Fibe streaming box alternatives

[Impala]

Hi everyone,

I have Fibe TV and one streaming box on one TV. I'd like to have Fibe on at least one other TV and was wondering if there are any alternatives to buying another Bell Streamer for $80? I did some searching online and it looks like the Fibe app will work with Apple TV and Amazon Fire Stick, which can be purchased used for less than $80. Is there anything else I should consider since I'm on a tight budget?

Thanks. 

[AlexS]

The $80 Streamer is not another “Fibe box”. That’s a separate and older product comes as a freebie for Fibe TV App packs or former ALT tv packs.

But it’s cheap if you ask a replacement with a legitimate reason within the 1 yr warranty and you might be able to keep both boxes. I was offered a third box for merely $20 because I found additional functions that my remote couldn’t perform not long after receiving a replacement.
It’s also worthy if you use Restart often because of low available storage. Now the Streamer supports Restart from the beginning 30 hrs after the end time instead of the start time, meaning you could be able to watch the program from the beginning as long as the program hasn’t fully disappeared after 30 hrs. The Restart on Streamer looks like on-demand instead of the guide on dvr, so you still be able to catch-up even if the following program doesn’t support this function. Additionally, some of the channels on dvr don’t allow any Restart but they are available on Streamer. However, lots of the programs don’t support neither rewind nor pause, unless you pause it by exiting the program.

[Impala]

Sorry if I wasn't using the correct terminology by referring to it as a "box". I meant the $80 "Bell Streamer", which is currently available for purchase on the Bell site.  I'm not interested in paying $8 monthly rental fees for the "4K TV Box".

Not sure why you're suggesting I ask for a replacement, because there's nothing wrong with the one I have and it's less than a year old. 

I just want to watch Fibe on a second TV and wondering what's the cheapest way to do it. 

[AlexS]

Oh I thought you are on a dvr plan. 

Cause you initially mentioned that the budget is tight. Having two for $40 each is at market price but three for $100 is a bit of deal, considering a very very similar device made by the same company based in the Republic of China is available in Walmart for only $20 USD, and Bell was willing to sell me a third one for merely $20 CAD.
But even if you cannot use Restart, you should still consider the Streamer due to ongoing rollout of new functions. An online live agent at the end of Jan. told me a new Streamer would roll out in 2-3 months. Besides the new Restart perks, now it also can order ppv movies in both HD and 4K, so non-dvr users might also get some more features in the near future.

[Pancakie · Accepted solution]

I have the fire stick and it seems to be much more user friendly than the bell Fibe box. I use it on another TV in the house and you can watch your recordings from it, but cannot record on it. I also watch my other apps through it like Pluto, Netflix, Crave, CTV App, etc. Don’t get a ROKU

[AlexS]

Yeah if you’re not subscribing a dvr, Fibe TV App/ALT TV pack, there’s no obvious  advantage/convenience to use the Streamer other than bragging rights and pricing when comparing it with premium Apple and Android boxes. There used to be better-than-nothing voice control, but it seems like some engineer messed it up resulting Google Assistant always search the Internet instead what Bell offers on its own platform.

It seems like the end of your paragraph wasn’t complete.

[Pancakie]

You are right about the voice control! The bell fibe google responses are so frustrating and now I understand why because if your explanation. “Try saying…” “Try saying…” is the response to everything I say. The on demand channel display is much better with the fire stick.  The end of my paragraph was a word they removed that I guess they didn’t like on here. Roku (rhymes with) “trucks.”

[Impala]

Thanks for the additional responses. I don't have a dvr and didn't even know what Restart was. Had to look it up and I don't see any option in the app on my Fibe streamer to use it. So that's not applicable to me. I don't watch a lot of TV and it's typically just the news and some other live programming. 

The Fire stick sounds like it would probably work for me, so I'll keep an eye out for a used one. I'll also call Bell and see if they can offer any discount on a second streamer. I do have a tablet and a phone that I watch on as well, but sometimes I would prefer a larger screen that I don't have to hold in my hand or prop up somewhere.

Alex, I know what you mean about the Google assistant searching the web instead of the Bell listings, which is what I wanted it to do. I rarely use it for that reason.

[AlexS]

I see. Just be aware that some of the news channels aren’t worthy to watch comparing with the free YouTube streams. Under the a la carte category, the only worthy two TV news media outside North America for non-dvr user is Sky News UK, only if you have noticed the bitrate improvement or prefer reading adjusted closed captions, and NHK on PBS, because it supports playback. All other European channels and a Al Jazeera have yt streams with comparable image quality. Most of them have much and much longer playback except France 24. All English channels also have auto CC on YouTube streams.

And the picture quality on non-tv device is always worse even if your laptop or computer has more pixel than the TV, or you set the option at max.