FTA reciever with USB or SM card (is there such a thing ?)

Ulsterman 1690

Got myself a £30 FTA reciever out of maplin. Works well but editing channel and transponder lists is a real pain and arranging channels in the order I want is a nightmare.

The thing I have just has an RS232 port with nothing in the instructions saying what its for (actually the manual that came with it was in French. I had to download a pdf of the English one)

Is there anything on the market with either a USB port (so I can hook up a laptop and edit the lists that way) or an SM card with the transponder/channels lists stored on there ?

Incidently a radio scanner with a similar feature wouldnt be a bad idea either

mayto

what make of reciever is it ?. you should be able to edit transponders,favourites with reciever software through rs232 port.

watty

Only models that work via RS232 or Ethernet to edit channels.

I found that my SetEdit (downloads , then you edit file on PC and upload back) would not work on NT4.0, Win2000 or XP. Works on Win98SE.

The Ethernet ones you can edit the list that is in the box without messy upload/download.

Some boxes have real time RS232 Remote controlling and Editing, but the Hold ^ and power on to download and hold v and power (at turn on) for upload/download is common.

Some use straight cables and some use "null modem" wired (AKA crossover) cables.

Ulsterman 1690

Its a Metronic touchbox 2

Maplin are doing em for £40 (£30 if you buy a "B Grade" i.e. shopsoiled unit)

Anyone out there tried playing around with the RS232 on one of these ?

Zaphod

The only receiver that I can recall with an SD card option is a Pansat box, which is geared towards the US market.
http://www.pansatusa.com/product/receiver-3500S.htm

The majority of receivers still use RS232 for channel and firmware updating. Even newer receivers with USB ports still retain an RS232 for channel updates (e.g. Humax HDCI 2000). In those cases an RS232-to-USB adapter may work with a laptop lacking an RS232 port.

Whether there is any software available for channel editing is entirely at the discretion of the manufacturer or 3rd party sources (e.g. setedit.de). Unfortunately, you appear to be out of luck with the Metronic as they only have firmware updates on their homepage.

Smeagol

In those cases an RS232-to-USB adapter may work with a laptop lacking an RS232 port.

Never worked for me though

@Ulsterman 1690
The best boxes for settings imho are the Humax OAK series. The oldest Humax I have is over eight years old and still working a treat. And software is widly available. (For me very important) here for example.
As a settings editor I use Humbox 4.1 (download)
Once you've created a list on PC that you're happy with it should take you not longer than five minutes to have it send over onto the box via RS232.
And you can keep the list (and firmware) updated pretty easily.
I also own a PVR with USB, its faster, but not many settinglists to find.:(
So basiclly, go for a box with loads of software rather than just looking at the price or speed of port.
For your Metronic I found nothing. It could be a rebranded Arion, but I'm not certain. Is it the one in this list?
http://www.satellite-heaven.de/frameset.htm?jump=Receiver/stb_fr-metr.htm

watty

The Reelbox offers very good real time control and editing via Ethernet (or even Internet) and has lists etc that can be imported. Up to 4 tuners (2 Sat + 2 DTT or 4 the same). Pricey though.

Ulsterman 1690

Thanks guys

The Touchbox 3 (typo earlier when I said it was a 2 ) I have looks like this (third from the bottom on Smeagols list)

wob

http://www.hwalintech.com/englin-web/comp-ird655E3.htm

This box looks similar
wob

Ulsterman 1690

Thanks Wob

Has anyone used one of these