86Tiger

Guys. as stated above, I don't use the live tv channels very often other than news feeds. If I am doing nothing or in the markets or whatever I do like to have the news playing in back ground. I have noticed a few XMBC news feeds will be "choppy" or freeze occasionally while buffering and I ahve gotten a "cache full" message couple times. If it is unbearable there are plenty of feeds to choose so can change and usually find one acceptable. I have been cruising the net learning a bit about the Minix and happened upon a neat little trick to help the choppy feeds. It is means to increase you cache parameters. Check out this link http://www.minixforum.com/threads/cache-full.1268/ Read the entire thread as there are some detailed "do this" instructions on 2nd page and a WIKI linked in the trhead with some great info as well. I have been running the adjusted parameters couple days and can see noticed improvement in live tv feeds. So far I like it. YMMV JWP

Ianzalad, you shared when setting me up there were some apps with servers in Russia. Can you remind me which those are? As I am nestled up to the Motherland maybe some of those will work very nicely here.

Well, I have to admit I blew it off. Kickoff festivities started 1:30 am here and I didn't have enough interest to sleep early Sunday and adjust nor suffer throught the no sleep pain. Hitting rack at regular time won out knowing it would most likely be posted to YouTube in couple days anyway and I could speed through it at my leasure. However, I have had good luck with everything else via First Row and VIP Sport in the Sports Devil add on. And even better than laptop because none of the pop up ads to try ones patience. Also, the more I learn on XMBC the more I like it. It is a powerful app with many add ons available. One of may favs been using with laptop couple years is Project Free TV, practically any US tv series you can name is available for stream or down load. All in all the Minix rocks...... ETA: On the live feeds in XMBC, I don't use them much. I have couple news feed "go to"'s and will hit an XMBC feed if the firsts or not working. I do use the history and discovery feeds on occasion but that is about it for live feed channels in XMBC.

I offer my experience and a shameless plug for the Minix: I have never used an android device before but have been downloading and streaming live sports on laptop for several years so I'm fairly familiar with all that is available out there in cyberspace. I got a X7 mini back in November and brought it with me to Lithuania for work. I spent lot of time learning all I could on operation and what was available on the Minix. My internet in Lithuania is smoking, testing nearly always over 85Mb/s with 1msec ping on laptop ethernet connection. The 7X tested in 20Mb/s range on same ethernet connection. The 7X worked fine for all movie and tv show downlaods. There was occasional buffering but I could easily associate that to internet slow down at some choke point around the world or high traffic due to "every one home from work" time. Live sports streaming was average as it was choppy, watchable but not smooth as the laptop. The Thai channel applications are a bit choppy as well. There are freeze ups that are easily remedied with a click back and restart the stream. One simply has to realize there is going to be some lost streams due to internet traffic from all over the world to where you are located. In January I was in Udon 2 weeks. The family home near Kat chup has 3BB internet that tests consistantly 12Mb/S range on laptop WIFI. I tested the ethernet as well but only could get 15Mb/s range. The 7X worked great. Good as Lithuania and the Thai app channels worked much better, there was hardly any drop out. Now, there was some freeze ups but relatively few over a full day and couple days during what might be considered "high traffic" times the video was choppy but not bad. Over all I am pleased with the 7X and have no regret on purchase. It is small, easy to travel with and would be great to keep in the travel bag. Also, while in Udon I acquired a couple 8H boxes from Phil. Actually, he posted them to my wife before, but I got them when I arrived. The 8H is physically little larger than the 7X mini. It also lists better cpu, more RAM and few other upgrades over the 7X. In Kat chup on the 3BB WIFI, I estimate the 8H performed fairly close to the 7X. The Thai app channels were great, movies downloaded well as could be expected for 12Mb/s and live sport streaming was above average, there was some, but little, choppiness. I would place it not quite as good Live sport streaming as the Laptop but very close. And remember this is 12Mb/S WIFI. I have been back to work 2 weeks now and I gotta say the 8H is the ticket on smoking internet. Live sport streaming is just as good as laptop and of course all movies and shows are great. The 8H tests ethernet at about 60Mb/S range, still not as fast as the laptop but more than enough to get the job done. I have 2 - 40" screens set up, one for 8H and one for laptop, and plan to enjoy this thing a long time. Anyone out there on the fence just call up Phil and get it ordered. You will not regret. {That is the shameless plug.} One more note: the 8H came with "Air Mouse." These are ok but I have better experience with regular wireless mouse from tesco. Plug in the USB terminal and you are off to the races......

I use 2 sites, firstrowsports.eu and vipbox.eu, to stream USA sports. Both usually have most every game of every sport being played with multiple streams to each but streams are hit and miss so need to try several. Usually between the 2 sites can find good stream. If you use either of these beware not to click on any of the advertisements or banners. Wait for the ads to run course or give you the "close ad" or "x". They will load you up with malware to hijack search and tool bars qwikly. Been down that road unwittingly. JWP

MM, how did the NFL thing work out? I am thinking this is falling in "can't do without" if you solved the "real" football issue........ JWP

I have read this post with interest as it seems inevitably there is always money needed in a thai account......... It is interesting the various issues related with different banks. Currently, transfers are a piece of cake for me. I deal with small community bank, the folks there know me and I know them. I shoot an email indicating the amount, receiving bank, get a call over my skype number few minutes later to verify it is actually me or simply call them and ta da, the money appears the next day. What is really great is I have 3 accounts (2 Thailand, 1 Lithuania) and only have to say "send to my Kasikorn account" or "my SEB in Lithuania" and they take care of the rest, so no dealing with keeping up with account numbers, swift codes, etc. But, I can not make the transfer online only via personal contact. I will be in Pattis end of month and plan to open new account with Bangkok Bank and see if I can get online transfers to work. Thanks for all the details, guys! JWP

Sign me up. It's time for little American revenge... JWP

Pattaya Bay Resort

It was a nice place with potential. I hate to see it dry up. JWP

No crown. The tooth had 2 old fillings, corner of tooth broke leaving broken tooth with 2 fillings. Dentist drilled out all old filling material and used a type filling/mold material to re-scuplt tooth. He said should last 10+ yrs. JWP

I nursed a broken tooth for 4 months until I could get to LOS for repair. At recommendation of co-worker visited dental clinic called "Dental Studio" at intersection of Central Rd. & 2nd Rd (about 50 yd north of intersection with a big tooth sign). Walked out 30 minutes later with tooth fixed, no pain, no hassle and all for 800BAHT. It was very impressive modern clinic. I will not hesitate to visit again or recommend to a friend. JWP

Count 2 more Gingos, HC 16 & 20, S med & xl