Is my understanding on Android boxes, IPTV, streaming services correct? Bit confused how it all ties in together...

by bvi

Total IPTV / Android TV n00b here, so please hear me out if my understanding is correct. My parents will be visiting me in Canada next month, and I think they'd be bored without access to some Tamil channels.

  1. I need an Android Box device first and foremost (I’m looking at the Nvidia Shield TV). Having this Android box plugged into my smart TV via HDMI port means that I will automatically be able to browse a number of live channels for free (is this correct?) + YouTube etc. I will also see a number of other apps in the interface (Netflix, Amazon Prime etc) for which I will require a subscription.
  2. If I want to get additional TV channels (e.g., I’m interested in Indian/Tamil channels as my parents will be the primary consumers of this TV when they visit me in Canada next month), I will need to get a “Kodi” add-on, that I will be able to configure in the Android interface settings?

Please help!

eatmyshorts21

Yes, you are pretty close!

  1. Yes, first you need an Android or Mag decide. The Nvidea Shield would be an excellent choice if within your budget. You can download apps such as Netflix, YouTube etc. Free channels depend on what country you are in, but if a TV channel has an app that you can watch for free in your location, then you can download it.

  2. For IPTV, you need a subscription to a provider. These can range from ~$7 - $15 per month (you will probably be contacted by resellers soon).

Check that the provider has the Tamil channels you need, and get a free trial to test it out.

You will have to download another app to your Nvidea Shield (depending on the provider) and enter the login details they give you.

If you are happy, sign up! Only pay for a month first, and DO NOT pay up front for an annual subscription, as many providers disappear after a few months.

indianacpl

If your going to use a Android based box, Nvidia does it with ease, I would stay away from Kodi for your iptv player. As much as I like and use Kodi it’s really not the best for Iptv. Their are much better and easier 3rd party apps out there for iptv. Most services have a app for viewing their content on also.

blindfist926

If you want free I'd search "free IPTV tamil links" on Google or something or check Pastebin.Going this route is not easy at all, links going down all the time, half or more failing, etc. Not recommended if you expect the channels to always be on and you're not willing to work for it. LOL

If you've got a smart TV with Roku and don't want to buy a dedicated box you can try a few of the casting apps once you get an IPTV subscription. The TV with Roku will just receive links, there is no EPG, or Cable TV like experience, it's just sending the link from a phone to the Roku. Not really recommended either, but if you just want to try without buying a device I think it's still worth it. If it's an Android Smart TV? Not sure how well those work but lot of free apps to try with an IPTV subscription.

I recently just bought a $32 Android box to replace the Roku in another room I was casting to and it's working well enough, 6.5/10 compared to my Formuler Z7+ which I'd give a 8.5/10. :) The cheap box I got was an Alfawise A8, installed a TV launcher app for a more custom interface and using Perfect Player app, remote that comes with it SUCKS, I'm using an eBay MX3 keyboard air remote instead and put the stock remote away. Good enough for the guest room.

kineto21

You also need to have a high bandwidth Internet connection otherwise you will get buffering, nothing less than 10mbps although to a lesser extent it is also dependant on number of simultaneous users. As it is Tamil you will be very unlikely to get a provider anywhere in the western hemisphere as the demand will be so low imho. If it was me I would be looking closer to India where demand is likely high considering the population size

cmon_now

If you're using a Shield then all you need to do is intall a free TV apk. Redbox is one of them. There's a bunch out there, just Google. It's a lot easier to just use an app than it is to subscribe to a service