topic Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box in TV

'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Thu, 01 May 2025 14:20:58 GMT

I wanted to compare Apple Music with Amazon using HDMI into an AVR. I saw a new, cheap EE Apple TV box on eBay so I bought it. Then I started my research and found that these boxes are not normally sold and when I got it I had a few problems as I'm not (yet) an EE customer. I asked the seller how he bought the box and was not reassured by his reply.

I've bought a non-EE Apple TV box in the meantime

Is there a way I can check if this box is legal? The seller does not accept returns so I need some grounds for eBay to step in and recover my money.

Thanks for listening

David

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

zulu17 — Thu, 01 May 2025 16:05:48 GMT

Well an official EE web page

https://ee.co.uk/help/terms-and-conditions/tv/ee-tv

does say

Ownership of the EE TV box

The EE TV equipment remains the property of EE - you'll find more details in the EE TV plans terms and conditions of service (above).

The EE TV equipment will only work when connected to your EE broadband and while you are signed up to the EE TV and broadband service.

Don't sell, loan, recycle, or throw away the equipment. Instead, contact us and we'll send you a pre-paid returns bag so you can return the EE TV equipment.

So consider whether the seller described the product accurately.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Northerner — Thu, 01 May 2025 17:43:44 GMT

Hi @Beckus

You purchased knowing the risks, you need to own the loss.

Thanks

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Chris_B — Thu, 01 May 2025 18:53:37 GMT

@Beckus The box wasn’t there to sell. That’s all you need to provide to eBay. Plus the simple fact that all of be information wasn’t provided for this to work for you. You can get a refund as I’ve done something similar years ago but the seller was decent about it and was happy to have it returned for a refund.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Thu, 01 May 2025 20:07:46 GMT

Hmm, I wonder what makes you think I knew the risks. I had no idea these boxes were so 'special'. It seems to me likes they break the eBay rules ... and why does the serial number come up as invalid?

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Fri, 02 May 2025 08:08:41 GMT

Thanks, most helpful.

The item description did not list any restrictions linked to EE, just 'If you are a EE customer, you can also sign up for extra channels through your provider. ' As I said, I was only interested in using it for Apple Music as I have all the TV I need from another provider.

I think I will try the seller again.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Fri, 02 May 2025 08:10:03 GMT

Thanks, that's what I have come to learn. I will give the seller another chance and then try eBay.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Chris_B — Fri, 02 May 2025 09:56:24 GMT

@Beckus You’ll probably find the seller did the same as you and purchased this thinking they could use it and found out they couldn’t so is now trying to get back what they lost. EE Apple TVs are registered to an EE TV subscription account in order to be used. EE can even switch these off and that’s probably why it doesn’t work. The EE Apple TV remains the property of EE and no one has the right to sell one. Again that’s all you need to say to eBay, Obviously say you found this out after you got it and it wouldn’t work. Try the seller via eBay messaging and if you get no joy go directly to eBay, they’ll be able to see that you’ve tried to sort this so will step in to help.

You could even provide THIS link to eBay for them to see. You could even say any EE Apple TVs that are being sold on eBay are a violation of EE T&Cs and eBay are allowing stolen products to be sold because the seller has no legal right to sell them as they don’t own the item.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

snes — Fri, 02 May 2025 15:42:59 GMT

On a slight tangent here, I did the same with a BoxPro. There were plenty on offer on eBay with reassurances that you did not need a BT orEE broadband to use it - and they were right !

I was actually a BT BB customer, not that that mattered, and with an aerial connection, it proved to be an excellent Freeview PVR. So good, in fact, that it convinced me that I no longer needed my SkyQ account, so I transferred my BB to EE and ordered the Apple box option as I already had an ( illegal) BoxPro.

Had my Box Pro not worked without an EE or BT account, then I would have quickly processed an eBay return, probably as “faulty goods” or “ not as advertised”, which is what you should do.

The actual Apple box is not expensive for what it is and would leave you free to use it as you wish. Good luck!

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Mon, 05 May 2025 20:04:34 GMT

I'm not sure - if he did he must have bought a batch as the one I bought was definitely new. Mine was tagged as 'last one' but I know that means very little.

I've had no response at all from my last message to the seller but I thought I'd give him the BH weekend off. I will do exactly as you suggest with eBay tomorrow, thanks for the link too.

Re: 'Dodgy' EE Apple TV box

Beckus — Mon, 05 May 2025 20:12:44 GMT

I agree thanks. It's not an expensive box but so far I've bought this 'cheap' one and now a proper one. I went for cheap originally as I only wanted Apple Music, I get Apple TV through Fire Sticks and TVs so really don't need that and it doesn't really offer anything else I want. Fire Sticks just keep losing the lossless connection with the AVR though and drop back to the basic 16bit.

Apple Music is better than Amazon in some respects and the dedicated classical app was available on the box then I would be very pleased with it.