Ace, Beams and other IPTV streams

Started by Ironworks, July 16, 2017, 03:44:47 AM

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Johnrgby2

Quote from: Canary dweller on October 06, 2017, 20:02:37 PM
Ironworks,
Pardon me for asking, but after your comment re. wifes mum;
Are your balls still in the bag they came in?
Just curious..........

You have to assume his wife does not have access to this Forum, but he is certainly a braver man than I

spitfire58

Quote from: Johnrgby2 on October 07, 2017, 09:54:22 AM
Quote from: Canary dweller on October 06, 2017, 20:02:37 PM
Ironworks,
Pardon me for asking, but after your comment re. wifes mum;
Are your balls still in the bag they came in?
Just curious..........

You have to assume his wife does not have access to this Forum, but he is certainly a braver man than I

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

Ironworks

#32
Quote from: Archer on October 06, 2017, 13:15:25 PM
Thanks for the comments. Yes, I only view on sd channels.
Buffering is reduced, but I cannot get full functionality of the Ace catchup option. Maybe I'm missing something in Kodi.
So, as I use a Droidbox with Kodi, can I clear it down completely and load this STBemu emulator and start again, or should I buy a Firestick?

Yes for some reason Kodi does not seem to play nicely with Ace-TV catch-up, not sure why because as soon as I had the issue I just switched from Kodi to STBemu.

You can download and install STBemu from Google Play without having to delete anything on your Droidbox - unless it's short on space - aka might as well try it first before you commit to deleting anything.

P.S. It does work on Firestick, I set one up for a friend and he's happy with it, but my own STBemu setup is on an Amazon Fire 2 box.

Ironworks

#33
Quote from: beachlife on October 06, 2017, 13:47:26 PM
Quote from: Ironworks on October 06, 2017, 00:21:08 AM


For those with Android boxes, clear all the junk software off first (possibly even a factory reset), then I can recommend STBemu (available on Google Play) it basically emulates an Infomir MAG box.

Ace specific STBemu settings here:
https://ace-tv.co.uk/knowledgebase.php?action=displayarticle&id=6

Great post.

I have a 250 box and have had to use Spectro fork to get it to use Kodi 17. Do you know if I will I be likely to be able to install both STBemu and fork Kodi on a 250 box ?

Genuine answer... if you are talking about an Infomir MAG 250 box, I have no idea, sorry.

I've messed with Apple TV, Roku, Firestick, Fire TV 2, usually sideloading Apps that are not supported, also faffed around with a number of different droid boxes - but I've never ever tried to root or even sideload anything on an Infomir MAG box.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

I do know you can achieve what you want with a regular droid box, I have set up a friends box with both sideloaded Kodi as well as STBemu, as he wanted to retain Kodi for continued access to Exodus/Covenant.

Ironworks

Quote from: Canary dweller on October 06, 2017, 20:02:37 PM
Ironworks,
Pardon me for asking, but after your comment re. wifes mum;
Are your balls still in the bag they came in?
Just curious..........

:D :D :D

Fortunately I live in that idyllic netherworld that exists when you've been married for 25+ years - a netherworld where the wife just tuts disdainfully at anything I say, or write, and then promptly gets back to pretending that I don't actually exist at all. Besides which, she's far too busy shaving her mothers beard to pay any mind to me ;)

Deso

So basically, you get on very well together.   ;D
Regards, Neil
Looking forward to the day I tick the "One way only" box when booking flights to Fuerte. [:)]

Ironworks

Quote from: Deso on October 07, 2017, 16:59:41 PM
So basically, you get on very well together.   ;D
We do. In fairness, i also love her mother, she always brings me big boxes of Twinings English Breakfast Tea when she comes to visit. That alone means I can forgive her hideous ugliness (which thankfully she didn't pass down to her daughter). :D

spitfire58

Hi Ironworks,
Hope you don`t mind me asking a question regarding TV options as you seem to be the most knowledgeable 🙂

I have been trying to come up with a supplier/system to give me UK tv for ages. I am not a techi so don`t want the hassle of the mag box & costantly having to change/load new streams with kodi etc. Also, don`t want a pay monthly service as we are only out on three or four two week visits a year.
I have tried HoolaTV & MuchoTV but both constantly buffer which is a pity as they give just what I want.
However, Netflix never seems to buffer. We are supposed to have 6mg download but usually goes between 3 and 6 although can be lower at night.
Cheers . . Ron

keithtx

I bow to ironworks far superior knowledge but for what it's worth we use Amazon firestick and the  TVplayer app on there to get live TV for  BBC 1and2 ITV channels 4 and 5. You will need a smart  dns but it's pretty cheap. We use get getflix  as recommended on here by ironworks. You can also get the catchup apps for all those channels as well. You can put the dns settings in the firestick and it's pretty easy or you can put them in the router.

Cheers... Keith

Ironworks

#39
Apologies for delay in replying, I'm not a regular on here.

If truth be told, if you're only here for a few weeks a year then you could just settle for the few UK language channels that are broadcast on Spanish TV.

Here's a list of TDT (Freeview) channels that air here on the island: http://www.tdt1.com/canales-fuerteventura/

Of those I know these can be switched to English language audio (on a TV that supports such an option): Divinity, DMAX, Disney Channel, DKISS, TEN, BeMad tv HD. All of those show predominantly American TV shows.


Next step after that, first you're going to need Internet that is constant at between 4-6mb - because everything from this line down is an Internet based TV solution.

Cheapest paid option is to use a VPN (about £2 monthly) and if you have a Smart TV with Internet options, and set it up as if it was in the UK, then you are ready to roll. For older TV's you can bring an Amazon Firestick (£25) with you, and again you'll have all of your UK TV Apps at hand on any TV you plug the Firestick in to.

Beyond that, Netflix is always a good option. Reliable and has enough content to keep even the couchiest of potatoes happy.

After that, it's all a bit of a mish mash of good services that cost money, and free services that are often a: unreliable in terms of buffering, b: can disappear without notice.

My system here is loosely equivalent to having a full SKY package in the UK, it's as easy to use as a proper SKY system, has been every bit as reliable as Netflix as regards lack of buffering, and costs me â,¬10 monthly.

There, that's my tuppence worth.

Ironworks

You might need this...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/137Yw178ruq_v7_33al_B1PoGPyuGCANDNhLnDGXdrVg/edit?usp=sharing

...latest list of various stream providers, because Ace have just announced they've been nobbled and are shutting down as of Sunday.

I'll log in as soon as and let you know which one I opt for, I'm already testing a few.

spitfire58

The way things are going Ironworks, do you not think it is a mistake to pay for “another” service !! Seems like they are all going the same way. Thanks for the updates by the way, always appreciated.
I decided to try the tv service on Apple TV as I hope this may be less prone to disruption. Any thoughts ?

Ironworks

#42
Apple TV looks promising, i have an Apple box in my bedroom and it's all fine and dandy running through Getflix DNS.

Dodgy options are always a risk, they are dodgy after all. I always warn people against signing up for supposedly cheaper long term deals. I myself never buy more than a month at a time.

I know 2 people here on FV that paid a 12 months sub on Ace, one had 10 months up to now so he's quids in, the other has only had 3 months so his gamble didn't pay off.

What's next? I'll probably try a few from that spreadsheet that have trials, and then pick one - it's a 5 minute switchover process.

Longer term, well i have a Freeview Play box on it's way here from Blighty, so I'll be testing that next week on a VPN.

I also suspect that we'll shortly have some kind of legit service.

It went that way with music... I used to steal music off Napster and Limewire, i now have a legit Spotify sub for convenience.

It went that way with movies... I used to steal films and shows from PirateBay and other torrent sites, I now have a legit Netflix sub for convenience.

So hopefully live TV next.

Anyway, I'll be faffing with alternatives to Ace over the next week or so, and I'll update on here for the benefit of anyone that is interested in my geeky blah blah.

spitfire58

Is it necessary to run through a DNS for Apple ?? I didn`t think that would be necessary. Incidentally we have just opted for that in all our TV`s, UK & Fuerte. Had Sky but it was heading for £90 per month now for TV, broadband & home phone so have changed to Vodaphone broadband only & Apple TV for the tv supply, gets less channels but hey ho, didn`t look at half of the 300 we had anyway

Ironworks

Not sure if DNS is specifically required for Apple, I'd guess it would be because iPlayer etc usually do a region check.

I cannot be more specific because I have DNS set up on my modem, so everything in my house is therefore using DNS by default, including Apple TV box.

Ironworks

#45
Update: Anyone on Beams TV - www.beams-tv.com is fine, they have moved from Ace to another provider.

Update 2: I myself have moved this afternoon from Ace to Beams. Channels and VOD all completely identical other than menu colours changed from grey/yellow to white/green.


spitfire58

Thanks we will see what happens when out next week, cheers. . Ron

DaveW

Hear the beams is ace rebranded and users are having to pay for it again.

Ironworks

#48
You talk as if you are comparing companies with some kind of ethics.  :D

These stream providers, Ace, Beams, ZKTV, they are all copyright thieves, and should be treated with the level of care necessary when you know you are dealing with someone who is making their living from selling stolen property.

Ace is indeed now dead, busted by the UK authorities.

Beams is the same service.

If you pay monthly, you just move from one to other. A 2 minute inconvenience.

The only customers that would have been caught out are those buying a long term pre-paid sub, and that`s a pretty silly thing to do when what you are buying is effectively an illegal product that could dissappear overnight at any time - as has just happened.

Most on here using Ace will have moved to Beams months ago, as per recommendation here on this very forum.

Moral of the story... I`d suggest no-one pre-pays for ANY illegal stream for more than a month at a time, because long term subs are a stitch-up.

Be particularly mindful of those that charge upwards of â,¬30 monthly specifically to try and drive people to a longer term contract tie-in.


beachlife

I`ve gone with a US iptv (with good reviews) as its less likely to be hounded out of business by UK authorities (pressure from Sky & Virgin).

spitfire58

Hi beachlife, can you tell us which one it is & does it give UK channels ? I assume that has to be used with a DNS 😁😁

beachlife

Quote from: spitfire58 on April 01, 2018, 22:43:53 PM
Hi beachlife, can you tell us which one it is & does it give UK channels ? I assume that has to be used with a DNS 😁😁

Its Fab iptv.

It has all the UK and sports stations. However BBC news (SD & HD) not working, just about to fire a ticket off to them about that. Their website was fine last week but over the weekend it was a bit flakey. 7 Day catch up. Their VOD not as good as Aces` was. However I have kept Ace on my system as I noticed I can get their VOD still at the moment if it goes down will just use kodi box to watch any programs/films I can`t get on Fab. So far picture quality and stability is good.

I assume you mean a VPN not a DNS. No need to use a VPN in Fuerte but if you want to watch premier league in UK you will. I`m going to flash a router and put a VPN on it when in the UK. Or you can be buy a pre configured router with a VPN on it from Amazon.

You can get a 48 hour pass on Fab for 2 pounds. Also what I like about Fab is you can pay with paypal so if they do go belly up you might get  something back with paypal. Whatever you do follow Ironworks advice just buy it a month at a time!!

spitfire58

Thanks beachlife. I did mean smart DNS rather than VPN as I am told it does not degrade the signal as much so less chance of buffering 😁😁

beachlife

Quote from: spitfire58 on April 02, 2018, 10:27:15 AM
Thanks beachlife. I did mean smart DNS rather than VPN as I am told it does not degrade the signal as much so less chance of buffering 😁😁

Fab as far as I know uses DNS but you can always change settings on the mag box usually between 6 to 10 improves any buffering as default is 0.

Not had any buffering on Fab but early days.

They reply promptly sent an email about BBC news not showing and had a reply within 2 minutes of sending.

Globetrotter

Over the years we have tried everything to get UK tv, some have come and gone, but with all this talk of VPNs Mag boxes ect I will share our method with you all.
Use a Slingbox, we have been using one for over 5 years now and is the only reliable method we have found.
Set up in the UK at either your own property or a relatives.
It can be either fed by house aerial, Sky box etc, best thing is you get to watch your regional programs as if at home.
We have ours set up from a Sky+ box and can be controlled by an on screen Sky remote.
It can be viewed on any Android box/tablet.mobile anywhere in the world via an internet connection, and will work ok down to 2mb speed,
No subscriptions, no monthly payment if using Freeview, cost to set up 1 Slingbox and one Android box connected to your tv in Fuerte.  ;) ;) ;)

spitfire58

Hi Globetrotter,
Sounds good. The only problem I can see is that you would have to leave your electrics & TV channel supply system (say sky or whatever) switched on while you are away. Is that correct ?  Not sure I would want to do that for an extended period ! I make sure everything is unplugged. Tv`s & attached boxes are prone to overheating, well I understand that the Tv isn`t on but the box would be. Or have I got the set up all wrong 🤔🤔🤔

Globetrotter

Hi Spitfire yes you are correct the boxes do require to be left on and like you we do like to unplug everything when not there but we have an advantage that our son is there all the time, plus boxes are only on standby when not being viewed, the ideal solution is to have it set up at a relatives/friends/neighbours house I suppose, but the system is well tested and tried and is an ideal solution and the most reliable, the only time not working is if there is a power outage or internet problem in the UK end, by the way our upload speed is less than 1mb and still gives good results.

decho

#57
I considered a slingbox but after reading varying reviews about decided against it.
What's the quality of picture like - currently I use a local reseller of an IPTV service which costs â,¬21 per month but the quality of picture is excellent, much better than I got with ACE.

Globetrotter

#58
Hi Decho
The quality of the picture varies from excellent to watchable, a lot of the problems are due to the limitation by the Internet providers in the UK limiting the up load speed, as I said ours is less than 1mb sometimes as low as .07mb but still works, the box we have is the HD version and viewing it in Fuerte there is the option to view in SD or HD, HD is unwatchable as we can only get internet through Vsat no landline available like most areas.
We are not so much bothered about the quality of the picture, more the fact that we can actually watch anything without the expense or hassle of other systems.
Having said that we are more that satisfied with the system as we have tried most of the rest, plus you get to watch your UK content whether it be Freeview, Sky, Virgin etc.
You can watch it on your mobile through either wifi or your providers data works equally well anywhere, or a tablet standalone or linked to you tv, an Android box linked to your tv, just wish Samsung would bring out a Slingbox viewer app on our smart tv then no need for any other boxes.
Best part of it all it is perfectly legal, no sites being shut down streaming illegally, no chopping and changing of providers to try which is best, you are in control of everything, it really is a win win situation, we would not swap it, we even have a brand new box in the UK as a standby in case this one packs up and Sling stop making them, mind you ours has been going strong for over 5 years now, touch wood lol.

decho

Thanks Globetrotter, I think I will need to get one of these boxes and try it out so that I have it when my IPTV service gets shut down :)
I have BT at home which I think has upload of a few Mb and movistar here avg 8Mb so it sounds promising.