UBOX just purchased but should I return?

To all experienced UBOX users, please advise:

I just purchased the UBOX generation 3 from Amazon last week to replace my TVPad 4 which was broken. I didn't purchase another TVPad 4 because of the recent lawsuits against TVpad4.

Ok. The UBOX seems to work pretty well, MOST OF THE TIME. And it has a lots of content.

But there are problems that worry me:

1) the UBTV app is unstable. Over the past week, I experienced few instances where the channels were not loaded. I also experienced the "Google page", and needed to log back and forth few times before I can load the channels. In all instances, the problems were resolved within 10 minutes and I could watch the channels smoothly. BUT this is a clear RED FLAG. What will happen down the road?

2) the customer service is highly unresponsive. I sent them few emails and never responded. That is very different from the customer service experience with TVPad.

Questions: I am still within the 30 days money back period with Amazon. Overall, the box is BETTER THAN NONE. And the mainland channels all work extremely well.

But will it face the same faith as TVPAD 4? Is the company just a scam?

That said, at $120, if it could last 6 months, I think it is worth my money already. So the question is: can it last so long?

Comments

  • padmanpadman Moderator
    Is your Ubox going to be your main source of entertainment ?

    If it is then I would strongly advise to return it to either get tvpad or htv, or keep it as a backup.

    Ubox is just unstable period. Probably has to do with them not able to sustain their capacity after the TVpad issue.

    If you don't trust tvpad then take a look at htv. Their streams had been stable for a few month since I got it.
  • I trusted TVPad, but the lawsuits worry me. Is TVPad still working?

    I have also heard about the same lawsuits against HTV. How long can they go before being shut down?

    Now UTV has no lawsuits YET, perhaps because it is not well known and not yet under the spotlight.
  • padmanpadman Moderator
    -Tvpad is working
    -htv is working
    -Unblocktech is actually being sued by tvb in hong kong. They don't have a USA lawsuit because they aren't selling in the states like TVpad/HTV/Moonbox is.

    Well considering tvpad got sued and they are still working so I wouldn't put the being sued into a major factor. And the funny thing is TVPad just got a agreement with TVB USB to allow their app/revenue shared on TVPAD...

  • -Tvpad is working
    -htv is working
    -Unblocktech is actually being sued by tvb in hong kong. They don't have a USA lawsuit because they aren't selling in the states like TVpad/HTV/Moonbox is.

    Well considering tvpad got sued and they are still working so I wouldn't put the being sued into a major factor. And the funny thing is TVPad just got a agreement with TVB USB to allow their app/revenue shared on TVPAD...

    Is TVB really working with TVPAD now? If so, wouldn't our money spent on TVPAD equals paying TVB? I thought some of us here simply just don't like the idea of paying for TVB?
  • padmanpadman Moderator
    @forceleung The TVB /TVPad deal appears to be for the TVB Anywhere app (requires monthly subscription)

    http://tvpadtalk.ca/discussion/738/tvpad-partner-with-tvb/p1

    I guess it is for some paranoid people that prefer to be paying legitimately. ;)
  • MmmaruMmmaru Junior Member
    if it's personal use and you don't mind the frequent outage then keep it. But def woke recommend it to parents.

    Htv works well but that is if you buy legit. Their lack of support pisses me off.

    Why don't you test out the new blue tv for us. Haha.

  • wsthongwsthong Just Watchin`
    The UBOX have been unstable for the past few days. But so far it still does it jobs very well.
    I guess maintenance is quite a common scenario across all these boxes. Also due to time differences, they could be carry out the upgrade work while everyone within Asia is asleep while Canada or USA wakes up.
  • Be realistic, any boxes on the market will have issue during its life either attack by hackers or competitors, updating their software etc, etc...if you're in this game, get used to it no matter what brand it is. You'll get your money worth in few months or just get the cable and have your peace of mind. <3
  • padmanpadman Moderator
    @wsthong Not sure what you mean by "maintenance is quite common". The Ubox has been "in maintenance" for the last few months =)

    Ubox is simply a mess. Tons of apps on the box don't work... So the only saving grace for Ubox is the mass channel list.
  • Dear all, thanks for your comments. A few updates:

    1) one thing that I like I is the customer service of utv. A while ago, I wrote them an email in English, no response after a week. I was pisses off until I Wrote them a message in Wechat in Chinese and spoke with them on the phone. It seems they don't understand even the simplest English, but they were helpful and seems to work har.

    2) on the contrary, I couldn't get a hold of HTV or TVPad (which USED TO provide excellent customer service.) I feel if I can't even contact them scares me..and no websites..nothing..at least utv has a "site" that I can get in touch with them.

    3) I still have two weeks to decide if I should return the UTV and order a HTV. It is indeed very annoying that their signature TV app--UBTV--is frequently out of order. But the MAINLAND channels seem to work fine.

    4) so I have a dilemma: should I stick with a still growing TV box that is full of faults but people are working on that OR get the HTV or TVPAD that are more mature but have seems to be wrapping up their operation?
  • padmanpadman Moderator
    @alphaguy85

    2 )tvpad does have a website. mtvpad.cn. You could always opt for a reseller of these boxes, they usually have direct contact with the manufacturer.

    4) Not sure where you get the idea that HTV/Tvpad is wrapping up their operation.
  • edited June 2016
    The UBox itself is generally ok but did have some hissy fit a few months back but now appears to be stable again.

    It is the UBTV app for live TVB that has been unstable since day 1. It will be a very rare occasion to watch any channels on that app for 1 hour without any interruptions.

    If you use the UBox as an android box and download third party apps for movies or Asian drama series then the box is perfectly fine.

    I previously had old TVPads and they were much better for live TVB so if you are reliant on live broadcasts or the box for older parents then I will suggest something else.
  • Padman and other friends,

    Here is my issue with TVPad.: I bought my TVPad 4 Summer last year from Amazon. In April, it just couldn't be turned on, getting stuck in the TVPAD logo or just turned black.

    I tried to reset by using a paper clip to poke the little hole. no use.

    I wrote to my seller in Amazon and they refuse to do anything and even stop responding to my message even though it is still within the 1 year Waranty.

    I couldn't get a hold of TVPad manufacturer either.

    Now, it is past one year by a few days. So, what can I do?

    Should I pay another 200 to buy TVPad 4 again from Amazon? And perhaps a TVPad 5 will come out soon?

    Any way I can still get my current TVPad 4 fixed?

    And I do have some concerns about my newly purchased UTV: it is just a week and it has so many problems.

    OR return UTV and give HTV a try?

    Or buy another TVPad 4? Or keep the cheaper UTV and wait for a few months for TVPad 5 to come out?
  • MmmaruMmmaru Junior Member
    Word of caution for HTV - if you're buying an HTV and live in the USA - make sure the seller install all the apps before sending it to you. They've removed them from the market and website.
  • padmanpadman Moderator
    @alphaguy85 Have you try these reset steps for your tvpad4 ?

    http://tvpadtalk.ca/discussion/749/how-to-reset-tvpad-4#latest
  • UBOX is frustrating with it being unstable all the time. Works one day but not another. I would only treat it as a backup device and would not give to the elders. Buy a TVpad 4 or H.TV 3 is much less headaches. Too much effort spending time fixing UBOX issues and some times nothing you can do but wait.
  • wsthongwsthong Just Watchin`
    @wsthong Not sure what you mean by "maintenance is quite common". The Ubox has been "in maintenance" for the last few months =)

    Ubox is simply a mess. Tons of apps on the box don't work... So the only saving grace for Ubox is the mass channel list.
    Hi,

    The major maintenance was the 4.08 version where the GUI have been totally revamped.
    Before the 4.08 upgrade, the live Channel works most of the time. However for the last week or so it is either coming with a 404 error or a Google homepage.
  • @forceleung The TVB /TVPad deal appears to be for the TVB Anywhere app (requires monthly subscription)

    http://tvpadtalk.ca/discussion/738/tvpad-partner-with-tvb/p1

    I guess it is for some paranoid people that prefer to be paying legitimately. ;)
    Unfortunately this TVB / TVpad deal doesn't work in the U.S, even if i am willing to pay ;)
    In the U.S. if you want to have peace of mind from all the box trouble, and don't mind just watching VOD, I know TVB - U.S.A. has the TVB anywhere app on mobile devices and apple tv 4. It also has a us.tvbanywhere.com vod website. No subscription, all free. Hopefully soon they will let us watch live channels for free, too.
  • I have been using it for more than 8 months. You just have to manage your expectation and know that there will be outage once or twice a month.

    I prefer this box because it has tons of channel other than TVB, lots of adult channels and it is really cheap (bought it at 550 HKD in H
    K, that is less than 100 CAD).

    Recently they added 2 back up apps for direct broadcast so you should try those apps when UBTV stop working.

    I also bought a 小七 box in HK for less than 500 HKD that essentially does the same thing as Unblock box for another room in my place. Between the 2 boxes, I pretty much have zero outage in a month.
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