Android TV boxes - are they worth it?

[pomozki]

I like to watch foreign TV, especially sports (Premier League etc) and I pay monthly subs for software that allows me to watch British TV and live international sport. But many of my friends paid a one-off $50 or so for an Android box, then installed the software that allows them to watch the same stuff for free, albeit they must watch live. I can watch "on demand".
I read some reviews that said there are other, better devices out there than Android boxes. If my goal is to watch live sport + news channels in high quality (preferably on demand), are Android boxes still the way to go? They have greatly come down in price in recent times and seem great buying...

 

[Andrew Cole]

Android boxes do NOT provide a reliable way to watch TV 'on demand'.

If this is important to you then stick with what you have now.

I've seen some apps that say they feature 'On Demand' style TV but all of them have crappy reviews and don't live up to their own hype.

Some TV stations and service providers have their own 'On Demand' apps but they aren't free and you can only use them with your account information.

 

[pomozki]

Android boxes do NOT provide a reliable way to watch TV 'on demand'.

If this is important to you then stick with what you have now.

thanks but actually, watching on demand isn't the most important thing because I tend to watch most sports live anyway - and if I can save a lot of money every month by just forking out a one-off payment I'd be happy with that

so I'd still like to know if Android boxes are the way to go for watching news and sports live

 

[Andrew Cole]

I'd like to know if Android boxes are the way to go for watching news and sports live...

Yes!

Long answer: Yes, but...

To get the benefits of using an Android TV box with KODI takes patience.

With your paid apps the streams are guaranteed and available instantly.
This is NOT the case for KODI users who may have to try several different 'providers' before they find a stream that works.
By that time you may have missed a goal or a touchdown or that earthquake in Italy!

Some add-ons are more reliable than others and you'll soon fill up your 'Favorites' panel only to find out that a week later those links don't work anymore!

Also, those paid apps generally have a better infrastructure behind them - which means that you don't always need a superfast connection to connect and stay connected.
Plus, the big (legal) content providers usually render the streams to fit your connection speed and device.

In other words - if you want to be sure of getting those live games and you simply can't miss that important cup final then you'll still have to pay... at least for your peace of mind!

If you're patient and willing to learn how KODI works then maybe an Android TV box is for you.

And I don't know why you just don't have both your paid subscriptions AND an Android TV box.
These devices are so cheap to buy, you could test one out for next to nothing and decide for yourself.

Good luck.