Cheap Box For Old TVs €23

philahern

Just bought one of these for my parents old TV comes with a built in modulator for tvs without scart. It's mpeg4 and selling for only €23. There is a cheap option for delivery to Ireland at £3.50.

Hope it works now :-)

watty

If it's a Picnic or other Non-HD solution it will fail.

breaux

watty wrote: »

If it's a Picnic or other Non-HD solution it will fail.

W
Why do you say that Watty.? I have a Sagem Picnic STB that's not HD but it works perfectly. Picture is crystal clear.

gtg60

philahern wrote: »

Just bought one of these for my parents old TV comes with a built in modulator for tvs without scart. It's mpeg4 and selling for only €23. There is a cheap option for delivery to Ireland at £3.50.

Hope it works now :-)

You think you might post actual details so it might help other people out?

philahern

ooops, sorry all, meant to post the link too. Was in a rush.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180556205533#ht_2495wt_1139

philahern

philahern wrote: »

ooops, sorry all, meant to post the link too. Was in a rush.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180556205533#ht_2495wt_1139

Thats a picnic box.
It will work for a few months but once RTENL switch everything to 1080i next year,it will cease to work.
It's a very very bad buy.

You will first notice that the current RTENL hd test that has the video loop from "tourism Ireland" does not work ie you can't see it.

Once the other channels are switched over to that standard,you will have a useless box with no channels.

Sorry.

philahern

Watty, it is a picnic and non hd but the spec seems to imply that it will work for Irish DTT?

---

Hardware Specifications
• Transmission standards: DVB-T MPEG2 / MPEG4 (H.264)
• Standard Definition
• Front-end: 1 DVB-T tuner
• Digital output: SP/DIF
• Analog output: Hi-Fi (RCA L/R)
• Smart card reader
• 1 USB 2.0 Host
• 2 SCART


Main features

• Conditional access: NDS
• Middleware: Sagem, MHEG5
• 7-day EPG
• Favourite lists & parental control
• DVB subtitles
• Fully downloadable

---

philahern

Black Briar: Thanks, I get you now. Ah well at least it will work for awhile and only cost €25 ish.

Edit: ...and from what i've gathered about RTENL it will be years before everything is 1080i ;-)

STB

phil

Just because it says MPEG4 doesnt mean everything will work.

The box only does standard definition.

RTE will be broadcasting RTE2 in HD some of the time and upscaled SD the rest of the time. For you that means that RTE2 will never work as it will still be tagged as HD.

At the moment the HD channel is a test channel - soon it will be carrying RTE2s output and the SD RTE2 channel will dissapear.

So no RTE2.

philahern

Hmm, I should just cancel it so I suppose or is it worth testing?

I'd cancel it if it doesn't affect your rep and wait for something more suitable.
Combo boxes will in my opinion come more and more prevalent and cheaper as this saorview thing becomes more known.

philahern

Yeah I've asked the seller to cancel. Hopefully they will but no harm at the price. Should have checked here first eh? :-)

breaux

STB wrote: »

phil

Just because it says MPEG4 doesnt mean everything will work.

The box only does standard definition.

RTE will be broadcasting RTE2 in HD some of the time and upscaled SD the rest of the time. For you that means that RTE2 will never work as it will still be tagged as HD.

At the moment the HD channel is a test channel - soon it will be carrying RTE2s output and the SD RTE2 channel will dissapear.

So no RTE2.

OK. Wasn't aware of that. I'm sure there are a lot of these type of STB's out there that will be affected. Back to the drawing board so.!!!

watty

Those Picnics are "dumped" stock. Made for Sky Terrestrial PayTV service that sky never got permission to launch. That is why they are cheap.

There are not many of those kind of box.

WARNING:

* Most UK origin Digital TVs and setboxes, especially branded "Freeview" will NOT work.
("Freeview HD" will work, but not HD Ready or Full HD with "Freeview")
* The Neotion "CAMs" such as Pocket Duo or NP4 will not convert TVs or Set-boxes
* Digital TVs that don't work due to lack of MPEG4 can only be used with separate Set-box, not converted or upgraded.
* The Sagem Picnic MPEG4 set-box will stop working. These don't do HD. Even if you have no HDTV you need a set-box that does HD for Saorview (it will downconvert to SCART).

"Freeview HD" equipment (TVs and setbox using DVB-T2) may work. These should not be confused with "Freeview" HD Ready or HDTVs which will not work. Example of possible UK DTT PVR (not Saorview approved) El Reg review dvr humax hdr fox t2

via http://www.techtir.ie/saortv/saorview

A quick google of Saorview has all the info in top 10 results, in about 6 sites!

philahern

Ebay Pro tip: If you want your item shipped immediately, then ask to cancel the order

Edit: I take it back the guy cancelled the order, fair dues to him.

is there a returns policy?
Is it a power seller?
You do of course have a right of reply if theres bad rep given on your profile.

downwiththatsor

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats a picnic box.
It will work for a few months but once RTENL switch everything to 1080i next year,it will cease to work.
It's a very very bad buy.

You will first notice that the current RTENL hd test that has the video loop from "tourism Ireland" does not work ie you can't see it.

Once the other channels are switched over to that standard,you will have a useless box with no channels.

Sorry.

So what is the current RTENL hd test outputting currently if not 1080i?
Will azbox dtt tuners be affected by this change?

gtg60

downwiththatsor wrote: »

Will azbox dtt tuners be affected by this change?

No, only MPEG STB's that cannot do HD.

philahern

The guy cancelled the order when I suppose he didn't have to so all good in the end. Thing is he's already sold around 40 of them by the look of it.

gtg60

Duplicate post.

pigeon1916

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats a picnic box.
It will work for a few months but once RTENL switch everything to 1080i next year,it will cease to work.
It's a very very bad buy.

You will first notice that the current RTENL hd test that has the video loop from "tourism Ireland" does not work ie you can't see it.

Once the other channels are switched over to that standard,you will have a useless box with no channels.

Sorry.

On what date next year are RTENL switching everything to 1080i ?

I have a Picnic Box that I use on an old CRT TV.
At the moment, It is still working very good, Has a 7 day EPG and has never let me down. I bought it a while back as a cheap stop-gap solution.
I now have a more modern Sony HD TV. But the Picnic at €20 was good value for money for me.

It definitely would not be worth buying if RTENL is switching everything to 1080i in the next few months. The same goes for a lot of other stuff being sold on the net.

The Cush

pigeon1916 wrote: »

On what date next year are RTENL switching everything to 1080i ?

I have a Picnic Box that I use on an old CRT TV.
At the moment, It is still working very good, Has a 7 day EPG and has never let me down. I bought it a while back as a cheap stop-gap solution.
I now have a more modern Sony HD TV. But the Picnic at €20 was good value for money for me.

It definitely would not be worth buying if RTENL is switching everything to 1080i in the next few months. The same goes for a lot of other stuff being sold on the net.

The only channel that we know will be going 1080i is RTÉ 2, we don't when but probably before full launch next year. No known plans for the other channels.

watty

No detail plans... it's true.

STB

I am curious as to how they will handle the flag change.......

Now 0x16.....

maxg

The picnic boxes were able to handle 0x16 last year.
Btw the rumor that RTE2 would change to HD next year is only wishfull thinking. Announced is a HD coverage on a per whistling basis. The old HD trial channel offered exactly 1 event in HD beside the demo loop in 2007 and 2008. I personnally expect not more in 2011.

The Cush

maxg wrote: »

Btw the rumor that RTE2 would change to HD next year is only wishfull thinking. Announced is a HD coverage on a per whistling basis. The old HD trial channel offered exactly 1 event in HD beside the demo loop in 2007 and 2008. I personnally expect not more in 2011.

If so why bother with an interim HD playout upgrade. This is what RTÉ has said

It is planned to introduce this “pass through” live HD playout, while the existing Snell Compass system is still in operation. This will enable the introduction of the HD service at the earliest possible date without the requirement to migrate to the new automation system.

maxg

And where is the time schedule for the HD playout centre?

yes the playout schedule will be slow,they are short of money, but all the transmitter gear is in place for RTENL to change rte 2 to 1080i and thats what they will do and eventually the other channels.So expect a lot of U.S hd content on rte 2 in the interim sometime mid next year and thats to be welcomed!

The freeview hd equipment is working perfectly by the way including with the rtenl hd test channel

The Cush

maxg wrote: »

And where is the time schedule for the HD playout centre?

Not in the public domain that we know of but I would "personnally expect" to see RTÉ 2 HD prior to or at launch next year. In any case time will tell.

Deleted User wrote: »

So expect a lot of U.S hd content on rte 2 in the interim sometime mid next year and thats to be welcomed!

In the interim they say “pass through” live HD playout (sports, other events) moving to pre-recorded material when the HD facility is fully upgraded.

maxg

The old problem of this forum. Wild guesses are presented as facts.

The Cush

maxg wrote: »

The old problem of this forum. Wild guesses are presented as facts.

More like speculation based on information available.

But I guess your're different, your "personal expectation" against our wild guesses

maxg wrote: »

I personnally expect not more in 2011.

watty

Some people in past have had "sources" and also with Industry & Technical knowledge certain things are more likely than others.

I got TV3's start date wrong. I was more pessimistic. Better that than false hopes.

We know the approx time scale from the RTE tender for the HD playout. They don't usually buy stuff and not use it.

Sam Russell

watty wrote: »

Some people in past have had "sources" and also with Industry & Technical knowledge certain things are more likely than others.

I got TV3's start date wrong. I was more pessimistic. Better that than false hopes.

We know the approx time scale from the RTE tender for the HD playout. They don't usually buy stuff and not use it.

Exactly! I would expect the 'official' launch of DTT will be when RTE start the RTE2 HD service with live sport, possibly the rugby. It could well be the launch of the second mux as well.

watty

They already said part time HD on RTE2 before 2nd Mux.

vince

i ordered one of the picnic boxes today 27 euros its not too much to lay out. if it works till after xmass. i plan to buty a new tv in the spring. i want the stb because i have a shocking rte and rte2 pic via vhf. my tv3 aint bad so im hoping i will get good digital picture from mullage. one question i have a combiner on my pole for the uhf and vhf aerial s will this interfere whit the stb when i plug the cable in. btw mullag is looking very bright these days whit the 3 lights flashing day and night

The Cush

vince wrote: »

one question i have a combiner on my pole for the uhf and vhf aerial s will this interfere whit the stb when i plug the cable in.

Not a problem, I have the same setup for Mullaghanish and it's been working since the DTT engineering test began from there in Mar 2009.

vince

thanks
will be good to have a nice rte1 picture. i use a free sat humax pvr for my uk stuff its hard to watch a ghost picture after wathing sat tv. i will watch more rte now

watty

vince wrote: »

i ordered one of the picnic boxes today 27 euros its not too much to lay out.

It isn't right to "reward" the the people "dumping" these and also it encourages less knowledgeable people finding a post via google to buy the product. "ah it'll maybe be ok"

Non compliant equipment in any quantity becomes a huge issue.

If you are sending €27 on something KNOWN 100% to be a FAIL, you are best not to tell the world via a web page.

vince

i think theres enough advice on this thread alone to let people make up their own mind. most of the folk reading this thread have an interest in playing around whit differant kit. i think the average joe on the street will not be looking here to buy their stb they will be walking into their local tv shop. tbh the rubbish ive listened too in shops whit people being given wrong info on the tv their about to buy is scary i actualy told one guy outside the shop the real story i felt sorry for him lucky he hadnt handed over any cash. i myself asked in one major store has this tv i like got MHEG5 the man looked at me strange. in a major uk chain btw. so im prepared to lay out 27e for a little while to improve my rte viewing until the guys in these shops start stocking the right tvs for the job. kost things you buy now are going to fail now adays the amount of white goods we have had fail latly is scary things are made of rubbish now

atellyer

vince wrote: »

...im prepared to lay out 27e for a little while to improve my rte viewing until the guys in these shops start stocking the right tvs for the job.

I agree that this is small price to pay whilst we wait for the 'magic boxes' to suddenly appear. I bought a picnic box for 20e about a year ago and have had great use out of it. I understand what Watty is saying, though, that we shouldn't be encouraging people to buy boxes that eventually will fail to work. That would be no good for the reputation of the forum. However, my view is caveat emptor. And that goes for anything you buy after reading about it in a forum. There is no single source of 'right answers' otherwise we would all be going there and speculation would not be necessary.

I treat this whole thing like a hobby and if I want to spend a little money on my hobby, then that is my choice. It is, after all, only TV!

maxg

The Cush wrote: »

More like speculation based on information available.

But I guess your're different, your "personal expectation" against our wild guesses

In contrast to the "reliable sources" of this forum i marked my comment as my opinion and not as a fact.

rurs

philahern wrote: »

Just bought one of these for my parents old TV comes with a built in modulator for tvs without scart. It's mpeg4 and selling for only €23. There is a cheap option for delivery to Ireland at £3.50.

Hope it works now :-)

If anyone has bought one of these and is looking for an excuse to return, there is no RF modulator. I can't understand how the seller gets it so wrong, and makes such a big deal of it. There is UHF loopthrough, no more.

philahern

Just an update: I explained the problem to the guy on ebay and he said he'd cancel the order however I received the box today. Not the end of the world as it was very cheap. I can confirm it works at the moment for everything except the HD test transmission. I'm gonna give it to my parents anyway, keep them happy for a few months :-)

marclt

An ideal time to close the thread.. unless anyone disagrees?