What The Heck Is "Oneboxhome"?

[jfchandler]

Was at Queen Sirikit yesterday for one of their shows and came across a big booth filled with a lot of pretties for something called "OneBoxHome," which I'd never seen or heard of before...

Their literature is all in Thai, as is their web site and Facebook page. But it appears to be some kind of combination package of an HD media player, soundsystem component and TV projection device, combined with some element of phone calling via AIS or DTAC.

Which seems kind of weird given that they're calling the service "OneBoxHome", but they appear to be utilizing at least three different components... I tried to get my wife to translate their literature some for me last night, but that was a pretty hopeless endeavor given her level of technological expertise...

It seems like they're talking about a fee of 490 baht per month and a requirement of 24 months... But what exactly that gets one I couldn't discern.

In any event, I thought I'd share the info I came across here, and see if anyone knows better what it is, how it works, and what it does...or why anyone would want one... Their booth at Queen Sirikit was quite large with a lot of component stuff set up, and they must have had 20+ pretties milling around in cute blue uniforms, which of course caught my attention...

OneBoxHome on theweb and on Facebook.

Edited July 11, 2011 by jfchandler

[Mrjlh]

Pretty slick set up. Go to the website and click on features. It's self explanatory. With the projector you only need a wall to project onto.

[jfchandler]

Ya... I saw the features page, but I'd hardly say it's "self-explanatory."

For example, their literature says something about 7000+ phone calling minutes being part of the package... But it's not clear how or to whom...

It appears to be an HD media player...and projector system... But it doesn't appear to include any cable TV content... just Thai over-the-air or free Internet-based stuff.

And it appears to be offering some kind of Internet service, but it's not clear at what speeds or through whom... Or am a wrong and they're just including a wifi router but the customer is responsible for getting their own Internet... I can't tell...

And so on and so forth... And the customer is not buying their hardware, but just renting it, as best as I can tell...

So what's the advantage vs. simply subscribing to True, having a big screen TV and wifi router at home of your own... I'm not following here...

And all of this with some kind of a 24 month service contract...

Edited July 11, 2011 by jfchandler

[Mrjlh]

Do you have IM Translator? Get it, pay the guy the $5 donation it's worth it. Any Thai word or phrase you can highlight can be translated. Easy to use. Runs in the background. Several languages.

You get the system and and subscribe to one of their packages. Maybe some one else can help you with that..

[jfchandler]

Ohh ya...that advice is very helpful, especially considering that their entire "Rates" and "Features" web pages are graphic image files (not text data) that cannot be "Internet" translated by your program or any others, including Google Translate that I use...

And when I go to their DTAC info page, which is in text, it translates to English as this... very helpful and informative to be sure...

Terms and conditions of service for customers.

1. For those who phone the individual listed. (Not including service organization. organizations, public and private sector) to apply "One box home" with the M-Box Co., Ltd. since July 1 - December 31, 2554 will receive a toll free number in DTAC network, 24 hours of 300 minutes per billing privileges for 24 months.
2. The user can start using it. Matthew after the confirmation SMS.
3. The toll free number. Excluding special number services. Can not be carried over to the HH Supreme billing cycle. the possibilities. And can not be exchanged or refunded without. 's money.
4. Free calling in the scrub to be calculated using the previous exercise. ° from the package and pack service. The main package. Package, except for special one, plan for nighttime, this plan will be calculated for am and pm route calls for free after credentials that can access the package.
5. I think the rates are excessive. enact the package in the current account. 's users.
6. During the late fall. The calls are not subject to the General. the right to offer refunds on the line for the group. and.
7. Users are now required. want to get the right results hall. for this sale. To be normal. Not in a position to stop the British. temporarily.
8. Free calling is only for use within the country.
9. Web users. can determine the number of minutes that used to be. Through the following channels.
   • * 121 * 1 #. (no charge).
   • Automated phone service, press * 1888 2 (no charge).

Specific applications to the workplace. Rotate the personal agent. Users are required to practice under the Act. And conditions as the Brit. a strictly defined. Service Provider reserves the right to. in the suspension. Or cancel the service. The audit found that the use that against the law. Or fails to comply with conditions. conditions of service.<li>This promotion. the conditions under which the Web. the. Users are given to study. More to the service by calling .1678 dtac call center (charge 3 baht, excluding VAT 7%) or call * 1888 (no charge) or. Www.dtac. co.th. The service provider reserves the right to. cancel. And / or changes to the list. as it deems appropriate. It will notify you if there is a change. transformation.<li>Services Limited by Total Access Communication Co., Ltd. (Thailand) Registration No. 0107538000037 319 Chamchuri Square Floor, Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 22-41.<li>Other terms and conditions. According to the terms of the M-box limit.

Just give "Matthew" a call and ask him about the "HH Supreme billing cycle". I'm sure he can explain it far better than you ever could...

1. And then of course, the equally informative translation from their Facebook page:

Service charge

- per month for 490 baht, the use of second year

- the amount in 3 months 290 Baht

- the amount in year 4 months 190 Baht

- from Year 5 fee only once a month 90 Baht

Special event promotions. privileges for DTAC and AIS were limited to 50,000 people to the network (including the two networks is 100,000) for the privilege. Toll-free networks in 300 minutes 7200 minutes per month throughout the contract.

Edited July 11, 2011 by jfchandler

[Mrjlh]

What a whiner!

[jfchandler]

It would be better to focus on the subject of the thread than to engage in personal insults...

But then of course, you're contributed absolutely nothing productive to this thread... so what else should I expect...

[kamalabob2]

I spent time on Wednesday at that booth. Very funny shoulder patches on the booth staff. Of the 40 staff people at least three spoke and understood English and had some technical knowledge. The other 37 women would have been more appropriate at an auto show. They will e-mail you all the information in ENGLISH. The price is 490, or 690 or 890 per month PLUS a refundable 10,000 baht deposit. It was for the "LED projector", the no name sound bar (490 baht a month), 690 for a basic Philips sound bar, or 890 for the Philips sound bar that plays blu-ray DVDs, and an "android HDTV box". They will sell you a 100 inch screen for 3000 baht if you do not have white walls. I am not a technical person, but I understood it to be a way to watch or view the INTERNET on a large screen or white wall) with a sound bar (with sub woofer) and pay on a monthly basis. They offered a 10% discount if you paid one year in advance. The monthly rental price drops after 2 years. It includes some package of mobile minutes. After 2 years you could "upgrade" the package with new equipment at the existing, not decreasing monthly rental rate.

The quality of your internet connection to me would be crucial in how this looked, but I did not see the need for my daughter to waste even more time on facebook or youtube on a large screen. I wished the staff person good luck with that 10,000 baht deposit requirement in Thailand. I do not think the actual service is "live" at this moment, but they were offering some "extra free" months to sign up. The sound bar, and HDTV box did have HDMI connections and you did not need hardwired internet to the viewing room for it to work. If you phone them they can e-mail you the information in ENGLISH on a pdf. http://www.oneboxhome.com/2011v1/all/

[jfchandler]

Thanks Kamala...for a useful and meaningful explanation... And ya, I agree about the booth babes...though I didn't stop to chat the day I was there...

So it all boils down to them giving folks a way to project their own, separately sourced Internet content onto a home white wall or large screen that you'd purchase from them???

That seems like a lot of money (deposit and monthly fees) for not much in the way of a meaningful result that could already be achieved through a big-screen LCD TV...

Well, they are including some kind of DTAC phone calling benefit as well... Wonder how much that will be worth moving forward...

[jfchandler]

Thanks to Kamala...here is an English version of OneBoxHome's info sheet in Adobe pdf format...

OneBox Home Info Sheet 1.pdf

[jaideeguy]

It maybe would interest me if it took a USB input and it could be bought outright. I hate monthly payments and most of my viewing is ripped torrents.