TV talk - which streaming box?
A few years ago I ditched cable TV in Hong Kong because it was frankly not the best. Both the selection of channels and the quality of the stream was bad. I missed my UK and US TV choices (yes, I know, total first world problem).
Since then I've resorted to obtaining TV shows and movies I like to watch through other means. Let's just leave it at that.
I have also used a few streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and BBC Iplayer via various DNS services: DNS redirection. However, I miss channel surfing!
Recently, through the various Hong Kong expat forums, there has been talk of two TV streaming boxes. Not like Roku or WD Live, but full live TV streaming.
Basically both boxes will connect to the internet and provide IPTV services. It seems both boxes will connect via HDMI and ethernet (you have to pay separate wifi adaptors), so the quality of stream may be affected by your internet connection.
Maige TV Box
The first box is called the Maige TV Box and seems to be from China (based on the website). It is available from AV stores in parts of Hong Kong including Sham Shui Po for around HK$2,200 - 2,500. You can also buy directly from Maige for about HK$2,500.
All the menus are in Chinese, however apparently there is a way to get into the settings and change the menus to English. The remote is also in Chinese, but people have successfully mapped the remote to universal remotes.
The Maige website lists a lot of channels available and also the website says it supports over 10,000 VOD movies (doesn't list which ones though). The channel list seems to suggest quite a few American channels as well as many Chinese, Japanese and Korean channels.
From the reading the various forums people have been generally very impressed with the number and quality of channels.
A review here: IPTV box review
The service is free for the first year and then around RMB500 (c. HK$640) a year after that.
UKTV box
This box, as the name suggests is geared more towards people who want to watch UK TV. This box seems only to be sold online by several sites, however one site is geared to the Hong Kong market: UKTV Hong Kong.
The service offers a different range of channels, depending on what you want to watch, starting with 16 channels and going up to 67 channels: packages. The British free to air channels (like BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) are included in the most basic package, with a bunch of movie, sports and entertainment channels included in the most expensive package.
The service also offers recording functionality, which is very useful due to the time differences between when the channels are broadcast and Hong Kong.
The price of the box is US$179 (c. HK$1,388) and the monthly subscription for the packages are as follows:
- Standard (16 channels) - US$25 (c. HK$194)
- Premium (36 channels) - US$30 (c. HK$233)
- Ultimate (67 channels) - US$35 (c. HK$271)
Which one?
Choices, choices!! The Maige overall has more channels, but they seem to be quite similar to NowTV's existing offerings. However, its better than nothing and much cheaper than NowTV.
UKTV is clearly geared towards UK expats, and has the added functionality of program recording, which I can see as being very useful.
Cost wise, the initial outlay for the UKTV box is cheaper, but the monthly subscriptions do add up, making Maige box cheaper overall.
Another question is the actual legality of these services, which is very much a grey area. For example, if you have access to a live UK broadcasting channel you are supposed to be living in the UK and paying a licence fee. I suspect the UKTV box works with a DNS service built into the software, while the Maige box picks up its streams from China.
Also, the other major issue, what happens if these services stop actual broadcasting. These boxes are propitiatory, and have no other function.
Regardless of these issues, I am keen to get one of these boxes, but which one??
Since then I've resorted to obtaining TV shows and movies I like to watch through other means. Let's just leave it at that.
I have also used a few streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and BBC Iplayer via various DNS services: DNS redirection. However, I miss channel surfing!
Recently, through the various Hong Kong expat forums, there has been talk of two TV streaming boxes. Not like Roku or WD Live, but full live TV streaming.
Basically both boxes will connect to the internet and provide IPTV services. It seems both boxes will connect via HDMI and ethernet (you have to pay separate wifi adaptors), so the quality of stream may be affected by your internet connection.
Maige TV Box
The first box is called the Maige TV Box and seems to be from China (based on the website). It is available from AV stores in parts of Hong Kong including Sham Shui Po for around HK$2,200 - 2,500. You can also buy directly from Maige for about HK$2,500.
All the menus are in Chinese, however apparently there is a way to get into the settings and change the menus to English. The remote is also in Chinese, but people have successfully mapped the remote to universal remotes.
The Maige website lists a lot of channels available and also the website says it supports over 10,000 VOD movies (doesn't list which ones though). The channel list seems to suggest quite a few American channels as well as many Chinese, Japanese and Korean channels.
From the reading the various forums people have been generally very impressed with the number and quality of channels.
A review here: IPTV box review
The service is free for the first year and then around RMB500 (c. HK$640) a year after that.
UKTV box
This box, as the name suggests is geared more towards people who want to watch UK TV. This box seems only to be sold online by several sites, however one site is geared to the Hong Kong market: UKTV Hong Kong.
The service offers a different range of channels, depending on what you want to watch, starting with 16 channels and going up to 67 channels: packages. The British free to air channels (like BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) are included in the most basic package, with a bunch of movie, sports and entertainment channels included in the most expensive package.
The service also offers recording functionality, which is very useful due to the time differences between when the channels are broadcast and Hong Kong.
The price of the box is US$179 (c. HK$1,388) and the monthly subscription for the packages are as follows:
- Standard (16 channels) - US$25 (c. HK$194)
- Premium (36 channels) - US$30 (c. HK$233)
- Ultimate (67 channels) - US$35 (c. HK$271)
Which one?
Choices, choices!! The Maige overall has more channels, but they seem to be quite similar to NowTV's existing offerings. However, its better than nothing and much cheaper than NowTV.
UKTV is clearly geared towards UK expats, and has the added functionality of program recording, which I can see as being very useful.
Cost wise, the initial outlay for the UKTV box is cheaper, but the monthly subscriptions do add up, making Maige box cheaper overall.
Another question is the actual legality of these services, which is very much a grey area. For example, if you have access to a live UK broadcasting channel you are supposed to be living in the UK and paying a licence fee. I suspect the UKTV box works with a DNS service built into the software, while the Maige box picks up its streams from China.
Also, the other major issue, what happens if these services stop actual broadcasting. These boxes are propitiatory, and have no other function.
Regardless of these issues, I am keen to get one of these boxes, but which one??
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