Gadget ViewQwest 4K TV Box TVMC

Date:  Sep 18, 2015

[update:  http://sideloadfiretv.com/sideload-apps-amazon-fire-tv-windows/ is the tutorial for Windows to side load APK using ADB platform tools, the tutorial is for Amazon FireTV but it works similar on ViewQwest 4K.  I tried to find the USB function on the ViewQwest box, I believe they turn off, and they don’t allow you to install APK via USB.]

Yesterday, I picked up the latest ViewQwest 4K box.  After playing with Xiaomi TV box & Mini, Amazon FireTV & Stick, 10moon, Tmall TV box, etc etc.  I am not sure how to do a review on this box.  

To me, it is JUST ANOTHER ANDROID TV BOX that comes with a cool remote control.

But the selling point of this Android Box is, it comes with LOGIN APP to login to ViewQwest Authentication server, and hence UNBLOCK the geo-blockage from popular US based app such as Hulu & Netflix.  

And if you are non-ViewQwest users, like SingTel, Starhub, M1 or MyRepublic, you can make use of Viewqwest FreedomVPN on this box.   But bear in mind, the quality of the movie streaming is still depend on your own ISP network.  What this box does is it unlock the geo-lock for you.  So, if your ISP has lousy network peering with the content provider, although you can access them, i.e. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc.  But you will still get lagging or buffering.

I don’t have SingTel or Starhub or M1 or My Republic Internet at home, so, I am not sure how well this function work.  

This blog is how to FACE LIFT the box.  HaHaHa… yeap, do plastic surgery.  hahahaha

It comes with a very cool remote control.  Yeah, a remote control that has a MOUSE PAD on top.  So basically, you now can run some of the Apps (APK) that does not support the traditional few buttons remote control.  

It looks cool.

But in reality, I think use a Bluetooth Mouse is better.  HaHaHaHa.

It comes with this UI interface.

And It SUCKS!  (Because is Android! hahahaha).

I spent almost one hour trying to figure out what to do.  And I am completely clueless.

Here are some of the problem I face.  

1)  Initially, if you just plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI port.  It does not do anything.  So, it might have some compatibility issues it seems.  But then, if you turn off the TV, and reboot the ViewQwest box, it actually connect to the HDMI and show it on TV.  

2)  Initially, I run WiFI connection.  Then, when I run some application, it complaint that the Network is not there.  Such as Netflix.  Then, I figure out I need to terminate the Netflix program.  But the Android is designed for touch screen, so with that remote control I not sure how to do it.  So, I plug in a mouse to do the job.

3)  Big time problem with USB.  I plug in a USB dongle for my mouse, then, the SOUND stop working.  Play any movie no sound.  Plug out the USB, sound resume.

4)  I plug in the USB, and I have no clue where to install third party APK from my USB thumb drive.  But then, something not work.

5)  I run Netflix, and it tells me to upgrade Google play store.  After upgrade, there are some error message here and there.

...

So, after 1 hour later, I GIVE UP.  So, I tried the following to do the FACE LIFT.  I had enough of this. 

HACKING TIME

A.  SIDE LOAD APK onto ViewQwest 4K TV Box.

[For MacOS users] Download the platform-tools-osx.zip from http://www.mediafire.com/download/yum9gn1wdx855x0/platform-tools-osx.zip.  

(Sorry, this is for MacOS users only.  For Windows users, I am sure you can google and find out how to do it on Windows.  I have not been using Windows for many many years)

Install the platform-tools on any where you like.  (for expert only)

Go to your ViewQwest 4K TV Box.  Find out the IP of the box.  For example, mine is 192.168.1.29

So, you go into the platform-tools directory and run the following command...

    ./adb connect 192.168.1.29

And this will connect your computer to the ViewQwest TV box.

I have placed some APK files here for testing...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_2LIa_dWu8sSzJiZDJ4TU9UaFU

Copy some of these APK into the platform-tools directory.

Then, you can install these applications APK files.

  ./adb install Shafa Market.apk

  ./adb install CloudTV.apk

  ./adb install tvmc-14.2.2-helix.apk

Your applications can be installed easily onto the ViewQwest 4K box.

And all you need to do is to click “Open”.

And you have your usual Shafa Desktop running on the ViewQwest 4K TV box.  This is a much better UI.  And it is a familiar UI to all.

Turn ON the Boot Start.  So that whenever you reboot the box, it launch this Desktop UI instead of the ViewQwest one.

Every time you press the HOME button, it allows you to select the launcher.

Sometimes, this dialog box will come out.  So, makes sure you ALWAYS choose Shafa Launcher.

The user interface is simple and easy to use.

And the Interface is in ENGLISH.  Because the Android box OS is set to English language.  So, most of your Desktop app are in English.  And ViewQwest preloaded many apps for you.  So, those apps which might need to use a mouse pointer will be easily navigated using the ViewQwest Mouse Remote control.

Here is the 2nd part of the topic.  Installing TVMC.

TVMC is an application allows you to watch TV and Movies streaming.

You can get all the info from here.

http://www.tvaddons.ag/tvmc-android/

You notice earlier, I have already side loaded it on to my ViewQwest 4K box.

Click on Grant to install the App.

It is a 5-8 minutes installation...

Once install, you get this screen.  Go select Genesis.

Let’s say I want to watch a TV show.

Select Returning TV Shows as I know the show I want to watch is Season 3.

Browse thru the TV show.

Click NEXT to go next page.

I found the show I want to watch.

I found the show I want to watch.  Season 3.

Go to the episode you like to watch.

If it works, it says “Working…”.  If it does not, then, it will tell you No Streams...

Choose the streams that works.  Many for you to choose and with different quality.

And it runs.

Summary.

1.  This ViewQwest 4K TV box is just another Android Box.

2.  What do you do when you have an Android Box?  You install Shafa Market.  I use ADB to install.  This is where you going to get your apps.

3.  It comes with a cool remote control.  With a small mouse pad.

4.  It has very sucks UI (KK Launcher).  Don’t recommend average users to use it.  So, install Shafa Desktop.

5.  It has English language.  

6.  Since it comes with mouse pad remote control.  You can run those Netflix and Hulu that need mouse input.  Korean Apk too.

7.  The box allows you to login into ViewQwest Freedom VPN and unlock the Geo-locked content sites.

8.  But beware, the Internet speed to these content sides pretty much depend on your own original ISP speed.  If it is slow, you complaint to your ISP.

9.  I feel that this box is like Minix box like that.  Nothing special.

10.  Since CartoonHD, MegaboxHD all close down.  So, the best alternative is to use the Kodi’s TVMC apk to watch it.  Use the Genesis stream.

 

Kay Kay Promoted to Green Belt

Date:  May 19, 2015

Congratulations to my younger son Kay Kay and Justin being promoted to green belt this week!

For the kids, it is important to learn Taekwondo.

1.  Get the first taste of “grading”.  So, when they go into P2, they will know what is “test”, “quiz” and “exam” all about.  It is about study something over and over again, trying to understand why we need to study, and then, every 3 months has a test or grading.  So, you need to work hard and practice so that “Practice makes perfect”.  This are a few little concepts that I injected into this TKD and tell both my sons.

2.  Learning how to defence yourself physically.  This is very important.  When you see bad guys, and they do something to you, you need to learn how to think and defence.

3.  Learn to respect others.  Respect the teacher.  Respect the head master.  Respect the training hall.

4.  Learn to control emotion.  Hurt in future will come in either physical form or non-physical form (i.e. cyber bully).  The key thing to learn at this age is, do not be so emotional about things.  Learn how to control it.  Angry will bring you to the dark side.  (have to learn together with Star Wars Force teaching).  Well, the idea is simple.  TKD is for fitness.  When got bully by someone else, you can defence yourself.  But if you use TKD to bully others, their legs will sure be broken by me.  And that is all they need to learn.  hahaha

It might be tough for Kay initially to pick up TKD.  But since he every day see his brother do it, he also wanted to request for it.  And the first few months is quite hard to tune him into this grading mode.  But later he figure it all out.

And we are very proud of both the kids.  Well done Kay Kay and Justin!

Of course happy face.  hahaha

Here is the change belt ceremony.

Kay Kay Moves to the Next Level in Badminton Class

Date:  June 8, 2015

Kay Kay used to use a no-name no-brand badminton racquet that I bought from Taobao China.

He gave away his junior racquet to his good buddy Colette.  So, he has to use that China racquet to start his badminton lesson.

Few days before May 20, Kay Kay uses his badminton coach’s badminton racquet and did pretty well in returning the shots.

So, he came back and tell me about it.

So, I decided to upgrade his badminton racquet.

He is now holding one of the lightest racquet available in the market produced by Lining sport, I think.

Last week, the badminton coach is testing his shot, and surprisingly to see that Kay Kay can hit back all the shots correctly with correct postures.

So, after that, she put him to the next level.  Which is a court just beside for students who knows how to hit the shuttlecock.  Jay Jay is on the third court which is level 3.

So, he felt so proud of himself and put in a lot of efforts learning together with the older ko-ko and jie-jie.

 He is happily learning new skills in this mid-level class.  By the time he reach P3, I suppose he will be much better commanding the racquet.  hahaha

All these ko-ko and jie-jie is much taller than him.  All of them is P1 to P6 level now.  That is why he is shortest among all of them.  He has not celebrate his birthday, that makes him 5.5 years old.  

Let’s see how he pick up this sport in future.

Kay Kay, ???

Jay Poom Belt Chapter 2 Grading

Date:  June 7, 2015

There is no way Daddy can keep up and show him youtube of the pattern.  

He has learned all the patterns from the classes.

Today is his second chapter internal grading day.

He has performed smooth pattern for both chapter 1 and 2.

And he has kick a lot of back thrust, side kicks during the sparring display.

And he has to strike 2 times to break this board.

Of course they won’t fail a kid who takes 2 strikes to break the board. hahahaha

And at the end of the grading, he proudly came out with his broken board, poom belt renewed with a green Chapter 3 stickers.

I just found out from another instructor that after he turned 15, he can go to the STF and convert his poom belt to black belt.  No need to take any more test, simply fill in paper, and pay money, you can get all the poom belt changed to black belt.

Jay Will Take 2nd Poom Belt Grading Soon

Date:  Jan 21, 2016

Both Jay and Kay are ready for their grading next Month after they come back from Chinese New Year.

Kay will go for his Red Tip grading (Currently Blue Belt).

Jay will go for his 2nd POOM belt.  (Children black belt 2nd dan I think).  ?? ???

Very Delicious Penang Restaurant

Date:  July 25, 2015

Today is National Youth Day.

I took a day off to spent time with the kids.  So strange, they always busy during the weekend because of the enrichment classes.

Only time to go cycling is on this sort of holidays.  Kind of nice to have such holiday.  :) 

We cycled to West Coast Park today.  The round trip journey takes about 17.24KM.

During lunch hour, we quickly stop at this restaurant.  

Just 10 minutes before 12 noon.  We reached at this restaurant at Clementi West St. 2.

Island Penang Kitchen.

They used to be at China Town. 

And only recently they moved to Clementi.

Sometimes I do my morning walk, I walked passed this restaurant.

And we ordered three of this Penang’s famous food!

The Penang Fried Kway Teow is very nice.  The sweet sauce that they used to fried the Kway Teow is the authentic Penang one.  Very nice, and taste very good.  I like it. 

The Penang laksa is very nice.

Quoted my wife saying: “This is the best Penang Laksa I have eaten for the last 10 years…”.  Very authentic.

Especially with the prawn paste.

And I ordered myself the Special Prawn Mee.

Just look at it.  It is one of the only expensive dish they have.  $15 per bowl.  The rest of the food are $5 to $7.  

Why this one so expensive?

Because got scallop.

Few big prawns.  A note about the prawns, very big and fresh.  That is why the prawn soup base is nice. 

The Tu-Kar (Pork Leg Meat) looks damn shiok.

Tu-Pee.  Pig Skin.  Very tender and nice.

Pork Lard.  Overall, nice.  I like the Prawn Mee soup.

Golden Fried Rice.

At first I ordered the fried rice for Kay.  But he does not like it.  So, we let him taste the Char Kway Teow.  And he loves it!  This is the first time Mr. Kay eat fried kway teow and say it is very nice.  

So, this Penang famous food place is really live up to the “famous” word.  Nice!

Not expensive.

Every thing is like $5-$6.  Only my Special Prawn Noodle is costly.  

I think I will come here and eat quite often.  :)