Late to the IParty

Hey All: Just trying to take it all in and thanks in advance for your assistance. Fed up with DN since they removed the CBS local but the mrs won't let me cancel their service. We live in the boonies so an OTA solution isn't really an option. I wish there was a good sat option being an old tester rather than the internet thing. That's because we are tethered to a metered sat web source. My DL speed is only 14. But I'm hoping to give this a shot nonetheless. I bought a Roku some time ago to try and it's marginal. We have netflix directly on the sam smart TV and that works mostly well as long as we don't overdo it. The DN service is mostly about the recording shows ability and having a wired connection in 4 different rooms. There is so much programming available that I'm never going to watch. However, I still want choices and this web thing seems like something to add. First - in your Get Started area you don't mention using a vpn. And what is "over-the-top". On my TV apps page are several services that seems of interest: a portal with an ru extension, deliverfy which mentions this ott thing, 4net.tv, and setplex. Would I access one of the "routes" using one of these apps? I don't want to try and use the roku because I couldn't find the m3u player. I would love to get a Buzztv box but again I'm concerned about the web usage although I think I can pay more for unlimited. The reason for the Buzz box is for the recording ability. Okay. Hope that makes sense. Thanks again. Cheers.

'Over the Top' is only a saying invented by those that market these devices.
Basically it describes a device that can bypass the normal avenues to access media, as in a cable provider or satellite provider or etc..,
Streamed media 'Over the Top' of the providers, is basically how the term came to be. And it sounds great and therefore a great marketing ploy :eek:

VPN is not mentioned because the services sponsored here do not like to see VPNs used when connecting to their servers.

The 'Route' is a password and username provided by one of the services. They call it a Route... but it could be called a donation or the credentials just as easily.
You would need either a device that has the abilities to connect to a service (an onboard built in app would be needed) or an m3u Player.
The Buzz box does have one of these apps and is called BuzzTV app.

Your full Route or code would include the username and password and also the server URL that would be connected to and a expiry date. That would be considered the code or the Route.
The username and password alone can be considered your credentials.

That Roku box would need an open port supported from the Roku server and then you would add your credentials(username and password and server URL address), but Roku blocks these ports on a regular basis, so it is not very feesable using a Roku box with private services.

Other ways to connect would be thru an m3u Playlist and that is code specific and can be used with certain Player apps, like Perfect Player or ProgTV, to mention a couple.

Thanks crazed: I did a bit more reading and found an app called "smart stb" on my tv after watching a youtube video. The app mentioned in the Get Started area says "smarters" but I think this app may be similar. I don't see any players called Perfect or Prog. By the by, I did also read Deadwood saying he doesn't think it's good to use this setup but I was wanting to go this direction instead of getting a set top box. My problem is - there is no Device Mac address listed in the info section. There is Device Model which is the tv, device type, a software id, subscription, DP, and IP address, and then a Virtual mac address. I tried going in to the TV settings Menu directly and looking for a MAC address but didn't find anything. I have to have this Device mac address and then log on with the PC to the smart-stb website and register before going to the "reseller" website. Okay. Thanks again.

The MAC you need for the service should start with ...
00:1a:79
or
00:1a:78

You can create a MAC that will work for the service, but I do not know how that Smart STB works.

Code:

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https://miniwebtool.com/mac-address-generator/

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With that generator use the prefix 00:1a:78 and use the format with the semicolons.

But it could be that you do not need a MAC attached to your code at the service website.
As I mentioned , I do not know how that Smart STB would work.
What MAC is the Smart STB website asking for ?

There have been many reports of using smart stb only working when you change your country lock to allow all countries. But when you want to use it again the next day, you need to make that change again. I don't know if this problem was ever fixed.

Thanks to Crazed & Joker: More reading and helpful videos. The bug about the MAC may simply be that I have to use the S/W address instead. But now as I look further in trying to order a route that I have to use Bitcoin or Coinbase if I use a CC. Wow. Next I'll have to learn about the dark web. Anyway - I read the thread about the Smarter app and haven't found it but did find another one called Smart jptv. The whole thing revolves around authorizing a portal which I was hoping to get a free trial but they seem to have a problem with doing it on a Saturday night. The only reason for the free trial is that I have to jump thru hoops to make a payment. I'm not driving a 100 miles one-way to get to a BC ATM. I have to have my priorities. I'd rather drive 10 miles to a Redbox for a dvd. Ha! So, I don't know what I'm going to do. But thanks of course. Cheers.

I have heard that there are BC Payments thru some on eBay...!

Again, I Have Heard...! I don't know, the choice to make is Yours and Yours Alone so Choose Wisely...!

a just found out stater bro has bitcoin op if you have that store near lotty machine