AIS Fiber and Playbox Review Comments

jenny2017 · May 20, 2018

16 minutes ago, Pib said:

Take a look at below Q&A on the AIS Playbox installation....how up to date the answers are I couldn't say....give them a read and then call AIS.

http://www.ais.co.th/playbox/en/support_promo.html

Q: When can I get the stand-alone AIS PLAYBOX?

A; Sorry. The stand-alone AIS PLAYBOX is not available at the moment.

Will go there in person in the next days, thanks.

Pib · May 20, 2018

Just keep in mind there is no monthly fee for receiving the 90 to 100 free-to-air channels....mostly Thai stuff. The premium add-on packages is mostly the farang channel stuff....you don't have to take an premium add-on packages.

Going to bed...watch the Playbox in the master bedroom for a few hours...and also check to see how it's working tonight after it's recent neutering. I also just did a channel count...141 total channels which includes my Platinum package add-on channels. While doing that count I stopped at every tenth channel to see if it would stream...and they all did...started streaming in about one second or less. But that's right now..let's see what the coming hours/days/week brings. Good night to all.

JaiMaai · May 21, 2018

11 hours ago, JaiMaai said:

I had some more time today to have a play around with things on the old style box. After not getting anywhere with getting Google Play to work, I decided to do the crazy thing and factory reset the box.

This, of course, completely neutered the box. It was impossible to access anything other than the AIS provided content and the backdoor through the HOOQ app in the YouTube video appears to have been closed.

I have however found my own backdoor but it does require a certain level of confidence to do it.

1. Enable developer mode by clicking on the build number several times.
2. Turn on developer mode and enable USB debugging.
3. Enable unknown sources for apk install.
4. Install ADB utility on your PC
5. Connect the Playbox OTG port to the PC using a suitable cable such as an older micro usb phone data cable. I did this with the Playbox switched on and connected to the PC
6. Launch the browser with the following command:
adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d http://www.google.com
7. Search for your preferred 3rd party launcher apk and install it. (I chose Nova Launcher)
8. Set your launcher as the default.

It should now be possible to sideload 3rd party apps.

I still haven't got the Playstore to work but I'll try again when I get more time.

Sent from my ZX81 using a dial-up modem.

If you have a newer version box and the "unknown sources" setting is grayed out, you could try this ADB command before you launch the browser:

adb shell settings put secure install_non_market_apps 1

or

adb shell settings put global install_non_market_apps 1

Pib · May 21, 2018

AIS now has a new Playbox remote you can order for Bt300. See below. I ordered two from AIS....COD...free delivery....should have them by the end of the week. It's easy to order online at the AIS Online Store.

https://store.ais.co.th/en/accessories/playbox-accessories/new-remote-pb-with-number-button-aaax2.html

The new remote has a numberpad which means you can key-in the channel number you want to go to versus needing to scroll through up to 141 channel numbers on the channels selection bar. Now I'm talking the new channel selection bar on the neutered boxes which run the new AIS Play app for TV/movie selection...the channel selection bar on the left side of the screen that also includes a channel number from 1 to currently 994 (there are number gaps in this current 1 to 994 sequence) I'm not talking the un-neutered boxes where you scroll through un-numbered channels on the channel selection bar at the bottom of the screen which did not include a channel number (I think...can't even remember after about a week of being neutered and having the new AIS Play interface).

I notice the new remote also has a Favorites button. Whether it will work or not I don't know. The new AIS Play app has a Favorites selection, you can add or remove channels to your favorites, however, but, once you add channels to your favorites and then select the Favorites selection on the left hand channels bar it doesn't do anything. I can't figure out anything I'm doing wrong....maybe it's just don't work when selecting it that way....on maybe it just flat out don't work like on the un-neutered boxes. But maybe it will work with the new remote (a person can dream you know)...I'll should know later this week after getting the new remote.

The specs "on the remote's packaging box" per above weblink show its range is 6 meters, but the specs reflected on the ordering page say 8 meters....I'm guessing the 8 meters is a typo. But if it operates good at 6 meters that will be good enough for me although 8 meters would definitely be better. But assuming the Playbox's IR "receiver" sensitivity also have a great range impact on any IR remote you can use with the Playbox and "if" if the Playbox's IR receive it not that great (I can't say either way) then the new remote may be a picky as the old remote in terms of aiming and range.

Looking at the packaging (which I still have) for my new Playboxes when I got them about a year ago the packaging/manual does not reflect any specs for the original/old remote....don't know what its max range is. But I do know from testing, 6 meters is about its max range and the IR beam is "narrow"...need to point the remote directly at the box...it's not like a Bluetooth or Wifi remote where you really don't need to point the remote at the box.

Below are some pictures of the old and new Playbox remotes.

And P.S.: knock on wood (my head) but both neutered Playbox worked without problem yesterday/Sunday all day & night...and are still working fine as of this Monday morning. However, since being neutered on 11 May both Playboxes have went thru spells lasting a day or two of streaming without any problems but then go thru a day or two of not streaming well at all which then generated my calls to AIS. Time will tell if they get their streaming with the neutered boxes working reliability...and the problem may not be the neutered boxes but how their TV/movie streaming "servers" are setup to interface with the neutered boxes while also still interfacing with un-neutered boxes....don't know....I may be hansum but I'm not smart enough to figure out this Playbox neutering goatrope.

New/Latest IR Remote

Original/Old IR Remote

SooKee · May 21, 2018

Whilst I'm sure there must be a degree of planning around this they do seem to be handling all of this in a very haphazard way. Bit of a bloody shambles really.

Now it's another remote. Looks to be IR so I guess that'll be as crap as the original and with functionality that it's not certain will work. Numbering the channels probably a good idea but until they get there act together and design a programme guide that's on a par with True (which is exceptional compared to the AIS abortion) it's just another thing for a not so good remote to handle not very well. Unless they made the remote BT or wireless I wouldn't be interested, and especially not at 300 baht. You're right, no numbering for channels on the old firmware.

Out of interest, with their MIUAYGA (make it up as you go along) approach to project management, are there still the rapid selection header bars for Movies, News etc etc on the new menu. If so, I'm guessing using a WiFi remote will still be quicker than repeatedly stabbing at an IR remote trying to get channel numbers to register, if you can remember them that is.

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Pib · May 21, 2018

Yes...still rapid selections. The new interface is definitely a lot better than the old one.

JaiMaai · May 21, 2018

The new style app looks pretty much the same as the AIS PLAY app for mobiles and tablets. The main difference is that it works with a remote rather than a touchscreen.

GarryP · May 21, 2018

On 5/20/2018 at 8:42 AM, Pib said:

Oh you will know when it gets neutered. Upon startup instead of the launcher displaying a lot of large block icons where you select whether you want to watch TV, HooQ of just a variety of other choices you instead launch into the AIS Play with no other choices. And now your channels selecter is on the left side versus the bottom. You will know.

Still waiting for the update out in the wilds of Udomsuk. They said the update would be from area to area back in April but still no change here.

Pib · May 21, 2018

Still waiting for the update out in the wilds of Udomsuk. They said the update would be from area to area back in April but still no change here.

I've never been able to piece together the upgrade schedule they are using. By box type (old or new), type of plan/current contract, spin of the wheel, roll of the dice, etc. Area to area sounds as good as any.

SooKee · May 21, 2018

1 hour ago, Pib said:

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

Still waiting for the update out in the wilds of Udomsuk. They said the update would be from area to area back in April but still no change here.

I've never been able to piece together the upgrade schedule they are using. By box type (old or new), type of plan/current contract, spin of the wheel, roll of the dice, etc. Area to area sounds as good as any.

I'm guessing it's either automated (by account / serial number) or phased (rolling it out and fixing, or not, problems before resuming). At least you hope it'd be something like that. But probably MIUAYGA!

Pib · May 21, 2018

6 hours ago, Pib said:

I notice the new remote also has a Favorites button. Whether it will work or not I don't know. The new AIS Play app has a Favorites selection, you can add or remove channels to your favorites, however, but, once you add channels to your favorites and then select the Favorites selection on the left hand channels bar it doesn't do anything. I can't figure out anything I'm doing wrong....maybe it's just don't work when selecting it that way....on maybe it just flat out don't work like on the un-neutered boxes. But maybe it will work with the new remote (a person can dream you know)...I'll should know later this week after getting the new remote.

Above I was talking about the new remote I ordered today having a "Favorites" button right on the remote where the old/original remote does not. But I also said over the last week or so in this thread/another related thread regarding the neutering that I couldn't get the Favorites function working on either of my two boxes that had been neutered.

Well, either today the Favorites function started magically working on both boxes or I was just too freaken stupid to figure out how to set-up Favorite channels as to where only those Favorite channels appear on your channel selection bar. Like maybe having 10 favorites channels (or more or less) and identifying only those 10 channels to appear on the bar versus approx 100 (or more if you also have one of the add-on premium packages that adds more channels).

Anyway, say I select 2 Favorite channels, then select Favorites, the channel bar only reflects those 2 channels over and over since each time you open the channel selection bar in show around 10 channels at a time as you scroll through the channel bar to find the channel you want. Select 10 Favorite channels and the channel bar only reflect those 10 channels over and over. To get the channel selection bar to show all the channels again just select the All channels selection. Removing channels from your Favorites is straight forth. If you turn the box off when you had it set to Favorites when you turn it back on it remembers that and you are only showing your Favorites again. As mentioned, just select All channels to show all channels which it remember also if you turn the box off and back on again.

So, the Favorites does indeed work....this is a very good thing.

Pib · May 22, 2018

On 5/20/2018 at 9:58 PM, Pib said:

Going to bed...watch the Playbox in the master bedroom for a few hours...and also check to see how it's working tonight after it's recent neutering. I also just did a channel count...141 total channels which includes my Platinum package add-on channels. While doing that count I stopped at every tenth channel to see if it would stream...and they all did...started streaming in about one second or less. But that's right now..let's see what the coming hours/days/week brings. Good night to all.

Above I reported that all day Sunday box neutered boxes where streaming fine...this was after they had streaming problems pretty the previous whole day on Saturday. OK, come Monday morning (yesterday) both boxes still streaming fine, but starting in the early night around 7:30pm both boxes are having problems with almost all channels...I could 1 or 2 channels out of 141 channels to stream but they would not start immediately as when working normally. By around 10pm both boxes are not streaming any channels. So, I almost got 48 hours of the boxes working good, before going south.

I then called AIS...actually got a human rep that late at night...reported problem. Complained again about the many problems since the boxes' neutering and I asked if I can get a discount for the unreliable service. The rep gave me a 20% discount off my month's bill which will be around Bt400 for the Bt1,999 Power4 plan I'm on. The rep said the current TV streaming problem was affecting others; not just me. The rep said the current problem would not be resolved until 8pm Tuesday....almost 24 hours away. Yes 8pm as in the early night; not 8am as in the next morning. The rep indicated they were doing some major network work on their end. I asked two more times to confirm the "pm" fix time stressing the fix time was around 24 hours away. The rep spoke good English...we were not having an miscommunication regarding the 8pm vs 8am fix time.

OK, that call completed. Now going to bed where I'm just playing around with one of the boxes. Found out HooQ, which is one of the movie/TV selections within the AIS Play app/launcher, is streaming fine...can stream any movie/TV show in HooQ no problem. This confirms to me it's just the AIS servers streaming it TV channels that is having a problem...no problem on my end like a bad internet connection. Plus I had just been using my computer and getting full 200Mb speed per speedtest. I now just watched a movie on HooQ and also checked my Nvida Shield streaming....all working fine. Yeap, just a TV channels streaming problem with the AIS Play servers.

Then at around 11:30pm all TV channels are streaming fine again. I wondered to myself what happened to "it will not be fixed until 8pm the next day" phone call with AIS I had had just a hour and half ago. Oh well, it's working now which is good. I watch TV for another hour or so...periodically scanning thru the channels to confirm they are still working. They are...all streaming immediately when you select a channel. Around 1am I turn the box off and go to sleep.

This morning both boxes are streaming all TV channels normally again. And I noticed the channel numbering which ran from 1 to 994 a few days ago just yesterday like I mentioned a few posts up now run from 1 to 807. This tells me AIS did do some kind of server upgrade/change last night.

And some of the dual language channels that could not automatically play in my Preferred Audio Language setting of English do properly play in English versus me having to manually switch to Thai and then back to English to force/kick-start it to the English audio. But some of the other channels having this dual language issue still have the issue....but at least there are fewer now with it. Can't say for sure whether those channels have been permanently fixed or it just because of the current show streaming...but I did check to confirm there was also a Thai soundtrack on the channel and there was.

So, with my problem last night and some additional testing I was able to do last night like seeing HooQ streamed fine...it was just the AIS Play TV channels not streaming properly along with my computer & Shield streaming fine confirmed my internet connection is totally fine....it's just AIS Play TV channels servers having a problem.

A problem with only the "new neutered" boxes or maybe also the "old neutered" boxes and possibly "all" boxes, neutered, neutered, old or new boxes I can't say. I can only say since 11 May when both my new boxes were neutered that my problems began. Would take crossfeed from other AIS folks as to how their boxes (old/new/unneutered/neutered) have been working to help determined how wide spread the problem is...is it just with some boxes....maybe just the new neutered boxes...or ???????

I see the new remote I ordered yesterday is in transit as of yesterday afternoon....I may get it today if I happen to be around when they attempt delivery....will report back if it works any better than the older model....I'm hoping the new model remote has a longer range (one can dream).

Pib · May 22, 2018

On 5/21/2018 at 9:27 AM, Pib said:

AIS now has a new Playbox remote you can order for Bt300. See below. I ordered two from AIS....COD...free delivery....should have them by the end of the week. It's easy to order online at the AIS Online Store.

https://store.ais.co.th/en/accessories/playbox-accessories/new-remote-pb-with-number-button-aaax2.html

The new remote has a numberpad which means you can key-in the channel number you want to go to versus needing to scroll through up to 141 channel numbers on the channels selection bar. Now I'm talking the new channel selection bar on the neutered boxes which run the new AIS Play app for TV/movie selection...the channel selection bar on the left side of the screen that also includes a channel number from 1 to currently 994 (there are number gaps in this current 1 to 994 sequence) I'm not talking the un-neutered boxes where you scroll through un-numbered channels on the channel selection bar at the bottom of the screen which did not include a channel number (I think...can't even remember after about a week of being neutered and having the new AIS Play interface).

I notice the new remote also has a Favorites button. Whether it will work or not I don't know. The new AIS Play app has a Favorites selection, you can add or remove channels to your favorites, however, but, once you add channels to your favorites and then select the Favorites selection on the left hand channels bar it doesn't do anything. I can't figure out anything I'm doing wrong....maybe it's just don't work when selecting it that way....on maybe it just flat out don't work like on the un-neutered boxes. But maybe it will work with the new remote (a person can dream you know)...I'll should know later this week after getting the new remote.

The specs "on the remote's packaging box" per above weblink show its range is 6 meters, but the specs reflected on the ordering page say 8 meters....I'm guessing the 8 meters is a typo. But if it operates good at 6 meters that will be good enough for me although 8 meters would definitely be better. But assuming the Playbox's IR "receiver" sensitivity also have a great range impact on any IR remote you can use with the Playbox and "if" if the Playbox's IR receive it not that great (I can't say either way) then the new remote may be a picky as the old remote in terms of aiming and range.

Looking at the packaging (which I still have) for my new Playboxes when I got them about a year ago the packaging/manual does not reflect any specs for the original/old remote....don't know what its max range is. But I do know from testing, 6 meters is about its max range and the IR beam is "narrow"...need to point the remote directly at the box...it's not like a Bluetooth or Wifi remote where you really don't need to point the remote at the box.

Below are some pictures of the old and new Playbox remotes.

New/Latest IR Remote

Original/Old IR Remote

New model remotes rec'd. Some quick testing results. Where the old model remote only has around a 5 to 6 meters real world range real, the new remote has a much longer range from my testing....longer than its specs of 6 or 8 meters. On the new remote's packaging box it says 6 meters range; but the AIS advertising specs said 8 meters which was probably/maybe a typo or maybe the spec AIS wanted to advertise based on their testing.

Anyway, within my house I was able to get a distance of 12 meters between the new model remote and Playbox and it worked fine. With the old remote right around 6 meters it began to struggle....at 7 meters its not working.

The new remote probably can reach somewhat beyond 12 meters it's just I can't test that distance due to the layout of my house. But 12 meters is probably more than far enough for 99% of folks....heck, working reliably at 6 meters is probably more than good enough for most folks.

And the IR cone shot out by the new remote is apparently wider which means you don't have to have the remote pointed "exactly" at the Playbox to get some response. Kinda like instead of needing to hit the bulls eye when aiming the "old" remote, the new remote just requires you to hit anywhere on the dart board.

On the new remote, the Favorites button adds or removes Favorite channels with one press. With the number entry keys you can just key in a channel to switch to versus scrolling through the channels bar.

So, it looks like my days of constantly cuzzing the Playbox IR remote are over. As mentioned I ordered two remotes...rec'd in approx 23 hours with free shipping costs. I'm in Bangkok.

SooKee · May 22, 2018

Thought I'd see if a factory reset would force this update. Same as before. No. After resetting I thought I'd introduced a gremlin however as the box stopped streaming. Seems it's a wider spread problem than that though as the whole fibre connection has gone down. Maybe related to the current downpour.

Tried a few router (both) resets and while at first I had the DSL and Internet lights come on with the AIS bridged router I now get just the power light. Will give it a while before I call them, I'm guessing there'll be a long wait if the service just went down.

Update: As expected. All our agents are busy. Area or nationwide service problem I think.

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Pib · May 22, 2018

I would check my streaming right now to help determine if its widespread but I'm at Lotus right now getting some groceries. But as of 30 minutes ago everything was streaming fine.

Pib · May 22, 2018

Back from Lotus grocery run....checked boxes....both boxes streaming OK.

SooKee · May 22, 2018

1 hour ago, Pib said:

I would check my streaming right now to help determine if its widespread but I'm at Lotus right now getting some groceries. But as of 30 minutes ago everything was streaming fine.

Cheers. Just bad luck with the service connection. The RJ11 cable had just packed up (really wish I'd checked that before, on my list now if connection suddenly drops) but OMG what a session with the AIS agent. Almost 2 hours. Insisted on reverting the AIS router to regular operating (non-bridged mode) to check wifi etc. Why? No need! Just need to check if DSL/Internet lights come on (which after changing the cable they did). If it was absolutely necessary to check just revert it and check ethernet connection, no need to faff about with try wifi this / that. Took me ages and countless requests to get her to just reset it to bridge mode. Turns out she had then reverted to bridge mode but failed to tell us. Twigged it when she started to talk about the WAN port (which you only need to use when you connect the ethernet cable from LAN port 1 to the WAN port on your own router). "Did you change it back already?" "Oh sorry, yes" ?. Up and working now. Now back to eagerly awaiting the update (or not).

Will check to see how well the air-mouse works with the new box seeing as I only use it for channel changes. If the Favourites section now works I'll just leave it set to my 6-8 most watched channels and flick up and down them with the wifi airmouse which I have a feeling will still be better than the modified AIS IR remote. Reluctant to spend more money on this box, even if it is only 300 baht. If it was wifi / bluetooth I might, not for an improved IR though. Will be interesting to see if the number keys on an air-mouse will select channel numbers. Not that I think I'd use it much. Wonder if next year they'll come out with a Bluetooth remote for yet another few hundred baht. ?

Pib · May 22, 2018

Shame on you!!!!....you put yourself and the AIS rep through heck because of your experimenting...trying to trigger the neutering....switching cables around....shame on you!!!!

Seriously though, I had some fear during all my calls to AIS support over the last week and they would try to start blaming the problem on my bridged-router setup....or they would deactivate IPv6 on their end without telling me...or put me back behind the CGNAT...do all of this in trying to fix my issue or place problem blame elsewhere. But none of that happened because I expect they knew the problem was purely related to their TV/movie streaming servers and not the internet connection, whether you have IPv6 activated or not, whether you are behind the CGNAT or not, etc.....etc....etc.

Now during several calls the reps would usually ask if I was using an Ethernet connection or Wifi connection with my Playboxes. I would respond with I use Ethernet but have also tried a Wifi connection which didn't solve the problem. And I would also point-out my internet connection was fine, zipping around at 200Mb because my computers and other devices were working fine/as always with the internet connection. Also mentioned a few times I have rebooted the router, did Factory Reset on the boxes, etc----telling them this upfront before they had the chance to ask. Just the durn Playboxes were having major streaming problems every since the neutering. I also pointed out a few times I'm not complaining about not being able to load 3d party apps anymore....I'm purely calling because the TV channel streaming problem.

The first few days after the neutering and the Playbox streaming problems I did the Playbox Factory reset, router rebooting, moving Ethernet connections around, but none of that helped. There were a few times I thought it helped because the problem would subside temporarily, but soon return. As the week went on, more testing, how the streaming problems would come and go, and more conversations with AIS support where I picked up additional clues (like a few reps admitting my problem was also happening to many others also), I became convinced it was purely an AIS streaming servers problem....no problems on my end of the internet line.

And I have to still think the problem centers around the streaming servers being able to maintain a streaming connection with some neutered boxes....and I was in that "some" category which could very well actually be a large category in terms of the number of other folks experiencing the problem.

Then when I saw overnight they did a renumbering on the channels....or what TrueVisions would always call a "broadcast upgrade to improve signal quality" (see snapshot below from True's website) where they would renumber/add/delete X-amount of channels during the wee hours of the night and during that time you would lose TrueVisions maybe for 6 hours. That provided more proof to me AIS was doing something major with their streaming servers hopefully in trying to fix the problems. Since around 11:30pm last night both boxes have been streaming fine....but once gain time will tell how long that lasts....at some point a person would think they would get this core streaming problem fixed....I keep my fingers crossed whatever they did last night was a major fix---one can dream.

Regarding the new model remote, while writing the post the wife said to me she likes the remote so much better than the old one in terms of its feel in the hand, pressing the various buttons, and of course the extended range. Yea, it would be nice if AIS came out with a Bluetooth/Wifi remote...and they just might in a year or two to sell a some more remotes....it's all about business/profit you know. But I'm thinking if most people had the new model IR remote which I got today they would not get too many people to spend more money on a BT/Wifi remote. Plus, I also expect Playboxes being issued now may come with the new model remote.

Once again, shame on you for putting yourself and the AIS rep thru heck!!! ?

SooKee · May 22, 2018

LOL. Yeah should have checked but it's the first time EVER I've had an RJ11 mysteriously pack up. Like I say. It's on my failed connection check list now. Problem is, having established that it was that cable we then spent a further hour pointlessly checking the AIS router full functionality where all she needed to do was reset it to bridge mode. Indeed just before we got it all working we could hear her talking to a guy who could doubtless hear us and as soon as we realised she had switched bridge mode on, it worked. I'm guessing she had a prompt service running which didn't cover bridged routers.

I would be interested in trying the new remote but only if they were giving them away. Maybe I'll have to try a "my remote isn't working" ploy LOL. But seriously, given the air mouse works fine and it's WiFi with zero directional problems I will stick with that. I'm also worried about buying something else that just goes into my never used drawer, in fact, it's a cupboard now :(

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Pib · May 23, 2018

31 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

My Playbox came "neutered" out of the box. It's this small, slim thing. Completely unresponsive to remote control, so seriously underpowered. But this isn't what's bothering me.

Having the Platinum TV package, most of the time I can't watch it.

Where you describe your box as "small, slim" does it look like the first image which is what a lot of folks in this thread/related thread refer to as the new model Playbox? The old/original Playbox is also shown below. The new box is rectangular in shape; the old box is rectangular in shape.

And the problems you described with the streaming and audio is exactly the problems I've been having off and on since 11 May when my two new model boxes got neutered....before the neutering they streamed fine.

I still keeping my fingers crossed that AIS did indeed do some type of upgrade/fix to their AIS Play "streaming servers" late Monday night. Ever since then streaming on both my new neutered boxes has been rock solid and that is when the channel numbering changed from 1 to 994 to 1 to 807. Does your Playbox show 1 to 994 or 1 to 807?

When I say rock solid I mean all channels start streaming in one second or less...the check you internet connection popup message haven't appeared...and at least half of the channels that was having the preferred language issue are now working correctly in automatically selecting your preferred language.

Well, let me take it back that "all" channels have been streaming rock solid for the last 36 hours because last night I noticed when going to bed the FoxNews channel was not streaming...you know the Donald Trump cheer leading network. All other channels streaming fine. But this morning FoxNews is streaming again. Expect that was purely AIS temporarily losing the FoxNews streaming feed from the US. When I was with TrueVisions I saw streaming loss feeds like that but with TrueVisions a message would usually appear on the screen saying something along the lines that they had temporarily loss the feed...so sorry....please stand by. But on AIS TV you don't get that notice of why a specific channel may not be streaming.

Anyway, regarding the temporary FoxNews thing for the last 36 hours my streaming has been rock solid....but I've had periods over the last 10 days/since the neutering where I go up to approx 48 hours of pretty good streaming. If the streaming remains rock solid for another day or two maybe, just maybe, whatever they did late Monday night may have fixed my streaming problems---one can dream....time will tell.

Question: how long have you had AIS TV/Playbox? Did you just get over the last few days or week or so? The reason I ask if try to determine if the AIS Playbox streaming problem just happened to start on 11 May which is also the day my boxes got neutered....maybe both happening on 11 May was just coincidence in my case. But if you have been having the problems "before 11 May" with your neutered from the get-go Playbox then that would indicate there is/has been just a compatibility issue between the neutered boxes and the AIS streaming servers?

New Playbox rectangular in shape

Old/Original Playbox...square in shape

SooKee · May 23, 2018

One would HOPE the reason some boxes haven't had this update yet is that they've suspended it pending fixing the problems. Maybe too much to hope for. Pity they are using the customers as beta testers for what seems a very botched update!

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Pib · May 23, 2018

As of 5pm today both my boxes still streaming fine...which means I've up to about 43 hours of no-problem TV streaming.

Now as mentioned I did have the case of FoxNews not streaming for a few hours last night and I noticed today at 2pm as just laying in the easy chair watching it rain outside and scanning through the TV channels to ensure they were all playing that 3 channels out of 141 were not streaming...Fox Family Movies, one of those Chinese movie channels and a third channel I never watch...but by 3pm they were streaming again and still are...all 141 channels streaming on both boxes.

Even with a super reliable system there will always be cases where a channel or two might "temporarily/occasionally" stop playing due to signal loss at some point between here and where it originates in the world. I had the same problem on TrueVisions satellite and cable before....and on my current free-to-air C/KU band TV dish setup. So, a channel or two not working for a short while can be expected on any system. But with that being said, for 43 hours so far my streaming has been working just fine.

Where tomazboder mentioned he had a channel 991 on his box when looking on my two boxes, one box had that 991 channel and the other didn't. I thought to myself I wonder which box is correct since I had mentioned earlier a couple days ago there were more channels in the 900 series but they disappeared around late Monday night when my boxes started streaming good again....like AIS had also pushed out a new channel numbering lineup. And I'm pretty sure yesterday neither box had the 991 channel, but now one does and one doesn't. I began to wonder if maybe it's an AIS Play app "Data or Cache" issue.

So, on the box that currently had the 991 channel I first tried a hard reboot...that is unplug power and replug power instead of just starting from standby....didn't help. I then went into the Android Settings and first cleared the Cache setting for the AIS app and checked to see if 991 still existed...it did. I then cleared the app's Data setting which causes you to have to reset your AIS Play language and related settings....just takes a minute. After that channel 991 was still there.

OK, the wife is no longer watching the other box downstairs...the box that does "not" show channel 991. In this case I once again start by just clearing the Cache setting...now check the channel lineup again and now channel 991 is showing. So, it was an app Cache issue.

This little experiment in clearing the AIS Play Data and Cache settings confirmed for me what each would do when clearing them. After this Data and Cache clearing the preferred audio issue on a couple channels still existed, so clearing Data/Cache is no help there. That problem is most likely an issue on the AIS streaming servers end....and not the Playbox end. With the old app on the un-neutered boxes for those channels that had two different language soundtracks like English and Thai AIS had separate channel icons to ensure the correct language played.

But I remember about a year ago when AIS started adding channels like the HBO and Fox channels to its channel lineup it had the same soundtrack selection problem...and even when selecting the English soundtrack channel icon it would still play in Thai until you forced it to the English soundtrack. When complaining to AIS tech support about the soundtrack issue I remember them saying they are working that problem...the problem is on their end...and in about a month it did get fixed. Hopefully it will get fixed on the neutered boxes and their servers also....some of the channels have been fixed just over the last few days.

I'm guessing here and many times I don't guess right, but I think once a box gets neutered those boxes connect to different servers than the un-neutered boxes...and the neutered box servers just have problems right now. But for the last 45 hours my boxes are streaming fine...if they continue to stream reliably past 48 hours that will be a record for me since my boxes were neutered on 11 May. I'm hoping whatever they did late Monday night may have fixed my problems...probably just jinxed myself by saying that....time will tell.

Pib · May 23, 2018

Yeap, I left TrueOnline internet in July 16 for AIS Fibre internet and about 6 months later dumped TrueVisions for AIS TV when TrueVisions lost the HBO and other channels to AIS and TrueVisions also implemented a 7% price hike. True simply wasn't competitive in their internet plan pricing...way higher pricing than 3BB and AIS....but since around late 2016 True did lower their internet pricing significantly...the competition from AIS and 3BB was obviously draining off customers. And AIS internet international speed was so much better than TrueOnline internet international speed...your result may vary.

If person price compared the current AIS 200/50 Power4 plan (internet, TV, SIM, Wifi...including the Platinum TV add-on package for 12 months) at Bt1998 to the very similar True 200/50 plan (internet, TV, SIM, Wifi...including their Platinum TrueVisions add-on package for 12 months) at Bt2,799 that equates to a Bt801 higher price by True. That makes True approx 40% pricier than AIS...still not very competitive price-wise in my book. Add-in the 7% VAT to these prices to get a more accurate pricing.

And for this comparison I'm considering the TrueVisions Platinum TV package and AIS Play TV Platinum TV package to be basically equal. I know this arguable based on what type of channels/movies each person prefers to watch. For me, I've had both TrueVisions Platinum and AIS TV Platinum and I prefer the AIS channel line-up especially since they have the HBO channels, HBO Go, and other features TrueVisions does not have.

But hey, if AIS TV can't get it's streaming problems fixed that many are having with the neutered Playboxes I can easily understand reluctantly switching back to TrueVisions, without getting into the discussion on using other Android boxes, live streaming from other IPTV services, etc....etc...etc.

SooKee · May 23, 2018

FYI. My box has not been updated. As of the last two hours both Fox Thai channels are broadcasting in Thai language so it seems they've ballsed that up somewhere along the LINE. Given my box is not updated I'd say it's a server / transmission issue, not a box / settings issue.

Sent them an email. Can't be bothered to call.

Sent using Tapatalk

Pib · May 23, 2018

18 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

I've cleared cache of AIS Play app and changed to 720p and now it does 15 minutes before freeze, 7 minutes on 1080p, which could be a coincidence (used National Geographic). Didn't delete data of AIS Play app as there could be something in there that I can't redo, and I don't know whether factory reset keeps the Play app, so I didn't attempt that although it's in common settings.

I still doubt this is due to the box or my internal network. Also RAM on the box is 790 MB/1.5 GB used only. Nonetheless, as long as it remains half decent, I'll keep it ?

I played around with the video resolution thing also when I was having daily problems. It didn't help anything. I would recommend you leave the setting on Auto to let the HDMI communications between the Playbox and your TV automatically keep the best resolution. And I'm pretty sure changing the resolution setting only adjusts the resolution sent from the box to the your TV; it does not affect the resolution of a channel flowing from the servers to the box.

Clearing the Data only clears the AIS Play app setting like which language you select for the menus, preferred audio language, how long certain User Interface (UI) display on the screen, etc. Nothing in the Data area that affects the ability of the box to connect to the streaming servers.

Yeap...I agree it nothing to do with your box and internal network....it's an issue on the server end.

By the way what part of Thailand are you in? Wonder if part of the problem is "location" related especially if the AIS network in your local area is having streaming problems.

SooKee · May 23, 2018

Try switching language to Thai, exit, then back to English. On mine that worked. Until next time I changed the channel.

Box overall is set to English in every menu.

Can't see Thai under Audio settings. Just English and Original. Tried that. No joy. Other English / Thai options relate to overall box and display only. At least as far as I can see.

Sent using Tapatalk

Pib · May 23, 2018

More info on the resolution thing from a bandwidth need standpoint. Below is a snapshot from the AIS Fibre webpage. Since HD is the highest resolution used on AIS TV (just like TrueVisions) only a 4Mb streaming speed is needed....and even less for SD at 2Mb. Even a 15Mb speed plan is more than good enough to stream HD resolution TV. But of course the server feeding the stream must be providing a reliable and steady stream to the settop box otherwise you get pausing, black screen, error messages, etc.

Pib · May 23, 2018

13 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Pratunam, Bangkok.

OK, central Bangkok. I'm in western Bangkok. We should be getting the same streaming performance although I expect even within Bangkok certain areas many have better performing network equipment/performance than other areas.

But if I had to bet some money right now the issue is all at the AIS central servers location and at that point customers accounts are loaded on different servers...and until they get all their servers working right some people are going to have streaming problems.

Since 11 May I have went thru a couple days of good streaming, then a couple days of bad streaming....back and forth performance. I'm just hoping my last 47 hours or so of good streaming was due to some network fix late Monday night that fixed my problem permanently...one can dream. But it's still too early to tell....if my almost 2 days of good streaming continues to day 3...and then to day 4, I'll start feeling more confident that AIS did indeed do something late Monday night that fixed my issue. Time will tell.

SooKee · May 23, 2018

1 hour ago, tomazbodner said:

Apologies, I don't know how the old menu looked like. In the new Playbox there's 3 horizontal lines button on remote which opens up a menu and at the top are Quality and Audio - under Quality you can select which stream to use, from 240p to 1080p, and under Audio English and Thai. Previous posts make me believe older version is significantly different.

Yeah, I think it's all set to English as far as it can be. Just a transmission error I think. We'll see what they say (probably response 3/b/ii - we're looking into it) ?

No way I'd go back to True, the price is exorbitant compared to what AIS offer IMO. Only one thing True do MUCH MUCH better, my pet peeve, the Programme Guide!

ExpatOilWorker · May 24, 2018

On 5/20/2018 at 8:42 AM, Pib said:

Oh you will know when it gets neutered. Upon startup instead of the launcher displaying a lot of large block icons where you select whether you want to watch TV, HooQ of just a variety of other choices you instead launch into the AIS Play with no other choices. And now your channels selecter is on the left side versus the bottom. You will know.

Looks like I have not been neutered yet. Everything is working fine and I do like the new remote control Pib posted earlier. We lost the original remote and had to connect a mouse to change channels.

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