Anyone have an IPTV box?

[El Capitano]

I'm thinking of ditching my cable TV, it's a rip off as I have barely any interest in any of the channels available, and end up watching Netflix or UK catch up tv more often.

But, a friend in Qatar has an IPTV box, that gives him access to loads of UK channels (and worldwide) for a small annual subscription fee. Sky channels, sports etc.
Unfortunately, he says the box is un-branded so I don't know what to look for.

Has anyone had any experience of them? Got one or know anyone who has?

Although I have seen a couple available online to buy, it seems these ones are set to mainly Indian channels?

[shirt]

i download the series i want to watch. i watched very little tv in the uk and find there's much more interesting things to do out here. sports i can watch in the pub with a beer and some atmosphere. the only time i miss tv is like today when i want to watch some winter olympics and can't find a decent online feed.

[Fats25]

With a passing interest in this forum, if I do get over to Dubai, I was going to try this out.
http://www.slingbox.com/go/slingbox

I have mates of mine in the UK, that I can use their Sky box to hang off the back of

If anyone wanted to test one whilst I am still in UK, I would be happy to be the host as it would mean I can get an idea if it will work or not. I have Sky Sports!!!

[El Capitano]

Yea, I have looked at the slingbox, but the internet back at home is seriously slow so would be a non starter.

Also, doesn't it just mirror what is being played through sky? So if you had it hooked up your mates Sky, every time you changed the channel, so would his?

[Fats25]

El Capitano said:

Yea, I have looked at the slingbox, but the internet back at home is seriously slow so would be a non starter.

Also, doesn't it just mirror what is being played through sky? So if you had it hooked up your mates Sky, every time you changed the channel, so would his?

My concern was the speed of internet in Dubai (or wherever you are). Hence wanted to test.

With regards to the Skybox, mate I was thinking of doing it with has a 16 year old daughter that does not live with him that has Sky in her room. She is very rarely there now apart from odd weekends in the evening, and most stuff I would watch would be on Sky Plus anyway.

Or else depending on who rents my house I will just run an extra cable from the LNB to a decoder in the loft space, and do a deal with them to pay for an extra box.

[El Capitano]

Good idea.

The internet here is fairly good - from time to time mine has gone down though. Mine is 16mps download (but only 1 upload)
You can get 32 in my building but thats the max. You can get higher elsewhere obviously, but 16 is more than good enough for me.

Watching Top Gear now in HD on 55inch tv through iPlayer, and the quality is perfect.