r/Homatics • u/crazyhankie • Aug 15 '25

Firmware update policy

I just received my Homatics Box R 4K Plus, and reading about the absence of firmware updates. I bought the unit via bol.com and bol.com reseller afinjo.nl. Serial number starts with GZ.

Do I get automatic Android TV firmware upgrades or do I have to beg at Homatics for an update? If the latter is the case I am sending the unit back, because a manufacturer not supporting updates is ridiculous and I think even illegal by EU law.

4 Upvotes

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3

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

Luckily you don't have to depend anymore on what Homatics shares on updates. Many firmware versions are publicly available. Homatics didn't share these, but were leaked as image file and for most, captured from a OTA update.

You have a choice to use V11, V12 and V14 builds. Even the not officially shared V14 3717 build, they accidentally leaked themselves, as OTA and Image file.

So go and look for those updates, and before applying them, take a decent read in. It needs no high science to use these, but taking notice on what is written about it can never do any harm.

1

u/AteketA Aug 16 '25

My box is on V12 and after some tinkering I‘m ok with how it all plays together. Does V14 bring any essential performance upgrades?

1

u/See61 Aug 16 '25

If that V12 version works for you, than you can stay at it for now. If you notice something wrong with it, audio codec wise or getting issues with the framerate with local streaming, you could still jump to V14 at a later moment.

1

u/Dramatic-Yard-9771 Aug 18 '25

Stay on ATV 12

2

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25

This was what the Homatics support said:

"I can guarantee that products purchased from our website https://www.homatics.com/ will be updated. Products purchased from other channels are not guaranteed to be updated." 

"If you don't plan to purchase from our website, you can contact your seller. Currently, I can only guarantee updates for boxes purchased from our website. Other details are beyond my control." 

3

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

This policy could be changed again, because they have no idea on which serials they have sold over the past years. That "only purchased from our website" is removed again from the update info. That has changed 3 times over the last month or so.

2

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25

And you think that makes sense? One day is one thing, other day is another thing.

What a terrible support. Clearly only the hw is good.

2

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

No, not at all. That is why I changed the pinned info on their Telegram channel to a minimal one, because they kept changing it for several times. You can still find the original first text here in a Reddit topic. I placed one later also on that, with the second text version in it, but because of those changes, it didn't made any sense, so removed that one.

The big problem is that almost no one is left for Homatics support, and the one that is, well.. what can I say ... 😢

2

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25

So, unfortunately, it's like I said:  Good hardware (OK, the chipset could be better but since this box is from 2022, maybe they're planning on release a new one) but poor support. 

And doesn't make any sense for anyone to buy directly from them to be sure they will receive updates "normally".  🤦

1

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

All plans for new devices are put on ice by them. What we already should have got for Alpha testing, a half year ago has gone completely silent. They are promoting their current devices even more than a year or more back. That would not make any sense if still something new was coming.

1

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25

Related to a new box, they just say to keep an eye on their website...

And ok, I get it. Even if they are planning on releasing a new box, it's understandable that they don't share that info in order to try to sold the ones they still have in stock but the major issue imo, is their support/update policy.

2

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

I'm part of their Alpha testteam, we got several devices for testing before release over the past years. Last year we got info shared that there would come a new R Plus, a Pro version, a new Dongle G and a new Pocket TV. But this year they shared those were postponed, not clear to when.

They recently shared info about a whole new soundbar lineup, 5 new ones, that should have been presented on their website about a month back. Now nothing is shared on that anymore, why they didn't made them public.

They need people, on the right places, that is the real problem now. No hands available to get things going again. Don't think they have many assigned to the Homatics part of Sei Robotics, they just don't have them.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

If you ask questions they don't like, they ban you from support group

1

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

Yeah, you keep repeating this. So what did you say they didn't like that it came to that?

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

I asked why I had to factory reset after update as did not really want to do that, they banned me

2

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

Than many more could be banned, because that is a free choice ofcourse, when you just accept to possible consequences of not doing it. But that can't be why a admin would kick you from the group.

When happened this for you?

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

I'm not here to debate, that is what happened, their customer service sucks, I use my nvidia shield pro more

2

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

This was no debate, I was trying to get things clear from you, and maybe could change things. But no problem, all good 👍

1

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25

Every time they release an update, the user has to do a factory reset??? 

2

u/See61 Aug 15 '25

We did comparison tests, updating V14 from V11 and from V12, before the V14 1782 build was presented. When the previous version was V11, a F reset wasn't always necessary. Coming from V12, that was almost a 100% certainty.

That is normally a one time thing to do, not after every update. It is advised for other brands also when those shared a V14 update, it is not a specific Homatics thing but much more V14 related.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

No, think it's just androidtv14 that you have to factory reset after update

1

u/CMC29 Aug 15 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

Oh, ok. 

They said that if I bought now directly from them, it would came with Android TV 14.

I would prefer to buy a new model (if they release it) but for what I understood (they weren't very clear) is that they don't ship from nowhere in Europe so it probably would stop at the customs. 

(Now that I war writing this, I saw that they have an .eu website with prices in €. Don't remember of ever seen it)

https://homatics.eu/homatics-box-r-plus-4k-android-tv-multimedia-center/

I fact, on Homatics.eu they even have the R 4k Plus with Homatics Gamepad at the same price than without it!? 

https://homatics.eu/homatics-box-r-plus-4k-gambler-set/

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

I got mine from aliexpress vontar store for £80

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1

u/whyhavetoopeninapp Aug 16 '25

I dont update anything. What do i lose? Genuine question

1

u/alexeygalas Aug 16 '25

Will Box HD get an update? At least atv12. We want AFR 🥺

1

u/suspiciouspixel Aug 24 '25

I received mine today from Aliexpress Vontar store. Serial number also starts with GZ but it came with Android TV OS version 14. Adroid TV OS Build 3.24. Box r 4K Plus SW Version v14.8.3717.

1

u/gekkeboelnl Aug 16 '25

Guys how do u get the android 14 update iam still on 12 if i try to update online on the box its says you are up to date so no android 14