PVR with dual FTA and DTT reception?? for mullinaghish

BugBlaster

I am looking for a piece of kit containing a dual sat receiver for fta, DTT from mullaghanish, to record on its pvr hard-disk., any info appreciated. browsed the posts but really a noob here and dunno what i need, antennae and amps etc. also do any of these yokes have DVD/Blueray drive in em?

BugBlaster

any help please?

Sponge Bob

Won't exist till next year , expect a Humax Freeview HD/Freesat unit then. Search this forum for humax as there have been postings.

It must be Freeview HD compatible for reasons explained at length hereabouts.

see

http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/home-cinema-separates/freeview-freesat-pvr

Apogee

BugBlaster wrote: »

I am looking for a piece of kit containing a dual sat receiver for fta, DTT from mullaghanish, to record on its pvr hard-disk., any info appreciated. browsed the posts but really a noob here and dunno what i need, antennae and amps etc. also do any of these yokes have DVD/Blueray drive in em?

Currently the only receiver that can offer dual sat tuner + DTT is the Dreambox DM8000, which has a full EPG and can record to internal harddrive. Not cheap.

The same aerial you currently use for TV3 and TG4 will work for DTT. A 60cm+ dish and quad LNBF for satellite.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

It must be Freeview HD compatible for reasons explained at length hereabouts.

DVB-T2 isn't going to be of much use to someone who relies on Mullaghanish for terrestrial.

Sponge Bob

Apogee wrote: »

Currently the only receiver that can offer dual sat tuner + DTT is the Dreambox DM8000, which has a full EPG and can record to internal harddrive. Not cheap.

What version of MHEG does it support ....as in which profile ??

DVB-T2 isn't going to be of much use to someone who relies on Mullaghanish for terrestrial.

T2 is backward compatible with T1. As well as that the more modern MHEG profiles will be supported.

Apogee

Sponge Bob wrote: »

What version of MHEG does it support ....as in which profile ??

I'm not aware that it supports any. But it's not required for anything other than digital teletext. We have at least one user here with this system working already.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

T2 is backward compatible with T1. As well as that the more modern MHEG profiles will be supported.

You said it "must be Freeview HD compatible" - that's not correct. The Irish spec is DVB-T and not DVB-T2. Why waste money on a DVB-T2 system if you're not in a UK spillover area?

Sponge Bob

Apogee wrote: »

You said it "must be Freeview HD compatible" - that's not correct. The Irish spec is DVB-T and not DVB-T2. Why waste money on a DVB-T2 system if you're not in a UK spillover area?

Because it is highly unlikely to work properly unless it has the latest everything.

Furthermore you admitted the Dreambox has no MHEG5 and most likely no IP return channel either. Therefore the Dreambox is probably the WRONG answer for this user.

Finally the dreambox DM8000 will cost about €900 where the Humax is likely to come in around €500 with working teletext / return channel and support for 'hidden' HD channels ...not saying the Dreambox cannot be persuaded to find them..

I would wait for the Humax to appear like I said...although the Dreambox is a nice bit of gear ...but too technical for most users once you get into its advanced features.

As for a 60cm dish working in Kerry

Apogee

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Because it is highly unlikely to work properly unless it has the latest everything.

Furthermore you admitted the Dreambox has no MHEG5 and most likely no IP return channel either.

Why would he need an IP return channel?

Therefore the Dreambox is probably the WRONG answer for this user.

Outside of digital teletext, explain to me why a DM8000 wouldn't do all of the things he mentioned in the OP?

Finally the dreambox DM8000 will cost about €900 where the Humax is likely to come in around €500 with working teletext / return channel and support for 'hidden' HD channels ...not saying the Dreambox cannot be persuaded to find them..

Given that a single tuner DVB-T2 stb will cost £170, where did you come up with €500?

I would wait for the Humax to appear like I said...although the Dreambox is a nice bit of gear ...but too technical for most users once you get into its advanced features.

When did Humax announce they would release a quad tuner PVR?

As for a 60cm dish working in Kerry

I've seen plenty of systems in Kerry working fine on a 60cm - what size do you think all those Sky minidishes are?

Sponge Bob

I fail to see why anybody would bother with a €900 Dreambox when there are much cheaper alternatives about. The problem is that none of them deliver a great user experience, no teletext and invisible HD channels etc.

For non technical people the Mvision HD300 is €225 and with a USB Hard Drive plugged in you get a 1Gb PVR and Satellite and DTT receiver for about €335 all in which is a whole lot less than a Dreambox.

If you want something snazzier the Lyngbox LB1 is between €500 and €600 with Hard Drive built in and USB. Lovely piece of kit and a lot cheaper than a Dreambox.

Neither does MHEG5 and Teletext properly any more than a Dreambox does but at least the cheapest of them gets OTA updates from Astra 2 unlike the Dreambox and Lynxbox that only update from Astra 1 from what I know.

I know perfectly well what the Dreambox can do apogee but it is technologic overkill for 90% of people who want the simple things done properly, not an Msc in networking.

John1000

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Won't exist till next year , expect a Humax Freeview HD/Freesat unit then. Search this forum for humax as there have been postings.

I can find a mention of a Humax Freeview HD receiver and a
Humax Freesat HD receiver but not one that does both. Where
did you hear about that?

Apogee

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I fail to see why anybody would bother with a €900 Dreambox when there are much cheaper alternatives about.

Alternative but hardly equivalent. Because the DM8000 is the only current option which has 2x DVB-S2, DVB-T, internal HD and, most importantly, the Freesat EPG - the minimum required for full PVR capabilites.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The problem is that none of them deliver a great user experience, no teletext and invisible HD channels etc.

Invisible HD channels? ITVHD can be viewed on Dreamboxes, Azboxes, QBoxHD, MVisions - pretty much every non-Freesat receiver. And they can also display C4HD using their internal card readers unlike the Humaxes which require a CAM.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

For non technical people the Mvision HD300 is €225 and with a USB Hard Drive plugged in you get a 1Gb PVR and Satellite and DTT receiver for about €335 all in which is a whole lot less than a Dreambox.

Single DVB-S2 tuner. No Freesat EPG, only now and next, a severe limitation in any PVR.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

If you want something snazzier the Lyngbox LB1 is between €500 and €600 with Hard Drive built in and USB. Lovely piece of kit and a lot cheaper than a Dreambox.

Look back through watty's posts or reviews on the net, such as Dr Dish, to see how unlovely it is.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I know perfectly well what the Dreambox can do apogee but it is technologic overkill for 90% of people who want the simple things done properly, not an Msc in networking.

With the latest Gemini image, a DM8000 will work immediately - Freesat EPG is built-in and as a result of efforts of users on this forum, scanning of DVB-T mpeg4 channels is plain sailing.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055597108

FWIW I'm currently testing a €400 QBoxHD with DVB-S2/DVB-T and a third spare slot for another tuner. Full 7-day EPG on the sat channels and the Irish DTT channels from Mullaghanish. If Duolabs get around to selling additional plugin DVB-S2 tuners, then it has the makings a serious contender. But until then, it's merely a work in progress.

Sponge Bob

Does the DM8000 support the freesat epg extensions natively or after some damn complicated null modem cable flashing routine and contingent on running particular daemons and a particular linux kernel

How do you update gemini itself thereafter ....at least the other units update over the air and automatically.

If all of this is not native and seamless off astra 2 then get out of it willya

Apogee

Didn't I just say it's built-in? Have you ever used a Dreambox?

And when are you going to answer the other questions above? Where is this mythical Humax Quad PVR for €500?

Sponge Bob

Still not worth the premium over the Mvision at around 3 times the price.

€900 euros or more is not worth it.

Gerry Wicklow

Apogee wrote: »

Single DVB-S2 tuner. No Freesat EPG, only now and next, a severe limitation in any PVR.

Agreed, it even says in the manual that USB pvr may be jittery. I found it to be practically useless.
IMHO suitable for braindeads only.;)

Apogee

€900 for something that works versus €500 for the product of an overactive imagination.

Sponge Bob

Does standard enigma os support the full freesat feature set or does it need flashing like it used to?

Apogee

The Freesat EPG is built into the Gemini image as standard.

There are no black arts involved in upgrading a Dreambox. I've upgraded lots of receivers through the years, and the Dreambox is the easiest. You can flash one using Internet Explorer - it's so straightforward, even these guys could do it...

STB

The new Technomate 7100HD is what you are looking for. Its the follow up to the 6900HD Super. Its on page 4 of the Combos sticky. It is 500 STG which is expensive. 2 DVB-S2 Tuners and a DTT tuner. Its just out.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=62829357&postcount=54

DTT/SAT Combo Boxes List 2009 (1 2 3 4)


Apogee the duolabs Qbox unfortunately came out at roughly the same time as Opensat were launching the Azbox HD series. The big problem with the QBox has been the software writing support and stability. All the promises usually come to nothing. I have been watching the latest excitement myself about the new bootloader and embedded diablocam. It is still too expensive and problems with wifi as a result of the software changes.

Sponge Bob

The new Humax will not be a combo box. Please Please Please stop believing all the rubbish that is posted by over excited dvb-t2 worshippers. It is not a solution for Ireland.

All the combo boxes are out there already. No need to wait for something that is already out. They are in the sticky.

Enigma2 is whats running on the linux boxes like the Azbox HD Elite or Premium and mimics the freesat menu and populates the EPG data.

There is also a russian clone of the Clarketech 5000c plus out called the F16 and it does lots of groovy stuff. The firmware can also be stuck on a Ctech 5000c +.

Infact Clarketech also have a new combo box out called the HD 5100C.

Sponge Bob

Thanks STB.

I suspected there were options around the €500 mark apart from what I mentioned and the Clarketech 5000c is nearer €300.

My main point was that a €900 Dreambox was overkill.

Furthermore Gemini is not the native operating system on a €900 Dreambox and is not supported by any Dreambox warrantly either. If Enigma2 supports Freesat stably and natively that would not be an issue of course.

Apogee

Your main points were to wait for a "Humax Freeview HD/Freesat unit" next year - which was never announced by Humax - and that the unit "must be Freeview HD compatible" which is incorrect.

The Clarketech doesn't have the Freesat EPG either and has a single DVB-S2 tuner.

pm cormacl on how stable the Gemini Enigma 2 image is on a Dreambox and whether Freesat EPG is native or not.

@STB - I don't think the AzBox runs Enigma 2? A closed Linux OS afaik.

BugBlaster

umm lads, what about the AZbox? does that not have what i need, mucho cheaper too, or is too crappy to consider. Only have a budget of 400Euro.......

STB

Apogee wrote: »

@STB - I don't think the AzBox runs Enigma 2? A closed Linux OS afaik.

I dont have the Azbox but I want one (but I have too many boxes as it is). I assumed (wrongly) that they were using Nabilosats enigma2 image but they are using the openepg plugin for the 3 or 7 day epg. Looks like the software is locked down by opensat (although I have no doubt its open source). Pity. Lot of mistrust out there among DM developers and others.

QBox is running Enigma2 (like the IPBox and Kathreins) right ? I saw claims of three tuners versions on certain sites but the money being demanded is madness. Are there actually any in the wild ?

One of the more interesting things has been the linux porting to the ctechs and technomates plus series......

lucernarian

For the sakes of the general punter, I feel reluctant to recommend anything which does not work out of the box from top to bottom, beyond perhaps arranging channels to their liking. Even if a current dreambox actually is set up so that it needs no more work than a freesat HD box, would its extra features justify increased prices for people who just want a basic remit fulfilled simply and reliably?

I'm saying: different strokes for different folks, especially where there is a price differential.

I completely see where sponge bob is coming from.