Freesat + Saorsat on a single Humax box?

BenEadir

Hi all,

I heard that within the next 6 months it will be possible to watch both Freesat and Saorsat channels on a single Humax box. You will need two dishes to pick up the respective signals and feed them seperately into the box but from there the box software will blend them into a single EPG and automatically select the right feed depending on what channel is selected.

Any truth in this and if so can someone shed some light on timing etc?

I also heard that the Saorsat will also be offering a seperate broadband service. Again if this is true I can get rid of UPC totally and would love more info on the boradband option, particularly the likely speeds and costs etc

Regards,

Ben

swoofer

You dont say where you heard it from! but I would not hold my breath. It could be a dream ie a bad dream.

Hint, FREESAT is for UK audiences. SOARSAT is for Eire.
gb--

BenEadir

Hi GB,

I didn't quote the source as he is an existing satellite installer who may well lurk in these here forums!!

Not sure of the significance of "FREESAT is for UK audiences. SOARSAT is for Eire."

I already have Freesat installed with HD channels etc working perfectly so adding Saorsat on top will at most mean adding another dish and running more cables to a 2nd STB.

The sexy bit would be the possibility of having one STB taking both Freesat and Saorsat feeds and blending them into a seamless 7 day EPG. That's the nub of my question, not whether Fresat and Saorsat will both be available to us.

Plus of course the broadband part of the question.

Ben

stanley1

vuduo can do this with integrated 7 day epg.

rurs

It's unlikely to enable a seemless 7 day EPG. The Humax is being talked about as it's the only freesat PVR to have diseqc capabilities, but to view Saorsat you'll probably have to switch to non-freesat mode, losing the Freesat EPG.

But it remains to be seen how well it will all work.

The broadband aspect is meant for places that have no other option. Several hundred euros for the equipment, maximum speeds 10 Mbps down, 4Mbps up.

Satellite Broadband Ireland have the contract, no prices yet for the new service, starts at €34.99 p/m currently using the previous generation satellites.

fat-tony

BenEadir wrote: »

The sexy bit would be the possibility of having one STB taking both Freesat and Saorsat feeds and blending them into a seamless 7 day EPG. That's the nub of my question, not whether Fresat and Saorsat will both be available to us.


Ben

That's a pipe dream Ben.:) Integration of EPGs from different sources can really only be done with software on a PC running some form of media centre or on a linux box. I too, have a Humax Foxsat HDR and, while it technically can handle a second dish through disecq, it ain't pretty! Non-Freesat mode is exceptionally limited on the Humax box. Whoever the "existing installer" is, is telling you porkies or is just wishful thinking.

slegs

The box isnt the problem. There are lots of boxes out there that are technically capapble of doing what you want. Ultimately the problem is the Freesat service. The service may be free but the EPG is proprietry and for a manufacturer to get a box certified with freesat they have to meet rigid criteria. One of the major criteria is that Freesat set what order and what channels appear on the Guide. The manufacturer has no right to interfere with this and this means no Saorview or Saorsat channels can be added to the 7 day guide. The way manufacturers get around this is with a Non-Freesat mode but then this doesnt have the 7 day guide so we are back to square one.

Best single set top box Saorview/Freesat (and ultimately Saorsat) solutions to date are Windows Media Centre and Linux Enigma boxes but these are generally not mass appeal devices and are quite expensive.

This will never be properly solved unless Freesat intentioanlly allow Saorsat to merge in with their EPG through software updates. I can never see this happening.

FREETV

slegs wrote: »

The box isnt the problem. There are lots of boxes out there that are technically capapble of doing what you want. Ultimately the problem is the Freesat service. The service may be free but the EPG is proprietry and for a manufacturer to get a box certified with freesat they have to meet rigid criteria. One of the major criteria is that Freesat set what order and what channels appear on the Guide. The manufacturer has no right to interfere with this and this means no Saorview or Saorsat channels can be added to the 7 day guide. The way manufacturers get around this is with a Non-Freesat mode but then this doesnt have the 7 day guide so we are back to square one.

Best single set top box Saorview/Freesat (and ultimately Saorsat) solutions to date are Windows Media Centre and Linux Enigma boxes but these are generally not mass appeal devices and are quite expensive.

This will never be properly solved unless Freesat intentioanlly allow Saorsat to merge in with their EPG through software updates. I can never see this happening.

I would have to agree with you Slegs as Humax for instance will not supply their products directly to the Republic of Ireland and unless people in the North kick up a major fuss and try to force Freesat to enable that function because of proliferation of Saorsat in different areas then we as a nation will be ignored. The market is small here both North and South though for sales of Freesat branded products and there mightn't be enough of an incentive for them to merge both EPGS, hopefully I will be shown to be incorrect in that assumption before the end of the year.

watty

The Two way Internet (not real Broadband) is NOTHING to do with SBI or Saorview.

SBI is just one of several non-exclusive dealers reselling Tooway, which uses Ka-Sat.
Saorsat is just rented space on Ka-Sat.

No-one knows what a "freesat HD" box will be like on Saorsat till the service is available. It might be a bit clunky if using Freesat and Diseqc. Doesn't the Technisat do Diseqc also?

Also a "Freesat HD" box with no Diseqc will work on Saorsat only, or on Saorsat + Freesat with a separate manual switch (not ideal).

Bear in mind that there are far more stations on Freesat, Saorsat has only a handful.

Basically assume nothing till there is a service that some people can test with. So no decisions probably before June.

RTE could pay Freesat and transmit EPG information ONLY, on 28.5E integrated with the Regular Freesat EPG. It could be only available on NI Post codes.

ballsymchugh

watty, i think everyone who looks up these threads would like to know what you use, or, if you refuse to ever own a tv but just know your stuff, what you would use, then sticky that!

watty

We have 4 actual TVs (one is HD).
1 x PAL/SCART/RGB monitor (not a computer monitor)

PC with HDMI and 2x S3200 DVB-S2 PCI cards and MobiDTV USB Dual Tuner stick, DVBVviewer and XP. 19" 1920x1080p CRT as well as feed to HDTV.
4 other satellite cards. 4 other PCs and Server in use
3 or 4 notebooks/netbooks
7 laptops (only 4 or 5 regular use)
sky box and Sky HD box but no sub.
Various other basic satboxes.

We have had various Sat and DTT solutions bought for Commercial Purposes tested here. (Lyngbox, Reelbox, Technisat, Neotion CAM, UPC's MMDS Sagem etc).

Use of equipment here is no endorsement.

10 Element TV aerial feeds proception 4way mast amp for 3x workshop feeds (one used by Media PC with Dual Sat DVB-S PCI cards and MobiDTV USB stick dual Tuner), 4th o/p feeds 6 way distribution amp in house.
90/95cm Triax with 28E, 19E, 13E, 9E feeding EMP Centauri 16 out Multiswitch to feed various gear.
110cm Triax on Motek SG2100 (5 or 6 years?) 42E to 45W, on generic cheap blind scan box (to be replaced by DVB-S2 card with motor PSU in PC sometime).

Radio reception from 150kHz to 3GHz + 10GHz AM, FM, NB FM, SSB, PSK31 etc on various radios.
Radio transmission on authorised bands on various radios from 1.8MHz to 1.3GHz, 2.3/2.4GHz and 10GHz
Discone, 10 Ele, 13ele 144MHz yagi, large 430MHz yagi, long wire, verticals.

Shortwave Listening and messing with electronics from age 10!
Amateur Radio Licence since 1972 (City & Guilds, when I was still in school)
Part time working in TV/Radio repair shop while at school.

College Final Year Project: Communications Systems/Modulation demonstration system
Ex BBC Communications Dept
AEL Video
RF equipment & Telecom & MPU design for Redford Computing, Kingdom Design, Westinghouse, IIS International, Mitel-Delta (became Tellabs), Tecnomen, Digiweb and Leadtek.
Technical Advice to ISAA since start.
Wireless advice for IoffL
I'd not make any Sticky recommendations of gear to get.
But I did make a "black list"