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Government Grant for kick e-scooters in Malta 2024

New government grant for E-kick scooters in Malta.

In last Novembers budget for 2024, the finance minister Clyde Caruana announced the extension of the renewable vehicles act to privately owned E-kick scooters. In a ‘surprised move’, Transport minister Aaron Farrugia has announced the outright ban on RENTAL E-kick scooters as of March 2024 however has emphasized the importance of renewable transport such as privately owned E-kick scooters.

Currently grants are available to practically every other electric vehicle, from E-cycles to E-trucks however the grant was never extended to E-Kick scooters, as of 2024 E-scooters will be more accessible to individuals further reducing the carbon footprint and congestion in our roads.

Finance minister Clyde Caruana hasn’t yet specified the exact amount of financial help prospective E-kick scooter users will receive, in fact it was a one liner which leaves us all quite curious. We will add to this article as soon as any announcement are made, meanwhile we ‘Sensible E-scooter users’ can only be grateful that our private scooter wasn’t also banned.

Tech Boss is awaiting further information regarding Grants for E-Kick scooter.

As rental companies allowed their customers to run wild on Maltese roads, tensions between residents and the government escalated, we @ Tech Boss worked very hard to keep the private E-kick scooter away from any likely bans. We thank the transport minister Dr Aaron Farrugia for believing in sensibly used kick scooters, on the other hand still think an outright ban on rental scooters was a little excessive.

Update: 05/08/2024

Scooters purchased between the 1st of March and the 31st of December 2024 may apply for the 150 Euro government grant for E kick scooters in Malta.

A form needs to be handed in to Transport Malta, they will determine if you will receive the grant or not.

VEH078 is the transport Malta document which needs to be filled in when applying for the grant.

Techboss Malta logo
Techboss Malta E-Scooter store in Malta.

Malta budget 2024 on e-Kick scooters.

Author: Kevin Pisani Zammit

One liner by Clyde Caruana

‘Financial assistance will be provided for the purchase of personal ekick scooters.’

Max G2 kick scooter Malta
Front view Ninebot Max G2
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Segway Ninebot shop in Malta

Why we chose to stock and sell Segway Ninebot scooters in Malta.

As popularity increases we start to see many more electric kick scooter companies emerging onto the market, lots of scooters which vary in price and also in quality. with so many options out there it can become a little confusing for the buyer, especilly when most of these companies are pretty much startups with no track record.

Brief history

We started early, back in 2017 with our first Segway ES1 and then the ES2, at this time the only competitor was the equally as capable Xiaomi m365. Early on it was evident, Segway will be in this for the long haul and so their rapid development commenced. We saw the introduction of the ES3 and ES4, here Segway added an external battery and re designed some other mechanical elements which made the scooter slightly more robust and usable.

Our kick scooter store is located in Sliema, Malta.

Ninebot D Series kick scooters, buy now!

Segway Ninebot D38E Malta
Segway Ninebot D38E

To have witnessed first hand the constant improvements, both inside and out, I am confident in Ninebot’s ability to deliver a quality and safe product to its users

Purchasing your Ninebot scooter knowing it can be repaired locally.

When looking to purchase an electric scooter, one of the most important things to consider is reparability when needed. We are a fully equipped electric scooter repair shop in Malta, which means we stock most parts and possess the knowledge to enable us to repair your scooter in a timely manner.

The more inches, the better!

Segway Ninebot tires have increased in size over the years, early models were solid airless, low profile 7 inch tires which didn’t make for a comfortable ride. Later more recent models started to incorporate 10 x 2 and even 10 x 2.5 inch tires which are pneumatic. This increase in diameter means there is a greater distance between the road and the rim, this reduces the shock and hard impacts from travelling through the scooter and ultimately to the riders knees and wrists. Segway G series scooters introduced for the first time a 10 x 2.5 inch self healing tire, this means there is a wider footprint for better traction as well as the ability for the tire to heal itself if a foreign object had to pierce it. Competing brands within the same segment of micro mobility scooters are still using 8 inch tires on the most part.

Ninebot ES series kick scooters, by Segway.

Build quality of the Ninebot kick scooters by Segway

We initially started repairing kick scooters in Malta back in 2018, to date we have seen countless variations and clones of kick scooters. Having accumulated so much knowledge, it is quite easy for us now to spot a poorly built scooter and it is even easier for us to appreciate how good some scooters are compared to others.

Kick scooter frame construction.

Ninebot scooter frames are made from high grade metals, some models opt for aluminum and now more recently with the ‘D series’ kick scooters we started to see the use of other types of metals, Ninebot call it, ‘high toughness structural steel’

‘The D series has a double tube frame that forms a triangular shape and thus ensures high stability of the KickScooter. This robust frame has a load capacity of up to 120 kg on both the D28 and D38.’

Segway use a very strong aluminum for the construction of a number of their scooters, this is were we start to see differences in build quality from one brand to another. Aluminum is a blend of different metals, the process involved in producing aluminum for scooter frames widely varies from one manufacturer to another. One of the greatest risks when purchasing a clone or sub standard scooter is structural failure due to the poor quality of metal used. It is not common for us to receive clone scooters with frames which have literally snapped in half between the fork and main body whilst the user was riding. To date we have never had a single Segway scooter brake in this manner!

Ninebot’s constant development

Ninebot’s early days and struggles

Having repaired hundreds of kick scooters in Malta, we gained volumes of knowledge and throughout this time we saw the complete re-design of Ninebot kick scooters. The first ‘ES’ series scooters were great but this doesn’t mean they were perfect. Early models did struggle with some inherit problems which did effect sales, throughout this time, Xiaomi were producing an affordable scooter which didn’t share the same problems as early ES models.

Re-design, completely changing the Segway Ninebot scooter from top to bottom.

The Segway Ninebot ES series of scooters are incredibly difficult to work on when compared to Xiaomi or similar electric kick scooters. As an experienced technician I can tell you that even after having repaired so many scooters, I still find these to be my least favorite, the way in which the battery and main controller are so well tucked away and also the fact that a 5 minute repair job on a Xiaomi can take upwards of 90 minutes on an ‘ES’ scooter definitely means a re design was well overdue.

Ninebot learning from their mistakes

Ninebot have clearly learnt from their mistakes, the new design now means it is far less time consuming for a repair to be conducted, moreover the new design found on the D, F and G series scooters incorporates totally different internal components which almost 2 years in have definitely resolved previous faults. We have written a separate post highlighting the previous problems we encountered with the ES series scooter.

As time passed, user feedback helped Ninebot improve their platform, one major change was the introduction of larger 10 inch tires, the rest of the market was mainly focused on 8.5 inch tires. Larger tires make for a more comfortable ride and also a larger surface area in contact with the road for better grip.

previous electrical faults were solved by changing the thicknesses of cables used within the scooter as well as the complete re-design of their main controllers. As of October 2022, it is safe to point out that the D, F and G series Ninebot scooters haven’t yet shown mainboard failures. Yes there aren’t as many of them on Malta’s roads when compared to scooters which have been sold for over 5 years in Malta.

As 2022 progressed we saw Ninebot introduce more and more mobility scooters, now even mentioning entering the moped market, this for me is testament that Ninebot are focused on growing within this fast expanding market.

To conclude, I am confident to say, Ninebot have convinced me that their product is world leading, quality has only improved over the years and I cant notice any shortcuts or expenses being saved.

By Kevin Pisani

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Grow Tent Malta

Grow tent Malta provider

Are you looking to buy a grow tent in Malta?

We stock a number of grow tents which are made from the best materials. Sturdy iron frames, thick fabrics lined with Mylar and high quality reflective materials to provide 99% reflection within the grow tent,

As more states legalize weed growing and cannabis products price rise, more people start to join the cannabis community. The first thing to know is that cannabis is in strict need of the environment. Apparently, it’s hard to manage in living houses. As a result, grow tents come in as excellent solutions.

The only question is, what size grow tent do I need in my case?

  • What size grow tent for 1 plant?
  • What size grow tent for 2 plants? etc
Mars Hydro TSW2000 grow light
Mars Hydro TSW2000 grow light

How Much Space Does One Weed Need?

No matter how many plants you want to grow, or how much space you have available for them, you need to know how much area one weed needs as the first step for your indoor gardening. In general, how big cannabis can grow depends on many factors, such as training, root system… So the weed plants here are mature cannabis without training(or with simple training), grown in 3 or 5 gallon grow bags (the most widely used grow bag sizes).

A 3 or 5 gallon grow bag is 27 or 32 cm in diameter. An adult plant will be larger than the grow bag, about 16-17 cm larger. Therefore, an adult plant typically requires a flat space diameter of 43-49 cm (1.4-1.6 ft). In addition, you will need space for some equipment such as humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heaters, fans … So, all things considered, 2×2 feet is the space needed for a weed to grow to adulthood.

What Size Grow Tent In My Case?

After knowing how much space an adult plant needs, you can very easily figure out how much space you need for your cultivation. The sizes of the common grow tents on the market are also based on this algorithm.

We Mars Hydro indoor grow tents provide the following sizes: 2x2ft, 2.3×2.3ft, 2x4ft, 3x3ft, 4x4ft, 5x5ft, 4x8ft, 8x8ft…Can you figure out how many plants they can contain? Here is a picture to explain to you how large an area is needed for 2,4,8 plants.

How High Should My Grow Tent Be?

In addition to the horizontal space, the vertical space – height is an important role as well.

First, you need to take into account the distance between the light and the top – space for other equipment such as inline fans, carbon filters, ducting, etc. – one foot should be sufficient. The distance between the light and the plant canopy – depends largely on what grow lights you are using, and the vendor’s recommended hanging height – we recommend you leave 8-24 inches. That’s a total of 2-3 feet.

Then there’s your weed plant. Cannabis can grow up to 13 feet tall in nature, but in a typical indoor grow, it’s best to keep them under 1 meter (3.2 feet) with training.

In conclusion, you need a tent that is 5.2-6.2 ft. (158-189 cm)

The common 200 cm high grow tent on the market can perfectly meet your needs. And when you use some training techniques such as hitting the top or bending over …… A 180 cm high tent is also just right. Of course, if your weed plant is a dwarf species, a 160 cm tent is also enough.

What Size Grow Tent For 4 Plants?

Finally, we have the conclusion, a 4x4x6.5ft (120x120x200cm) grow tent is the best choice for 4 weed plants.

In this way, we can know what sizes of grow tents are needed for different numbers of plants. Likewise, it is possible to speculate how many weed plants can be planted in common grow tents on the market.

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MarsHydro agent in Malta

TechBoss Malta is dedicated to bringing the latest trending tech to the Maltese islands. Recent changes in Maltese legislation have brought opportunities for individuals to start their own home grow. TechBoss Malta has partnered up with MarsHydro, one of the worlds leading grow light and grow tent manufacturer.

MarsHydro, Leading manufacturer.

For the past 13 years, MarsHydro has been producing growing equipment such as grow tents, grow lights, filters and more. We are proud to represent MarsHydro in Malta, we feel that their world leading products are priced just right for the Maltese market and will definitely be a sensation.

MarsHydro grow tent kit 60 x 60 Malta
MarsHydro grow tent kit 60 x 60 Malta

Official Mars Hydro Malta

TechBoss is located in Sliema, Malta, here we stock MarsHydro products and also take on orders on request. It is important to chose an official dealer when purchasing MarsHydro products, this way you will find professional support when needed.

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Plant growing tech in Malta

Looking to grow your own cannabis at home whilst living in Malta?

As of December 2021 the Maltese government introduced new laws regarding the use and cultivation of Marijuana in Malta. Now individuals are allowed to grow up to 4 plants per household and carry up to 7 grams whilst out and about.

Growing Marijuana at home in Malta

As a beginner it could feel slightly daunting, there’s so much to learn before deciding to go ahead with your home grow project, after all the Cannabis plant does require a certain level of skill and care in order to grow successfully.

Creating a controlled environment for your plants is one of the key elements in being successful, this is why we have stocked a multitude of products which enable you to start your own home growing project in Malta.

Grow Tents Malta

A grow tent is basically an enclosure which allows you to provide an ideal environment in which to grow your plants. The tents we provide in Malta are constructed using a sturdy metal frame which is powder coated, not just sprayed. Powder coating is a much stronger protective layer than paint. The frame of your grow tent needs to support heavy equipment such as light fixtures and fans, a sturdy steel frame is very important.
The metal frame is then covered in a strong thick fabric which is 99% reflective, its reflective properties ensure the plants get an even amount of light from the overhead lite source.

MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent
MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent

Grow tent construction

Grow tent frame

MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent
MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent

Grow tent fabric

Grow tent fabric
Grow tent fabric

Grow tent sizes

Our grow tent store in Malta stocks various sizes ranging from small 60 x 60 cm tents to much larger 150 x 150 cm grow tents. If you wish to grow 2 to 4 plants at home only for personal use, a 60 x 60 or 70 x 70 grow tent will be sufficient. Our Malta store stocks the following sizes of grow tents.

Grow tent size examples in stock in our Malta store:
60 x 60 x 140 cm grow tent
70 x 70 x 160 cm grow tent
100 x 100 x 180 cm grow tent
120 x 120 x 200 cm grow tent

MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent
MarsHydro 60 x 60 grow tent
100 x 100 x 180 cm grow tent
MarsHydro 100 x 100 x 180 cm grow tent
MarsHydro 120 x 120 x 200 grow tent
MarsHydro 120 x 120 x 200 grow tent

Grow lights

Grow light considerations

Choosing the correct grow light is an important step when building your home grow setup. Different lights are suitable for different applications. Some considerations when choosing the correct grow light would be,
Size of grow light, depends on the size of your enclosure
how many watts will the grow light consume?
How efficient is the grow light at converting Watts of power into usable light for your pants
The type of light produced by your grow light, its spectrum and intensity at different distances.
Is it an LED or halogen?

Different grow lights will produce different results.

Full spectrum lights for the entire life cycle of the plant, PPFD charts show you were different intensities of light are found on the growing surface. As lights vary in price and complexity, so do their ability to produce light. Below is an example of different lights, producing different amounts of usable light for growing.

TS600 Full spectrum grow light Malta
TS600 full spectrum gro light
TS600 grow light PPFD chart
LED grow light PPFD map
LED grow light PPFD map

Grow light shapes and sizes

MarsHydro TS600 grow light Malta
MarsHydro TS600 grow light Malta
MarsHydro FC4800 grow light
MarsHydro FC8000 grow light

Grow tent kits

We offer complete grow tent kits for the Maltese market which will get you started in no time. Our kits come fully loaded with all the goodies to get you on the fast track. With one of our home grow kits you don’t need to spend countless hours trying to figure out which tent goes with which light.

TS 600 grow kit Malta
MarsHydro TSL 2000 grow kit
MarsHydro TSW2000 grow tent kit in Malta

What you get inside one of our grow kits

  • Grow tent
  • Extractor fan
  • Carbon filter
  • Grow light
  • ducting for your extractor
  • Humidity and temperature sensor
  • planting pots
  • Timer for your light
  • Adjustment cables for height adjustment
grow bags
grow bags
Extractor with carbon filter
Extractor fan, ducting and carbon filter for grow tents

Start growing your own plants in Malta in one of our complete kits.

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Xiaomi scooter puncture repair

Does your Xiaomi scooter have a flat tire?

Everyday we see Xiaomi scooter users falling victims to the bumpy Maltese roads, tires pop like balloons and you are left pushing around your Xiaomi scooter.

We are Malta’s number one Xiaomi scooter repair shop.

We stock inner tubes for Xiaomi scooters which measure 8.5 x 2 inches, we also stock outer pneumatic tires as well as solid rubber tires which require no air or pumping.

Tubeless tires for Xiaomi scooters 8.5 x 2 inches

If you would like to replace your current tires with tubeless solid rubber tires, we are fully equipped to carry out the job.

We stock various types of solid rubber tires for Xiaomi scooters and also replacement solid tires for Segway scooters.

red tubeless tires for electric scooters
red tubeless tires for electric scooters, fit Xiaomi m365
Glow in the dark tires for Xiaomi scooter 8.5 x 2 inch
Glow in the dark tires for Xiaomi scooter 8.5 x 2 inch
M365 solid tires
Honeycomb tire for Xiaomi M365 scooter

Replacing Xiaomi standard tires with solids

Electric scooters are a great way to move around Malta and Gozo, their compact size makes them a great choice for commuting. Small compact size means smaller wheels, unfortunately the wheels on Xiaomi scooters don’t do too well on Maltese roads, it is for this reason that we recommend replacing the current pneumatic tires with solid rubber tires, this will prevent punctures in the future.

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Scheme for electric bikes, mopeds, pedelecs and category L vehicles in Malta for 2021 ‘Transport Malta’

Electric motorbike which can be purchased using this scheme in Malta

Fully Electric Easy riders which can be purchased using the grant inMalta

The Scheme is designed to put more Electric vehicles onto Maltese roads, it is offering applicants or interested parties a grant of up to 2000 euro when registering a new electric bike on Maltese roads.

Electric chopper Malta
Fully electric chopper Malta Easy riderMatte black

What is the scheme?

From the Transport Malta website.

“This scheme is intended to promote the purchase Pedelecs and Category L Vehicles such a Mopeds, Motorcycles with or without Side-cars, Tricycles and Quadricycles. The scheme includes a scrappage scheme.

For the scheme description in the Government Gazette kindly check here. A budget of €700,000 has been allocated to this scheme.

The overall aim of the scheme is to promote the use of small vehicles for urban mobility, with a special focus on Electric Vehicles, in order to reduce congestion and emissions.”

Who is eligible to apply for the scheme?

This scheme is available for:

  • Individuals;
  • Registered Companies and Partnerships;
  • Local Councils;
  • Registered Voluntary Organisations (NGOs);
  • Self-Employed; and
  • Cooperatives.

Grant A

The following grant amounts shall be issued to the applicant when the following types of vehicles are registered and depending on their propulsion type. If you experience difficulties to view the table below, you can download it from here.

Type of vehicleElectricPetrol/LPG
• Pedelecs (pedal electric bicycles whose electric motor, the rating of which cannot exceed 250W, is activated as soon as the rider starts pedalling and is deactivated as soon as the rider stops pedalling, and which can reach a maximum speed of 25km/h.)€400€200
• Cargo Pedelecs (Pedelecs which can carry more than 100kgs of cargo, besides the driver).€2,000€1,000
• Powered cycles (L1e-A);
• Two-wheel mopeds (L1e-B);
• Three-wheel mopeds (L2e);
• Light quadricycles or quadri-mobiles (L6e).
€2,000€1,000
• Low-performance motorcycle (L3e-A1);
• Low-performance two-wheel motorcycle with side-car (L4e-A1);
• Powered Tricycle with power not exceeding 15kW (L5e).
€2,000€1,000
• Medium-performance motorcycle (L3e-A2);
• Medium-performance two-wheel motorcycle with side-car (L4e-A2).
€2,000€750
• High-performance motorcycle (L3e-A3);
• High-performance two-wheel motorcycle with side-car (L4e-A3).
25% of CIF, capped at €6,000Not applicable
• Powered Tricycle with power exceeding 15kW (L5e).25% of CIF, capped at €6,000Not applicable
• Heavy quadricycles or quadri-mobiles (L7e).25% of CIF, capped at €6,000Not applicable

Grant B

When an applicant for grant A scraps a Category L or M1 (passenger cars) or N1 (commercial vehicle) which is at least 10 years old, the following grant amount shall be issued in addition to the amounts issued under grant A:

  • €1000 when a person who registers a new pedelec or Category L vehicle eligible for Grant A de-registers a Category M1 or N1 vehicle which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture; OR
  • €500 when a person who registers a new pedelec or Category L vehicle eligible for Grant A de-registers a Category L vehicle which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture

The scrappage of the vehicle shall be done during 2021 and before the submission of the application for the grant.

NOTE: The total grant amount issued to applicants for any of these grants shall not exceed the purchase price of the new pedelec or Category L vehicle.E

Eligibility

Applicants who are persons are entitled to receive a maximum of one (1) Grant A and corresponding Grant B for each type of vehicle listed in Table 1, and a maximum of three (3) Grants A and corresponding Grants B overall through the scheme.

Applicants which are Local Councils or voluntary organisations that do not carry out an economic activity are entitled to receive a maximum of ten (10) Grant A and corresponding Grant B for each type of vehicle listed in Table 1.

Applicants which are voluntary organisations that carry out an economic activity are entitled to receive a maximum of ten (10) Grant A and corresponding Grant B for each type of vehicle listed in Table 1, subject to the De Minimis rules on state aid.

Applicants which are undertakings are entitled to receive a maximum of twenty (20) Grant A and corresponding Grant B for each type of vehicle listed in Table 1, subject to the De Minimis rules on state aid.

Method to Apply and Supporting Document

Applicants for this grant submit form VEH 70 with all required supporting documents at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Unit In Paola or Ħal Lija.

Applications submitted by Registered Companies and Partnerships, Voluntary Organisations with an economic activity, Self-Employed, and Cooperatives shall also include the State Aid Declaration form VEH 71. In such cases and in line with the de minimis Regulations, the total amount of state aid granted to a single undertaking or organisation under this scheme and any other de minimis scheme, shall not exceed in the aggregate €200,000 (or €100,000 in the case of a single undertaking performing road freight transport for hire or reward) over a rolling three fiscal year period.

For addresses and opening hours kindly check here.

When applying for this grant, the following supporting documents are required:

  • In the case of Category L vehicles: Documents and forms required to register the new Vehicle (if already registered, a copy of the registration certificate).
  • In the case of Pedelecs:
    • An Invoice (including make, model and serial number);
    • A Fiscal Vat Receipt;
    • Detailed Technical Specifications confirming that vehicle complies with the specifications for Pedelecs (refer to footnote 4 in page 2); and
    • Transport Malta Technical Unit Inspection form.
  • In the case of applications for Grant B:
    • Destruction Certificate of a Category L, M1, or N1 vehicle registered on the name of the applicant; and
    • The Registration Certificate (Logbook) of the scrapped vehicle.
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TVIP 605 IPTV Box

What is the TVIP 605 IPTV multimedia box?

The TVIP 605 IPTV Box is a versatile multimedia player which allows the user to play various formats of video and audio content. The TVIP 605 is able to connect to online IPTV servers through an internet connection. Currently Malta’s Favorite IPTV box ‘2020’

Physical characteristics of the TVIP 605 IPTV Box

The TVIP 605 measures 4.5 inches by 4.5 inches and is 0.5 inches high, it weighs about as much as a normal PC mouse and comes in two colors, black or white. The TVIP 605 has 4 rubber pads for grip and not to scratch furniture. TVIP 605 Malta available in Sliema off the strand.

Technical Specifications on the TVIP 605 IPTV box

ChipsetAmlogic S905X quad core 1,5 GHz
Video resolution3840×2160 (HDR)
3D GraphicsOpenGL ES 2.0 (Mali-450 penta core)
MemoryRAM 1 Gb, Flash 8 Gb
InterfacesHDMI, AV, Ethernet, 2xUSB, MicroSD Card, ext.IR, WiFi 802.11 (b/g/n/ac) 2,4/5 GHz, Bluetooth
TVIP 605 Malta

TVIP 605 Front view

TVIP 605 Malta

Buy it here

Operating systemLinux or Android 8.0 (Oreo)
Supported MiddlewareTVIP TMS, IPTVPORTAL, Open JSON API, Stalker, Microimpuls, Smotreshka, HTML5/JS portals
Remote provisioningTR-069 or TVIP XML
ContainersMPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, FLV, OGG
ProtocolsUDP, RTP, HTTP, HLS, MPEG-DASH, RTSP, SMB, NFS, DLNA
CAS/DRMTVIP, IPTVPORTAL, BISS, Widevine L3, optional: PlayReady, Verimatrix 3.x, Widevine L1
Video codecsH.265(10 bit), VP9, H.264, MPEG4 ASP, Xvid, MPEG2, MJPEG 2160p 60fps
Audio codecsMPEG/MP3/MPA, AAC, WMA, OGG, WAV, FLAC, APE
SubtitlesDVBSUB, VOBSUB, Teletext, SSA/ASS, SubRip, MOV_TEXT, WebVTT
ImagesJPEG, PNG

Connectivity on the TVIP 605 IPTV box

1 micro SD slot, allows the user to play content directly off the card
2 USB ports for connecting peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard or USB storage device.
1 IR port for connecting a remote infra red receiver
1 AV output port, for connecting to older television uinits using phono plugs
1 HDMI slot for connecting the TVIP 605 to a TV or projector
1 ethernet port for a direct internet connection
1 12 volt DC input for powering up the device1 infrared seonsor on the front of the TVIP 605 for the included remote control
1 power button ont he front of the TVIP 605 box

Whats better about the TVIP 605 TV box?

The alternative option is the TVIP 600, which also shares the same physical attributes, the internal working parts are quite different between the 2.
The 605 has inbuilt WI-FI, the 600 doesnt, the 605 has a processor capable of decoding 4K streams where as the 600 cant.

Where to get the TVIP 605 IPTV box in Malta?

Tech Boss Malta stocks the TVIP 605 IPTV box

Our office is situated in Sliema, Malta, collection is available during normal office working hours.

The TVIP 605 decoder is fast, reliable and extremely stable, it is superior in many ways when compared to almost any box currently on the market.

TVIP boxes have improved on the shortcoming of Informir’s range of Mag boxes, TVIP boxes work faster and smoother and from experience can confirm that they do last longer too.

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Which IPTV box is best?

IPTV Box Selection

There are quite a few options available on the market, choosing a good IPTV box is not so difficult anymore. Companies such as Informir and TVIP produce some of the best dedicated IPTV boxes on the market, other manufacturers such as Formuler emerged later on and also have done well for themselves.

A brief history about IPTV box origins


Initially the world of IPTV was dominated by Mag boxes, Malta was flooded with them, these decoders are still produced till today and are manufactured in Ukraine by Informir. Mag boxes proved to be versatile and reliable, competition was weak and often viewed as non existent, the Mag250 was the first IPTV box by Informir and was an instant hit. Advances in compresion formats mean tat the Mag250 was quickly starting to struggle and left its users with movie or audio content which cant be opened, we then saw the introduction of the Mag254.

Why users keep their IPTV box for so long

In this post you will see many different models of IPTV boxes. These IPTV boxes continue to work for many years after being purchased, this is simply due to the fact that they are extremely simple in design, their operating system is basic and they are built to serve 1 purpose. Unlike an Android TV box, IPTV boxes ‘in most cases’ use the linux operating system. The Linux operating system is kept simple for these boxes and thu doesnt load the hardware too much, on the otherhand, Android TV boxes are more demanding on the hardware and overtime degrade overall much faster than an IPTV box would. IPTV servers do most of the work and processing power so the box imply needs to display the servers content.

Mag 254 IPTV Box

The Mag 254 was the first successful dedicated IPTV box to hit the market and dominate the Maltese and foreign market. IPTV systems got more popular and as their poularity increased so did the number of IPTV providers. Increasing providers also started to accelerate the introduction of newer formats which also meant the Mag254 would start to struggle.

Below are specifications related to the Mag254 / Mag255
Processor / CPU = STiH207
RAM = 512 mb
Flash memory ‘internal storage’ = 256 mb

The Mag 254 doesn’t boast large specs however due to its simple Linux based operating system doest exceptionally well when processing video and sound.
One drawback with the Mg254 is its inability to decode files compressed using H265 also known as HEVC.

The Mag 254 is still working till today and many users still refuse to upgrade, this proves that even 5 years on, the Mag 254 still works and is definitely a reliable product.

Along came the Mag256 and Mag 322

The Mag 256 was introduced after the Mag 250 and Mag 254. The Mag256 is extremely similar to the Mag 254, it is faster thanks to its more powerful CPU and increased RAM, The Mag 256 also comes with H265 decoding capabilities which is the main and most important upgrade over the Mag 254, 250.

Mag 322 IPTV Box

The Mag 322 is a slight upgrade on the previous models. The Mag 322 is still popular and works great. Available from our store, click the left to add to cart.

Informir start to feel the pinch

Competition

As time progressed, IPTV systems became extremely popular, Informir’s parade was about to get rained on! Competitors had a good system to base their own version onto, TVIP from Russia introduced thier first IPTV boxes and were an instant hit! The TVIP 410 was the first box to hit the Maltese market and was priced slightly cheaper than the Mag. Then came the TVIP412, TVIP 415, 600 and 605. Each version of TVIP was more and more powerful and included added features.

Pressure on Informir!

Informir start to ban certain IPTV server addresses on their operating system. Mag users started to have trouble logging onto their IPTV server, this is due to Informir including server addresses onto their database of banned servers. Upon a Firmware update, the Mag IPTV box will no longer allow the user to access his/her server. This decision didn’t sit well with service providers and instantly stopped recommending Mag boxes, rather TVIP became the next big thing.

Poor firmware upgrades

Informir stop listening to customers requests to include certain missing codecs from their boxes, The Mag 254 cant open very common audio codecs such as AAC2. Many IPTV providers have included content which contains Audio files with this sound format due to its clarity. Informir refuse to add this codec to the next Firmware upgrade for the 254, maybe in hope that customers will upgrade to the 256 ? what ever the reason, the mag 254’s inability to open this format is not good!

TVIP start to kreep up on Informir

TVIP quickly started to introduce very powerful inexpensive dedicated IPTV boxes, whilst most Chinese companies kept focusing on Android TV boxes, TVIP focused their attention on dedicated IPTV boxes, with the option to boot onto an Android OS.

TVIP start to do it better than Informir!

TVIP’s fast response to market trends and also generosity towards their customers meant that IPTV service providers started to swing towards TVIP products and slowly stop promoting Mag boxes. With Mag boxes 1 main issue is that they DO NOT include certain codecs with firmware updates. The Mag 254 wouldn’t include AAC2 audio format with any update, this meant that many IPTV service users would often watch content with no sound at all. Informir’s inability to provide a solution did not help them at all.

On the whole, TVIP boxes open almost any codec, especially when Mag boxes will not.

Formuler Z7+

The Formuler Z7+ is another strong contender, it comes from Formuler. The Z7+ incorporates the Android operating system, this allows the user to install Apps such as Kodi, Facebook, Netflix and more.

Formuler Z7+

The Formuler range of boxes work well and offer the versatility of the Android Operating system, this is important for those who wish to use their box for more than Just watching TV via an IPTV provider.

Our opinion on which box to buy

From experience we suggest a box which doesn’t try to d o too much! If you are after an IPTV box you should go for one which keeps things as simple as possible. A box which can switch between channels quickly, a box which is smooth and doesn’t lag and a box which offers the simplest user interface possible.

Some users may want to have the Android operating system available, in this case you can not go for most Informir boxes, the Formuler Z7+ will be a good choice.

If you wish to use your box to watch IPTV channels and IPTV content then keep it simple, go for a box which does just that. The TVIP 605 ‘as of January 2020’ is still one of the best options available. It is reliable, can open practically any file format, both video and audio and also opens 4K content. Its at a good price point and will give you the maximum bang for buck!

If you are still using a Mag 250 or Mag 254 we suggest upgrading to a newer TVIP 605 model, this will ensure you can open a wider selection of content and switching between channels is definitely faster and smoother. It also comes with inbuilt WI-FI.

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Segway Ninebot ES2 loosing power and torque when switching on the LED headlight

A Segway ninebot ES2 scooter came in today with power issues, customer pointed out that the scooter sometimes works fine until she switches on the main light. When switching on the main light the scooter motor looses power and struggles to go up any sort of ramp or hill and will not go past 14 Kph.

Fix

It is evident that this model and also the ES! and ES4 share the same problem, the control board for the motor over time deteriorate and when switching on the headlight the voltages change slightly across the board, this change in voltage and resistance causes the board to direct power away from the motor and also send mixed signals to the 3 phase motor. In this case we replaced the control board and the scooter now works absolutely fine.