NO MORE 3rd PARTY APPS on AIS PLAYBOX! :o{

[Pib]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Pib, so now that you've been suitably neutered ( ), what purpose does the remaining shell of the Playbox device serve?  In other words, what's still remaining on the box and what content will it access?

 

And, can the same content be accessed anyway outside the Playbox, such as via an AIS Android app or via a website?  Or does the Playbox in its current form still serve any un-replaceable purpose?

 

It basically a cable TV box now that only runs the AIS Play app and a few other streaming apps like HooQ, HBO Go, etc.,  "integrated" into the AIS Play app menu selections.  You can still got into the Android OS and make various OS setting changes like changing the preferred language, Wifi setting,  and other simple setting changes which you normally set once and then forget about. 

 

The AIS Play app your can install to your smartphone/tablet is basically the same as the AIS Play app used on the Playbox now....just some minor differences tailored to the specific device it installed on.  I talk more about the AIS Play app your can install on your phone later on. 

 

On the Playbox the AIS Play app is up and running all the time...turn the box on the AIS Play app is up and running...basically the only app running so to speak.  The AIS Play app that you can install on your smartphone/tablet has to be pressed-on to fire it up...just like how you would open up any app on your smartphone like Youtube, LINE, Facebook, Chrome, etc....etc...etc.   

 

With the Playbox neutering it's basically an Android box restricted to running the AIS Play app and a few other apps like HooQ, HBO Go, etc., that are integrated right into the AIS Play app/menu selections.    It basically a cable TV box now...shouldn't call it Playbox anymore...the neutering took the Play out....just call it a "box" now.

 

****************************

But lets now talk the AIS Play app that you might want to install on your "smartphone/tablet/other Android device."  It can be downloaded from Google Play (or the Apple Store) but apparently only if a person's Google Play account is a Thailand-registered google account....that is opened you google account from Thailand.

 

Since my Google Play accounts were not registered in Thailand but registered/opened in the U.S. many years ago the AIS Play  app does indeed show on Google Play if I'm "not" logged onto Google Play.   If I click to install the AIS Play app and have to log onto Google Play to complete the install then Google Play says the app is incompatible with all my Android devices.....even my AIS Playboxes. 

 

Appears to be one of these cases where distribution has been restricted to Thailand registered Google account.  Ditto for my wife's Google account also opened/registered in the US many years ago...can not install from her account either.    So, if using your computer to search on Google Play for the AIS Play app be sure to not be logged on...then your search should fine it....but if you are logged on the search will not find it.  Notice below it says the app is incompatible with all my devices....and I have around 10 Android devices.  Now there are "similar" named and "similar" logo'ed AIS Play apps on Google Play but not "the" AIS Play app so be sure you install the correct one....the correct one is written by MIMO Tech Co which is a subsidiary of AIS..   "The" AIS Play app has a logo like below with a little AIS in the upper corner and written by MIMO.

 

   

 So, since I couldn't get the app from Google Play I had to download the AIS Play APK and sideload it on my smarthphone, wife's smartphone, and tablet.  I downloaded it from here...from the apkpure.com website.   Even after I sideloaded it it doesn't show as an app installed our devices in our Google Play accounts since it's supposedly restricted to Google Play accounts registered in Thailand.   So,since Google Play will not be keeping it up to date on my phone I will need to sideload updates occasionally although pureapk now has an app that is supposed to keep sideloaded apps up to date....will have to check that out. 

 

https://apkpure.com/ais-play/com.ais.mimo.AISPlay

 

Assuming you download/install the AIS Play app on first use it will ask for your mobile phone number (does not have to be an AIS mobile number and the wife and I use DTAC) so it can send a OTP.  The OTP is sent to your mobile number, enter that OTP, and you can now watch all the "free" TV channels offered by AIS like the free-to-air digital channels and dozens more free channels.  Once you entered the OTP and get the AIS Play app going/registered you don't need another OTP the next time you open AIS Play unless you happen to manually logout of the app for some reason. 

 

The app also shows the premium channels like HBO channels but if you tried to play an HBO channel, CNN, etc., since they are premium channels a message would pop up saying "You need another package to watch this channel...Cancel..Subscribe Now" which basically means you would need to subscribe to that particular AIS add-on package to view that channel.   This app is excellent for viewing free-to-air TV channels offered by AIS plus a half dozen or so English language news channels (not including CNN and FoxNews which are pay add-ons).

 

Use this app on your smartphone/tablet and you will basically see what a person sees now on a neutered AIS Playbox.   And you know, a person might want to try installing the AIS Play app on an Android box...getting the OTP, and seeing if it works....I expect it will since it's just another Android device.....should be a good way to view most of the Thai free-to-air channels like Ch 3, 7, and many other free-to-air channels the great majority of Thais watch.   Now on my AIS Fibre Playbox account I have the Premium Channels add-on so I get to view every channel on my Playbox like the HBO channels, HBO Go, CNN, etc.   But on the AIS Play app on my phone it will just show the free-channels unless subscribing for additional channels. 

 

Yeap, I now have two AIS-provided Android boxes which have been tuned into "run only one app" boxes....pretty much cable TV boxes.  Don't call  it a Playbox anymore...since the Play has been cut out with the neutering...just call it a Android box that runs one app....the AIS Play app.    Fortunately I have Shield and Mi3 boxes to set next to my two  AIS Playboxes so I can still view all the stuff I want to view...it's just I have switch back and forth between two boxes now where before I could pretty much do everything on an unneutered AIS Playbox.   

 

But hey, the AIS Play cable box TV/movie packages still beat the heck out of TrueVisions packages in terms of price and channels/movies offered.  Just a same AIS took the Play out of the Playbox.  Oh well...time to walk the dog.

  

 

 

[rexall]

Can someone confirm whether or not you can access a flash drive after neutering. So far, I have not found a way to do it or to start the Media Player even though it is installed according to app list in the normal android settings page.

[JaiMaai]

There seem to be a few videos on YouTube in Thai showing methods of loading apps in the new version. I've linked to one of them above and others appear in the related videos list.

My box still hasn't been neutered yet but it might be interesting if anyone whose box has been done can check this out.

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.

[rexall]

I would love to get a SHIELD, but at B8,500 it is out of my budget, especially so considering the I would need two of them.  Decided to go for the Beelink. Got good reviews and at B2,990 from Lazada http://bit.ly/2wBwD0F a third of the price of the SHIELD, it is a good alternative.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

Use this app on your smartphone/tablet and you will basically see what a person sees now on a neutered AIS Playbox.   And you know, a person might want to try installing the AIS Play app on an Android box...getting the OTP, and seeing if it works....I expect it will since it's just another Android device.....

 

Thanks Pib!  That's more of an answer than I was expecting, but good to hear...  Some of the things you raised were things I was wondering about in asking the questions I asked above. For example:

 

--If as I suspected the content available thru the Android AIS Play app largely resembles the neutered Playbox content, could you install the AIS Play app on a non-Thai device like the MiBox or Shield or even a generic Android box, and would it work and be functional?

 

--And, if you wanted to access the premium content on the AIS Play app that your fiber package subscription entitles you to, is there some way to get the Android app on a non-AIS device (MiBox, Shield, generic Android) to recognize that you're a subscriber and entitled to the premium content?

 

--But, even if you could NOT install a functional version of the AIS Play app on some type of Android box, can you Chromecast from the AIS Play app to any kind of compatible receiving TV device (like a MiBox, Shield, generic Android box, etc)?

 

--Lastly, I've run into the U.S. vs. Thai app availability issue in the past on various things. Especially when it comes to things like video streaming (which really is a discreet use), my thinking is you could always create a new Google account here in Thailand and just use it for purposes of accessing the AIS Play app and its content, if you didn't want to mess around with sideloading.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, rexall said:

I would love to get a SHIELD, but at B8,500 it is out of my budget, especially so considering the I would need two of them.  Decided to go for the Beelink. Got good reviews and at B2,990 from Lazada http://bit.ly/2wBwD0F a third of the price of the SHIELD, it is a good alternative.  

 

The specs on that look very nice. But personally, I always get nervous when looking at Chinese made, Asian market oriented Android boxes for several reasons:

--often can't tell for sure whether they come with a legit version of Google Play Store installed

--never sure if their hardware will have suitable DRM capability for western HD/UHD content.

--a lot of the Chinese Android devices don't seem to incorporate Bluetooth, for whatever reason.

--and lastly, I always like to know the company that's behind the device I'm buying, and with a lot of these generic Android devices, you pretty much have no clue.

 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, JaiMaai said:

There seem to be a few videos on YouTube in Thai showing methods of loading apps in the new version. I've linked to one of them above and others appear in the related videos list.

My box still hasn't been neutered yet but it might be interesting if anyone whose box has been done can check this out.

 

Thanks for the video. It's based on the "old" box running Android 4.4.2 KitKat and AIS software 4.10.3.17 after the neutering.   Significantly different from the "new" box running Android 7.1.1 Nougat and AIS software 7.6.22 after the neutering.

 

I can see in the video they are basically using the File Browser to drill down to the Android App folder....get down to where the apks are loaded/can be seen.  Doing the same thing in the new neutered box where you drill down to the Android folder when getting there it only displays the "Data" folder....not the Obb, App, and Data folders shown for the old neutered box.   So, no App folder to got to....not letting me see it and I checked if there were any File Browser settings which would allow me to see more...no such settings.   I looked around in some other folders...what few displayed....could not find any folder with .apk files.   

 

I expect AIS has further locked down what can be seen/tinkered with for the new neutered boxes running Nougat.   So far I haven't found any videos talking the new box and how to possibly to get around some of the neutering....but I'll keep looking.   Thanks again for the video.

 

[Pib]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The specs on that look very nice. But personally, I always get nervous when looking at Chinese made, Asian market oriented Android boxes for several reasons:

--often can't tell for sure whether they come with a legit version of Google Play Store installed

--never sure if their hardware will have suitable DRM capability for western HD/UHD content.

--a lot of the Chinese Android devices don't seem to incorporate Bluetooth, for whatever reason.

--and lastly, I always like to know the company that's behind the device I'm buying, and with a lot of these generic Android devices, you pretty much have no clue.

 

Just so, so many fricken Android boxes for sale...so many manufacturers, makes and models....all kinds of different specifications....different this...different that....it can make a person's head spin and make him wish he still lived in simpler times of black & white TVs with no remotes (simple knobs to turn) and using rabbit ear antennas (no Wifi problems).  

[JaiMaai]

 
The specs on that look very nice. But personally, I always get nervous when looking at Chinese made, Asian market oriented Android boxes for several reasons:
--often can't tell for sure whether they come with a legit version of Google Play Store installed
--never sure if their hardware will have suitable DRM capability for western HD/UHD content.
--a lot of the Chinese Android devices don't seem to incorporate Bluetooth, for whatever reason.
--and lastly, I always like to know the company that's behind the device I'm buying, and with a lot of these generic Android devices, you pretty much have no clue.
 

Beelink is a "known" brand with fully legit Play Store and they do provide firmware updates however the recent releases have had some issues. The boxes have Bluetooth. The big issue is no DRM support so Netflix etc may not work well but there are some workarounds.

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.

[SooKee]

The channel selection on the AIS Play app is significantly less that you will get the Playbox Platinum package. Can't be bothered to list them all but you can see what channels are Playbox Only by checking the Web programme guide. So no, the AIS Play app doesn't offer the same at all.

Sent using Tapatalk

[lamyai3]

Commiserations to those freshly neutered, the way it happened to me a month ago was exactly as Pib described, minus the grinning Nazi.

 

I went low budget and got an X96 mini for 1200 baht from Lazada - specs were good (2gb/16gb, Android 7.1.2) and reviews good for the most part. I was surprised to find it came preloaded with Mobdro, youtube,  Google play and several other apps and was ready to use as soon as I hooked up the WiFi. Came with a modified version of Kodi installed called KD player which I wasn't so keen on, so I uninstalled it and sideloaded Kodi 17.6, a definite improvement as my old playbox was stuck on Android 4.4 and Kodi 16. Also downloaded Spotify which works fine. Mostly I'm happy with it, sometimes I get problems with the live streams disconnecting or the video falling out of sync with the audio, but I think this may be more about a weak and fluctuating signal or peak viewing times for the streams - anyway it's been working good the past couple of days. I've got no basis to compare it with the other boxes in the market, so it's really a matter of suck it and see for a while. 

[lamyai3]

12 hours ago, rexall said:

I would love to get a SHIELD, but at B8,500 it is out of my budget, especially so considering the I would need two of them.  Decided to go for the Beelink. Got good reviews and at B2,990 from Lazada http://bit.ly/2wBwD0F a third of the price of the SHIELD, it is a good alternative.  

I'm sure this will be a very good box. If it doesn't come already installed, I recommend you download the Mobdro app - live streaming of Fox News, CNN, BBC, many sports channels etc. 

[lamyai3]

15 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Pib, so now that you've been suitably neutered ( ), what purpose does the remaining shell of the Playbox device serve?  In other words, what's still remaining on the box and what content will it access?

It has many Thai channels, but unless you're subscribed to a package, the only free English language ones are NHK, Channel News Asia, Euronews, France24 and DW. 

[Pib]

If you just want to see/play with the AIS Play app install as I described before.   AIS has almost 100 "free-to-air" channels you can view with some free English language news channels.

 

And then they have "pay" add-on packages which add-on additional channels.   The add-on packages are different for AIS Play on the Playbox and AIS Play on your smartphone/tablet.  

 

Like the AIS Play "Platinum" package (the top package) for the Playbox adds on 42 more channels....the AIS Play "Premium" package (the top package) for the smartphone adds 27 channels. 

 

 See this AIS webpage for the different AIS Play TV add-on packages depending on whether it used on the Playbox or smartphone.  And just to repeat, even with no add-on packages you can still view the free-to-air TV channels.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

19 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I've run into the U.S. vs. Thai app availability issue in the past on various things. Especially when it comes to things like video streaming (which really is a discreet use), my thinking is you could always create a new Google account here in Thailand and just use it for purposes of accessing the AIS Play app and its content, if you didn't want to mess around with sideloading.

 

19 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

--But, even if you could NOT install a functional version of the AIS Play app on some type of Android box, can you Chromecast from the AIS Play app to any kind of compatible receiving TV device (like a MiBox, Shield, generic Android box, etc)?

 

Just to answer a couple of the questions I discussed above:

 

--I have three different Google profiles/accounts installed on my Thai-bought Android phone with an AIS postpaid SIM installed. Tried getting the AIS Play app via the two main Google accounts I use, and it wasn't showing up in the Play Store. But then I tried the third Google account on my phone, and that had access to the AIS Play app, so I installed it just fine, and logged in using my AIS phone number to receive the one time password. So yes, if one or more Google accounts don't get AIS Play, a new/different Google account can/will. If you have multiple Google accounts on a phone, clicking the 3 bars hamburger menu in the top left corner of the screen allows you to choose among using those different Google accounts within the Google Play Store app.

 

--Then, I played around watching NHK, Channel News Asia and Euro News via the AIS Play app on my phone. All of them streamed and played fine. And in the upper right hand corner of the screen for every channel, I saw the Google / Chromecast small icon. Once I made sure my Android phone and my MiBox were connected to the same Thai IP wifi network, I was able to Chromecast all the channels just fine to my MiBox using two different methods.

 

Within the AIS Play app's video playing window, there's a little Chromecast icon in the top right corner to activate sending the video to a device like a MiBox. When I first tried it, it was with a U.S. IP address via my wifi, and in that case, the video in the AIS Play app would not play. But once I switched to a Thai IP wifi address, the AIS Play app Chromecast just fine from my Android phone to my MiBox.

 

At least on my Android 6.01 mobile, there's a second way as well that didn't appear to produce quite as good clear video as the in app Chromecasting. Under Wireless & Networks / More and then Play To, there's the option to mirror the phone's screen to a wireless player like a MiBox or other Android TV. That worked just OK with the AIS Play app, but the video quality and stability seemed better using the in app Chromecast icon within the AIS Play player.

 

--As for the other question I raised in that post above, about possibly installing and using the AIS Play app directly onto an Android TV device like a MiBox, I may take a crack at that later today, unless anyone else chimes in sooner with the results of having tried it.

 

 

[johng]

Isnt there any way to "root" these boxes ? If rooted you should be able to do whatever...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 5/12/2018 at 6:42 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

--If as I suspected the content available thru the Android AIS Play app largely resembles the neutered Playbox content, could you install the AIS Play app on a non-Thai device like the MiBox or Shield or even a generic Android box, and would it work and be functional?

 

To answer the final question of the group I posed above, I sideloaded the official AIS Play app from my Android phone to my U.S.-purchase MiBox this afternoon, and the installation went fine. But as soon as I tried to open the AIS Play app on the MiBox, even with a Thai IP wifi connection, the app immediately crashed every time I tried.  So that part is apparently a no go, unless anyone has different luck with other Android TV devices.

[JaiMaai]

My "old style" Playbox just updated. When it rebooted it started with the dialog box asking me to select either the AIS launchet or the Google Now launcher I had been using previously.

I chose the Google launcher and I could see all my apps were still there.

I haven't had time to check things fully but they are working normally as far as I can tell.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

[johng]

My "old style" Playbox just updated. When it rebooted it started with the dialog box asking me to select either the AIS launchet or the Google Now launcher I had been using previously.

I chose the Google launcher and I could see all my apps were still there.

I haven't had time to check things fully but they are working normally as far as I can tell.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

What are you using to view blaze tv/ uk channels ?

[JaiMaai]

Edit:

Google Play is not happy and is crashing on start up.
Also my free VPN app seems to have disappeared.
Next step will be to try to find the apk and sideload it.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

[JaiMaai]

What are you using to view blaze tv/ uk channels ?

I'm using Flawless through the StbEmu app.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

[JaiMaai]

Edit:

Google Play is not happy and is crashing on start up.
Also my free VPN app seems to have disappeared.
Next step will be to try to find the apk and sideload it.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

I've downloaded and installed a VPN app and I'm now watching something on the ITV hub.

So, for the old boxes, at least, it seems that it's still perfectly possible to install and run 3rd party apps.

I will have a go at getting the Google Play to work but it might be the weekend before I can devote any real time to it.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

[Pib]

On 5/12/2018 at 10:18 AM, Pib said:

And here's a snapshot of the message that appeared while I was watching TV....a few seconds later it started the reboot/upgrade process which only took a couple of minutes to complete.  Probably appropriate a Nazi was showing on the screen when the upgrade message appeared. 

 

But for some reason on this box HOOQ which is a movie/TV series app will not start/work....but works fine on the my other Playbox that upgrade yesterday morning.   I even did a Factory Reset of the box...unplugged the box for a few minutes.....rebooting the my router...etc...etc....etc....and it didn't help

 

HOOQ is free for 12 months with the particular plan I'm on right now...normally HOOQ cost approx Bt119.   I rarely use HOOQ and plan to drop it once the free 12 months runs out...but for now since I'm suppose to be getting it and it's not working I have called the problem into AIS.

 

HOOQ  was working on this box (both boxes) "before" the upgrade...so the upgrade caused this problem on one of the two boxes.  As mentioned, I've already called the problem into AIS...and a tech has already called me back asking for some more info which I gave...they supposedly bumping the problem up the next level of tech support which is suppose to call back within 24 hours unless maybe they get it fixed and send me a SMS saying it should be fixed.

 

So, once you boxes get neutered be sure to check out any other add-on packages you have to ensure they still work...because just because the "basic" TV portion of the app works does not mean other areas of the app may be working properly after the upgrade.

 

Anyway, both of my new Playboxes have now been neutered....and I think the Nazi in this picture is snickering about it.

HooQ is now working on one of the two boxes after getting neutered.  Apparently got fixed late Saturday or sometime on Sunday...a day or two after I had called in the problem into AIS.   

 

Before when starting HooQ on one one of the boxes HooQ would try to start/logon....apparently couldn't logon...and then display an HooQ error message in Thai  language and a 4002 number.   From some googling of other people who use HooQ apparently 4002 is a common error...has something to do with HooQ logon credentials I think.

 

AIS must have done something on their servers/HooQ servers to reset the HooQ account for the one box.  All good now.

 

So, after you get neutered be sure to check any add-on packages you might have like HooQ.  HooQ was free with my particular 12 month AIS Fibre plan.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Pib

[Pib]

2 hours ago, JaiMaai said:

My "old style" Playbox just updated. When it rebooted it started with the dialog box asking me to select either the AIS launchet or the Google Now launcher I had been using previously.

I chose the Google launcher and I could see all my apps were still there.

I haven't had time to check things fully but they are working normally as far as I can tell.
 

Interesting how on the "old" box after the neutering your old apps were left, whether they all work or not...I know you are still testing.  And that it offered you a choice which launcher to use.

 

When my two "new" boxes were neutered a few days ago there were no apps left behind that I had previously installed on the box.   After the neutering only 16 apps are installed when looking in the apps area.  3 or those 16 apps are 3 "Settings" apps since there are three different Settings menus used in the various menus..  Netflix is also 1 of the 16 apps but it does not appear anywhere on the AIS launcher/menus....maybe for future use. 

 

Basically the 16 are core apps used by the Android OS and AIS launcher.   For the apps I had installed they are all gone.  And I "think"...not sure at all know....when watching the neutering process there was a message that appeared for a few seconds that said something along the lines of,  "Erasing all apps."   

 

Or maybe that was a message I saw on my Mibox3 which I have been playing with a lot over the last couple of days....to include receiving one OS system update and also doing a Factory Reset.    

 

Oh well, the old and new boxes are completely different hardware and use different Android OS versions....ver 4.4 on the old box and ver 7.1 on the new box....apparently the neutering affects the old and new boxes differently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JaiMaai]

The StbEmu, BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub apps are all working. As you may be able to see from the screenshot above, it has installed Netflix also. It will be interesting to see if this is a HD capable version.

Google Play definitely does NOT want to play. It looks as if some of the additional Google components necessary for it to run have been removed as part of the "neutering." I'm guessing the root here is to root and then jnstall a gapps package.

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.

[Pib]

One of my two neutered new boxes, the one that had the HooQ problem, will not stream all TV channels this morning...the other neutered new box no problem. 

 

Since the neutering the one box not streaming all channels was streaming "all" channels up until this morning when I turned in on.  I would say it's not streaming around 20% of the channels...free-to-all or premium channels.   And it still streams HooQ.  The other box no problems streaming all channels.  

 

Have done a hard reboot of the box a couple of times....rebooted the router...no joy.   

 

I called the problem into AIS a few minutes ago....see what happens....now time to do a grocery run.

[johng]

I'm using Flawless through the StbEmu app.

Sent from my TA-1021 using Tapatalk

Ok so a paid for IPTV provider....I was hoping it was free. [emoji3]

[arkom]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

One of my two neutered new boxes, the one that had the HooQ problem, will not stream all TV channels this morning...the other neutered new box no problem. 

 

Since the neutering the one box not streaming all channels was streaming "all" channels up until this morning when I turned in on.  I would say it's not streaming around 20% of the channels...free-to-all or premium channels.   And it still streams HooQ.  The other box no problems streaming all channels.  

 

Have done a hard reboot of the box a couple of times....rebooted the router...no joy.   

 

I called the problem into AIS a few minutes ago....see what happens....now time to do a grocery run.

Have a similar issue after update, but after about an hour or so it went back to normal.

 

The one problem that I can't seem to fix is the internet connection, ever since the update both of new boxes are having connection issues.  When watching TV or HBO GO the video freezes and sometimes the box restarts about 5-6 times a day.  One box is connected via LAN and the other wifi.  Before the update, rarely had any problems with the box.

 

Called AIS and they told me there have been other people calling in with the same issue, and that a technician will call me back.  

[SooKee]

 

Sounds like the updating is going well then!

 

[JaiMaai]

Just to be clear, the only reason that I can still access the other apps is that I already had the 3rd party launcher installed. If I did not, then it would not be possible to use them.

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.