If you have a alien box can you tell me what you find it like and a couple of screen shots?? if you have chance?
Cheap box wanted for xmas? what would you get?
- Thread starter GavinP
- Start date
If you have a alien box can you tell me what you find it like and a couple of screen shots?? if you have chance?
A review by fonefreak on DK forum.
Hi Friends,
This is a review from me I have had almost all boxes so this is a fair and honest user review/comparison.
In my view the spark is okay but not great, if you are used to E2 or decent boxes then i doubt you will grow to use spark although it is 100% better then openbox etc
It is NOT worth £100 as the company making the boxes should at LEAST support emus!!, this box will run oscam for CCCAM users and mgcamd also works but ONLY mgcamd 1.33, no 1.35 or 1.38.
Certain builds support cccam but it is not as standard as better supported boxes, ie MOST boxes support at least cccam and mgcamd off the shelf!
The remote look great when your first see it BUT it is cheaply made and once you start using it you will notice the build quality by the horrible cheap clicking sounds, ANOTHER thing to note especially for E2 users is that the colour buttons are located in the wrong place (ie blue button for favorites etc), it is too low. (nothing major but potential buyers should know the pros & cons)
E2 images are simple to install but are all in alpha state at the minute, in saying that the PKT v3 image seems to work great on this box.
1 channel plugin also works fine in e2.
Spark OS works well but most of the online functions do not work in europe.
In short the box is 100% an openbox killer and is a very good alternative to openbox and other similar boxes (100% times better than openbox models), BUT it is not as slick as a vu solo/duo or dreambox dm800.
It is not worth £100 rrp due to limited support from the manufacturs and VERY limited Emu support and also the low build quality. If you can get the box for £70/80 then it is worth it over openbox etc, but seeing as a dm800hd is now £100 (from china), i would stick with that as it is tried and tested.
PS: blade is good box but way overpriced at £149, this box is similar to the blade and much cheaper althought the blade build is much better and the support for blade is also better then amiko alien. But dm800hd is still the safest bet!
Hi Friends,
This is a review from me I have had almost all boxes so this is a fair and honest user review/comparison.
In my view the spark is okay but not great, if you are used to E2 or decent boxes then i doubt you will grow to use spark although it is 100% better then openbox etc
It is NOT worth £100 as the company making the boxes should at LEAST support emus!!, this box will run oscam for CCCAM users and mgcamd also works but ONLY mgcamd 1.33, no 1.35 or 1.38.
Certain builds support cccam but it is not as standard as better supported boxes, ie MOST boxes support at least cccam and mgcamd off the shelf!
The remote look great when your first see it BUT it is cheaply made and once you start using it you will notice the build quality by the horrible cheap clicking sounds, ANOTHER thing to note especially for E2 users is that the colour buttons are located in the wrong place (ie blue button for favorites etc), it is too low. (nothing major but potential buyers should know the pros & cons)
E2 images are simple to install but are all in alpha state at the minute, in saying that the PKT v3 image seems to work great on this box.
1 channel plugin also works fine in e2.
Spark OS works well but most of the online functions do not work in europe.
In short the box is 100% an openbox killer and is a very good alternative to openbox and other similar boxes (100% times better than openbox models), BUT it is not as slick as a vu solo/duo or dreambox dm800.
It is not worth £100 rrp due to limited support from the manufacturs and VERY limited Emu support and also the low build quality. If you can get the box for £70/80 then it is worth it over openbox etc, but seeing as a dm800hd is now £100 (from china), i would stick with that as it is tried and tested.
PS: blade is good box but way overpriced at £149, this box is similar to the blade and much cheaper althought the blade build is much better and the support for blade is also better then amiko alien. But dm800hd is still the safest bet!
You asked I posted a review from a forum today.
Best bet is to just buy it, christmas will be over soon lol:Biggrin2:
Best bet is to just buy it, christmas will be over soon lol:Biggrin2:
Just to add, I don't own the box and have seen numerous good reviews and also the odd bad one.
Only way is to try yourself tbh.
Only way is to try yourself tbh.
Will you ever buy a box?
nice 1 m8.......................
Go for a TM800!
500s cost you less than 50quid
TM9100
Darkbox
Darkbox
if you want a cheap as possible HD box then openbox/skybox cant be beaten. If your looking at spending 150 then single tuner E2 boxes are the ones to go for either a Dm800SE or a VU SOLO/UNO Clone. If your after twin tuner then I would say go with the Duo clone at 160 , the Amiko is not as good as the Duo and has less support...
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2005
- Messages
- 4,395
- Reaction score
- 778
Vu+solo...or duo...genuine...don't get a clone...you will regret it...
It seems as if i should just stick with what is said originally and get something cheap as a stockgap and go with the general flow and get one of these openbox things cheap
And sorry guys to keep asking but when moneys tight i dont want to make the wrong decision.
Thanks one an all
And sorry guys to keep asking but when moneys tight i dont want to make the wrong decision.Thanks one an all
I disagree my clone V2 Duo is fantastic...stable, no crashes saved me over 100 quid at the time. My Clone 800SE is also going strong...so were my 800HD PRO clones before I sold them. Still have a 500S V8 running fine as well, also had a 600S clone which I sold to a relative 2 years ago..still working fine.
There has defintiely been dodgy PSU and quality control issues on some VU Clones of recent though, so they are a slightly more risky option now. Original Duo prices have also now dropped a fair bit so the same price difference isnt there any more..
Anyway back on topic..Pillhead..the openboxes have a very basic EPG, but you know to expect this already..otherwise cant fault them...50 quid for a HD reciever that also supports external PVR cant go wrong for the money...
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2009
- Messages
- 710
- Reaction score
- 221
skybox f4 and openbox x4 are the newest with a vdf display and gprs with a slot for your mobile bband sim card about £70 to £75 just seen on the bay
could be handy for mobile bband use as no longer need to bridge between laptop and stb
could be handy for mobile bband use as no longer need to bridge between laptop and stb
The names Gavin now we are all mates lol
yes im aware of the EPG but providing there is a radio times lying around im sure it will be fine
At least at this price there is hardly any risk and it should "just work"
Then save up some proper money. Although i am still very tempted by the dual tuner amiko. But dont want to spend £150 on a door stop.
EDIT i notice it comes with a gprs aerial.??? That wouldnt be a fast enough connection for decoding? 3g is just about ok but the latency on a gprs connection would be amazingly pants would it not?
lol yes im aware of the EPG but providing there is a radio times lying around im sure it will be fine
At least at this price there is hardly any risk and it should "just work"
Then save up some proper money. Although i am still very tempted by the dual tuner amiko. But dont want to spend £150 on a door stop.
EDIT i notice it comes with a gprs aerial.??? That wouldnt be a fast enough connection for decoding? 3g is just about ok but the latency on a gprs connection would be amazingly pants would it not?
Last edited:
Oh please dont say that i was just gonna order the openbox x3???
and now theres a x4 realeased today?
double arghhhh
DOUBLE EDIT just to throw another spanner in the works?
What if i want to connect surround sound up to these boxes? I notice the x3 doesnt have any connections?
where as ive just noticed the skybox f3 has plenty of connections
Last edited:
