Bigsat 6800 FTA Combined DVB-S & DVB-T Receiver

taung

Hi,

Now that there is a digital terrestrial TV service (well, a trial system at least) I am thinking of buying the BigSAT 6800 FTA satellite/terrestrial receiver;

http://www.golden-interstar.com/index.php?lang=en&content=products&id=88

Does anyone here have any experience of this receiver or experience of combined DVB-S and DVB-T receivers? Worth buying?

Kovold

Where excactly is the DVB-S support mentioned? Looks like a plan DVB-T receiver to me.

-.> Kovold

L1011

The name - "BigSAT" gives it away a tad, then the title - "BigSAT DVB-T & S 6800 Premium"

And the next line:

"Digital Terrestrial + Satellite Receiver in miniature size Modern and practical design"

But yeah, its not like they make it easy to notice :P

watty

http://www.digitalnow.com.au/dvbtcards.html

Zaphod

Fortec make a 'Diamond' range of combined DVB-T/S receivers with blindscan.
www.fortecstar.com

Television review of 'Lifetime Diamond' receiver from April 2005 attached.

Zaphod

Television review of 'Lifetime Diamond' receiver from April 2005 attached. pt1

Zaphod

pt2

taung

Well, to answer the question I posed myself, I've purchased the Bigsat 6800 FTA and have tested the DVB-T functions; it works sweetly.....a basic receiver but seems to be high quality....tuning in the trial DVB-T stations was easy enough....the manual that comes with it is more than a bit skimpy 'though.

I'll report back on the DVB-S functions after the weekend.....

Tony

taung wrote:

Well, to answer the question I posed myself, I've purchased the Bigsat 6800 FTA and have tested the DVB-T functions; it works sweetly.....a basic receiver but seems to be high quality....tuning in the trial DVB-T stations was easy enough....the manual that comes with it is more than a bit skimpy 'though.

I'll report back on the DVB-S functions after the weekend.....

I'd be interested in your thoughts. Mike at digitaleire stocks these and is well impressed with them so thinking of getting some stock myself.

taung

Save yourself a few bob........I got mine through e-bay;

click here

Benolam

How much did it cost and where did you get it?

taung

Click on the link dude!

66o66o

what areas is dvb service available?

or any links to service providers!

thanksd

watty

DVB-t from UK depends on BIG aerial and where you live.

DVB-t ifrom Ireland is Clarmont Carn or Three Rock. It is only a trail and likely to have MPEG4 SD content and other content that won't work on a UK Freeview box or non-MPEG4 box.

A French pay TV (TNT) DTT box will likely be fine with any Irish MPEG4 (This not HDTV, but MPEG4 to fit more channels in).

Don't spend much on a receiver for Irish trials. Unless you get good UK analogue TV in your area you are unlikely to get UK DVB-t (DTT / Freeview).

Benolam

Taung says that he Bigsat 6800 Combo works on the Irish DTT trials Does that mean it wont work on UK DTT. I live in Wexford and get good UK analogue.

Can some explaine the difference between UK DTT & Irish DTT. Is it the 2k, 8k thing?

watty

It minght work today, but unless it has MPEG4 not tomorrow.
It is more than the 2k / 8k thing.

This is NOT a public service. They may use non-MHEG interactive content (Freeview uses MHEG), they will test MPEG4 for ordinary standard definition (HD tests unlikely), freeview is MPEG2 only but France uses both on DTT,
Also they seem to be using frequency offsets on Claremont Cairn that make it impossible to receive on many automatic only scan receivers.

Any receiver that really works on ALL of the Irish trials will work on UK DTT.

You will need new, bigger aerials for UK DTT, if wales.

taung

I only got aroung to getting the satellite side of this BigSAT receiver up and running this weekend. It works quite well (switching three LNBs via Diseqc); it's not a sophisticated receiver but it has all the essentials.

Tuning in transponders not contained in the receiver's firmware was a bit tricky and the user guide wasn't any help, but, after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing I got everything tuned in.

The timer functionlity isn't brilliant; it only allows you to specify and ON or OFF time for a single timer slot. So, if using a single timer the reciever will be turned on the the desired time, but will remain ON after the programme has finished.

There are a few little faults in the menu system (e.g. not possible to switch from satellite radio to terrestrial television)...but they are major faults.

As always, you get what you pay for and I paid under €60 and it is value for money at that price. The most pleasing aspect of the receiver, for me, is being able to get crystal clear pictures for the 3 and a half Irish TV stations (TV3 doesn't count as a full Irish station!) on the experimental digital terrestrial system broadcasting from Three Rock mountain.

Benolam

You did well to get it for around €60. In Ireland I have been quoted €110 - €130. I see it on Spanish sites for around€50 €60 but the shipping it another €40.

Question is Astra 2 and Eurobird at 28.2/28.5 programmed in?
Can you switch seamlessly between Satellite and DTT TV stations? or do you have to switch functions?

Thanks

taung

Benolam wrote:

You did well to get it for around €60. In Ireland I have been quoted €110 - €130. I see it on Spanish sites for around€50 €60 but the shipping it another €40.

Question is Astra 2 and Eurobird at 28.2/28.5 programmed in?
Can you switch seamlessly between Satellite and DTT TV stations? or do you have to switch functions?

Thanks

Eurobird is not programmed into it but you can easily add channles on this satellite by adding transponders to the pre-programmed Astra 28.2 satellite.

Switching between satellite and DTT is pretty much seamless; you simpy press the "AV" button on the remote to toggle between both systems. Satellite has its own channel listing/number and DTT has its own channel listing/numbering.

Benolam

Thanks for the info. Will try toget one at the right price.

tomc

Anybody know where I can buy one of these?

TomC

Tony

I know freesat.ie stock big sat

freesat

Hi folks, these are out of stock at the moment. I will let you know as soon as they're in.

watty

it's not on the site
It is here:
http://www.electronicweb2001.com/tienda/catalog/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1072

However I wouldn't go for it. better with a Sat only PVR. Wait see what happens with Irish DTT by autumn. There is no offical service yet.


Pioneers get arrows in back. Like buyers of HD-DVD.