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Help ! Which combo box to buy

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    #2
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    FreeTV.ie are also selling the Amiko STHD-8800 Combo box which currently retails @ €149.

    Owner of FreeTV and poster "Radio|Man" is offering a discount of 10% on top of this as far I know for boardsies.

    So €135 ish.

    Limitation with many Combo boxes is that they will only let you watch DTT whilst recording a Satellite channel and vice versa.


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    #3
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,289 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    efwren wrote: »
    What am I losing in each of these over the actual freesat boxes.
    Full epg, and full PVR, if you were thinking a Freesat+ receiver.


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    #4
    swoofer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,416 ✭✭✭swoofer


    Your best option is to wait until it all goes live ie this saturday and then see what comes on the market. Saorview promises to be quite slick almost on a par with freesat ie nice epg, good text, etc. Maybe even series link. The only combo box that has the full spec is a TRIAX but has glitches at the moment. An uncertified combo may leave you high and dry after a few weeks/months/years. So be patient.

    gb---


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    #5
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,289 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    I'd go with that too, as an owner of a combo (argus mini). It's served us well, but I'll be waiting for a certified combo before getting another at this stage. I'm still hoping the triax works out, or a similar reciever appears.

    Our the long term plan is saorview tele and freesat+ receiver rather than a combo at all.


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    #6
    Digital Satellite TV
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭Digital Satellite TV


    if you're patient, the triax combo box is hopefully due aound Sept onwards, if it passes certification.


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    #7
    bob11
    Registered Users Posts: 469 ✭✭bob11


    Digital Satellite TV wrote: »
    if you're patient, the triax combo box is hopefully due aound Sept onwards, if it passes certification.

    The Triax Combo - ST-HD 537 is here:

    http://www.saorview.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/SaorviewGuide_Web.pdf Page 7 ...

    The combo has not passed certification yet, but the standard box - TR 112 has ...


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    #8
    Digital Satellite TV
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭Digital Satellite TV


    bob11 wrote: »
    The Triax Combo - ST-HD 537 is here:

    http://www.saorview.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/SaorviewGuide_Web.pdf Page 7 ...

    The combo has not passed certification yet, but the standard box - TR 112 has ...

    I meant the new Triax combo. More or less went back to the drawing board for the new model which as I say if everything goes to plan (fingers crossed) might make an appearance in the autumn.


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    #9
    silvine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,132 ✭✭✭silvine


    I am looking to do the same as the OP and I have a few quick questions.

    I thought Saorview already launched, what's happening on Saturday?

    Also, what's better about the new Triax certified combo launching in September?

    Finally, if I buy the combo do I also need to buy a satellite dish for it and also an external HDD for PVR functionality?

    Thanks


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    #10
    swoofer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,416 ✭✭✭swoofer


    Saturday it becomes official ie it cant be switched on and off willy nilly and it now works quite well. The best bit is that HD is going to happen on Saturday for the first time ever on Irish Network, Rugby first, then soccer and best of all hurling on sunday.

    If you already have a sky dish you can use that if not yes you need a dish.

    and you need external hdd

    the triax will have all the required bits of software and it will be approved

    gb-


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    #11
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    silvine wrote: »
    I am looking to do the same as the OP and I have a few quick questions.

    I thought Saorview already launched, what's happening on Saturday?

    Public trial service since the 29th Oct last.

    Saturday is the launch of the full public service which will run side-by-side with the old analogue service until ASO in Oct 2012.


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    #12
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    I'd go with that too, as an owner of a combo (argus mini). It's served us well, but I'll be waiting for a certified combo before getting another at this stage. I'm still hoping the triax works out, or a similar reciever appears.

    Our the long term plan is saorview tele and freesat+ receiver rather than a combo at all.

    I dont mean to rain on your parade, but anyone thinking that a certified combo box will do anymore than a non certified box needs a reality check.

    Look, there will never be a combo freesat HD and Saorview box, ever ever. You cannot merge 2 different mheg driven broadcast systems seamlesly. Freesat is a look and feel built on MHEG5 using Huffman tables. The software running in the background grabs the data and presents it in a colourful and effeicient manner. This will not work on a combo box that runs an MHEG application for Saorview. The box wouldnt know whether its coming or going.

    Secondly the price will be higher by €100 for no real reasons other than the inclusion of MHEG5 and certification.

    There will be no other "certified" combo boxes. There will be a proliferation of grey HD combo boxes. And maybe a year from now you will see a combo box that gives 7 day epg for both that is joe public friendly and does its data grabbing without user interaction. This requires heads with time on their hands and those people exist at the moment in the linux community, an entuasiasts club. Perhaps someone will see that money can be made out of providing such a box. The boxes are out there now, the coders arent. The data is after all open source, most of the api's are too.


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    #13
    silvine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,132 ✭✭✭silvine


    I dont mean to rain on your parade, but anyone thinking that a certified combo box will do anymore than a non certified box needs a reality check.

    Look, there will never be a combo freesat HD and Saorview box, ever ever. You cannot merge 2 different mheg driven broadcast systems seamlesly. Freesat is a look and feel built on MHEG5 using Huffman tables. The software running in the background grabs the data and presents it in a colourful and effeicient manner. This will not work on a combo box that runs an MHEG application for Saorview. The box wouldnt know whether its coming or going.

    Secondly the price will be higher by €100 for no real reasons other than the inclusion of MHEG5 and certification.

    Why is certified so important?

    I prefer downloading and playing on a HTPC (via XBMC OpenELEC) myself but the family still use the UPC box and its PVR which means I can't cancel my monthly subscription unless I find an equivalent replacement. From the sounds of things Saorview won't cut it.


    I'd like to know what's the most cost effective solution for canceling UPC and getting a system that carries Irish and British channels with PVR and time shift functionality? Is there a box I should buy?

    I should add I have a new Samsung HD TV that can receive Saorview, a HDD and I also have an old Sky Dish on the roof.


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    #14
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    silvine wrote: »
    Why is certified so important?

    Good question. And one where you will read differing opinions.

    RTEs stance would be, get certified, that way you wont run into problems.

    Main difference ? MHEG5. Its middleware that will be used for fancy TEXT (fancy with adverts - think HTML) and interactive services. Perhaps down the road, a homogenuous epg feel, like the sky menu/freesat menu - BUT there are not enough stations now or planned to justify this though.

    So can you get by without MHEG5 ?. Of course. At the moment should you not have MHEG5 (no combo box does) you will get the old Aertel text when viewing the box - this may not continue after end 2012.

    You still receive 7 day epg on a combo box for Saorview stations as it broadcast in the open via the EIT (event information table which is all the data of programme times and info etc).

    One other MAIN thing you should look for in a HD Combo box - its ability to handle these audio codecs - HE-AAC and E-AC3. At the moment RTE use MPEG audio. That will probably change as more HD stations come on air. MPEG audio does not normally go hand in hand with H264 HD video.

    Combo boxes are as low as €102 in Poland - before postage. I wouldnt be buying a certfied one for the additional MHEG5 middleware at that price (€225). Its robbery. I have a TV with MPEG4 and MHEG5 should I need text with adverts. Presently I use a HD combo box I bought in 2008/9! It cost €300 new back then. It has never let me down for DTT/Sat.

    @ Downloading etc - most of the new boxes play DIVX from the USB port.

    Hope that answers it for you.


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    #15
    Strawberry HillBilly
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭Strawberry HillBilly


    Have you a link / source of €102 boxes in Poland ???


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    #16
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    allegro.pl.

    You must sign up, have google translator at the ready and have patience. Its the equivelant of ebay in Poland.

    Example Ferguson HD200 Combo..... as a search term.


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    #17
    efwren
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭efwren


    Thanks for all the replies...

    I am also thinking about not getting a combo box, in the hope that in say 8 Months the choice will be greater, however I do need to get rid of UPC, so am tempted to buy a freesat HD box, and use the arial to get the irish channels.

    I have a question about freesat boxes...I notice some of them support the BBC iplayer, does that work from Ireland? I am guessing it doesn't as it uses a standard internet connection, but thought I'd ask!

    Thanks again.


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    #18
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    BBC iplayer is geoblocked outside UK ISPs.

    Analogue will be turned off in the last quarter next year.

    If the lack of 7 day epg for satellite (now/next only) isnt a problem for you, get a HD combo box. All the channels are in one channel list.

    To the guy into his HTPCs, there is a device that is a combo TV card for sat and dtt in the stickies thread above of combo boxes.


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    #19
    cajetan
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭cajetan


    Hi
    Can I ask a question on the combo boxes.

    I currently have a freesat hd receiver and and MPEG2 TV which receives the Irish channels via ariel.

    One of my biggest gripes at the moment is that I constantly have to switch TV input sources from HDMI to AV and vica versa whenever I want to switch between the freesat and and Irish channels. I then have to switch between my TV remote and freesat remote to change channels etc.

    If I invest in a combo box will I get the following

    1 Be able to watch Irish or Freesat channels without having to switch TV source inputs. (ie will they all appear on a single HDMI1 input)

    2. Have a single remote control for switching between Irish and Freesat channels.

    3 Have a common 7 day EPG guide for both the Irish and Freesat channels. I know this is the case for the Saorview channels but what about the English ones, Is there an EPG for these ? I understand I won't have the familiar freesat EPG but if it was replaced with something similar like the Saorview EPG then I could live with this.

    4 Be able to easily record both Irish and freesat channels to an external HDD drive using the EPG guide above.

    I would be happy enough if I could do this with a combo box, if not now then in the next 6 months when things have settled down a bit.

    As far as I could understand from the discussion so far is that the lack of MHEG5 compatability would mean limited(no) aertel in the future and lack of support for interactive TV. These are things I could live without.

    My main requirements would be the 4 issues listed above.

    Many thanks for any insights.


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    #20
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    1. Yes - you can compile the channel list. It allows you combine DTT and Sat. Flick up and down ebtween stations. No Input switching.
    2. Yes
    3. 7 Day epg for Saorview(DTT), Programme Now/next for Sat.
    4. You can only watch DTT when recording Sat and Vice Versa (on most cheap combos). They only have single tuners for DTT and Sat.


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    #21
    cajetan
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭cajetan


    Thanks a lot for that STB

    That cleared up a lot of things for me. It looks like a combo box would suit my needs

    Final question, if there is just a Now/Next functionality for Sat then is it possible to record a programme several days in advance my other means, Eg manually entering the date/time/channel etc


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    #22
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    cajetan wrote: »
    Final question, if there is just a Now/Next functionality for Sat then is it possible to record a programme several days in advance my other means, Eg manually entering the date/time/channel etc

    Yes. Timer function, just dont pull the power cable out!

    Not all the combo boxes allow the switching between dtt whilst recording sat. The Ferguson Ariva HD200 Combo is one that certainly does.


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    #23
    kodscoll
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭kodscoll


    the triax st37 hd combo now has mheg5 for rte text & interactive

    http://cgi.ebay.ie/Triax-ST-HD37-Saorview-FTA-Satellite-Receiver-/190529915370?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c5c77c9ea


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    #24
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    kodscoll wrote: »
    the triax st37 hd combo now has mheg5 for rte text & interactive

    http://cgi.ebay.ie/Triax-ST-HD37-Saorview-FTA-Satellite-Receiver-/190529915370?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c5c77c9ea

    Should that not be Triax-ST-HD537? If so, then there's a huge thread about the problems with it here in the Terrestial forum.


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    #25
    kodscoll
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭kodscoll


    yeah its triax st-hd37 but its the newest software version with mheg5 - i havent experienced any problems - a lot of those posts are referring to older versions - i think many of the bugs have been sorted since


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    #26
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    kodscoll wrote: »
    yeah its triax st-hd37 but its the newest software version with mheg5

    I think your # 5 key has a problem, intermittant operation ;)


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    #27
    swoofer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,416 ✭✭✭swoofer


    Its a lot cheaper at PC and I mean a lot cheaper.

    gb--


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    #28
    kodscoll
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭kodscoll


    The Cush wrote: »
    I think your # 5 key has a problem, intermittant operation ;)


    thank you so much for pointing that out about my "5" it seems to have fixed itself 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

    Triax ST-537HD

    and as we are correcting errors in each others posts its intermittEnt not intermittAnt ;)


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    #29
    haymur
    Registered Users Posts: 327 ✭✭haymur


    I have a Humax Foxsat HD I now wanta easy to use DVB_T box which will connect to a HDD to record automatically Terristal irish programmes. Is there any ones on the market yet. I have seen no PVR DVB-T units yet so i will need a easy to use Box + HDD combo


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    #30
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    kodscoll wrote: »
    the triax st37 hd combo now has mheg5 for rte text & interactive

    http://cgi.ebay.ie/Triax-ST-HD37-Saorview-FTA-Satellite-Receiver-/190529915370?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c5c77c9ea

    For anyone reading this, word of advice DO NOT PAY this amount of money for a combo box. And they were recalled because of the problems with them. Besides the question over whether there are now 2 versions of this problematic box, These boxes are not even Saorview certified..


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