Sagem IDT81-SD picnic box

Sam Russell

I got a reply from Sagecom, but it is not complete. They did sound helpful though, so promising.

This is the email.

Here, as promised, is the link for software updates - however, having
checked myself this morning, it's not yet available - which is something
I've mentioned to my superiors. Usually the link appears only after it's
been broadcast over the air, so hopefully it should be appearing soon: so
please regularly check this site:

http://www.sagemcomdigital.co.uk

kind regards,

rurs

watty wrote: »

Null modem cable. Though some of those serial port FW updating SW only work on Win98.

The point is, though, that the Picnic doesn't have a standard DE-9 socket.
Have you ever come across a STB that uses SCART for RS232? I suppose one could wire it up by trial and error? We'd need software too, as you say.

Unless they implement HD downscaling to SCART, (unlikely, but there is/was aTNT_HD version available in France), I don't think I'd be too bothered.

gtg60

Some information I found about RS232 to SCART

http://www.digitaltvbanter.co.uk/uk-tech-digital-tv-digital/26438-sagem-idt62-serial-success.html

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=3104725

watty

Just guessing...

Though SCART on ancient Decoder/Setbox two box solutions sometimes used:

14 DATAGND Data Ground. Or use any of the other Ground pins. Do not use shield as ground
12 DATA Data 1: Data Out (go to pin 2 on PC DB9)
10 CLKOUT Data 2: Clockpulse Out (Likely Data in, pin 3 on DB9)
SCART http://pinouts.ru/Home/Scart_pinout.shtml

It seems unlikely but not impossible.
PC http://pinouts.ru/SerialPorts/Serial9_pinout.shtml

At PC end Minimum is
2 on PC is Data in
3 on PC is Data out
5 is Ground
on PC short other pins (in plug on PC end) as per below

4 & 7 don't connect anywhere

This post does sound plausible. http://www.digitaltvbanter.co.uk/uk-tech-digital-tv-digital/26438-sagem-idt62-serial-success.html

But Honestly, to make up the cable and do the work, if charged at half technicial rates would pay for a real HD box.

These Sagem Picnic are "Built down to a price" for a Budget PayTV service, (Picnic) that Sky never got (and never will) get permission to launch. An amazing piece of arrogance on Sky's part. They all should have been recycled or sold in some country that is never ever going to do HD. They should not have been sold in UK or on open market.

Some "boxes" are more complex to add a serial port http://www.techtir.ie/mods/wrt54g3g-serial-port

winston_1

watty wrote: »

They all should have been recycled or sold in some country that is never ever going to do HD. They should not have been sold in UK or on open market.

The only place they could have sold them without software modification was the UK as they are country locked to the UK. They were sold as SD boxes with audio description at a very good price for those facilities.

They were never intended to be "grey exported" to Ireland. I guess the reason they were pulled after 2 weeks was that the majority were being exported to Ireland.

watty

Unfair competition to other makers. Product "dumping".

Sam Russell

I think they got a lot of returns.

Sam Russell

The Picnic box will be upgraded over the air 10am 22-11-2010 till 9am 24-11-2010 and again 10am 03-12-2010 till 9am 05-12-2010.

Not sure how it works, but they mention PSB Mux 1.

http://www.dtg.org.uk/industry/download_schedule.php

glineli

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Picnic box will be upgraded over the air 10am 22-11-2010 till 9am 24-11-2010 and again 10am 03-12-2010 till 9am 05-12-2010.

Not sure how it works, but they mention PSB Mux 1.

http://www.dtg.org.uk/industry/download_schedule.php

stupid question but what exactly will this upgrade do?

watty

Nothing useful here.

Sam Russell

glineli wrote: »

stupid question but what exactly will this upgrade do?

The fact that there is an update is surprising. My picnic box is version 24.29 and this update brings it to 24.31

I have no idea what it will do, but it must do something important as the box is obsoltete as the service it was produced for is not going ahead. There are some bugs on the remote, but I think it has something to do with power consumtion. They are reputed to have power problems, so could be a safety issue. Your guess might be better. Unfortunately, I do not have access to the update but I might try to get it somewhere that will get it.

winston_1

This is a repeat of the upgrade that was broadcast 2 weeks ago. At the time I upgraded one of my 2 boxes and then compared both side by side. I could not see any difference what so ever. I did not measure power consumption however. I then upgraded the other box for completeness.

lawhec

The only difference I've noticed is that it seems to run a bit cooler now with the software upgrade.

I think I remember reading that there is a fault with the PSU adaptor supplied with some of the receivers (mines as well probably) which imposes a DC voltage on the coax cable. Probably the cause of mine freezing quite a bit after 15-20 minutes. I did get the lend of a different adaptor unit and the Picnic worked fine without freezing for about an hour before being switched off.

winston_1

lawhec wrote: »

The only difference I've noticed is that it seems to run a bit cooler now with the software upgrade.

I think I remember reading that there is a fault with the PSU adaptor supplied with some of the receivers (mines as well probably) which imposes a DC voltage on the coax cable.

It's impossible for the external PSU adapter to cause that.

However as it is a modified French design it probably has the capability to put 5 volts on the coax to power an aerial amplifier. Maybe this had not been permanantly disabled. Can't check now as I've updated mine.

glineli

lawhec wrote: »

The only difference I've noticed is that it seems to run a bit cooler now with the software upgrade.

I think I remember reading that there is a fault with the PSU adaptor supplied with some of the receivers (mines as well probably) which imposes a DC voltage on the coax cable. Probably the cause of mine freezing quite a bit after 15-20 minutes. I did get the lend of a different adaptor unit and the Picnic worked fine without freezing for about an hour before being switched off.

Can you view the channels via coax? i can only view them via scart.

Sam Russell

glineli wrote: »

Can you view the channels via coax? i can only view them via scart.

No.

watty

Tis only an RF loop through. No modulator.

Applies to most boxes. If your TV has no scart, it's very very old.

If you want TV in another room, get a setbox or Digital TV for that room. The RF modulators are OK for VHS which is poor anyway, dastardly reduction in quality for Digital. Off air Analogue is higher quality.

Sam Russell

Sagecom says the Picnic box decodes MPEG 4 and MHEG5 signals, and it decodes AAC so apart from the lack of HD it works for Saorview. So for a few years it will work, mostly. I think that I wont be binning mine for a while. I might even try to upgrade the firmware if I can, but I do not think the upgrade does much, it is only a minor change. Stange that they are doing it though. They also said the Currys are marketing it and it is therefore their responsibility. (In other words, get lost.)

watty

No, not even for a few years.

Regard it as potentially a Radio, and Please don't anyone encourage the parasites dumping these on the market here by buying one. They are being sold below cost as they are obsolete and the service that they where built for will never exist.

I'm quite happy for people that have them to try and get the most out of them. But a USB stick, Metronic DVB-T2 "Freeview HD" (£59) or Technika DVB-T2 "Freeview HD" (£70, or £36 refurb.) box is a better cheap alternative if you are not buying a Saorview box.

STB

Sam Russell wrote: »

Sagecom says the Picnic box decodes MPEG 4 and MHEG5 signals, and it decodes AAC so apart from the lack of HD it works for Saorview. So for a few years it will work, mostly. I think that I wont be binning mine for a while. I might even try to upgrade the firmware if I can, but I do not think the upgrade does much, it is only a minor change. Stange that they are doing it though. They also said the Currys are marketing it and it is therefore their responsibility. (In other words, get lost.)

Sagecom can say what they want. MPEG4 is not a technical term to be used on its own as there are different levels of MPEG4. Divx uses a low level of MPEG4 H264 but not part 10.

MPEG4 L3 = SD and NO Good
MPEG4 L4 = HD decoding.

These boxes were manufactured years ago for another purpose. They should not be considered an option. RTE2 will not work come the new year.

Sam Russell

STB wrote: »

These boxes were manufactured years ago for another purpose. They should not be considered an option. RTE2 will not work come the new year.

Agreed, Picnic boxes should not be bought by anyone. But if you have one, as I do, it works for the moment and I will no be binning it anytime soon. It will only be used for a bedroom tv when I replace my MPEG2 Sony after Christmas.

Kristopherus

STB wrote: »

Sagecom can say what they want. MPEG4 is not a technical term to be used on its own as there are different levels of MPEG4. Divx uses a low level of MPEG4 H264 but not part 10.

MPEG4 L3 = SD and NO Good
MPEG4 L4 = HD decoding.

These boxes were manufactured years ago for another purpose. They should not be considered an option. RTE2 will not work come the new year.

RTE2 may not even exist in the new year with the way the finances of the country have gone. I'm sure it will be some time before RTE will be in a position to even consider going HD. Having said that, I agree with Sam Russel, but for anyone that has one of these boxes, don't bin them yet. You will, in all probability, get at least a few years use out of them.

watty

The Government doesn't finance RTE.

Consider the boxes a cheap "DAB" Radio. (better coverage than real DAB). I wouldn't talk about binning them.

RTE will definitely have some HD content within next 8 months, not years. It will be a process of several years before all the main channels are HD. But even TV3 has a timescale.