Best combo sat/DTT box

clansman

well,
I currently have sky+ and the contract is nearly up. I want to change to FTA/Freesat. Also I am going to connect DTT so I am looking for a good combo box.

I have a few questions that I cant figure out;
Is it possible to get a Freesat combo box that works with DTT?
Do I need to have the 2 satellite cables connected to the combo box if i want to record one sat channel and watch another?
Is it also possible to watch DTT and record another DTT channel with one cable from the one aerial?
If i want a 7 day EPG do I have to use Freesat?

My ideal box would be able to record DTT/sat and watch another DTT/sat channel. Have a 7 day EPG. Be able to have the same functions as sky+ ie pause live TV, record etc.... Also an important feature would be, a user friendly GUI again some thing like sky(for the girlfriend). Finally a few usb's for external hard drives.

Is there such a box? any help would be great as i am only a novice at this.
thanks

watty

You can get DTT/Sat combo boxes. The basic ones don't have built in hard disk (using external HDD which is unrelaible) and only one tuner of each. The €600 to €1000 boxes have HDD recording built in and 4 tuners (two each for DTT and Sat) so what you watching doesn't affect recording. They only have unofficial Freesat support.

If you want Official Freesat PVR and official Soarview PVR you need two separate boxes for now. (The Saorview official boxes not available yet as there is no service yet).

Satellite needs two cables from multi output LNB (i.e. Quad). Terrestrial only needs one cable for two tuners.

There can be issues of recording duration and reliability on USB external drives compared to internal HDD.

The "ideal" single combo box doesn't exist yet, very small market. You can have two perfect boxes for less than price of top of range combo, or have a cheap box with USB HDD, only one of each tuner that may not have 7 day EPG. Because of Saorsat it's likely there will never be any worthwhile market for proper Freesat \Saorview Sat\DTT combo, even without PVR.

See http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=67657187#post67657187 for issues regarding Irish DTT / Saorview boxes.
see http://www.techtir.ie/saortv for overview (I'll be adding PVR article).
See http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=56 various threads for combo DTT/Sat and tread carefully.

If you get a Freesat HD PVR, then when Saorsat is available (maybe mid 2011) a single box will do all.
see http://www.techtir.ie/watty/saortv links to many boards posts.

It really looks like RTE NL and The Minister are not "Officially" Launching Ireland's Digital service till after Saorsat is available, and TV3 may not be on it till then. That is Q2 2011 at earliest (RTE quote, happens to be date for Saorsat) and December 2011 at latest (The Minister).

lgs 4

watty wrote: »

You can get DTT/Sat combo boxes. The basic ones don't have built in hard disk (using external HDD which is unrelaible) and only one tuner of each. The €600 to €1000 boxes have HDD recording built in and 4 tuners (two each for DTT and Sat) so what you watching doesn't affect recording. They only have unofficial Freesat support.

If you want Official Freesat PVR and official Soarview PVR you need two separate boxes for now. (The Saorview official boxes not available yet as there is no service yet).

Satellite needs two cables from multi output LNB (i.e. Quad). Terrestrial only needs one cable for two tuners.

There can be issues of recording duration and reliability on USB external drives compared to internal HDD.

The "ideal" single combo box doesn't exist yet, very small market. You can have two perfect boxes for less than price of top of range combo, or have a cheap box with USB HDD, only one of each tuner that may not have 7 day EPG.

the HUMAX HD FREEVIEW box with pvr you will have to buy from uk shop around the best price

John mac

lgs 4 wrote: »

the HUMAX HD FREEVIEW box with pvr you will have to buy from uk shop around the best price

its not a combo!
it is the most popular freesat box here though.

coffee to go

lgs 4 wrote: »

the HUMAX HD FREEVIEW box with pvr you will have to buy from uk shop around the best price

You don't happen to sell cakes and install gates in the Wexford area do you? :rolleyes:

lgs 4

coffee to go wrote: »

You don't happen to sell cakes and install gates in the Wexford area do you? :rolleyes:[/QUOTE NO my motto is keep it simply two box one for sat and other rte digital can recording on all your thinking of technomate TM-7100 triple tuner with internal hard drive its not that easy to work and you do need some tec skill and when you wanted to burn some thing in HD on to blu-ray or dvd the tpr files need converison ,keep it simply

lgs 4

coffee to go wrote: »

You don't happen to sell cakes and install gates in the Wexford area do you? :rolleyes:[/QUOTE NO my motto is keep it simply two box one for sat and other rte digital can recording on all your thinking of technomate TM-7100 triple tuner with internal hard drive its not that easy to work and you do need some tec skill and when you wanted to burn some thing in HD on to blu-ray or dvd the tpr files need converison ,keep it simply

watty

I think really if you want Freesat a combo box is not needed since the announcement on 14th August 2011.
Thoughts here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67657187&postcount=25
and
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67663232&postcount=29

clansman

watty wrote: »

I think really if you want Freesat a combo box is not needed since the announcement on 14th August 2011.
Thoughts here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67657187&postcount=25
and
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67663232&postcount=29

Correct me if i am wrong, so there is no point in getting a Combo now as the DTT is still in TEST MODE and will be turned off at anytime when testing is finished. It will then be turned on when DTT is officially launched by RTE.
When this happens DTT receivers will be dirt cheap and this will drive down the cost of the combos.
So for now just get a cheap free sat receiver...

If i do get a combo like this one what will happen when DTT is rolled out?

edit: Forgot to say; Thank you Watty for all the links and info.

watty

And when all the service is full public launched, you will be able to have Soarsat & Freesat on one DVB-s2 HD receiver... (Dual feed dish or two dishes needed, but a Saorsat dish need not look like a dish and will be very small).

So I think by end of 2011 there is no market for a combo.

I don't think a good combo will ever be as cheap as Sat box only.

Macy0161

watty wrote: »

I don't think a good combo will ever be as cheap as Sat box only.

Would the difference be more than a cost of second dish, particularly if you'd be getting a pro in to do it, if you can get DTT on an existing aerial?

My main issue would be the lack of full epg with the current combo's and FTA receivers. I didn't think I'd miss it on the UK channels, but it wrecked my head more than multiple remotes!

However, and to contradict myself, if the Freesat PVR's can be shown to work ok combining the SaorSat channels as nonfreesat channels I may well go that route - the freesat epg more important than the saorsat/ saorview epg to us.

watty

A Saorsat dish will be small and need not be mounted as high up as elevation is better.
If your Sky/Freesat dish is solid and 70cm to 90cm, it may be possible to fit a 2nd feed.

The difference of a cheap single sat + single DTT combo with no Irish EPG, and possibly no Freesat EPG is cheaper than a 2nd dish. A really good 4 tuner combo PVR will likely be over €800, much more expensive than a Freesat HD PVR + second dish. There may never ever be a proper Freesat + Saorview combo. Even in UK the market for a Combo HD PVR is miniscule.

Since it's likely full public launch of Saorview / DTT is not till after Saorsat is available, it's unlikey any major manufacturer is motivated to bring out a proper 4 tuner PVR combo for Irish Market with Saorview + Freesat.

Anyone getting Freesat installed from scratch or Saorsat from scratch (no existing dish) will be able to have dual feed for little extra cost.

Also Saorsat doesn't need Quad or Octo LNBs. The signal from single output Ka LNBF can be simply split (perhaps 4 boxes on short feed cable or two boxes / dual tuner on long feed before having to fit a cheap booster amp for splitters). All that's needed is a Diseqc switch at the dish for each setbox coax (or a multiswitch for up to 16 tuners).

kuro_man

if you are technically savvy, you could try a home theatre PC. It needs a decent cpu, a good graphics card and dual DTT/SAT cards. Most use Ubuntu (linux) with mythtv or Windows Media Centre on Windows 7 (avoid Vista).

Most importantly, keep a note of costs and technical problems (and the solutions) and post it all here!

patsryan

i know this is probably the wrong place but does anyone know of a saorview + freesat combo box with the added functionality of sky player? looking for a replacement to yet another sky multiroom subscription

and i think the box your looking for is this >>> http://www.saortv.com/shop/Digital-TV-Receivers/Combo/Edision-Argus-mini-2-in-1-IP-Combo-HD-Satellite/DTT-Receiver/prod_72.html

Tony

No such thing as a fresat combo box and exteremly unlikely there every will be. Best you can do is the current Free to air satellite and DTT combos

patsryan

Ok but what about sky player?

Tony

Sky player is a service from sky.

watty

Sky box and subscription for Sky Anytime. Skyplayer is available PC application?

patsryan

I'm looking for a saorsat/freesat/sky player box combo

Tony

patsryan wrote: »

I'm looking for a saorsat/freesat/sky player box combo

Pat are you reading the thread at all? Such a box does not exist as I have already said.

tlaavtech

Tony wrote: »

Pat are you reading the thread at all? Such a box does not exist as I have already said.

... except of course for a fully subscribed Sky box

watty

tlaavtech wrote: »

... except of course for a fully subscribed Sky box

Which doesn't support Diseqc (though it could) or DTT (though it does in Italy via USB receiver) and technically doesn't support Freesat. Also if you downgrade or cancel, you lose some playback or all of it.

patsryan

Tony wrote: »

Pat are you reading the thread at all? Such a box does not exist as I have already said.

YES ive been reading the thread:rolleyes:!!!! how about a freeview hd/ FTA Sat combo box with sky player ????

watty

No.
No actual Freeview boxes with Skyplayer or FTA Sat.

Mr McBoatface

patsryan wrote: »

YES ive been reading the thread:rolleyes:!!!! how about a freeview hd/ FTA Sat combo box with sky player ????

Pat there are no such retail boxes available. You could build a HTPC with Windows 7 with a DVB-S/S2 card, but HTPC's can be very costly. You could also add a DVB-T tuner for Saorview.

The Blackgold BGT3595 Quad TV Tuner has 2 DVB-S2 Tuners and 2 DVB-T tuners so you can watch and record satellite and terrestrial signal at the same time. http://shop.blackgold.tv/epages/BT3159.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3159/Products/BGT3595.

Windows 7 offer EPG 7 day support for Freesat and it can receive 7 Day EPG for Saorview as well as support for skyplayer http://skyplayer.sky.com/watch/windows-media-center/.

It's not cheap, you'll have to do alot of research for yourself. It will take alot of patience to complete and you should except to pull you hair out at times with frustration and to be honest it's not really a subject for this forum. It's a HTPC subject and belongs in that forum.

You will not get what you want on a retail box, so unless you're willing to go down the HTPC route and spend alot of time and money you may as well forget about it.

Tony

patsryan wrote: »

YES ive been reading the thread:rolleyes:!!!! how about a freeview hd/ FTA Sat combo box with sky player ????

Then read again the answers you have already been given !!! for the last time no such box exists!! Sky player uses a PC ie a computer as already stated.

What part of "it does not exist" don't you understand?

watty

jobyrne30 wrote: »

It's not cheap, you'll have to do alot of research for yourself. It will take alot of patience to complete and you should except to pull you hair out at times with frustration and to be honest it's not really a subject for this forum. It's a HTPC subject and belongs in that forum.

You will not get what you want on a retail box, so unless you're willing to go down the HTPC route and spend a lot of time and money you may as well forget about it.

It will be noisier, less reliable, cost 20x more, harder to use and use x10 electricity, and unless you very careful with graphics card and SW, an HTPC can deliver poorer pictures than a €80 set-box.

Use a PC or Netbook for Sky player.

Get a good dual Tuner "Freesat HD" PVR with built in HDD for recordings.

Worry about how to add Irish Digital TV to it next Spring/Summer, when the full public launch, including Satellite is happening.

kuro_man

watty wrote: »

It will be noisier, less reliable, cost 20x more, harder to use and use x10 electricity, and unless you very careful with graphics card and SW, an HTPC can deliver poorer pictures than a €80 set-box.

Use a PC or Netbook for Sky player.

Get a good dual Tuner "Freesat HD" PVR with built in HDD for recordings.

Worry about how to add Irish Digital TV to it next Spring/Summer, when the full public launch, including Satellite is happening.

Decent HTPC can be built for around €400, maybe €500 for one with dual dvb-t and dvb-s/s2 support & 1tb drive . Cost is very similar to 2x PVR's for freesat and saorview but with combined EPG, and a centre for other media (dvd, music, photos etc.)
Yes, it is more complex to get set up and needs a bit of patience but the gap closing, mythtv and linuxMCE getting simpler to install and use with every release (and win7 MCE much more stable than vista). Anyone with a modicum of tech knowledge could do it now.

tronman

Does anyone have any opinions on this combo box from Power City?
http://powercity.ie/?par=10-23-270042

I see a HDD isn't included, which wouldn't bother me too much - I can just connect an external one, right?

What is the story with the EPG on the combo boxes? Are there 2 separate EPGs - one for Saorview and one for Sat4Free - or is it combined?

watty

I think that GOLDEN MEDIA HD SATELLITE & DTT COMBI is a bit expensive for what it is.

A Satellite or Terrestrial only PVR is better value than a PC solution. But a "Decent" true PVR (internal SATA + 2 x Sat + 2 x DTT) combo is over €400, so a PC based solution with PCI card(s) for sat and Dual USB DTT stick and decent HDMI (to a true 50Hz TV screen).

philahern

I'm going to chirp in here in favour of the HTPC option. For me to convince the girlfriend to give up UPC, the solution had to have record one watch one, series link and be user friendly. The HTPC route ticks all those boxes and the girlfriend loves it. If you have a satellite dish and a terrestrial aerial in place then with Windows 7 it's practically plug and play. There are also added bonuses like rteplayer and youtube easily on our tv which we love.

Apogee

philahern wrote: »

I'm going to chirp in here in favour of the HTPC option. For me to convince the girlfriend to give up UPC, the solution had to have record one watch one, series link and be user friendly.

Get a different girlfriend? :P

philahern

Giving up UPC was more satisfying. Giving up the girlfriend in July next, swapping her for a wife ;-)