Comparing Options for Watching Japanese TV from Overseas

[supabakakun]

Thank you for sharing http://japannettv.com/ I see that I can renew iHome subscription here also, if Mark doesn't respond back with my inquiry for renewal.

How much does Mark charge ?

He charges $220.00. Here's how we are doing the subscription renewal. I sent him an message letting him know that I wanted to renew my iHome subscription. He asked me to buy an iHome, but not pay for it. He then adjusted the price to $220, and then I selected to pay for the "iHome." Because of the time difference, and how the AliExpress does their payment system Mark hasn't adjusted the time on my box yet. I suspect he will make add the time tonight.

---- Sorry I mistyped, it was $220 to renew.

[lindilou]

Can anyone with an iHome tell me if it's possible to copy the TV shows recorded on an external hard drive to PC?

[otakuman101]

Does anyone know where to download the android app to iHome?

[pato]

Can anyone with an iHome tell me if it's possible to copy the TV shows recorded on an external hard drive to PC?

If i wanna keep some tv show that i recorded on my ihome, i use my usb key and put the files in my pc. Whenever i want to watch it i just put it back on my usb and watch it on my ihome.

[yosemite]

supabakakun: Thank you for your excellent review of the MaigeTV 3! Does the unit have all of the same channels that iHome offers?

Thanks to k1m1hr, I took the risk and opened my iHome







As k1m1hr told me, I found an SD card installed inside.



I checked the card and it was a no-brand 4GB "CLASS 4" SD card. On the card were 3 files:

1) ihome_recorder.xml (39 bytes)
2) SwapFile (500MB)
3) vodcache.data (1.99GB)

So I bought a Toshiba 8GB "CLASS 10" SD card for $6 USD



I copied over the three files, then I replaced the 1.99GB "vodcache.data" file with a bigger size:

1) ihome_recorder.xml (39 bytes)
2) SwapFile (500MB)
3) vodcache.data (4GB)



I started up the iHome and my buffer issues were gone. The freezing is almost all gone too. I can rewind and forward without crashing the system.

Hopes this helps someone else!

Thank you soooo much for this tip!! Our Ihome Was freezing every few hours. The freezing Only happens during the playback programming tho...never the live TV. Anyways...I followed your instructions, and have been running the Ihome for half the day. So far, the Ihome has been running flawlessly! It's too soon to say that it's perfect, but it has definitely improved drastically. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! The frequent freezing was soooo frustrating. I am truly grateful. Thanks koonchu!!

[tomjones]

I also updated my iHome with an 8GB class10 SD card.

Before SD card replacement:
- At least 4 freezes/hr when watching content from last 7 days
- At least 2 freezes/hr when watching live content
- Random freezes when navigating the system

After SD card replacement:
- Over 5 hours of viewing without any freezes to content or interface

This was my last resort after Mark stopped replying to my emails.

I will NOT be renewing the iHome subscription in a few months unless Mark acknowledges he's selling devices with hardware that isn't up to snuff.

I'm looking forward to more reviews of devices like freesuntv's.

[sensui123]

It is a bit sad but this thread seems to be the only real go to for support on these units.....I have the iHome iptv that I purchased from Aliexpress (from Shenzhen Sunvysat Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.). Been working fine since October of 2014 but in the last 4-5 days, it's stopped working with the 1006 failure error code for the home and update page on the diagnostics. I am sure this is not something on my end since everything on the same switch has no problems connecting to the internet and the device is communicating with my router properly (which has been reset for good measure as well with no change in status). I've tried long shutdowns with or without power cords, restarting the machine and quickly punching in 246838, changing dns to 8.8.8.8/114.114.114.114 etc per earlier suggestions I read in this thread....and nothing has worked. I tried messaging the seller and so far I've gotten no response. Is there anything I can do further or am I at the mercy of my seller that holds the subscription? There needs to be some real customer service for these products or else people will stop subscribing. Thanks in advance for any suggestions that may resolve this.

[mikao]

It is a bit sad but this thread seems to be the only real go to for support on these units.....I have the iHome iptv that I purchased from Aliexpress (from Shenzhen Sunvysat Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.). Been working fine since October of 2014 but in the last 4-5 days, it's stopped working with the 1006 failure error code for the home and update page on the diagnostics. I am sure this is not something on my end since everything on the same switch has no problems connecting to the internet and the device is communicating with my router properly (which has been reset for good measure as well with no change in status). I've tried long shutdowns with or without power cords, restarting the machine and quickly punching in 246838, changing dns to 8.8.8.8/114.114.114.114 etc per earlier suggestions I read in this thread....and nothing has worked. I tried messaging the seller and so far I've gotten no response. Is there anything I can do further or am I at the mercy of my seller that holds the subscription? There needs to be some real customer service for these products or else people will stop subscribing. Thanks in advance for any suggestions that may resolve this.

For my part, I have also a ihome from Sunvysat and I have no problem ...
sorry can not help you, I have never had this error code.
Hoping that your problem is resolved quickly!

[pato]

It is a bit sad but this thread seems to be the only real go to for support on these units.....I have the iHome iptv that I purchased from Aliexpress (from Shenzhen Sunvysat Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.). Been working fine since October of 2014 but in the last 4-5 days, it's stopped working with the 1006 failure error code for the home and update page on the diagnostics. I am sure this is not something on my end since everything on the same switch has no problems connecting to the internet and the device is communicating with my router properly (which has been reset for good measure as well with no change in status). I've tried long shutdowns with or without power cords, restarting the machine and quickly punching in 246838, changing dns to 8.8.8.8/114.114.114.114 etc per earlier suggestions I read in this thread....and nothing has worked. I tried messaging the seller and so far I've gotten no response. Is there anything I can do further or am I at the mercy of my seller that holds the subscription? There needs to be some real customer service for these products or else people will stop subscribing. Thanks in advance for any suggestions that may resolve this.

I also have iHome with Shenzhen Sunvysat and it works fine.

[sensui123]

Just an update....I started spamming the 246838 code and enter/ok on remote during bootup a couple times for fun and it seems to have worked. Everything is back to where it was. I just got an initial response from Lee @ Sunvyvat for the issue as well asking me for details on the diagnostic screen (though I already stated in the email to him hah) so I told him it works now but am wondering if it's something this magical code fixed or is it coincidence.....and if it's the code, what does that do exactly? Will update if I hear back from him. I'm glad it's back up after 4-5 days of downtime, thanks for all the info in this thread all.

[zeo]

Can anyone with an iHome tell me if it's possible to copy the TV shows recorded on an external hard drive to PC?

As the previous poster said, yes it is possible, but it records in an encrypted format that only the iHome can read. Recording has been hit and miss for us. Sometimes we schedule it and it doesn't record, not sure what that is and I haven't taken the time to troubleshoot further.

[supabakakun]

Hopefully this information will be helpful for iHome users. This morning our iHome started acting up, for example taking a long time to download channel information so my wife left it running and started watching cable tv. Later in the afternoon I tried to use the iHome but only audio was coming through, so I rebooted the box. I got the loading screen and then only a blank white screen. I was able to go into diagnostics, and it checked out fine. So I took the SD Card out of the iHome and copied the files onto a new 16 GB SanDisk Extreme SD Card. I was able to start the menu, but everything seemed a little laggy. So as a test, I deleted all of the files off the 16 GB SD Card and put it back into the iHome. As I suspected iHome created all of the necessary files on the SD Card and I had much snappier response after a short delay of the files being created on the SD Card. So far the action scenes and picture quality looks better than previously, but it could be a placebo effect.

As long as you have a FAT 32 formatted SD Card, there is no need to copy the old files from the original SD Card to the new card. iHome will create the necessary files. The iHome folder wasn't created on the new SD Card, but so far I don't see any negative impact from it not being there. But as always keep backup of the original files.

[dudesweet]

Hey guys!

Having issues with my iHome. Have had it for months and not had any problems till today.
I tried turning it on this morning, and it got stuck at the "TV From Home" screen. The "Loading" text at the bottom is static (don't recall if it is meant to move).
It remains totally unresponsive once it gets to this screen. Attempting to restart it using the remote control does not work.
The only way to get it to restart is to turn it off via the switch on the back.
I am able to get into the diagnostics menu by turning it on with the LAN cable disconnected.
I then reconnect the cable and enter the menu.
It passes on everything, but simply says "Diagnosis" for the "Application Integrity"
Have tried taking the SC card out and reformatting it to no avail.
Anyone able to help/advise?

[supabakakun]

When you reformatted the SD Card, did you put it back into the iHome with the original files or left it empty? I would use an empty SD Card. Reformatting the SD Card should have resolved any issues with the SD Card, but since the next step may be contacting the seller, I would try a new SD Card to see if it resolves it. I don't know what the code 246838 does, but it is worth a shot.

[dudesweet]

Hey there

Thanks for the advice. I got back in touch with the seller - oddly just after he replied the system started working again.
Not a hint or clue as to what might have gone wrong, unfortunately...
But either way, glad its working again.

[Potbellypig]

Hi. Are there any sources still available for renting Japanese slingboxes? There was one source on facebook but the page has been taken down. Are they still in operation? If so, if anyone has an email address I'd appreciate it. Or if you have any other Japanese slingbox rental source, I'd appreciate it.

[Nippon1309]

Hi. Are there any sources still available for renting Japanese slingboxes? There was one source on facebook but the page has been taken down. Are they still in operation? If so, if anyone has an email address I'd appreciate it. Or if you have any other Japanese slingbox rental source, I'd appreciate it.

Hello, yes the Japanese Slingbox Rental from Facebook is still in service. I am client there. I dont know why the Facebooksite is closed actually but i think they are revising the site and their offers. Since yesterday the terrestial channels are closed in point of BSAT satellite.....

[Nippon1309]

Hello to all Users

I became interessted in the IHome TV Box. Does anybody from Europe have this box in use? I am worried about the power supply unit. Does it work with 240 Volt???

Greetings

[Potbellypig]

Hi. Are there any sources still available for renting Japanese slingboxes? There was one source on facebook but the page has been taken down. Are they still in operation? If so, if anyone has an email address I'd appreciate it. Or if you have any other Japanese slingbox rental source, I'd appreciate it.

Hello, yes the Japanese Slingbox Rental from Facebook is still in service. I am client there. I dont know why the Facebooksite is closed actually but i think they are revising the site and their offers. Since yesterday the terrestial channels are closed in point of BSAT satellite.....

That is good to know. Do you have a way to contact them? I would like to sign up.

[supabakakun]

Hello to all Users

I became interessted in the IHome TV Box. Does anybody from Europe have this box in use? I am worried about the power supply unit. Does it work with 240 Volt???

Greetings

I don't live in Europe, but I looked at the transformer for my iHome. It says it supports 100 - 240 VAC 50 - 60 Hz .5 Amps.

[risu]

Hello to all Users

I became interessted in the IHome TV Box. Does anybody from Europe have this box in use? I am worried about the power supply unit. Does it work with 240 Volt???

Greetings

No problem here in Europe.
I just asked the seller a compatible plug.

[Nippon1309]

That is good to know. Do you have a way to contact them? I would like to sign up.

I just wanted to let the ones interessted in Renting a Slingbox know that you can still rent one from Japanese Slingbox Rentals via Email.

The email adress is chuliu@gmail.com.

It was posteted in the past by guroneko already. Here it is again. The mail is still correct. Good luck!

[Nippon1309]

Thanks to supabakakun and risu I will check the offers in the web.

[Potbellypig]

That is good to know. Do you have a way to contact them? I would like to sign up.

I just wanted to let the ones interessted in Renting a Slingbox know that you can still rent one from Japanese Slingbox Rentals via Email.

The email adress is chuliu@gmail.com.

It was posteted in the past by guroneko already. Here it is again. The mail is still correct. Good luck!

Thanks! I didn't notice it before. I appreciate you re-posting it.

[frag2]

So have we all come to the consensus iHome is the best?

There appears to be 2 versions according to this site:http://japannettv.com/

which one is the "better" one?

I tried the uchiTV app and it loaded fine on a tablet but not what i'm looking for

[Potbellypig]

Do any of these services provide 字幕 for programs that have it? This is basically closed captioning for a few shows. I think the slingbox based solutions usually supports it but are there any other services where you can access it?

[sensui123]

After waiting for over a week, I'm not expecting a response from Lee @ Sunvyvat anymore hah. The moment I mention it started working I guess they think all obligations to answer a customer = gone. Reminds me of when I asked about remote codes when I activated the unit, just silence. I think I'm going to think twice about re-activating with them again....I'd like someone more proactive/responsive to issues when things come up. Might be impossible for this type of product line though.

[supabakakun]

So have we all come to the consensus iHome is the best?

There appears to be 2 versions according to this site:http://japannettv.com/

which one is the "better" one?

I tried the uchiTV app and it loaded fine on a tablet but not what i'm looking for

I believe that you can try a trial for Raku. Being a nerd I requested a trial for Raku, and I am going to side load it onto my Fire TV to see how it works. Unfortunately I need to wait for the apk because they our on holiday until next week.

I like iHome the best, but MaigeTV is fun with the amount of channel that it has it. So far any solution for steaming Japan TV has has some plus and minuses. MaigeTV has more channels, but sometimes during playback I see a "signal not available" message like there was a rain storm or something that blocked out the satellite signal for a short period. It seems many users have been needing to replace the SD Card in the iHome box, but luckily it is very easy to do. MaigeTV has cheaper yearly subscription renewal.

[lullabye]

Since NTKTV is now dead, I need to find another way to view Japanese programs. What does everyone recommend for someone new to the idea of iHome, slingboxes, and all those things that make my head hurt to think about? It all seems very complicated.

[supabakakun]

I created a table to help point out the differences amongst the services. If you own one of the services and you disagree with me or want me to add something, please let me know. I hope the format isn't messed up. Maybe Waf will add the capability to add tables to the forums.

Code: Select all

+------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
|                              | Maige TV 3                              | iHome                                  |
+------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Price (US $)                 | $319                                    | $300                                   |
| Subscription Renewal (US $)  | $82                                     | $220                                   |
| Hardware/Software            | Hardware                                | Hardware                               |
| Pro                          | - Large Number of Japanese Channels     | - Remote is decent                     |
|                              | - Large selection non-Japanese channels | - Focused only on Japanese channels    |
|                              | - Movie VOD                             | - Menu navigation is easy              |
|                              | - Easy renewal                          | "- Able to schedule to record shows    |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
|                              |                                         | "to external hard drive                |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
| Con                          | - Some channels will lose               | - SD Card may need to be replaced      |
|                              | satelite signal                         | - Renewals/service for iHome bought    |
|                              | - Sometimes 7 day playback              | "from Aliexpress can be difficult      |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
|                              |  missing programs on listing            | "- Can't record shows from playback    |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
|                              | - Remote mushy buttons                  | "to external hard drive                |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
|                              | - Menu navigation clunky                | "- Sometimes scheduled recording       |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
|                              | - Focused toward Chinese users          | "fail to record to external hard drive |
| "                            |                                         |                                        |
| Japanese Channels            | 47                                      | 47                                     |
| Streaming Quality            | Good/Fair                               | Good/Fair                              |
| Picture/Action               | Action sometimes seems to have weird    | Action sometimes gets pixellated       |
|                              | digital unnatural feeling to movement   |                                        |
+------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
+------------------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|                              | Raku (iHome 2)               | Uchi                                 |
+------------------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Price (US $)                 | $198                         | $180                                 |
| Subscription Renewal (US $)  | $190                         | $170                                 |
| Hardware/Software            | Software (Android)           | Software (Android)                   |
| Pro                          | - Able to install on Android | - Able to install on Android devices |
|                              | "devices                     |                                      |
| "                            | - Has Movie VOD              |                                      |
|                              | - Only service that has      |                                      |
|                              | Tokyo MX                     |                                      |
|                              | - Has Movie VOD              |                                      |
| Con                          | - Must purchase separate     | - Must purchase separate hardware.   |
|                              | hardware                     |                                      |
+------------------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+


[biggirl20]

Since NTKTV is now dead, I need to find another way to view Japanese programs. What does everyone recommend for someone new to the idea of iHome, slingboxes, and all those things that make my head hurt to think about? It all seems very complicated.

it's quite sudden as i still use NTKTV in january if i rmb correctly

Not sure if there is any other alternative which runs the same fashion as NTKTV as i prefer to have the shows recorded so i can save the file.

[lullabye]

Since NTKTV is now dead, I need to find another way to view Japanese programs. What does everyone recommend for someone new to the idea of iHome, slingboxes, and all those things that make my head hurt to think about? It all seems very complicated.

it's quite sudden as i still use NTKTV in january if i rmb correctly

Not sure if there is any other alternative which runs the same fashion as NTKTV as i prefer to have the shows recorded so i can save the file.

NTKTV was the only way I knew how to watch those countless little shows no one ever uploads. Cooking shows, strange little niche programs, 3 AM filler shows... I love that stuff and now it's gone if I can't figure out something else.

[sbm888]

my wife and I are devastated that NTKTV is no longer working. We loved it for the recorded shows that we couldn't watch because of time differences, etc. especially programs for our kids that we don't normally are around for.

does anyone know another service that offers recorded shows to be played back for a 7 day period like NTKTV did?

thanks in advance

[tandex]

Hi, I just got my iHome today from Mark.

There was a note in the box to contact them by email, but I can't make out writing. Help?
It looks like @QQ.com or @QA.com Contacted via AliExpress seller messaging.

Is there an English wiki somewhere with notes on port forwarding, external usb drive or other setup info?

[lullabye]

Those of you using iHome, is there a wiki or instructable or some other single source to explain it? I've read the various posts here, but it seems quite complex and hard to follow. And are there any absolute Do Nots?

[risu]

Those of you using iHome, is there a wiki or instructable or some other single source to explain it? I've read the various posts here, but it seems quite complex and hard to follow. And are there any absolute Do Nots?

I don't see how hard is the iHome. The attached manual explains what you need to know to make it work out of the box.
Here we mainly talked about troobleshooting.

[supabakakun]

I wanted to share my investigations with UchiTV and the Raku apk (iHome 2) on the Amazon FireTV. I was very interested in getting Raku working, because I wanted to see if I could watch Tokyo MX. With both APK, the screen was cut off because of how the FireTV handles resolutions. I was able to hook up a USB mouse to the Fire TV so that I could move the screen around for Raku to see the areas cut off, but I wasn't able for Uchi TV.

Using the Raku app I was able to see the channel and show listings, but I wasn't able to view any programing. When I clicked on the show, it would show a loading screen but it keep reseting the download percentage back to 0%. A few times I saw the percentage go to 99 %, but nothing. I do like the VOD had a Japanese selection of movies and dramas. Maybe I will pick up another Android box to tray again. The folks at www.japannettv.com will very responsive when helping with the Raku issues I ran into. Unfortunately I figured it was an issue with FireTV and moved on. I wish I would have purchased my iHome via them.

I was able to watch programs on Uchi TV, and for the most part I felt right at home since it mimics the flow and layout of iHome. When I was able to do the trial there were some issues with the kanto channels and English, so I didn't get to see them. The picture quality wasn't as sharp as iHome, but it was still very acceptable. Uchi didn't recognize the fast forward and rewind buttons on the Fire TV remote.

I was hoping for the apps to run better than they did on the Fire TV. The box has as lot of horse power, and besides accessing the applications via the setting panel instead of the home page, it would have been a great way to watch Japanese TV.

[thesleeve]

Hi everybody,

I used to be a member of a paid Japanese TV streaming service offered by a company called NTKTV. I canceled my membership a while back, but then recently I decided to check it out again to brush up on my Japanese skills, which have been in decline since I left Japan. Well, I went to their website and it looks like they have closed up shop. The website is now just a blank page with a simple message:

NTKTVのサービスは終了しました。
長い間NTKTVをご愛用いただき誠にありがとうございます。

Translated, it basically means "NTKTV service has ceased. Thank you for your patronage." There's no explanation as to why they stopped offering the service.

I wonder if they were forced to shut down due to legal issues. The company seemed legit, but I don't pretend to know all of the laws that go along with streaming TV online, especially internationally.

I started looking for alternatives, and found something called TVPad (from China, but it supports Japanese channels as well). It seems to have a fairly big user base, but it looks totally shady, not really legit, and a little bit of searching reveals that a huge law suit was just filed against the TVPad manufacturers by several television companies including CCTV, TVB and Dish. So, I imagine that TVPad is not long for this world.

Here's a brief description of the pending lawsuit: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2 ... S5uDZNGaYQ

Is anybody aware of any other options for streaming Japanese TV?

To be clear. I want it to be legit, legal, and I want to pay for it. Not looking to break any laws here.

[otakuman101]

To those who live in the US and own an iHome, is the connection/streaming any good in the US for the device? Just curious since I live in the US and I may buy an iHome.

[Potbellypig]

I wanted to share my investigations with UchiTV and the Raku apk (iHome 2) on the Amazon FireTV. I was very interested in getting Raku working, because I wanted to see if I could watch Tokyo MX. With both APK, the screen was cut off because of how the FireTV handles resolutions. I was able to hook up a USB mouse to the Fire TV so that I could move the screen around for Raku to see the areas cut off, but I wasn't able for Uchi TV.

Using the Raku app I was able to see the channel and show listings, but I wasn't able to view any programing. When I clicked on the show, it would show a loading screen but it keep reseting the download percentage back to 0%. A few times I saw the percentage go to 99 %, but nothing. I do like the VOD had a Japanese selection of movies and dramas. Maybe I will pick up another Android box to tray again. The folks at http://www.japannettv.com will very responsive when helping with the Raku issues I ran into. Unfortunately I figured it was an issue with FireTV and moved on. I wish I would have purchased my iHome via them.

I was able to watch programs on Uchi TV, and for the most part I felt right at home since it mimics the flow and layout of iHome. When I was able to do the trial there were some issues with the kanto channels and English, so I didn't get to see them. The picture quality wasn't as sharp as iHome, but it was still very acceptable. Uchi didn't recognize the fast forward and rewind buttons on the Fire TV remote.

I was hoping for the apps to run better than they did on the Fire TV. The box has as lot of horse power, and besides accessing the applications via the setting panel instead of the home page, it would have been a great way to watch Japanese TV.

I tried the Raku app with a Samsung Android tablet and the exact same thing happened with the downloading percentage. I think the tablet is on Android 4.4.2. Uchi TV works well but not the live TV part. The 7 day recording is fine which is okay for me because of the time zone difference. It seems these apps are very temperamental to the OS and the machine it runs on.

[zorkaz]

You might want to take a look at this topic viewtopic.php?p=1724748#p1724748

[thesleeve]

You might want to take a look at this topic viewtopic.php?p=1724748#p1724748

Thanks, it looks like an admin moved my post. I should have done a more thorough search before posting!

[supabakakun]

To those who live in the US and own an iHome, is the connection/streaming any good in the US for the device? Just curious since I live in the US and I may buy an iHome.

I have 25 mbps internet in the US, and iHome streams fine.

[supabakakun]

I tried the Raku app with a Samsung Android tablet and the exact same thing happened with the downloading percentage. I think the tablet is on Android 4.4.2. Uchi TV works well but not the live TV part. The 7 day recording is fine which is okay for me because of the time zone difference. It seems these apps are very temperamental to the OS and the machine it runs on.

Thank you for the information. I have been considering getting another Android box to fool around with Raku but it doesn't seem like a good bet. I like that Raku all of the Wowow and Star Channels, plus Tokyo MX which is why I hoped that it would work. If only MaigeTV carried Star and Tokyo MX then I would be all set. I did see that Raku is now shipped in the same hardware case as the Linux version of iHome. It even allows you to record programs to the hard drive.

[kdjtachi65]

I'll jump in here, since I'm also in the middle of testing out new prospects.

After NTKTV went dark, I started looking around for a replacement. I already had Niji Show, and did a 1-day jpPlayer test. Since neither offered time-shifting, and were both full-screen locked to my primary monitor (minus the VLC workaround for Niji), I decided to keep looking.

I purchased an MXIII android box (quad-core, 4.4.2, 1GB/8GB) for about $60 off Amazon, and acquired both the Uchi TV and Raku TV/iHome II apks from the nice folks at japannettv.com for testing. Both services claim to perform well with a minimum 2mbps connection. I have 6mbps DSL, so I was eager to see what sort of results I'd get.

Uchi TV worked perfectly after install and account activation (24 hrs.) Both live and playback streams looked and sounded good. No lag, no buffering, no audio synch issues. It's priced at $180 for the apk which includes a 1 year subscription.

Raku TV/iHome II had major issues after install (one week test account.) Often live streams and playblack streams wouldn't start. The menus and submenus often wouldn't respond to remote button presses, and the interface often froze. When the streams did play, they were comparable to Uchi TV in picture and sound quality. With its greater number of channels, including Tokyo MX and KBS World, I was hoping this option would work out, and was bitterly disappointed. Raku TV is $198 for the apk, and also includes a 1 year subscription.

Not ready to give up, and suspecting some sort of commucation issue, I troubleshot with the sales dept at japannettv.com. I'd noticed that on the live stream menu, the channels would only begin streaming when a little status line at the bottom of the screen would display the current/next program info (time, program title).

On the playback menu, the channels, dates and times often weren't updating. Both of these problems, to me, pointed to the app not receiving the proper EPG data, or at least not receiving it quickly enouth. Japannettv emailed me a portion of the app's user manual describing how to use the system and server setup menu, which basically amounted to changing which particular EPG server my android box was talking to. That was the fix it needed. No more freezes, every live and playback stream played perfectly.

I also did a quick test of the VOD service, which turned out to be hit-or-miss. Four streams started up fine, two others never got past the 95% buffering stage. Not a deal breaker for me, but I thought I'd pass that along.

So, if you're having issues with iHome II during testing, tweaking the system settings may address them. Shoot an email to your seller and they should be able to get it sorted.

Sorry if this was a little long-winded, but I'd hate for anyone to pass on what seems to be a great option for viewing Japanese TV because of an easily-fixed program setting. I decided to go with iHome II.

[supabakakun]

The Raku (iHome II) does have some issues, so it may not be an easily fixed program guide issue to get it working. After I worked with the sellers at JapanNetTV to try to get it working on the FireTV, I asked them if people in the US had success with Raku. The seller admitted that the app needed a lot of work with its stability and performance issues, and said there were some hardware and OS flavors that it didn't play well with. He did say that if it works, then it is the better of the solutions because price and number of channels. People were in the US are able to use it. It may be a case that it will only play well on rooted Android boxes, but people should be aware that it may not be an easy issue to fix. I do agree they should work with the seller to try to get it working. Just understand that the app has areas of needed improvements.

[sbm888]

So from all the info here, it seems uchitv is more stable than raku, so why did you all choose raku over uchitv?

[kdjtachi65]

That's a very good point about the android box possibly needing to be rooted. I root all my android devices as a matter of course, so I guess that's a blind spot for me.

As for stability, on a dedicated (and rooted) TV box, pointed to a more responsive (for my location) EPG server, iHome II has performed flawlessly, with no midstream buffering, freezing or crashes. I've been watching both live and playback streams for several days now with no issues. It's pretty addictive.

In my case, choosing Raku TV/iHome II over Uchi TV came down to more channels, comparable audio/video quality, and access to VOD. All for only $2.30US over Uchi TV's $14.20US monthly cost. The $60US TV box also serves my Kodi/Netflix/Crunchyroll/music/gaming/whateverelseiadd needs, so I'm not factoring that into the cost.

Full disclosure: I've spent the last three decades elbow-deep in hardware, software, networks and databases, so I might not be the best source when it comes to determining how simple/straightforward/challenging/frustrating it might be to get a device or service up, running and stable enough for prime time (and family members.)

What I can say at this point is, running on a pre-rooted, widely-available and affordable android 4.4.2 TV box, using a wired ethernet connection, and pointed at the proper EPG server, I find iHome II just as functional and user-friendly as my Dish Hopper. Except you can't pause live streams. Oh well.

Ah, I just noticed japannettv.com is now offering the SkyLive TV pack (250 channels) for $165 a year. It might be worth checking out, also.

[supabakakun]

If I got Raku working on Fire TV even going through the different configurations I went through, I would have chosen Raku also. In fact I still want to get it working some day. . I was able to get the FireTV using credit card points, so it was easy to for me justify bringing it home to my wife. Now I need to figure out how to justify another Android box to her.

[risu]

I formatted the iHome sdcard and put it back empty in the slot.
I confirm that the iHome works well and recreate the needed file.

Also, seems working a bit faster.

[sbm888]

Has anyone tested installing raku or uchitv on a android tablet and used chromecast to stream it to a tv?

[Fargobobargo]

Hi guys,

You've been super-informative, and have given me a lot of things to consider when choosing which direction to take when picking a service for watching Japanese TV.

I was wondering the exact same thing as the poster above. I have seen videos on Youtube that have suggested movies don't always mirror well with Chromecast (choppy/lags, etc...although the Youtube video is old, and maybe glitches have been smoothed out in device), and am worried that with the glitches that people have mentioned while using Uchi and Raku on tablets, this might not be the best option.

It seems that the majority of the people on this post have purchased an ihomeII media streamer from Aliexpress, or Japannet.tv. Someone recently mentioned that Uchi and Raku didn't work through FireTV, and I was wondering what other streaming devices OR tablets have worked well for you guys. I know MXIII was recently mentioned, what about MiniX Neo64, Nexus player, or others that seem like solid devices based on reviews I've read?

As mentioned, I'm still curious about the tablet to chromecast idea, as I found a refurb Nexus 7 that I imagine would do the job based on the specs needed for either APK.

Thanks so much for any help you can offer!

[Fargobobargo]

Sorry, one other thing, has anyone found anything recently on Kodi? Is that even an option for Japanese TV? I'm sorry if it's been asked before, but I haven't seen anything recently.

[supabakakun]

I haven't found any solutions for Kodi. In the past someone made a add-in for www.fengyunzhibo.com, but it didn't work at the time I added it as an add-in. The Japanese channels are offline on the site now, so the add-in is worthless.

[otakuman101]

To those who live in the US and own an iHome, is the connection/streaming any good in the US for the device? Just curious since I live in the US and I may buy an iHome.

I have 25 mbps internet in the US, and iHome streams fine.

Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for the information!

However, yesterday, I changed my mind of buying an iHome and will continue to use Skytv365 until I can find another streaming service that's better.

[renarayne]

Hello,

As NIJI's uptime sadly seems to be getting worse, I'm thinking of finding an alternative. I'd greatly appreciate your help.

1) Does anyone know which services, would allow me to record shows in a format I can play/edit on PC?
Alternatively which ones have a Network Stream that can be played through VLC? As maybe I can record things that way.

Previously I've been scheduling recordings with NIJI using Windows Scheduling / Batch Scripting, Actions(s) and VLC (using http://127.0.0.1:8190/tv.mpeg ), which gives me a .ts file I can convert to MP4. Bit complicated but instructions here if interested: http://www.gaki-no-tsukai.com/viewtopic ... 285#p51930

2) Do any of these allow you to switch on Japanese subtitles (e.g. the captions Japanese channels provide for the hard of hearing / deaf)? That would be incredibly useful to me.
Like what's posted on this site: http://o.x0.com/m/9296

3) Is anyone familiar with the following services, as I haven't found much discussion on them.
Web Player 24ch http://www.usb-iptv.com/ (I think they previously had a "14ch" service)
FreesunTV http://www.freesuntv.com/products_info.asp?id=7

Again thanks for any help!

[kdjtachi65]

Hi renarayne:

Regarding your first question: The only Windows program (besides WEB Player; see below) I found comparable to Niji was jpPlayer, which I tested out ($10US 3-day trial; the stream quality was great). Unfortunately, the annual cost is comparable to the dedicated TV boxes, with their greater channel count and playback availability, so I decided against researching port/stream info for recording purposes and moved on.

I can't address your second question.

As for your third question:

I believe the Freesun IPTV box is basically an iHome/iHome II clone. The channel list is identical to the iHome II's.

I briefly checked out the WEB Player service when I started researching NTKTV replacements. It's relatively attractive as a software-only solution, but offers fewer channels (24) vs jpPlayer (38), for the same ~$200US annual cost. Of course, it offers (optional) playback, which jpPlayer doesn't.

[renarayne]

Regarding your first question: The only Windows program (besides WEB Player; see below) I found comparable to Niji was jpPlayer, which I tested out ($10US 3-day trial; the stream quality was great). Unfortunately, the annual cost is comparable to the dedicated TV boxes, with their greater channel count and playback availability, so I decided against researching port/stream info for recording purposes and moved on.

Thank you for the great information!
Yeah jpPlayer and Web Player do seem expensive unfortunately compared to the TV boxes, I'm not sure if they're the same video/audio quality either in comparison.
Actually, I don't need a lot of channels, just 4~6 (Yomiuri, Osaka, Kansai, TV Tokyo, Asahi and maybe Fuji) so lower cost would be an advantage. But I'd really need a way to be able to transfer recordings to a PC, a TV Capture card might be costly...

Earlier someone mentioned it might be possible to find out iHome's network stream:

As for ihome you could scan for open ports on the device while the video is playing and try playing the result in vlc (http://ihome_ip:port/) or try rtmpdump too. Or you can just use a network sniffer like Wireshark on the router.

I wonder if that actually works and if it would work like that for other TV boxes e.g. M8 Uchi etc.?

[kdjtachi65]

On the Windows side, there's an open source product called ShareX that claims to be able to do fullscreen recording, including audio, using realtime x.264 compression to produce a decent quality mkv/mp4 output container. I was planning on checking it out if I decided to go with a Windows streaming solution. That might be worth looking into.

Android-wise, I've heard about an app called VMLite rDisplay that's supposed to have the same functionality, but I haven't dug up any info on it yet.

Regarding TV tuners, Android TV boxes usually have an AV output (composite) to connect to older TVs, so that's definitely an option, but the picture quality probably won't be great. It's also possible to use an HDMI-to-component converter, but then there might be HDCP issues.

[renarayne]

On the Windows side, there's an open source product called ShareX that claims to be able to do fullscreen recording

Thank you again, I really appreciate it.
I dunno how it compares but OBS (Open Broadcasting Software) is really good (you just set it to output to file instead of stream if not casting). I've used its Window Capture option easily, or you can do Monitor Capture for full screen.
But I hope VLC will work as it saves a raw rather than re-encoding (useful for editing or subbing) and is also less resource intensive as it can be set to simply record in the background (no interface).

Android-wise, I've heard about an app called VMLite rDisplay that's supposed to have the same functionality, but I haven't dug up any info on it yet.

Sounds interesting, though my experience with running virtual Android on PC (e.g. Bluestacks) has been very laggy.

Regarding TV tuners, Android TV boxes usually have an AV output (composite) to connect to older TVs, so that's definitely an option, but the picture quality probably won't be great. It's also possible to use an HDMI-to-component converter, but then there might be HDCP issues.

Thanks for the advice.
I have a TV with HDMI ports and also a new PC graphics card which can do HDMI-to-DisplayPort(HD), and then I guess I'd need an internal capture card?
Or if I were to splash cash on a HD DVR (e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C22MGEM ) would the box directly plug into its HDMI port? Then I guess the HD DVR would output via USB to my PC. Sorry I'm a newb as to how capture cards work...
(Though in all honestly I don't have cash to splash so I hope playing the Raku or Uchi IPTV stream through VLC will work... ).

[supabakakun]

To those who live in the US and own an iHome, is the connection/streaming any good in the US for the device? Just curious since I live in the US and I may buy an iHome.

I have 25 mbps internet in the US, and iHome streams fine.

Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for the information!

However, yesterday, I changed my mind of buying an iHome and will continue to use Skytv365 until I can find another streaming service that's better.

How is the picture quality for Skytv365? I remember when I was researching watching Japanese TV, I was tempted to try Skytv365 but the prices were a little high for me. If the quality is like watching Netflix than that rocks.

[sbm888]

3) Is anyone familiar with the following services, as I haven't found much discussion on them.
Web Player 24ch http://www.usb-iptv.com/ (I think they previously had a "14ch" service)
FreesunTV http://www.freesuntv.com/products_info.asp?id=7

Again thanks for any help!

I didn't know about webplayer, thanks! That might be the best solution for me as I have android and pcs all over my house that might need access at any time. I'll send them an email to ask a few more questions.

[renarayne]

I didn't know about webplayer, thanks! That might be the best solution for me as I have android and pcs all over my house that might need access at any time. I'll send them an email to ask a few more questions.

No problem, hope it works out for you, let us know what they say if you can. I'm still considering whether to go with a PC web solution rather than a TV box if there's a higher chance I can record from it via VLC.

[kbteh]

http://www.idstmedia.com/japanbs
Uchi TV APK
Free trial available,instant activate!!

[Ouiouibcn]

dear all
message for supabaka
I am reading your post for a while since the death of NTKTV
I have a raspberrypi and run OSMC -KODI
So far, I haven't found a way to play iptv on it (but I can play JP drama)

I cannot understand why we cannot see JP channel over ip (IPTV) using a M3u list or using a M3u8 file. \i am 99.99% sure that ihome a other is making paying a service everyone can achieve over the web. the only added value is an intergrated pc with remote, a 7 day recording AND a updated playlist - this is the key point !!!!!!

for instance, this morning, I ask google
"japanese MU3 playlist"
I found this
http://www.oneplaylist.eu.pn/
select "japan" in category and click export playlist
you will have

---------------------------------------------------------
#EXTM3U Japanese
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #1
http://stream2.mov3.co/hls/kanto.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #2
http://stream6.mov3.co/hls/kanto2.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #3
http://stream7.mov3.co/hls/kanto3.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, NTV
http://mov3.co/en/ntv
#EXTINF:0, Tokyo TV
rtmp://stream6.mov3.co/live/kanto2
#EXTINF:0, tvasahi
http://mov3.co/en/tvasahi/
---------------------------------------------------------

-->>>>> copy ALL that and save into notepad under *.m3u

Then open VLC and open your m3u playlist

you will have 4 japanese tv
kanto 1, 2, 3 tokyo, ntv and asahi

I am still looking at NHK - E for my little girl ( kid program at 8h20 INAI INAI BAAH)

again, I am 99.99 % sure, a ihome or similar is no more no less than a small PC like Rapsberry pi / android TV, running under linux or android, with a XBMC / kodi like GUI
the only added value is the full f..k..g updated PLAYLIST

If one of the owner of a ihome, grab the playlist (M3u or XMLTV file), post it and we maintain it properly, I am sure we can ALL TOGETHER see JP tv over VLC

ouioui

[Ouiouibcn]

auto completing
found !
working under google chrome

open link in browser

http://mov3.co/en/main/ >Main Channel<

http://mov3.co/en/main2/ >Main Channel (Mirror)<

http://mov3.co/en/main4/ >Main Channel (Mirror 2)<

http://mov3.co/en/main3/ >Main Channel (Streamup)<

http://mov3.co/en/ntv/ >NTV<

http://mov3.co/en/tvtokyo/ >TV Tokyo<

http://mov3.co/en/tvasahi/ >TV Asahi<

http://mov3.co/en/ktv/ >KTV<

http://mov3.co/en/mbs/ >MBS<

http://mov3.co/en/dark-history-download/ >Dark History Download<

[Ouiouibcn]

Working !

openElec installed in raspberry pi this afternoon
using PVR IPTV simple Client

creating my own playlist m3u from link grab from internet and loading it on the pvr

I have 14 free channels so far
still need to classify and sort

this is home made " ihome " device for free using an old computer OR raspbery pi

but i cannot find NHK E




here my playlist date 24-4-15

#EXTM3U Japanese
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #1
http://stream2.mov3.co/hls/kanto.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #2
http://stream6.mov3.co/hls/kanto2.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #3
http://stream7.mov3.co/hls/kanto3.m3u8
#EXTINF:-1,NTV
rtmp://stream.mov3.co/live/main
#EXTINF:-1,Kansai
rtmp://stream2.mov3.co/live/kanto
#EXTINF:0, Tokyo TV
rtmp://stream6.mov3.co/live/kanto2
#EXTINF:0, tvasahi
rtmp://stream7.mov3.co/live/kanto3
#EXTINF:0, tvasahi-alt2
http://stream7.mov3.co/hls/kanto3.m3u8
#EXTINF:-1,animax
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/animaxj.yuwnshydgtrf
#EXTINF:-1,bskids
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/bskids
#EXTINF:-1,dISNEY
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/d365
#EXTINF:-1,mega
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/mega
#EXTINF:-1,nhk
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/nhke.huyudfroskrjw
#EXTINF:-1,ntv24t
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/ntv24t
#EXTINF:-1,TbsMusicDay
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/TbsMusicDay
#EXTINF:-1,test2
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/test2.j
#EXTINF:-1,test3
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/jp.test3

[Tony09]

:cheers:
Working !

openElec installed in raspberry pi this afternoon
using PVR IPTV simple Client

creating my own playlist m3u from link grab from internet and loading it on the pvr

I have 14 free channels so far
still need to classify and sort

this is home made " ihome " device for free using an old computer OR raspbery pi

but i cannot find NHK E




here my playlist date 24-4-15

#EXTM3U Japanese
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #1
http://stream2.mov3.co/hls/kanto.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #2
http://stream6.mov3.co/hls/kanto2.m3u8
#EXTINF:0, Kanto TV #3
http://stream7.mov3.co/hls/kanto3.m3u8
#EXTINF:-1,NTV
rtmp://stream.mov3.co/live/main
#EXTINF:-1,Kansai
rtmp://stream2.mov3.co/live/kanto
#EXTINF:0, Tokyo TV
rtmp://stream6.mov3.co/live/kanto2
#EXTINF:0, tvasahi
rtmp://stream7.mov3.co/live/kanto3
#EXTINF:0, tvasahi-alt2
http://stream7.mov3.co/hls/kanto3.m3u8
#EXTINF:-1,animax
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/animaxj.yuwnshydgtrf
#EXTINF:-1,bskids
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/bskids
#EXTINF:-1,dISNEY
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/d365
#EXTINF:-1,mega
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/mega
#EXTINF:-1,nhk
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/nhke.huyudfroskrjw
#EXTINF:-1,ntv24t
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/ntv24t
#EXTINF:-1,TbsMusicDay
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/TbsMusicDay
#EXTINF:-1,test2
rtsp://u.itvitv.com/test2.j
#EXTINF:-1,test3
rtsp://c.itvitv.com/jp.test3

The link to watch the Fuji TV is not available.
Thank you very much for your hard work, we hope that we will watch the Japanese TV in this way for a long time.

[sbm888]

:cheers:
Working !

openElec installed in raspberry pi this afternoon
using PVR IPTV simple Client

creating my own playlist m3u from link grab from internet and loading it on the pvr

I have 14 free channels so far
still need to classify and sort

this is home made " ihome " device for free using an old computer OR raspbery pi

but i cannot find NHK E

Thank you. This will keep my wife entertained until we get uchi or homeii

[renarayne]

I think all the "mov" links are run by someone who posted earlier in the thread:
http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtop ... 4#p1700894

I set up the homepage to stream the Japanese TV show for free.
If anyone have interest can go to my homepage http://mov3.co/en

[sbm888]

Just an update : I contacted webplayer via an email originally in English about whether I could trial their product and also how many devices I can use in my home via their web login etc... They didn't answer my questions so I tried in Japanese, 5 days now and no response. So I'd say they aren't very helpful.

Anyone else have any other suggestions other than uchitv or raku?

I'd like 7 days replay and ability to install on multi devices.

Thanks

[renarayne]

Just an update : I contacted webplayer via an email originally in English about whether I could trial their product and also how many devices I can use in my home via their web login etc... They didn't answer my questions so I tried in Japanese, 5 days now and no response. So I'd say they aren't very helpful.

Anyone else have any other suggestions other than uchitv or raku?

I'd like 7 days replay and ability to install on multi devices.

Thanks

I sent them one email with both English and Japanese on the 22nd and they replied on the 24th. Hopefully they get back to you too. I asked them if it was possible to play the stream in VLC or save shows permanently and if Japanese captions was possible.

Their reply:

お返事遅くなり申し訳ありません。
VLCメディアプレイヤーについてはこちらで検証していませんので
お返事する情報がございません。
このWEB Player24chは日本語の字幕はサポートされていません。
よろしくお願いします。
USB Playerサポート

Rough translation:
Sorry for the slow reply.
Regarding VLC player, we are unable to verify so have no information on that.
WEB Player24ch does not have Japanese subtitles support.
Thank you.
USB Player Support.

[sbm888]

After sending them another email, webplayer staff responded.

There is no trial period, however within 24 of there are issues, there may be an option for some compensation or refund.

They didn't answer whether the time shift recorded function is additional cost or not...

There seems to be a language barrier, I'm writing in both English and Japanese and they seem to miss or avoid all my questions.

It's a pity, their service seems to be the best suited for me.
I'll keep trying.

If the time shift function is free, I'm sure to buy.

[kdjtachi65]

:cheers:
Working !

openElec installed in raspberry pi this afternoon
using PVR IPTV simple Client

creating my own playlist m3u from link grab from internet and loading it on the pvr

I have 14 free channels so far
still need to classify and sort

I like this solution.

It's definitely a viable option for the VLC crowd; I did some quick-and-dirty testing using the following command line (actaully I slapped together a dropdown Rainmeter skin because I'm too lazy to type stuff out, but a batch file/shell script would also work just fine):

vlc [STREAM] --one-instance -vvv --sout=#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=[FILENAME]},dst=display}

To stop recording, you have to exit VLC, or use the "--run-time" command line option if you're scheduling unattended saves. If you're recording multiple streams simultaneously, remove the "--one-instance" option. The resulting file is an MPEG2 TS, which, as referenced earlier in this thread, can easily be converted to an mp4.

This was just a quick "is it watchable?" exercise. And it is. Tweaking the transcode options will definitely yield better results. If your box has the horsepower, you could transcode directly to mp4 and save a step.

[Fargobobargo]

Hey,

I feel like a total moron for asking, because I know you've already explained how to create the M3U file, but when I load it, I get a list of errors saying "VLC is unable to open the MRL..." What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for any help!