What fta hd receiver to go for

Headshot

im currently looking at fta hd receivers such as the

PACE DS810KPR HDTV
http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdtv-receiver/pace-ds810kpr-hdtv.html


http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdtv-receiver/link to all the fta hd boxes

[to bad the features bit is in German, but hopefully someone can advise me


do any them come with a hard drive to record on ?

whats the best hd receiver there, which would suit a dell w2600
specs of http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Dell_W2600/4507-6482_16-31006682.html

im hoping to watch the world cup on BBC hd

Aquos76

I am guessing that you will need to get a HDMI to DVI cable for that TV. Which means you will need to use audio cables also. I am hoping to have 2 or 3 in to try out buy the end of may. I know one is a pace and another is a phillips.

Zaphod

DVB-S2 MPEG4 boxes are currently limited to Pace and Humax, neither of which have a hard drive. Apparently there's a shortage of chips for new boxes.
http://www.areadvd.de/hardware/2006/Humax_PR-HD1000_01.shtml
http://www.areadvd.de/hardware/2006/Pace_DS810_KP_01.shtml

If you want to record direct to HD then you're limited to the only PCI DVB-S2 card available - TV-Station DVB-S2 Plus.
http://www.knc1.de/d/produkte/digital_dvb_s2_plus.htm
http://www.dvbmagic.de/index.php?nav=DVB-Karten&page=hardware%2Fkncone_tvstation_dvbs2.htm


The cheaper Technotrend card still isn't in stock:
http://www.dvbmagic.de/index.php?nav=DVB-Karten&page=hardware%2Fkncone_tvstation_dvbs2.htm

ShevY

http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdtv-receiver/humax-pr-hd-1000-premiere-komplett-.html

could this 149e receiver be used with my hdtv to watch the FTA BBC HDTV World Cup coverage?

byte

ShevY wrote:

http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdtv-receiver/humax-pr-hd-1000-premiere-komplett-.html

could this 149e receiver be used with my hdtv to watch the FTA BBC HDTV World Cup coverage?

That box is available in Germany only, for Premiere HD.

Headshot

Aquos76 wrote:

I am guessing that you will need to get a HDMI to DVI cable for that TV. Which means you will need to use audio cables also. I am hoping to have 2 or 3 in to try out buy the end of may. I know one is a pace and another is a phillips.

i was thinking i would need a HDMI to DVI cable

id say the pace is the best version ?
if i got this HDMI to DVI cable and the pace box will i have a brilliant hd picture for the world cup

on a side note Aquos76 will you reply back when you get those to fta hd boxes please and whats your review of them

by the way when is BBC hd lauching

Zhane

Will BBC HD be FTA?

L1011

Zhane wrote:

Will BBC HD be FTA?

Tests are and there is a snowballs chance in hell of them encrypting.

ShevY

if i was to get that 149e box from germany would it be able to show the BBC WC HD coverage tho?

Headshot

think BBC hd launches the 15 of May

pH

ShevY wrote:

if i was to get that 149e box from germany would it be able to show the BBC WC HD coverage tho?

No - as pointed out earlier it's only available in Germany - it's a subsidised box when you take out a Premiere sub. The model itself will work (probably!) but they won't sell it to you at that price.

ShevY

pH wrote:

it's a subsidised box when you take out a Premiere sub

ah i see now.

getting it from germany wasnt the problem :]

Mossy Monk

if only Sky were to release a HD box for €149

Headshot

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote:

i was thinking i would need a HDMI to DVI cable

id say the pace is the best version ?
if i got this HDMI to DVI cable and the pace box will i have a brilliant hd picture for the world cup

any advice

also if i get the box from Germany i wont have any problems here in Ireland would it

L1011

...other than neither of them supporting the MBAFF interlacing currently being used by the BBC and hence not giving you any picture, not at all

byte

No you should have no problems with it. It'll come with 2 pin mains plug, but not a big job to replace with a 3pin, or use a Euroadaptor if you're not into wiring plugs!
The instruction manual will most likely be German also, so see if there is English manual available on the manufacturers website? The receiver itself is most likely multi-lingual.

Headshot

MYOB wrote:

...other than neither of them supporting the MBAFF interlacing currently being used by the BBC and hence not giving you any picture, not at all

WHAT :eek:

is this true

byte

MYOB wrote:

...other than neither of them supporting the MBAFF interlacing currently being used by the BBC and hence not giving you any picture, not at all

Hmm, didn't notice your post there.

Do you think BBC will continue using this MBAFF interlacing of which you speak?

L1011

According to a number of posters on DS they are anyway; and this is why the sole reception reports have been from PCs with one specific codec.

It also doesnae work in VLC and VLC doesn't, guess what... support MBAFF.

MBAFF breaks the picture in to macroblocks and either interlaces or transmits as progressive scan depending on which gives the best picture/bandwidth payoff, IIRC. Kinda like HD-MAC's 8x8 blocks at different frame rates.

Headshot

MYOB wrote:

According to a number of posters on DS they are anyway; and this is why the sole reception reports have been from PCs with one specific codec.

It also doesnae work in VLC and VLC doesn't, guess what... support MBAFF.

MBAFF breaks the picture in to macroblocks and either interlaces or transmits as progressive scan depending on which gives the best picture/bandwidth payoff, IIRC. Kinda like HD-MAC's 8x8 blocks at different frame rates.

so theres no point in getting any of those hd boxes from germany?

L1011

Not yet. The BBC may drop MBAFF, or those boxes may get a software update. But right now they're useless for BBC HD, only any use for Pro7/Sat1/Anixe on 19E.

watty

MBAFF

What this. Watty need to know and doesn't!

Accessing google

Aquos76

MYOB wrote:

Not yet. The BBC may drop MBAFF, or those boxes may get a software update. But right now they're useless for BBC HD, only any use for Pro7/Sat1/Anixe on 19E.

Fair play for reporting this. I was just about to get a couple from Germany. So we will just have to wait and see which way it pans out.

pH

Until the BBC begin transmission (15th may?) I guess no one knows for sure. However given the uncertainty, it would still be hugely unlikely they'd go for something that the Sky HD box can't handle, although that would really be one in $ky's eye if they did - imagine the uproar.

Headshot

MYOB wrote:

Not yet. The BBC may drop MBAFF, or those boxes may get a software update. But right now they're useless for BBC HD, only any use for Pro7/Sat1/Anixe on 19E.

fair play MYOB

you saved me alot of money

Headshot

iv a plan now

get sky hd like a week before the world cup starts

iv a month to bring it back and get a refund

screw sky

Aquos76

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote:

iv a plan now

get sky hd like a week before the world cup starts

iv a month to bring it back and get a refund

screw sky

You are assuming that we will be available to view the BBC's through a sky HDbox though. Nothing has been annouced yet with regards to what and where the BBC plan to launch their HD channels.

Headshot

Aquos76 wrote:

You are assuming that we will be available to view the BBC's through a sky HDbox though. Nothing has been annouced yet with regards to what and where the BBC plan to launch their HD channels.

hmm

when i rang sky up
they told me i would be able to get BBC HD

byte

I wouldnt' pay much heed to what Sky CS tell you. It may work for UK customers on the EPG. I wonder can Other Channels in a SkyHD box work for HD channels? I guess that's a wait and see game also.

watty

My money is on BBC HD only in UK and only on UK Sky HD. You need a "not Sky" HD box. Pace, humax. Don't know if ReelBox does (yet), though it does do MPEG4 HD.

byte

http://www.reel-multimedia.de/shop/product_info.php?products_id=148

Every household should have one!!

Headshot

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote:

iv a plan now

get sky hd like a week before the world cup starts

iv a month to bring it back and get a refund

screw sky

rang up a mate who works in sky
he told me not to chance the above
sky are very hard to get money back from

Headshot

is there any fta hd box out there that can get BBC hd

will this box get BBC HD

HUMAX HDCI-2000

L1011

As far as I know, no FTA box supports MBAFF, yet at least. I wouldn't risk buying anything until someone confirms they're getting it - theres 'plenty' of time before the world cup yet. And the BBC may yet drop it - it is in sheer testing mode right now.

Zaphod

The current BBC tests have a bitrate of about 18mbits/s so if you have a very high spec PC and the mainconcept codec, you may be able to receive it.

http://www.dvbviewer.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9206&st=135

watty

A very high bitrate for MPEG4. Must be good quality! Can't see Smart, Magnet or BT offering that kind of quality as IPTV!

Headshot

Zaphod wrote:

if you have a very high spec PC and the mainconcept codec, you may be able to receive it.

http://www.dvbviewer.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9206&st=135

i hae a quite good pc
its a dell 8400
its powerful enough

you probly need a media centre pc for the above

L1011

You "only" need a ~3Ghz machine and a compatible DVB-S card, not a Media Centre box.

bpmurray

Media center slows down your machine, so steer well clear of it.

MYOB's right - a DVB-S card is the way to go: it's cheap (mine cost €30 three years ago, although it's very low spec - a skystar 2).

Zaphod

There's the additional obstacle that if you do get a PC to work with the current tests in DVB-S, the Satplaza site reports that the World Cup transmissions will be in DVB-S2.

http://www.satplaza.com/wordpres/index.php?paged=3

enfant terrible

Hello,
I ordered Sky HD,why wouldn't the BBC HD channel be available to us.
Would it not just be on the EPG like the rest of the channels?
I read somewhere on avforums that it will be on sky's EPG.

L1011

enfant terrible wrote:

Hello,
I ordered Sky HD,why wouldn't the BBC HD channel be available to us.
Would it not just be on the EPG like the rest of the channels?
I read somewhere on avforums that it will be on sky's EPG.

The BBC charge Sky money for every channel of theirs that they put on the Irish EPG whereas they pay Sky to be on the UK EPG. Sky have no interest in putting any BBC channels bar 1 and 2 on the Irish EPG currently, and may not put BBCHD on either.

enfant terrible

MYOB wrote:

The BBC charge Sky money for every channel of theirs that they put on the Irish EPG whereas they pay Sky to be on the UK EPG. Sky have no interest in putting any BBC channels bar 1 and 2 on the Irish EPG currently, and may not put BBCHD on either.

Could you not just add it so like BBC 3 & 4.
I think it will be available to us.

L1011

enfant terrible wrote:

Could you not just add it so like BBC 3 & 4.
I think it will be available to us.

Possibly. But you won't be able to record from it if thats the case.

enfant terrible

MYOB wrote:

Possibly. But you won't be able to record from it if thats the case.

Better be able to for 400 euro.

L1011

Two things:

They aren't selling you the box with any claims you can even -get- BBC HD

You've never been able to record from Other Channels except on to an external VHS/DVD/HDD - the Sky+ features are disabled for them. Theres no HD-capable external recorders available, yet.

watty

enfant terrible wrote:

Could you not just add it so like BBC 3 & 4.
I think it will be available to us.

1) Recording won't work

2) Since it seems HD is resampled to ordinary SD if you have no HD sub, I'd be 99% sure that "HD via Other Channels" will only display in SD.

I'll be surprised it BBC HD is on Sky ROI EPG. Launches on 15th.

IF BBBC HD is on ROI EPG then it will record and view at HD.

Headshot

Zaphod wrote:

There's the additional obstacle that if you do get a PC to work with the current tests in DVB-S, the Satplaza site reports that the World Cup transmissions will be in DVB-S2.

http://www.satplaza.com/wordpres/index.php?paged=3

anyway around this obstacle [the link above only seems to be in german,wheres the english button:) ]

i have a 3.2ghz
1gb ram
6800 256 graphics card
etc
i think im ok

watty

Only old tests in DVB-s

All services for HD will be DVB-s2 MPEG4

Likely all standard definition services will migrate to MPEG4 to nearly double the number of channels. EVENTUALLY. Don't lay up 10,000 Digiboxes for resale on eBay

Headshot

watty wrote:

Likely all standard definition services will migrate to MPEG4 to nearly double the number of channels. EVENTUALLY.

do you think it will happen before the world cup

watty

Only the already announced HD services (BBC HD, and the half dozen or so Sky pay channels) are currently in MPEG4. No other changes AFAIK planned before the Autumn.

Migration of existing MPEG2 channels as ordinary definition MPEG4 to save spectrum is a few years off.