one is out there cooking etc

 

Any tech for this? 

On 26/12/2019 at 16:36, Golf-Fiend said:

OK. So got the FireStick and it’s great. Fine for what I need. 

 

Now with different problem - how to transmit from TV in living room to smaller tv in kitchen. It would be nice to be able to watch the same as the family if one is out there cooking etc

 

Any tech for this? 

 

A firestick can mirror (inbound) signals (from phone, tablet, etc) across your wifi network but I don't think it can transmit. 

 

A quick google:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/slp/wireless-tv-transmitter-and-receiver/6b5mmsuxrwka84g

A second fire stick, although I prefer the Roku myself.