With Reliance Jio expected to launch its direct-to-home (DTH) TV service via the internet, its rivals are preparing for the onslaught with their own devices. This week, ACT Fibernet, which offers high-speed internet in select cities of the country, has launched its first hardware product, a 4K TV streaming smart box.
Feature-wise, the ACT Stream TV 4K is similar to Amazon’s Fire Stick, a thumb drive device which can be plugged to the television. ACT Fibernet has priced the Stream TV 4K at Rs 4,499 and it will be available to consumers from May this year.
The device is powered by Android TV, running on the latest Android 9.0 Pie version and it also lets you watch TV channels as well.
Just because the Stream TV 4K is powered by Android TV doesn’t mean that all apps from Google Play Store are compatible with the device. ACT Fibernet has said that apps like Netflix, Hotstar, Sony Liv, Hooq, Zee5 and YouTube among others can be accessed through the device on a television.
Stream TV 4K can be connected to a television via HDMI cable, and for the internet, you can either choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet/LAN cable.
The device uses HiSilicon processor for power, paired with 2GB RAM and 8GB storage. For connectivity, it supports 2 x USB, 1 A/V output port and SD card slot for memory expansion. These are pretty much available with Amazon’s Fire Stick 4K streaming device, which is priced at Rs 5,999 in the Indian market.
ACT Fibernet has claimed that Stream TV 4K supports Dolby Atmos for improved audio quality. The bundled remote gets voice command support via Google Assistant. But unlike the Fire Stick 4K, ACT’s Stream TV 4K is a dual-purpose box, with support for TV channels provided by DTH to your home.
This is similar to Xiaomi Mi TV and its interface called PatchWall, which is available on smart TVs costing as low as Rs 13,000.
There aren’t many alternatives to the Fire Stick from Amazon, and ACT Fibernet will be hoping that consumers will give its 4K TV streaming box a shot when it launches in the coming months.
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