4K is the resolution of the future and ViewQwest’s TV Box wants to bring it to your monitor today30/4/2017
By Philip C.
ViewQwest has recently launched its new TV box, the VQTV5, which offers many functions including 4K video support. TechOut Singapore had a brief hands on with the box at ViewQwest’s launch event and we bring you our thoughts on this offering in this article.
The Android powered box is ViewQwest’s latest update to their TV box line, and they have updated it with a number of new features. Let’s take a look at the more interesting functions.
4K Video Support
The VQTV5’s signature function is support for 4K video streaming. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see this in action at the launch event as there were no Android apps compatible with the onboard Android OS that could stream 4K content at the moment. However, ViewQwest has stated that 4K videos loaded onto the player from a thumbdrive or external hard drive will be able to play said videos in it Ultra HD glory (assuming you have a 4K TV as well).
Amazon Alexa Support
The VQTV5 can also be linked up to an Amazon Echo where Alexa, Amazon’s personal voice assistant, can help you navigate through TV box’s interface through voice recognition. The VQTV5 currently supports commands to open and close apps on the player, and more voice commands will be added in the future.
WiFI Health Monitoring
ViewQwest has also added a WiFi health monitoring system into the VQTV5 – if any WiFi or internet connectivity issues might arise during usage, the box will send network data back to ViewQwest to better support the troubleshooting process. Users uncomfortable with this, can easily opt out of this service.
First Impressions
All in all, the VQTV5 feels like it might have been released a little too early. The device works well, but all the new features that were included seem slightly unpolished and would require more work on them to bring out their full potential. The ability to play 4K content is definitely a plus, but as the VQTV5’s Android OS does not have apps available which support 4K streaming at the moment, the feature does not seem to have much use right now. WiFi health monitoring is a good thing, however, because the user is not able to see what is being monitored, the benefits are not apparent at first glance. The VQTV5 has the potential to be a lot better in the future, but as of right now, it is still a good work in progress. For more information on the VQTV5, have look at the press release below. For more technology news, reviews and articles, please subscribe to our mailing list and be sure to like and follow our Facebook Page!
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SINGAPORE, 21 April 2017 – ViewQwest has launched its latest integrated TV box and Android media player, the VQTV5, which gives users the two-in-one option of enjoying free-to-air channels in HD while streaming 4K content through the Android media player - all through a single set-top box.
With its built-in digital TV tuner (DVB-T2), the device can access local free-to-air HD channels when hooked to a compatible TV antenna. This is especially relevant to home users here as the analogue TV signals in Singapore will be deactivated by the end of this year. Users can now have the convenience of using one box to continue accessing local TV channels while enjoying streamed content on this integrated media player. The new VQTV5 is pre-loaded with over 20 video-streaming apps including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Drama Fever and PPTV. Significant upgrades from ViewQwest’s previous 4K media player include the support for ultra-high-definition 4K streaming after moving from Android 4.4.1 to Android 5.1.1, and two times the amount of storage space from 8GB to 16GB. The new media player also supports faster content streaming and a greater number of video applications. The VQTV5 also comes with built-in smarts to monitor the health of the consumer’s Internet and Wi-Fi network connectivity. This new tech is able to gather relevant network-related data that highlights possible network issues to ViewQwest’s engineering team, allowing ViewQwest to proactively alert and advise customers on how to improve their Wi-Fi experience. For example, ViewQwest is able to advise users to switch Wi-Fi channels for improved connectivity after seeing that their current channel is congested. Mr. Vignesa Moorthy, CEO of ViewQwest said: “ViewQwest is focused on improving the home user experience with our media players. Users can enjoy ultra-high-definition content while having the ability to continue accessing local free-to-air channels. In essence, the VQTV5 is the integration of two core TV systems into a single, convenient device.” The remote control also receives an update with the new “air-mouse” that lets users wave the remote like a magic wand to quickly move the cursor across the screen, compared to the previous remote control where users had to navigate the interface via the laborious pressing of buttons. The new VQTV5 is priced at S$188 for new and existing subscribers of ViewQwest’s two-year fibre broadband service. For customers who also wish to purchase the separate indoor TV antenna, the antenna and VQTV5 is bundled at a special launch price of S$198 (U.P. S$218). All items can be purchased from ViewQwest’s e-store (https://e-store.viewqwest.com/) or during sign-ups for ViewQwest’s fibre broadband through online or various retail touchpoints. |