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We had a freak lightning strike just a short distance from the house, there was storms in the distance, but low rumblings of thunder, well it took out our router, television and Apple TV2 device...

I usually pull all the plugs when a storm is getting close, but this strike came out of nowhere...

I was search around for another Apple TV2 so as we could resume watching streaming TV again, problem is they stopped making them months back, and the ones available have escalated in cost..

So started to research other devices like Roku, Boxee Box, WDTV, Pivos and came across G-Box.

All others needed to be "jailbroken" to use them, whereas the Matricon G-Box Midnight mx2 didn't.

More research showed it was cheaper than the rivals, more research revealed it was fully supported for XBMC, a platform for internet movie/sports/TV streaming video.

I ended up ordering one last Thursday, it arrived Saturday, not bad!!

It was ready to go after hooking everything up, a little set up, which was easy and was back to watching streaming TV over the internet.

So?? Is it any good? Would I recommend it?? Big yes on all three questions, it's light years ahead of the Apple TV2, it has more computer power, more ram and does far less buffering in movies etc...It comes pre loaded with XBMC and hundreds of on line TV programs, (links)

I did load a few repositories and Apps, namely Navi X which is another platform to many movies etc..

So if anyone is fed up with broadcast, cable and satellite systems, get a G-Box, user friendly and easy to use.

My internet connection is 1.5mbs, unfortunately that is the fastest available in my location, but the device works OK on it, Matricom do recommend a minimum of 2mbs minimum though..

Anyone interested and have questions, I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

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I'm not sure they are sold on Ebay at this time Mick, the company seem to be marketing them via Amazon, both in the US and the UK. They are very reasonably priced for what they are.

I read a review on them, and the feller gave them top marks on nearly all counts, but he did say they still have some software gltches and are working on them, but over all it's the best streaming STB, (set top box) on the market.

Here's their web site.

http://androidtvbox.us/

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Just checked our ebay, they are almost double the price of Amazon!!!! I paid $97 off Amazon, they are upwards of $160 on ebay...

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I have had a WDTV for some time now. Seems to work quite well with Youtube. Really got it so that I could save my home videos to a usb drive and plug them straight in. I'll have to look at some of its other features. Don't watch much TV any more, and don't miss it.

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I have been looking at the HUMAX HDR-1010S FREESAT 1TB HDD,HIGH DEFINITION FREESAT BOX

This allows recording two channels or watching one whist recording the other.

Also catch up TV streamed via the internet. It does require twin LNB and cable.

Many modern sky dishes have Quad LNB and twin cable feed.

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I never came across the Stealth iMBX box, just the ones I mentioned, the ones I mentioned all need to be "jailbroken" before they can be programmed for XBMC platform and loaded with repositories and Apps much like the Apple TV2 I was using.

Not that that is much of an effort!!!

But the G-Box comes already "wide open" and loaded with the XBMC platform and many Apps ready to get straight on the internet.

Loading new Apps is a breeze, just locate the appropriate repository etc at XBMC's site, load them onto an SD card or a stick memory plug them into the G-Box and load them directly into the box in front of the TV, and apply them, it's far easier than it was on the Apple STB.

Remember this technology is very new, probably about three to four years old and can only get better as time goes on.

And Mick, why mess with satellite??? I'm all for reducing living costs, you have an internet connection, why pay for satellite??? Anything you can get from your satellite provider can be found on the internet...I've watched movies not yet released!!!

Sport??? If your like it, soccer, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis, can all be found on one of the available channels, virtually every movie or TV show ever made can be found on one server or another.

If the missus likes the soapies, both BBC and ITV add them to Youtube a couple of hours after they broadcast them.

I used to pirate one of our satellite providers signal on an FTA receiver, problem is they started getting aggressive with the folks who hacked their codes, so we don't have the "fix" for Nagra3 encryption as the hackers are scared they will end up being arrested and prosecuted now... As far as I'm aware nobody cracked the other providers encryption code...But hell, there's more on the internet.

Here's an example of the Apps.

http://www.freeonlinemoviesbox.com/

http://www.crackle.com/

http://www.icefilms.info/

And that's just the tip of the iceberg...Hundreds of such sites...

http://www.frustratedkid.com/

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John

Re satellite, I cut off from Rip Off Sky and still have the dish/cables running a HD Freesat TV, and HD Sat box feeding the HDTV in the bedroom.

I fitted the Sky dish with the Quad LNB from the old address.

Incidentally I would be very interested in receiving US Programs Particularly west coast/ Nevada and Florida.

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No way can you receive west coast satellite signals from the UK Mick, I even think there will be no "footprint" for east coast UK satellite reception.

We don't have a free satellite service, a group of hams were setting up in that business and trying to raise capital, but it didn't pan out. All there is over here are Dishnetwork and their competitor plus the Canadian sat company..But alas cannot receive them without paying. There is the option of setting up a large dish and going for the free "feeds" news and programming.

Now internet streaming, the world is your oyster, I can see the day when broadcast TV stations will be a thing of the past.

No high cost broadcast transmitters, no high maintenance towers, no huge monthly electric bills to run 6Mw output.

I've watched LA TV stations who live stream over the internet, all you need to watch them on your tv via a STB is an "Addon program" for the STB, search engines will reveal them..

Most of the "local stations" in my addons are on the east coast, but they don't interest me.

I can watch Sky live sports, earlier in the year I watched live cricket via a sports "Addon" from the West Indies...

The only drawback with internet streaming is no program guides, not that it matters with movies, just select the movie you want to watch, load it and get comfortable.

I think Dave mentioned HULU in a post this week, for those outside of the US, you need to go through a proxy server to access HULU, they are free, but rely on advertising to cover all the free movie and TV rights.

You can checkout Sockshare, Project Free TV, FastPass etc All have online sites and there are "Addons" for the STB to be able to watch them over your TV instead of on the computer.

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Yes I know about there being no footprint here, I was thinking Internet.

Someone mentioned 'Slingbox', though I dont know anything about it?

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Doesn't look like a Set Top Box from this description Mick, more a remote control for home surveillance etc ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slingbox

I'll see what addons/apps are available that support west coast TV channels.

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You can go on Youtube and look for videos of all the Android type STB's...

Here's the XBMC site where I get many of my Addon's from. These are the people who write the software.

http://www.xbmchub.com/blog/

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Its all Greek to me!

However I am a sucker for new technology, might have to give these a go.

Is it Android 4.2? and can it be updated for future?

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Don't worry, I don't bother to learn all the geeky things myself, just the important bits.

Hardware wise, these are prone to being outdated by newer technology, so don't expect too many years service out of them until they are obsolete, much like all computer hardware.

This technology is about three years old, maybe a little older, so there is a long way to go.

Remember how fast computer CPU's advanced for the first few years, from 286 up to Pentium, or 586 in less than three years, now CPU advancement is almost at a standstill until someone can come up with a different technology.

I figure I'll get my monies worth out of mine if I can keep it running for more than a year, $97 is about three months satellite fees without pay per view movies!!

Although the Apple got smoked, it has more than paid for itself in the amount of movies it's allowed us to watch free!!

30 plus movies a month, lets say we bought or rented that amount, bought would be $300 plus, rented $100 or there abouts...

We had the Apple in regular use for around 18 months that's about $1800 rentals, or $4800 purchased DVD's.. So well worth buying it.

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Sure, as long as you enter a US proxy, I'll find some forums relating to this subject for you to read what is said, problems etc..

There's only Hulu that I'm aware of, that is only viewable in the US, Canadians just use a US proxy to access it, and I'm sure I read a Brit who posted somewhere that he uses a US proxy to access Hulu.

A lot of BBC content cannot be accessed by those outside the UK, I've come across BBC program archives on my computer blocked to me, just too lazy to have used a UK proxy at the time...Although I've had no problems accessing the Beeb, ITV etc on my of Apple or the newer Matricom devices.

There is a set up to change IP address to a proxy in the set up menu's of stb's.

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Here's one way of getting Hulu outside the US...But don't forget, there is a lot more available than Hulu!!

http://www.gettinghulu.com/

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A word of warning!!! Beware, there are clones of the Matricom G-Box, they are prone to problems, Matricom have put out a warning.

Make sure if you are going in for one that it is from an authorized Matricom dealer!!!

For those stateside, Amazon have one on sale, the dealer is Matricom themselves, so not a clone.

Those in other countries should contact Matricom to locate an authorized dealer, I listed a link to their website earlier.

The case on the clones is a very thin opaque black plastic, the authentic G-Box is a thicker solid plastic. From observations from other sites, clones have instruction manual in English and Chinese, authentic G-Boxes have only an English instruction manual.

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That's premium Mick, Hulu has thousands of free TV shows and movies for free, you have to put up with the odd advert, but it's worth it. Most of the time my STB skips the adverts...LOL

Premium gives access to more modern movies and TV shows.

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This seems to be a reputable UK dealer for the G-Box, but good grief, twice the price we can buy it for...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aag/main?ie=UTF8&asin=&isAmazonFulfilled=1&isCBA=&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&orderID=&seller=A2STUBEL6AWE1D

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