iPlayer Freeview Box

TheChillPill

I've never seen these before amazingly, but they seem to have quite a following. Basically it's a freeview player that does Email, Text messaging, has topup tv and you can connect your computer to it and play movies etc from your pc onto your tv.

Sounds impressive anyway, and it's on offer at the moment at the BT shop. More expensive than bog standard freeview players, but obviously has a few gadgets aswell to warrant it.

More Details

simes

It says the software to allow it to connect to your pc so you can play MP3, view photos and watch SOME mpeg videos WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER..

But BT have been notoriously slow to release the updates for this box which is their version of the netgem I-Player+.. So updates available for the Netgem often don't become available for the BT version.

Seeing as the Netgem version is only £89 anyway ( through the netgem.com site) , i would say its a safer bet to go with the Netgem and get regular updates.

RufusA

I've had this freeview box for a while, and a very good box IMHO, particularly now they've upgraded the firmware so that it doesn't grind to a halt and crash unless put in to standby overnight!

However not *that* much of a bargain as BT were selling the non-plus version last year for less than that delivered.

IMHO worth paying more for the + version, as this has a built in broadband connection, and an electronic Programme guide. You can add broadband to the older version of the box via USB, BUT there is a limited number of adapters that the box supports, particularly WiFi ones. The EPG may never come to the non-plus version even those this has been "promised" for well over a year!

The internet connection is reasonable, but the browser is very old (next to no Flash or Java support, limited Javascript), and it can be very difficult to navigate some pages via the keyboard or remote. So ok for checking BBC weather/news but doing an online grocery shop could be a little challenging, and the CBeebies website is 90% out of bounds. Also the resolution is very low which can make some pages impossible to view without extensive scrolling.

Some of the nice features are being able to stream video or MP3s from a PC (provided both are connected to a network), and view Photos from a (supported) USB memory stick.

New features are being added every 6 months or so, BUT I suspect this may ease off now the + is out.

HTH - Rufus.

TheChillPill

It does come topup tv ready - quote "All you will need is a Top Up TV Starter Pack, which includes your first month’s subscription and your viewing card." You don't need a CAM unit for this because it has a slot built-in.

With regard to updates (been doing a bit of research myself) - you are correct that BT are slow to provide them, but you can apparently cut BT out of the loop and do it yourself here - http://uk.netgem.com/upgrade/update.htm.

RufusA

AFAIK you are NOT able to watch TopUp-TV on the non-plus version of the i-Player (using the present firmware release v4.5.2b).

There was a firmware upgrade that would allow this which was due to have been released in April, but never materialised. So you've got the slot for the card, but no software to decrypt the channels!

Plenty of discussion about this (and some of the other boxes short comings) on the netgem forums:

i-Player Forums

Still a good box though.

Rufus.

TheChillPill

The one referred to in my original post is however the plus version.

Getting confused myself now! lol

RufusA

Sorry TheChillPill, had got myself confused and lost the whole point of the thread - as you were!

Rufus.

TheChillPill

No probs ;-)

booogle

The BT I player+ is in fact the BT I player hardware with a new software version enabling TUTV and the 24hr epg. BT have stated that there will be a software upgrade to the i player to enable these features "soon".

I have the BT I player and while they have been slow to release the updates sometimes, they have always eventually delivered them so far.

The I player is the best freeview box I've used, in terms of responsiveness, picture quality etc and it also has dual RGB on the SCARTs

RufusA

Just to add to this thread the iPlayer Plus software is now available to install on the standard BT (non-plus) boxes. I suspect this may be an advance / beta version of the software and has a few bugs in it. However it does at long long last bring the EEPG to the iPlayer!

Details and a rather stressed Netgem techie can be found on the iPlayer forum

HTH - Rufus