AZBOX Official announcement and launch of AzBox United States

[pwrsurge]

As we announced live on Satellite Nation, the following is our official announcement in regards to our launch of AzBox United States.


Since late last year, we at AzBox Canada have discovered that unauthorised dealers in Canada began carrying AzBox products without our knowledge. It was later discovered that these products were supplied under the table by Rick's Satellite located in Blue Springs Missouri USA, violating the Gentleman's agreement we all had with OpenSat where we at AzBox Canada are supposed to be the official exclusive distributor of AzBox products in the Canadian market and Rick's for the US market.

We at AzBox Canada have invested close to a quarter of a million dollars in product research and development for the North American market so far since 2010. Unfortunately, the unauthorised entry of Ricks Satellite in the Canadian market has jeopardized our ability to continue investing in development for this market. This is why we are taking action today to ensure continued development by announcing the launch of AzBox United States, or AzBox US for short.

AzBox US is your new source for distribution and support of AzBox products in the United States. You can count on your AzBox US authorised dealer to offer the very best level of service and support with your AzBox product, including access to exclusive firmware customized for the North American market available on the AzBox US website at http://www.azbox.us.

AzBox US already has two authorised dealers on board:



Davey Holdings
from Prospect, KY
operating as: http://www.gotcband.com



and



eScapes Network
from Monroe, MI

well known for their eScapes HD channel on Galaxy 16 C-band


We are also looking for more dealers so please contact us on the AzBox.US website if you are interested in becoming an authorised AzBox US dealer.

 

[updatelee]

Oh no, someone was selling your products? terrible terrible news. If I were manufacturing products I wouldnt want anyone selling them.

lol. I dont see why your upset. Every other manufacturer wants retailers to sell their products.

"violating the Gentleman's agreement we all had with OpenSat where we at AzBox Canada are supposed to be the official exclusive distributor of AzBox products in the Canadian market"

this part disturbs me, sounds like you had a monopoly and wanted to keep it that way. That never benefits the consumer.

UDL

 

[SatelliteAV]

Just listened to the announcement and I am confused.

1. Has AZBox Canada / AZbox US been appointed exclusive distribution rights to distributing the AZBox in North America and Rick's Satellite is no longer an official AZBox distributor?
Or
Are both companies authorized AZBox distributors under the brand's new owners?

2. Will AZBox Canada / US firmware only work on STBs sold by AZBox Canada / US?

3. Will AzBox Canada / US firmware damage AZBox STBs not sold by AZBox Canada / US?

4. Were the Canadian resellers selling clone AZboxes as AZBox originally claimed or were the resellers selling real AZBoxes?

 

[pwrsurge]

Just listened to the announcement and I am confused.

1. Has AZBox Canada / AZbox US been appointed exclusive distribution rights to distributing the AZBox in North America and Rick's Satellite is no longer an official AZBox distributor?
Or
Are both companies authorized AZBox distributors under the brand's new owners?

With the AzBox brand now under HTCE Limited ownership, AzBox Canada is the exclusive authorised distributor for AzBox products in the Canadian market and AzBox US for the United States market. As stated during the radio show, Rick's Satellite is more than welcome to apply in becoming an authorised AzBox US dealer by contacting us at http://www.azbox.us We are willing to set our past differences aside and start a new chapter with a common goal of improving the quality of AzBox products in the North American market.

2. Will AZBox Canada / US firmware only work on STBs sold by AZBox Canada / US?

Firmware releases for our American Edition products such as the AzBox miniMe American Edition will only work on American Edition devices. However, firmware releases for legacy products such as AzBox Elite, Ultra, Premium and Premium Plus will continue to operate on any of these devices regardless of origin.

3. Will AzBox Canada / US firmware damage AZBox STBs not sold by AZBox Canada / US?

We have considered in the past to release anti-clone firmware in order to disable counterfeit AzBox devices currently in the marketplace. However, the development cost required for us to do this would not make it worthwhile as the genuine AzBox Premium HD Plus model is now a discontinued product which we are now sold out of. No firmware that we have released so far or in the future will cause damage to any out of market AzBox device. Attempting to flash American Edition firmware on non - American Edition devices simply won't work as this firmware is being created using a different format.

4. Were the Canadian resellers selling clone AZboxes as AZBox originally claimed or were the resellers selling real AZBoxes?

Our official statement that we posted at http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...-North-American-market!?p=3113162#post3113162 in regards to this issue still stands.



Best regards,


PwrSurge
AzBox Canada
AzBox US

 

[SatelliteAV]

Thank you for addressing my questions and clarifying the assertion that AZBox Canada / US is now the only appointed and official North American distributor for the AZBOX brand. I did not understand that this was an exclusive distribution agreement appointing only AZBox Canada / US from listening to the show last evening.

Hopefully someone has a signed contract rather than a gentleman's agreement, handshake, wink or a nod. From listening to the show, it just sounded like a Wild, Wild West land grab and a territory fight between two non-exclusive distributors. I suspect that a whole lot of something is quickly headed into a big fan for any cooperation with existing US distribution...

I am not to sure about any past gentleman's agreement between distributors involving the AZBox products. Satellite AV and other companies had been offered non-exclusive distribution of the AZBox products by the previous brand owners during the past two years. We did not pursue, mainly due to the knowledge of their internal operational issues and not protecting distribution territories. My impression was that they would give distribution opportunities to any bulk purchaser...

Hopefully, new ownership will honor distribution agreements and territories.

Good luck with the venture! 73s

 

[Anole]

Ya think?

I suspect that a whole lot of something is quickly headed into a big fan for any cooperation with existing US distribution...

Yea, grab the popcorn 'n beer, and sit back for the show!

 

[updatelee]

Asian markets will sell to anyone and tell you anything to get the sale.

I thought azbox weren't even producing any receivers anymore. So everyone is fighting over new old stock?

In the military we have a saying "sounds like a personal problem" that's allot of what I'm hearing from the op. Personal problems would be kept to yourself.

UDL

 

[Lone Gunman]

Well, as Yogi Berra would say, "It's de ja vue all over again!" And BTW, if this is a little over the top, feel free to delete it!

I'm going to be brutally honest here and say that I don't like Rick, but, I do not believe he would intentionally sell anyone a counterfeit/clone anything.

Having said that I'm more than a little weary of the "he said, he said" crap on this that does nothing to promote the FTA hobby and only serves to keep those on both sides of the "clone" issue fired up!

So how about someone closing this thread before it devolves into another one like the last one! I saw enough before to know I don't need to see it all again!

 

[Kraven]

Am going to call bulls*** on this.

First off dude, you have more online aliases than a CIA operative yet you wont even fess up to it. Other vendors here don't hide their identity, why do you?
2nd, am willing to bet AZBOX.CA isnt registered as a Canadian Business (NUANS search anyone?)
3rd, Quarter of a million in R@D ? Seriously??? Just the bugs reported on this site alone... I suggest you get a refund
4th, to be honest, I really dont care about your feud w/ Rick. As a consumer in a free economy, I shop for the best deal irrelevent of its location.
5th. Whats all this "WE" stuff, unless I got off the wrong boat, you're not British royalty. Who's "WE" anyway? WE at Satelliteguys would like to know.

Seriously, honestly, whatever.... this whole issue w/ you and Rick....you brought it upon yourself mate.

Adios, K

 

[primestar31]

For me, it all boils down to this: I don't knowingly give ANY business to anybody that creates (or has in the past created) clone-kill software to destroy another persons property.

I'm all for protecting your business legally, but not everybody KNOWS if they bought a clone, and they do NOT deserve to have their receivers ruined remotely for that reason alone.

Too much drama, in too small of a market makes me leery and weary. There's enough crappy junk on the market, without making more by zapping a receiver.

 

[updatelee]

Both azbox.ca and azbox.us and www.drsat.ca and many others I bet, have the same owner, a Mr Serge Cormier.

I hate when a commercial website doesnt list contact information and I have to find it myself using other methods. What kind of a business doesnt want you to contact them? oh I can submit a form and you'll get back to me when you want if you want? ya I dont do business like that, you dont list your contact info, I wont do business.

He also lists on azbox.ca his own company, drsat.ca as a retailer, nice. self promoting doesnt instil confidence either.

I hate misleading information, from his website.

"Please note that any AzBox products purchased in Canada from unauthorised retailers will receive NO support or warranty"

when in reality, this is normal. If I buy a asus netbook from futureshop I cant take it to memoryexpress for warranty. What he's saying is if you dont buy from him then HE wont warranty it nor will he support it. Thats fine. I really wouldnt expect him to. But how he's worded it is misleading.

See the fact is, azbox.ca and axbox.us are not azbox. They are just retailers selling azbox products, not manufacturers.

When I was in Kabul there was a store there called the "Apple macbook stationary store" they werent actually owned by the apple corp (surprise surprise eh) This is a similar case, they call themselves azbox.ca and azbox.us but they arent actually owned by azbox, openbox, htce nor are they a franchise of any three. They just use the name to bolster credibility instead of just doing it the old fashioned way, hard work, credibility, and stability.

The azbox.ca/us support forum just links to here, they dont even run their own support site. They provide no contact info, and try to gain credibility by defaming others.

I dont own an azbox and I'll tell you right now Id never pick one up from a company like azbox.ca/us smells way to fishy to me.

UDL

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I don't get it honestly. AZbox is no more... what are they going to sell after they run out of their stock of Mini Me's?

Sure I guess you can take another box and slap the Azbox name on it, but I doubt any further boxes with the AZbox name will support 4:2:2 and to me it is the 4:2:2 that made the AZbox a popular box among hobbyists.

SatelliteGuys was given the opportunity a few times by Azbox to carry their boxes and even had an offer made that we could have gotten and sold new models before anyone else. I always declined these offers as unlike other forums, we do not sell any hardware. Ever notice how other forums only really push what they sell? We could have probably cornered most of the American FTA market if we sold stuff... but that's not what I wanted.

Personally I dont know what this announcement actually accomplishes, or how its going to benefit most people. But I haven't heard the Satellite Nation Radio Show from last night so maybe I am missing something.

 

[navychop]

I suppose the question is: Does it support FTA or doesn't it?

 

[Kraven]

Personally I dont know what this announcement actually accomplishes, or how its going to benefit most people. But I haven't heard the Satellite Nation Radio Show from last night so maybe I am missing something.

I have to be honest here, as a satelliteguys radio listener/DJ, am a bit peeved it was used to push someone's personal agenda.

Cheers, K

 

[eurosport]

Disclamer:

The content presented during any of the shows broadcast on SatelliteGuys Radio do not reflect the opinions of the staff/management of SatelliteGuys Radio and are the sole responsibility of the DJ/Host on the air at that particular time. Thank You.

Personal note from me as the Radio Coordinator:

No show on this station will be censored in any way unless the content contains inappropriate language.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Any FTA company is welcome to come in the show. And like any other show on radio or tv show the guests who come on are always there to promote something.

I have no problem at all with what happened on the show.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[pwrsurge]

I don't get it honestly. AZbox is no more... what are they going to sell after they run out of their stock of Mini Me's?

Sure I guess you can take another box and slap the Azbox name on it, but I doubt any further boxes with the AZbox name will support 4:2:2 and to me it is the 4:2:2 that made the AZbox a popular box among hobbyists.

SatelliteGuys was given the opportunity a few times by Azbox to carry their boxes and even had an offer made that we could have gotten and sold new models before anyone else. I always declined these offers as unlike other forums, we do not sell any hardware. Ever notice how other forums only really push what they sell? We could have probably cornered most of the American FTA market if we sold stuff... but that's not what I wanted.

Personally I dont know what this announcement actually accomplishes, or how its going to benefit most people. But I haven't heard the Satellite Nation Radio Show from last night so maybe I am missing something.

The AzBox brand is still alive and well but it was sold to a new company called HTCE Limited who will be carrying on where OpenSat left off. This was explained a bit more on the radio show along with what to expect in the future. HTCE Limited has assumed production of the AzBox miniMe along with their new model, the AzBox Titan. The AzBox miniMe American Edition does and will continue to have 4.2.2 hardware support and is one of the key features of this model.

It was critical for us to launch AzBox US in order to ensure continued AzBox firmware development for the North American market. As explained on the show, software development is not free and is not cheap. We currently have two full time developers (one senior & one junior) on staff here in Canada for coding our North American AzBox firmware along with a QA analyst to undertake regression and user experience testing. As per our statement, we already invested close to a quarter of a million Canadian dollars since 2010 in order to pay for these people and other development related expenses.

For those of you who missed the show, you can listen to it again at http://ke4est.podomatic.com/entry/2013-07-03T21_12_45-07_00


Best regards,

PwrSurge
AzBox Canada
AzBox United States

 

[updatelee]

It can be free. Open source it all. I and many others develop for many open source projects all free of charge. You can't really complain about paying developers when that's your choice. There are other options.

UDL

 

[Keith Brannen]

I hate misleading information, from his website.

"Please note that any AzBox products purchased in Canada from unauthorised retailers will receive NO support or warranty"

when in reality, this is normal. If I buy a asus netbook from futureshop I cant take it to memoryexpress for warranty. What he's saying is if you dont buy from him then HE wont warranty it nor will he support it. Thats fine. I really wouldnt expect him to. But how he's worded it is misleading.

There is nothing at all misleading about that statement (in fact, just the opposite, it is concise and clear). Don't know where you get the idea that it is "normal", as many warranty (or other) repairs for products run the gambit from only from authorized dealers to any product legitimately sold.

Just for an example, if you bought a Canon or Nikon camera from Future Shop (or any other Canadian store selling cameras), besides having Future Shop ship it back, you could ship it yourself to the Canadian distributor/head office and get warranty repair (provided you have proof of purchase and it is not a grey market camera - i.e. bought in the US, they will not touch those). As well, some camera stores will even ship back that camera you bought at Future Shop for warranty repairs.

I can think of other industries where the same would apply, and some even cut out the middleman completely and require you to send it directly to their repair centre. Warranty (or other) repairs have no "normal" as you imply.

 

[Phoxx]

I'm a little confused by this thread.

If the new owners of AZBox don't want Rick as a dealer, I guess they just won't sell him anymore merchandise. Case closed!

AZBox.ca/us should not be involved in this situation, as they are not the manufacturer, they do not grant exclusive right to sell AZBox, only the manufacturer can do this.

I know Rick is not well liked by some on this site and I understand why, but I have done business with Rick in the past and think he is doing a fantastic service for FTAers in North America. I also respect AZBox.ca/us for the service they provide to FTAers in North America.

I hope both distributers can get along in the future and profit from our FTA hobby.

T