Anyone know how to unlock Fetch TV?

yjun355 on 13/05/2020 - 08:52
Last edited 13/05/2020 - 10:37

We switching to belong who dont have fetch tv.
Can pickup Optus or iiNet locked devices on eBay or Gumtree for relatively cheap.

Anyone know how to unlock them?

Update: For everyone's refernce, Fetch TV comes locked to ISP like Optus, iinet. You pay like $5 a month. Main advantage is that it somehow streams independently i.e. even when optus internet is not working, you can still watch Fetch TV.

Why would anyone get Fetch TV? From my experience it caters to specific demographic. They have World Channel pack which gives international channels. Apart from that, I think there are better alternatives out there.

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Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 09:00

    I'm interested with this as well. As far as I know the part of the hard drive is read only.

    See here https://goughlui.com/

    • jimdotpud on 13/05/2020 - 10:11

      what exactly is locked on the fetch and what do you hope to gain by unlocking it?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 10:29

        It's like a locked phone. If you unlocked it, you can use different providers.

        • jimdotpud on 13/05/2020 - 10:38

          so are you saying that your ISP puts it's own flavour of firmware on it?

          • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 10:51

            @jimdotpud: Yes exactly

            • jimdotpud on 13/05/2020 - 13:35

              @[Deactivated]: can you not get the firmware from fetch and reflash it?
              If you buy a fetch box from jbhifi or other retailer, they say you can use any broadband provider

              • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 14:30
                -1

                @jimdotpud: In theory yes, but how?

                Thing is this device is primarily sold in Australia. And Australian, excuse me, aren't too smart with hacking.

                • MrBear on 14/05/2020 - 13:22
                  +1

                  @[Deactivated]:

                  And Australian, excuse me, aren't too smart with hacking.

                  We're so good, you don't know you are being hacked.

                  • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2020 - 14:14
                    -1

                    @MrBear: Ummm, excuse me but your statement is contradictory.

                    • MrBear on 15/05/2020 - 15:19

                      @[Deactivated]: No it's not.

                      • [Deactivated] on 15/05/2020 - 20:06

                        @MrBear: So you are saying that Australian are so good at hacking, and they don't know that they are being hacked?

  • No Username on 13/05/2020 - 09:02

    What model do you have? Also, note once unlocked you can't view any paid channels. You will only have access to Netflix and Youtube. Also another note. Those locked devices on eBay can become blocked as they belong to Optus and iiNet not the customer.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 09:03

      Are you saying it can be unlocked? As long as it can record that's excellent.

      • No Username on 13/05/2020 - 18:22

        I'll find you the fourm post of someone doing it. This only applies to the mighty box as I'm aware. You will need to buy a JTAG reader though to open the device and get root.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 18:49

          Thanks mate, I should be able to do that

  • EFC94 on 13/05/2020 - 09:10
    +1

    Excuse my ignorance, but what can you achieve by unlocking it?

    • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 13/05/2020 - 09:29
      +1

      I agree, wouldn’t you be better off just buying a Vodafone TV?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 10:28
        +1

        It's very different. Vodafone TV is a streaming device. Fetch tv is a dvr with some smart functionalities.

    • yjun355 on 13/05/2020 - 10:33

      So, can use it with any ISP. Locked one is tied to particular isp like optus, iinet. We switching to belong which don't have fetch tv.

      Fetch TV have World Channel pack which gives international channels. So, it caters so specific demographic. Apart from that, I don't think you need Fetch TV.

      • EFC94 on 13/05/2020 - 11:46

        My fetch box works perfectly fine with Telstra internet, I bought the box from JB HiFi though, so maybe it came unlocked already? I only use it for Optus Sport, then sometimes netflix or stan, but I also have Apple/Telstra TV units to do that with as well.

        • lainey13 on 13/05/2020 - 19:51
          +1

          Retail boxes are not locked

  • andy19363 on 13/05/2020 - 10:47
    +1

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fetch-Mighty-PVR-Set-Top-Box-Rec…

    not locked to anyone…..

    • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 10:54

      Well, OP is asking to unlock used device, because it's cheaper to diy…

      I think I will try to buy one locked ones, if I can find one for cheap, then try to hack it. Maybe by cloning another fetch tv hard drive.

      I read that the hard drive is using special file system called tk4 or something and it is set to read only.

      • andy19363 on 13/05/2020 - 11:01

        good luck……

        • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2020 - 15:46

          thank you……..

      • Nikerz11 on 30/12/2021 - 06:30

        Yep got a fetch mighty and mini both locked to Optus $50 for both if anyone wants them to have a crack at hacking or tinkering..

  • Rockets84 on 13/05/2020 - 10:55

    Why not switch to another ISP that has Fetch like Aussie Broadband? Any particular reason for switching to Belong?

    • yjun355 on 13/05/2020 - 11:24

      Belong is pretty cheap. Its only around $55 for 30Mbps which is enough for streaming. Others from what i saw start around $75.

      • Rockets84 on 13/05/2020 - 12:17

        Belong's advertising for plans is strange having just looked at them. Most ISP's pricing is around the same because of the NBN whole sale pricing. Belong's 30Mbps plan doesn't line up with a NBN product which is quite odd. There's 25Mb or 50Mb on the NBN side and most ISP's are heavily pushing the 50Mb because it's the best for them with the included CVC bundling. I don't pay much attention to Belong as they are Telstra's budget NBN provider. Having dealt with all levels of Telstra support for services, I don't want to deal with them unless it in the Enterprise tier.

        • jimdotpud on 13/05/2020 - 13:37
          +1

          30Mbps is the old cable internet speed, probably where Telstra/Foxtel cable services are still in existence you can get this plan

  • seraphim2017 on 13/05/2020 - 10:56
    +5

    Buy a fetch mighty outright to save headaches. From what I gather, Optus never stop owning these boxes so whoever sells you one doesn't technically own it and Optus can remotely lock it (happy to be wrong though).

    Major annoyance is you can't even boot the stupid box to watch free to air if your internet is down which went down like a lead balloon yesterday when the NBN carked it and the family just wanted to watch normal tv, or one of the things we'd already recorded. Our box is an outright Fetch box.

    I wish there was a decent quad tuner PVR on the market that had a coaxial passthrough!

    • yjun355 on 13/05/2020 - 11:20

      Yeah that's what i am thinking. Found FetchTV selling reburbished boxes with 12 or 24 month warranty. I might just get one of those.

    • Rockets84 on 13/05/2020 - 12:25

      I recently got a Beyonwiz V2 with the USB dual tuner accessory to expand it to a quad tuner and it's great apart from it doesn't have the coaxial pass through as that's used by the USB tuner. This is my third Beyonwiz after having owned a DP-P1 & a T3 previously and this box surprised me by how small it is and it's interface is very snappy unlike the T3 was. I use a Apple TV 4K for streaming apps even though I have a Samsung "SmartTV" and just let the Beyonwiz be a PVR. I split the antenna at the wall for the TV not that I hardly ever use the TV's integrated tuner.

    • Wickz on 13/05/2020 - 22:23

      Came to say the same things.

      Used to have Fetch with Optus, but when I moved houses Optus didn’t service my new area. When I cancelled they send you a box to return the Fetch as you technically never owned it, just rented it for $5 a month. If someone is selling an Optus box I would stay far away from it as chances are it will got blocked if not already. also Optus boxes can’t be unlocked.

      I’m with Internode now (and have Fetch) and as I bought the box outright (through them) I asked if it could be used on another ISP and they said yes. Not sure how true that is, but makes sense seeing as I had to pay $300 for this box but never paid for my Optus box.

  • tmcn85 on 13/05/2020 - 11:15

    Can anybody confirm what you CAN do with a box that's locked to another provider?

    I would be happy with just FTA TV and record function / series link.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2020 - 12:29
      +2

      Absolutely nothing

      • lordra on 14/05/2020 - 07:07
        +1

        Till @ozbargein finds us a cure ;)
        I know someone who has one off gumtree and they want to record TV. So it'll be good to see what happens here. Will be helping out the community if we can hack into these!

        If we can break an iPhone, I'm sure we can break a stupid fetch TV box.

  • Coops1 on 14/05/2020 - 07:58
    +3

    Very happy “Unlocked” FetchTV owner here, having moved over from the now defunct TiVo (which could be hacked…started in US!)

    Haven’t seen a post yet where somebody has hacked the Fetch, so go for it if you want to tinker and waste your time.

    You can pick up refurbs direct from Fetch ebay for $249 at times ($279 currently) instead of paying full RRP. Otherwise TGG 20% off deals are an alternative.

    Love the fetch, easy to setup, use and options are aplenty - FTA, 4 tuners, most apps, plenty of optional channel packs, eg variety channels which include BBC channels

    • yjun355 on 14/05/2020 - 11:15

      Thanks. That's what i am thinking. When have you seen it go to $249? Is it when there are ebay 10% sales?

    • dan76n on 03/06/2020 - 07:43

      I'm an old TiVo fan but never replaced it.
      Will the fetch mighty work as a DVR without a permanent internet connection?
      We use our mobiles as hotspots at home and have sufficient data but not sure how well fetch would cope with this?

      • Coops1 on 03/06/2020 - 08:18

        Will do for the FTA channels, you will have to tether to the mobile to update the EPG every week (and hope no changes)……and when you activate it on first use. Expensive if just using it as DVR/PVR?

        • dan76n on 03/06/2020 - 09:28

          We would use occasionally for YouTube/Netflix but mainly recording shows for the kids that aren't on at suitable times. Eg Bluey at 6:20pm when we are getting ready for bed.

          • Coops1 on 03/06/2020 - 13:34

            @dan76n: It works great on all the apps. They have just added Prime Video to the apps.

  • lordra on 03/06/2020 - 22:51

    Wish we could break/hack a fetch TV box.

  • jimbarry41 on 01/07/2020 - 14:55

    Ive got an unlocked Fetch Box for sale (Port Melbourne) i'll do for $200 for Ozbargain followers.
    https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/314265573063592/

    • yjun355 on 01/07/2020 - 15:05

      Do you have any warranty left? Refurbished with 2 year warranty sells for $299.

  • Ameroz on 25/04/2023 - 20:29 
                                               Warning on purchasing from ISP's they lock them.
 I had purchased The Mighty box with 1 terabit hard drive from iinet a few years back and spent $399 (stupid me), well i ended up leaving iinet because of their speed of around 5mps instead of 50mps and them saying 5 is all they have to give us.
 After 4 yrs i gone through 2 more isps and finally got one decent speeds, any way i went back to my fetch box I paid for hooked it up and it said it wasn't  activated i went and found my activation key then check the box again there was no way to reactivate it ,it was blocked.
 I emailed Fetch and told them it was mine i paid for it they said they are not responsible for the isp boxes , then they put in email i could buy another one from JB-HI fi.
Well then i called iinet and they said they they could not help me unless i wanted to get iinet internet connected, which i told them i purchased it from them for $499 and why would i want to come back to them that the box did not belong to them i owned it they just said i should have read the contract i told them who in the **** wants to spend that much money and it not work even for free to air tv. it is a rort between them. i even said i buy a locked phone and after my contact i can get it unlocked , their answered was its different. I just tol them a few words then hung up.
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