Questions about MPEG4 reception, TV/STB/CAM availability here

barnicles

You stole my idea

Rick_

And where might we purchase one of these ClarkeTech models?

stanley1

Paddy C wrote: »

And where might we purchase one of these ClarkeTech models?

www.ebay.de

Rick_

There's 1 on eBay UK for £229. I have a Humax HDCI-2000 and a seperate Freeview STB, and it would be handy to have both FTA HD satellite and FTA HD DTT in the one receiver... Tempted now to sell the Humax and get the Clarke-Tech 5000....

cormacl

Id this the same receiver?.. if so, it seems cheaper from hm-sat

http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdd-receiver-hdtv-clarke-tech/clarke-tech-hd-5000-combo-dvb-s-t.html

homer911

smccarrick wrote: »

Model: Sony Bravia 32S1020 with Neotion CAM
EPG: Only "now and next"
Teletext: None
Signal Strength: 88% (I averaged 60% from DCMNR trials)

Note: Momentary jitter when switching channel (0.12 second) when screen display switches from "Digital" to "HD". There was no momentary jitter on the DCMNR trial. Picture quality does appear to be far superior to the DCMNR trials- which would often freeze and pixilate.

Where are you located, or failing that, how far from your nearest transponder? (I have a Sony Bravia and am considering the Neotion CAM, no support for MPEG4 on my machine)

columt

Renshi mentioned his Panasonic HD TV model TH-42PZ81B works.
My previous generation Panasonic TH-42PZ700E does not work - getting sound only (sigh!) from 3rock. Guess its MPEG2 only. May get a Neotion CAM if things settle down.

Zaphod

Please post questions arising out of the reception thread to here.

fatboymsport

i want a cheap mpeg4 stb just to have a play with dtt and see what it is like im not to worried if it goes eol before the offical role out.

so what do i need and where can i get it.

thanks

Zaphod

There are no mpeg4 STBs currently available in Ireland. You're looking at importing units from France/Scandanavia/New Zealand and taking a chance that it will work.

The more expensive combined sat/terrestrial boxes like the Clarke Tech are available throughout Europe.

If you have an MPEG2 TV, you could use an MPEG4 conversion CAM like those mentioned in the reception thread. CAMs are sold in Maplin.



For me, by far the most interesting report to date is the one by renshai that his Panasonic TH-42PZ81B Freesat compatible TV is also picking up the mpeg4 terrestrials.

Breezer

Two quick questions about compatible receivers: I was using an EyeTV USB stick to pick up the MPEG-2 stream but now, although I can pick up the 4 TV and 4 Radio channels, I get a green screen with perfect sound for the TV channels. I assume it's because my receiver can't pick up MPEG-4? Or is something else likely to be wrong?

Secondly, there's a new version of my USB stick out which can decode H.264. Can anyone please confirm if this is the same as the MPEG-4 stream now being used by RTE? Thanks!

Rick_

cormacl wrote: »

Id this the same receiver?.. if so, it seems cheaper from hm-sat

http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/hdd-receiver-hdtv-clarke-tech/clarke-tech-hd-5000-combo-dvb-s-t.html

How good are HM Sat. Anyone bought anything from them before? What are their delivery times like? €250 is the cheapest I've seen so far... works out about £195 plus delivery.

I see when you change the language of the page from German to English the price jumps by €30... Don't think so!

fatboymsport

i have a samsung seriers4 40" lcd will a cam work in that i have not even taken it out of the box yet get it fairly right a few months back ???

Zaphod wrote: »

If you have an MPEG2 TV, you could use an MPEG4 conversion CAM like those mentioned in the reception thread. CAMs are sold in Maplin.

cormacl

Paddy C wrote: »

How good are HM Sat. Anyone bought anything from them before? What are their delivery times like? €250 is the cheapest I've seen so far... works out about £195 plus delivery.

I see when you change the language of the page from German to English the price jumps by €30... Don't think so!

Quite reliable.. usually a week delivery by courier if they have the stuff in stock. I wouldn't read too much into the price difference.. just add to cart from the german page and switch to English to check out. It's probably a translation error on their side.

cormacl

Breezer wrote: »

Two quick questions about compatible receivers: I was using an EyeTV USB stick to pick up the MPEG-2 stream but now, although I can pick up the 4 TV and 4 Radio channels, I get a green screen with perfect sound for the TV channels. I assume it's because my receiver can't pick up MPEG-4? Or is something else likely to be wrong?

Secondly, there's a new version of my USB stick out which can decode H.264. Can anyone please confirm if this is the same as the MPEG-4 stream now being used by RTE? Thanks!

it is the lack of MPEG-4 support thats causing the video issue.

Of the streams I've test recorded, they indicate that the video is H.264 encoded. The audio however seems to be MP3-encoded even though MPEG-4/H.264 is supposed to use AAC encoding.. this might explain why some MPEG2 hardware is decoding the audio fine.

I'm assuming that when we compare to MPEG2 streams, that MP3 now replaces MP2 for plain stereo audio and AAC replaces AC3 for multi-channel audio

So if a newer stick is claiming H.264 support, then I think you should be fine. However, unless someone in the know can correct me, I would have thought that for MPEG4 over DVB-T using dongles and PC cards etc, that there should be no need for hardware change, rather software only.

The muxing has not changed here.. this isnt DVB-S2 versus DVB-S akin to how HD sat receivers do use different tuner technology... I can for instance record the stream on my dreambox.. stream decoded from tuner and written to disk as-is.. I can play it back and hear the audio, but no video.. transfer to my PC and can play it there.

So its for this reason that I was hoping to see just software updates being required to get the H.264 video working or at least 3rd party apps being used over the manufacturers own software.

Breezer

cormacl wrote: »

it is the lack of MPEG-4 support thats causing the video issue.

Of the streams I've test recorded, they indicate that the video is H.264 encoded. The audio however seems to be MP3-encoded even though MPEG-4/H.264 is supposed to use AAC encoding.. this might explain why some MPEG2 hardware is decoding the audio fine.

I'm assuming that when we compare to MPEG2 streams, that MP3 now replaces MP2 for plain stereo audio and AAC replaces AC3 for multi-channel audio

So if a newer stick is claiming H.264 support, then I think you should be fine. However, unless someone in the know can correct me, I would have thought that for MPEG4 over DVB-T using dongles and PC cards etc, that there should be no need for hardware change, rather software only.

The muxing has not changed here.. this isnt DVB-S2 versus DVB-S akin to how HD sat receivers do use different tuner technology... I can for instance record the stream on my dreambox.. stream decoded from tuner and written to disk as-is.. I can play it back and hear the audio, but no video.. transfer to my PC and can play it there.

So its for this reason that I was hoping to see just software updates being required to get the H.264 video working or at least 3rd party apps being used over the manufacturers own software.

Thanks very much for the info. It's possibly true that a software update would do; however, in my case I can get a brand new receiver with the updated software bundled for less than the software itself costs, so I may as well get both!

STB

STB's that are MPEG4 MHEG5 Spec Boxes

Zintec, Draco, Olevia and maybe the Magic in N Zealand and Malaysia


Just Mpeg4 - Loads and loads see Kaon, ADB for example, but nearly all the same price.


Combo Boxes

There are several combo boxes out there that do MPEG4 terrestrial and free satelite.

They are :

Technomate TM-6900 Combo HD
Clarketech 5000 HD Combo
MVision HD200 Combo
Vantage HD 7100TS Combo


The MVision and Clarketech are apparently made in the same factory, with the same spec etc.....

They vary in price between €200 and €400. The technomate is a very nice does loads of wonderful things and has PVR & media centre functionality as well. Zintec distribute them in Dublin but they may be slightly cheaper on some of the sat sites.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=56

Breezer

Breezer wrote: »

Two quick questions about compatible receivers: I was using an EyeTV USB stick to pick up the MPEG-2 stream but now, although I can pick up the 4 TV and 4 Radio channels, I get a green screen with perfect sound for the TV channels. I assume it's because my receiver can't pick up MPEG-4? Or is something else likely to be wrong?

Secondly, there's a new version of my USB stick out which can decode H.264. Can anyone please confirm if this is the same as the MPEG-4 stream now being used by RTE? Thanks!

I'd say it's the same stick with a newer version of EyeTV bundled with it, one that supports H.264 video. That's one of the bad things about Macs, EyeTV is more or less the only game in town.

Breezer

Karsini wrote: »

I'd say it's the same stick with a newer version of EyeTV bundled with it, one that supports H.264 video. That's one of the bad things about Macs, EyeTV is more or less the only game in town.

No they've been bundling EyeTV 3 with them for a while now, these are new. And sure as I said the stick plus software is cheaper than the software alone. And yeah, EyeTV is pretty much the only option, but at least it's an excellent option, often the way with Mac software. Anyway I'm dragging this off topic so I'll bow out now, thanks the info folks!

watty

A recent survey showed that apple /OS X based computers cost twice as much as Windows/Linux running HW at similar performance.

Also much Apple Gear is Foxconn. Is any made by Apple any more?

Breezer

watty wrote: »

A recent survey showed that apple /OS X based computers cost twice as much as Windows/Linux running HW at similar performance.

Also much Apple Gear is Foxconn. Is any made by Apple any more?

Other surveys have shown differently. Lies, lies and damn statistics. Most Mac people buy it for the usability anyway, not the hardware performance. We could argue about this for days, this isn't the place.

Anyway, just wanted to confirm for anyone who happens to read this that all that was required was a software update. I'd been looking at the full price, the upgrade was cheaper than the stick, so I bought it and now everything's great again. Thanks for the info!

VH

watty wrote: »

A recent survey showed that apple /OS X based computers cost twice as much as Windows/Linux running HW at similar performance.

thats not news!

mickeyboymel

For the Record:

My Samsung WS-32Z419D CRT Slim TV which was showing the Trial perfectly will not decode the MPEG4 signal this time even with the use of the Neotion NP4 Pocket Cam in the CI Slot.

Am getting perfect signal quality signal strength of 95% from Three Rock,which in not bad as I am in Westmeath. However nothing seems to work despite resetting and retuning several times. I still get the audio only.

So it would seem the Neotion cam is not compatibale with all MPEG2 television sets.

Fat_Fingers

thanks for telling us that. I was thinking of buying Neotion NP4 Pocket Cam but just to be sure i email LG support to check if the TV i have will support Neotion NP4 Pocket Cam. 3 emails later and still not a single response from LG. What is it with customer service these days...

Benolam

Re. your Clarke Tech 5000C. This is the Combo version yes? Can you mix terrestrial and satellite channels seamlessly in the channel list or do you have to toggle between S and T to view the channels. i.e. can you have the four Irish channels on 1 -4, and BBC1 on 5, BBC2 on 6 etc?
Also will it pick up ITV HD, Ch 4 HD & BBC HD.
Was the 6 day EPG on DTT only or on satellite. Any other comments welcome. I have a Vantage TS221Combo, which was/great but is MPEG2 only, so I have lodt the Irish channels.

yellabelly

Yes this is the combo version, Clarke Tech 5000C .
You can put any channel from any satellite or DVB-T into your own list. The channels can be moved in that list - any order is possible.

I've created my personal list by taking one of the custom favourite groups and selecting from "all channels" the ones to include. The remote control has a group button to switch between satellites, terrestrial and favourite groups.

BBC HD is fine. It has been reported that ITV HD can be made to work although not for me yet. For Ch 4 HD you need a Sky card and a CAM like Diablo. Ch4 SD FTV is working.

The 6 day EPG was on DTT but not on the Freeview channels (just now & next).
However full EPG does work on some Astra 19 German channels.
The EPG is handy because it enables one touch record programming of future events providing a USB drive is available.

Fredd

Only have an MPEG2 unit so can't see vision, only getting sound but signal which was 95/100 percent during MPEG2 trials now down to 45/50 percent. Problably not worth getting MPEG4 gear until we see what the final output is.

Satfinder

renshai wrote: »

Panasonic HD TV model TH-42PZ81B is clearing the whole fta RTE tv stations and radio from Claremont Carn, sound and vision today

Could renshai (or anyone else with a PZ81) update the reception report now that RTE seem to transmitting an EPG, to let us know whether the TH-42PZ81B displays EPG data? I'm VERY curious.

Mayo Exile

No EPG data via Sony Bravia W4000 Series as of yesterday evening. "No event information" was displayed on RTE 1/2/TV3/TG4. Some people seem to be getting an EPG, some are not. How come?

Satfinder

Following on from my post yesterday, I now have live video on all four channels using Mediaportal (a codec configuration problem, as I suspected). Mediaportal is by no means the ideal PVR software, but are there any other receivers (TV sets, STBs or PC software) that allow you to watch one channel on a multiplex and record another? Technically it's quite straightforward (we're just picking out different bits in a bitstream) but it looks like magic.

yellabelly

Satfinder wrote: »

Following on from my post yesterday, I now have live video on all four channels using Mediaportal (a codec configuration problem, as I suspected). Mediaportal is by no means the ideal PVR software, but are there any other receivers (TV sets, STBs or PC software) that allow you to watch one channel on a multiplex and record another? Technically it's quite straightforward (we're just picking out different bits in a bitstream) but it looks like magic.

Have you tried DVBDream? In the satellite world it allows you to open multiple different channel windows and I expect it could record one of them.

Satfinder

yellabelly wrote: »

Have you tried DVBDream? In the satellite world it allows you to open multiple different channel windows and I expect it could record one of them.

I looked at the DVBDream website, but they seemed to support a limited range of tuner cards. I might be wrong.

If it's not wandering too far off the thread topic, maybe people could record here when they get PVR software to work with the MPEG4 signals? So, for example, the first person to successfully use DVBDream would report it here, but anyone wanting to know how to follow suit would start a new thread.

omalleyb

mickeyboymel wrote: »

For the Record:

My Samsung WS-32Z419D CRT Slim TV which was showing the Trial perfectly will not decode the MPEG4 signal this time even with the use of the Neotion NP4 Pocket Cam in the CI Slot.

Hi Mickey, I have the same TV model and same problem, living on Ticknock Hill in Dublin, so right beside the transmitter. If you figure out how to upgrade this TV set will you let me know please? Likewise I will come back to forum if I find a solution.

mickeyboymel

omalleyb wrote: »

Hi Mickey, I have the same TV model and same problem, living on Ticknock Hill in Dublin, so right beside the transmitter. If you figure out how to upgrade this TV set will you let me know please? Likewise I will come back to forum if I find a solution.

Are you using the Conax MP4 Cam or the Viacess version of the same. I was going to try the Viacess one as another poster has mentioned there is a setting in the menu of the cam to enable MPEG4 To MPEG2 conversion. This option does not appear to be present in the Neotion MP4 Conax Pocket Cam to the best of my knowledge,

watty

Really it's best to wait till MUCH closer to public launch next year. Don't waste money now on what might work better and/or be subsidized then.

omalleyb

watty wrote: »

Really it's best to wait till MUCH closer to public launch next year. Don't waste money now on what might work better and/or be subsidized then.

Ok, thanks Mickey, I hadn't even heard of a CAM/CI slot until reading these posts. Will take Watty's advice and hang on for the public launch. Back to fuzzy reception for another year!

Daithi Lacha

Very interesting SMcCARRICK.
Also noticed my viaccess cam was not getting hot like some previous posters. But maybe it only gets warm when its doing some work processing video data.
When you were testing the viaccess cam did you access the CI slot menu from the TV config screens. There is an option in there under advanced? to enable MPEG2 or MPEG4. Mine was defaulted to MPEG4 and made no difference.
Going to try my cam in friends Sony TV, hopefully later today, to see what it does.

The_Conductor

Its a pity a bunch of us couldn't meetup with 2-3 sets that we know work in order to test our equipment out.......

From previous experience- the CAMs get very very hot. If its not hot, its not doing anything. Even sitting in the CAM slot, inactive, it gets hot (in S & W Series Sony Bravias).

At least dvbshop.net appear to have a decent returns policy- they've already e-mailed me an RMA form.

I picked up one of the 36dbi gain internal antennas with my last order- its cleared up the signal considerably, even analogue is quite watchable. Very reasonable.....

dingding

Reading the various forums here trying to make sense of what I will need to get DTT in Ireland.

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/969046/art/philips/37pfl5603d-lcd-television.html#tech-specs

Would this television be able to view Irish DTT when it is launched, or what would I need to look for in the spec to identify an MPEG 4 reciever. Thanks

mickeyboymel

smccarrick wrote: »

Its a pity a bunch of us couldn't meetup with 2-3 sets that we know work in order to test our equipment out...

I have a Neotion Conax MP4 Cam if anyone wants it,or indeed a swap for a Viaccess version of the same to test in a set. It gets hot in my Samsung but there does not seem to be any "Advanced" setings in the Conax version to allow MPEG4 To MPEG2 conversion by default. Then again I'm not entirely sure the telly software is offering the cam an unencrypted signal for conversion in the first place

Was thinking of starting a thread to list the exact type of sets which work and do not work with the two Neotion CAMs.

watty

It has to do MPEG4 on the tuner and have CI and MHEG5 (Freeview has that).

The best thing will be a separate set-box (HMDI and SCART) with Hard Drive recording, that can also be a Media store for photos and video to TV from phones, cameras etc..

Freeview = MPEG2 + MHEG5 (no MPEG4).

Wait till at least next April.

watty

It has to do MPEG4 on the tuner and have CI and MHEG5 (Freeview has that).

The best thing will be a separate set-box (HMDI and SCART) with Hard Drive recording, that can also be a Media store for photos and video to TV from phones, cameras etc..

Freeview = MPEG2 + MHEG5 (no MPEG4).

Wait till at least next April.

LarWright

Bought the Viaccess card from DVB shop (after much deliberation and advise from Watty, I chose to buy one against his "hold off and wait" advise) SORRY!!

Wanted to see it in action and it works a treat. One thing I haven't checked is the EPG, but is certainly displays a picture in my Sony 40W2000 series. Bit slow on changing channels, ie, the audio comes up about 1 or 2 secs before the picture but it does the job!

Let hope Boxer DTT will be good (and compatable):)

John Dough

A friend of mine is running a Humax 8000T UK pvr box and has lost RTE Mux as they have gone to mpeg 4 video .

Does anyone know if there is a software upgrade available for this model?

Thanks

watty

Unlikely as MPEG4 needs much more powerfull DSP hardware.

Unlike a PC, the MPEG2 and MPEG4 decoding in set-boxes is done in a chip, not software.

Fazer6

LarWright wrote: »

Bought the Viaccess card from DVB shop (after much deliberation and advise from Watty, I chose to buy one against his "hold off and wait" advise) SORRY!!

Wanted to see it in action and it works a treat. One thing I haven't checked is the EPG, but is certainly displays a picture in my Sony 40W2000 series. Bit slow on changing channels, ie, the audio comes up about 1 or 2 secs before the picture but it does the job!

Let hope Boxer DTT will be good (and compatable):)

Hello LarWright.

I've the same tv as you. I'd like some details about your card if you don't mind.

I've had a look at DBV shop, but I don't see a 'Viaccess' card.

Regards.

Fazer6

derrycragg

Does anybody know, where I can buy a set top box dvb-t with mpeg4.
Just an ordinary box.

a bientot

Hope I am not acting the smart alec by suggesting France....Darty or Carrefour for the best value...........

Some tuners....yes, they are expensive.
Sagem ITD 81 HD
http://www.webdistrib.com/cat/Recepteur-TNT-HD-SAGEM-ITD81-HD-__p_470401.html?site=pricerunner&xtor=AL-10&utm_id=11&utm_source=pricerunner&utm_medium=shopbot&utm_campaign=PriceRunnerWebd

and Netgem 7600

netman

Is there still a DTT trial going on? Or rather than calling it a "trial", is there still a digital broadcast running?

I'm in Skerries, north county Dublin, with no Sky or NTL and would give anything a try really. My TV is a Samsung 4-series with a DVB-T tuner, from Pixmania, assuming a UK model and this MPEG-2 only. It does have a CI slot.

My aerial is mounted to the facade of the house, facing north-ish. Over analogue I'm getting all the Irish channels with a pretty clear picture, and some UK channels too with a bit of interference.

Is there any chance I'd be able to receive the current Irish DTT broadcast?
If so, what CAM should I get? Just some Viaccess off ebay.de or are there any preferences? I don't mind spending 30-50 euro to finally get some digital TV, even if there's a risk that the broadcast standard will be changed later.

watty

No trials. Some Engineering tests.

No CAM needed. Only Boxer's PayTV will need a CAM. You do need MPEG4. A separate setbox is superior quality and better value to an MPEG4 ->MPEG2 converter in a CAM form factor.

John Dough

watty wrote: »

Unlikely as MPEG4 needs much more powerfull DSP hardware.

Unlike a PC, the MPEG2 and MPEG4 decoding in set-boxes is done in a chip, not software.

That's strange as a software upgrade was issued for the Humax HD2000 dvb-T box that brought it up to the mpeg 4 spec.