The TVPad Knowledge Center

[Phantoman]

Special thanks to JVC888 for his translations of the order and registration pages and his contributions to this thread.


Attention:

• Due to the usage of proprietary transmission protocol, the following TV models are not supported by TVPad. Please carefully check your TV model to prevent disappointement: Sharp LC-65D64U; Sharp LC-52D64U; Sharp LC-C4655U; Samsung ua55b6000; Sony 32EX400;
• Do NOT buy the TVpad from www.tvpad.us or www.buytvpad.com, because they are scammers.

General Info
TVPad is a set top box that allows you to watch live channels from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. There are two models so far, the older M120 model and the newer M121 model. We will mainly concentrate on the new M121 model. The product specifications are as follows:

• Modified Android OS.
• Uses the TCC8901 chipset as a processor which has been widely used by MP4 players in China since 2009 (credit: uniqlo).
• Internal Memory: 512MB ???
• Starting with firmware version 2.70: English Setup menu.
• Supports up to 1080p through HDMI output. Also contains AV Component (RCA Red, White & Yellow) with lower resolution.
• It is also a music and video player. Simply connect a USB external hard drive (NTFS/EXT3 format) and watch movies and listen to music that you have stored in the following formats: TS，PS，TP，AVI， MPG，MKV，WMV，ASF，MOV，VOB，.MP4， FLV，SWF，RMVB，3GP， MTS，M2TS.
• 60+ Channels from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China on your big screen TV!!!
• Video On-Demand service to watch movies and dramas / series.
• No monthly fee (yet).
• Contains 8GB microSD memory card for buffering.
• Recommend broadband speed: minimum 3MB, slow internet access will not work well with this unit.

Hacking Info
*** Moved to ClubTVPad forum. ***


Apps
Different apps can be installed on this device for watching live channels. The apps can be found in the 8GB microSD card included in the box. You only need to install them. Below is a short description about the different apps:


With the three apps above you can watch live channels from Hong Kong. The Lily TV (百合电视) app does not exist anymore.


With the three apps above you can watch live channels from mainland China and Taiwan.


影视谷 is an app that allows you to watch videos on demand (VOD). You can watch movies, tv-series, and variety shows whenever you want. You can listen to your music using the 本地音乐 app and you can watch your own videos using the 本地影片 app via an external USB harddisk or microSD card.


体育Online app has live sports channels. NIJI Show app has 25 live channels from Japan. Video’s from Youtube and Youku can be watched using the Youtube/Youku app. The 港粤快看 app is a new video on demand app that has the latest TVB dramas.


TVPad in action
Below are some videos about this product:

Go to the Youtube page for a full description of the video clip.


Go to the Youtube page for a full description of the video clip.


Instructions to buy the TVpad from the official site and USA authorized reseller:
Don’t buy the TVpad from www.tvpad.us or www.buytvpad.com, because they are scammers.

- Go to the official English site to buy the TVPad: http://en.tvpad.hk/
- Fill in your personal information and payment method and use the discount code (19238315 or 14696673) to receive $30 discount per unit. The discount can be used multiple times.

To buy from a trusted authorized reseller in the USA then go to http://clubtvpad.com. If you want to support our efforts in creating custom apps for TVPad and continuous support, please use the $30 discount code phantoman2013 when ordering at http://clubtvpad.com.

Latest news

15-May-2012: Firmware 3.0 will be released somewhere around July (credit: toyznmore4u)



14-March-2012: TVpad announced firmware updates to be release in mid April. Different upgrade packages will be given depending on which firmware you currently have. The new firmware 2.62 and 2.72 will have the same features. You need to have the newest firmware before you can upgrade to 3.0 in the future. The new features are almost about improvements in the settings. Also a better UI interface and better built-in player.

They also briefly mentioned the new features in 3.0. You can download and install the apps from the Internet, similar to the Android Market. And they are going to release the SDK. (credit: CrazyMoFo + JVC888)


FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What are the shipping costs of this product and how long does it take to deliver the product? (credit: JVC888)
The shipping costs are free for most countries. This includes USA, Canada, (Western) Europe, Australia and some Asian countries. It will take about 2-6 working days to deliver the product depending on where you live.

Does the live channels work forever? (credit: JVC888)
There’s no guarantee that the live channels will work forever (especially the HK channels).

Where can I find the latest firmware of this product? (credit: JVC888)
You can find the latest firmware on the official product forum (mainly in Chinese): http://www.tvpadfans.com/forum.php

I heard that the TVpad's remote can control a TV as well, but how do you program it to do this ? (credit: uniqlo)
1) Press "Set" in your TVpad remote until it lights up
2) press the button which you want to set, e.g. Vol.+
3) Press your TV remote's correspond button to teach it.
4) Remember! Two remote controllers' IR have to face each other.
5) It will blink if TVpad's remote received the signal
6) Press "Set" again to confirm

What is the return policy and warranty period ? (credit: JVC888)
If there are any problems with the device you can return it within 7 days for a refund or you have 15 days to send it back and get a replacement. There is 3 years warranty.

Can you record with the TVPad ?
No, the TVPad has no recording features. You will have to use an external device like a TV/Video capture card to record any of the streams. Recording through the HDMI output is recommended though due to the bad quality of the Component output.

What is this TF Card that the vendor is referring to ?
This is another name for a microSD card.

How do you setup the TVPad for first-time use ? (credit: floatpoo -> external forum)
1) Upon first time start up, you'll see a screen where you have to put in a 3-digit code (kind of like a captcha). This should be self explanatory.
2) You'll then go through an initial setup wizard (auto IP address, checking for internet connectivity, checking for new firmware, etc). This should all be relatively self explanatory too. Note: you can revisit these setup options again from the "gear icon" in the main menu.
3) And now you're at the main menu. On the left side you'll see two icons: a "red/yellow/blue/green" icon (install/uninstall apps) and a "gear" icon (setup). And the rest of the screen is empty.
4) In the TVpad package, there is a microSD card. Insert this into the TVpad unit. The microSD card contains the actual TVPad apps you need to install. If successfully read, you should see a microSD icon on the bottom right of the main menu.
5) Go into the red/yellow/blue/green icon. You'll see two tabs on top: on the left is "already installed apps" and on the right is "not installed apps". Go to the right tab.
6) It'll read from your microSD card, and you should see 7 different packages. Install each. This should be self-explanatory.
7) Once installed, go back to the main menu and you should now be able to see new icons. Congrats, you finally have TVpad set up

How to (re)install (new) apps ? (Windows Edition)
Go to http://www.tvpadzone.com/english/download/index.html and download the app (.pkg file).

Option 1:
1) Copy the .pkg file to a FAT32 or NTFS formatted USB stick.
2) Insert the USB stick into the TVPad.
3) Go to the App Manager and install the app.

Option 2:
1) Copy the .pkg file to a FAT32 or NTFS formatted microSD card.
2) Insert the microSD card into the TVPad.
3) Go to the App Manager and install the app.

Option 3:
1) Remove the microSD card from your TVPad and insert it into your PC.
2) Download and install 'Ext2fsd' discussed in this article: http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-rea...windows-7.html
3) Copy the .pkg file to the microSD card.
4) Remove the microSD card from your PC and insert it back into the TVPad.
5) Go to the App Manager and install the app.

Any corrections or updates are welcome. Just leave a message behind.

[hawai]

Alright Phantoman...........Nice to see a fresh new thread just for the TVPad.
I am second to post on this thread.
I just got mine today from the U.S. Ebay seller. I'll let you know how everything goes after I test it out.

[Jeff]

Doesnt have the capability to watch on dramas on demand? So if i live in the other side of the world.. means i'd have to get up at 8am to watch the dramas? lol

So more of a live channel viewing rather than a live dramas viewing.

[CrazyMoFo]

Bravo!!!! Phantoman, you're da man! good job!!!

[CrazyMoFo]

Phantoman - Can you also update the warranty info? Is there a return policy? I know shipping the device back is at the buyer's expense.

[uniqlo]

Doesnt have the capability to watch on dramas on demand? So if i live in the other side of the world.. means i'd have to get up at 8am to watch the dramas? lol

So more of a live channel viewing rather than a live dramas viewing.

there's an app "Movie/TV Valley", the brown icon, which dramas, movies, variety shows, and others can be viewed on demand. i think it's hard to search the exact program though, because you need to know the name of the program in Chinese, and the searching isn't very good either.

anyway, their program base is huge...

[JVC888]

Phantoman - Can you also update the warranty info? Is there a return policy? I know shipping the device back is at the buyer's expense.

If there are any problems with the device you can return it within 7 days for a refund or you have 15 days to send it back and get a replacement. There is 3 years warranty.

[hawai]

I just tested everything on my new TVPad. I have to say everything works perfectly right out of the box. It exceeded my expectations. I did not even have to install any of the new apps. They were already pre-installed. All I had to do was hook up the ethernet cable and an the HDMI cable, and it work flawlessly. I guess the Ebay seller installed everything for me. Here is a link of the Ebay auction for those who are interested - http://www.ebay.com/itm/TVPAD2-M121-...item53ebfa02db
I highly recommend the seller for those interested in buying from Ebay in the U.S.

By the way, I used my own HDMI cable that was a higher grade than the one that came with the TVPad.
Also, the video-on-demand works just fine. The latest Hong Kong dramas are available in cantonese and mandarin.
My parents just loves it

Phantoman, hope you get yours soon.

[superhan]

what is better option using the tvpad 2 on a smaller or bigger tv ???

[CrazyMoFo]

what is better option using the tvpad 2 on a smaller or bigger tv ???

HD Stream works great on both small and big screen. The crappier channels, it doesn't matter small or big screen, it's still crappy! I tend to stay away from those channels. When I watch Movies from Movie Valley I only select movies in HD. I have a 60" Sony and it looks decent. It's not blu-ray quality but usually 720p.

My parents don't mind even if it's less than 720p, sometimes they are not even watching the damn TV and just have it running just to hear TVB running in the background while they do other things. That kinda annoys me! LOL

[Phantoman]

Doesnt have the capability to watch on dramas on demand? So if i live in the other side of the world.. means i'd have to get up at 8am to watch the dramas? lol

So more of a live channel viewing rather than a live dramas viewing.

They already replied to you, but you must be joking right ? LOL, VOD is mentioned twice in the description above and there is even a Youtube video showing it in action.

Bravo!!!! Phantoman, you're da man! good job!!!

Couldn't have done it without JVC888 I will depend a lot on you guys to keep this thread alive since my Chinese is ... well ... as good as Google Translate

Phantoman, hope you get yours soon.

Oh hawai, don't even remind me ... lol. I have seen so many people get their TVPads before me that it's not funny anymore. Just called DHL today for a 2nd delivery, so let's hope my wife stays put this time around.


Btw, is it my idea or does the TVPad look similar in appearance to the Apple TV ? Lawsuit anyone ???

[Jeff]

Dunno what the hell im smoking at the time lol. Didn't watch the yt videos though and only skimmed through the stuff.

It's good if you have good internet speed & if they dont implement monthly fees.

[JoeyFan3000]

Nice JOB phantoman

[CrazyMoFo]

Looks like TVpad just announced firmware updates to be release in mid April. Also a new 3.0 firmware is in the works.

[JVC888]

I have read that too, different upgrade packages will be given depending on which firmware you currently have. The new firmware 2.62 and 2.72 will have the same features. You need to have the newest firmware before you can upgrade to 3.0 in the future. The new features are almost about improvements in the settings. Also a better UI interface and better built-in player.

They also briefly mentioned the new features in 3.0. You can download and install the apps from the Internet, similar to the Android Market. And they are going to release the SDK. Not sure what that means, can we create our own apps?

[weiwong87]

Is the TVPad hackable?

[JoeyFan3000]

@Jvc8888

that sounds great ^^

[phead128]

DVR (timeshift playback solutions) - Basically means recording TVPad signal output on an laptop/desktop for timeshift playback (fix HK hours)

Phead128 tested Easycap external USB tuner (link) with 3.5mm-3RCA composite AV cable (supplied with TVPad).

Phead128 confirmed it does not work, because the AV cable supplied with TVPad has faulty connections, and recording with Easycap external USB tuner (composite connection) has fuzzy lines, poor color, and overall poor picture quality and no sound. Do not recommend!

Phead128 speculates that any composite cable TV capture solution may not work, because of the unreliable connection of AV cables supplied by TVPad. (Basically, do not buy composite cable TV capture solutions)

Not complete list, will update:

Phead128 recommends DVR solutions like Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle/Extreme (link ~$190-$280), Hauppauge HD DVR (link ~$180 for HDMI quality recording features with high picture quality.

[stsang75]

I just got my TVpad today, overall it's a great product, easy to use. However, for the Video On Demand (M icon) I am experiencing problem with the tvb series where it's downloading at 2kb which pretty much rendered it useless? Is anyone else having problem with the VOD? My internet connection is good, I am able to view live streaming and it's downloading at 600kb to 1mb but for some reason, only the VOD is downloading at 2kb? Maybe it's down or it is being overloaded? Anyone have any experience with the VOD, does it run well and this is just a fluke or is this to be expected?

[CrazyMoFo]

I don't think it has anything to do with the device. More than likely it's the file on the server that is bad. Did you try other TVB series or different chapters? I experience the same with some Movies.

But glad you finally got the TVpad. Welcome to the family!

[TsukiiDestiny]

I've been wanting to buy a tvpad after hearing about it online, but I was wondering if it is possible to record the shows especially on tv for the shows playing on tvpad when I'm not there to watch it?

[Phantoman]

Man, I finally got my TVPad today!!! Wooohoooo!!! I'm quite happy with the results so far. I did have similar functionality in the past through my HTPC in combination with the SopCast links, so it was not too much of a wow factor for me though. Nonetheless it does what it's supposed to do quite well. Furthermore there are a few redundancies for a lot of the channels.

Now if someone can create a nice English guide on how to use that VOD thingie then I'm really happy. I did some random clicks and unlike the person in the Youtube videos my streams start like after 15 seconds or so. So it's not too bad. The only problem for me is that I have no clue what I am clicking on without my lovely Google Translate Like where can I find the HD movies or even TVB dramas ?

Oh, and while I was busy at it I managed to find the direct links of 2 channels that I used as my test subjects, but I won't be sharing them (at least not now) since I do not want to upset people ... like "Normal" So DO NOT send me a private message asking me to share. Anyway, it's still a work in progress.

Is the TVPad hackable?

In what way ?

DVR (timeshift playback solutions) ...

Thanks for the update. I might go with an Hauppauge tv/video capture card depending on the results of my project above.

I just got my TVpad today, overall it's a great product, easy to use. However, for the Video On Demand (M icon) I am experiencing problem with the tvb series where it's downloading at 2kb which pretty much rendered it useless? Is anyone else having problem with the VOD? My internet connection is good, I am able to view live streaming and it's downloading at 600kb to 1mb but for some reason, only the VOD is downloading at 2kb? Maybe it's down or it is being overloaded? Anyone have any experience with the VOD, does it run well and this is just a fluke or is this to be expected?

For the random links that I have tried which included one drama episode and a few old movies, I had no problems at all. I recall reading about something similar on the TVPad forum and some people had to provide their IP address in order for them to enable access to VOD ... unless I misunderstood the translation.

I've been wanting to buy a tvpad after hearing about it online, but I was wondering if it is possible to record the shows especially on tv for the shows playing on tvpad when I'm not there to watch it?

The TVPad itself does not contain a recording feature, so you will have to use some sort of external device to record. See "phead128"'s comment above for an idea.