Question Reusing old TV Box devices

[cacatuamae]

Earlier this week my current TV/Internet provider came for a maintenance on my home. I've set aside the TV box (as it's unplugged anyway) just in case they might need to replace the whole set up, but they only replaced the router/decoder and left the TV hardware here. I've been thinking about it for a while now, and after this interaction it got me spun up again on: may these devices be used in any other way other than what they were designed to?

I'll explain, the hardware itself is capable enough that it can receive and transmit information over the network, decode video signals and receive information over infrared (by the controller), but it also has USB ports and certainly a somewhat capable processor that can run an OS robust enough to manage all those resources.

Considering the original Raspberry Pi was already capable of running a home lab for media content and what not, would it be possible to repurpose these kinds of equipment to do something similar? I mean, they've been around for quite a while and it wouldn't be a new thing to run custom software on devices from Service Providers such as Claro on Latin America, just look at the OpenWRT community, their software is compatible with everything.

Another thing going up in favor of this is the fact that most of these devices are "abandoned" by the companies themselves, I mean, who hasn't cancelled a service such as this and was told that someone would come by to pick the equipment, but they never came, they never retrieved it? Some of these devices date from 2012 or even earlier and wouldn't even make sense keeping using them as they are right now, they don't have the latest software, can't sometimes play in 4k or are too slow to meet the new customer demands anyway.

I've done some searching over YouTube and some forums as well but couldn't find out anyone talking about this or even if it's possible or not (maybe it isn't), but I thought it was worth the shot trying to start this conversation here. I have with me a Humax HNB100 (from Claro), and would like to venture in this further.

If anyone works on manufacturing or even supporting these devices, or have any knowledge on this matter, can this be done?

 

[Ralston18]

My thought is that unless the company has some profitable means in place to reuse, re-purpose, or recycle used products then there is no advantage in retrieving such devices. Obsolete or otherwise.....

And very little is made nowadays that can be reused or re-purposed.

Even schools and hobbyists rarely want or need such things for parts, experiments, training, and so forth.

Recycling is much more hazardous and costly. Low, if any, ROI (Return on Investment).

May well cost more money to simply pick up (or just take) an old device than the device could ever be worth no matter its' condition or some potential value.

Especially if there are disposal fees being applied due to hazardous materials, etc..

Companies deal with hundreds of devices or the equivalent in tons of waste.

Leaving or abandoning things with the customers is one less thing for the company to have to spend money/resources dealing with.

At some point, the customers will likely just toss the device into the trash.....

Not at all desirable.

"It is what it is".

 

[TerryLaze]

Sadly most of these devices are protected from changing the firmware and you can't even install google apps on them.
The companies have to protect the boxes so that pirates can't so easily figure out a way to get the TV programs for free so they lock these devices down really well.

If your device has google store you can install retroarch and at least use it as an emulation device or to play android games on.

 

[cacatuamae]

Well, that's not the case, but thanks for your replies, I really appreciate your thoughts on this. Maybe some day we'll be able to reuse more and more pieces of tech such as these.