So who's gone wild and bought unverified mpeg4 dvb-t recievers?

Compton

I just noticed these ferguson boxes for 145 from here http://satworld.ie/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=222

I think its a good price as it seems to be over 150 everywere, the shipping is a bit pricey at 10 quid but I think Im going to go for one. Does anybody have a ferguson box? are they reliable?

STB

Sam Russell wrote: »

They are the same hardware, I beleive, but not the same firmware or manual. They do not come with batteries (I think) or cables nor a 13amp plug on the PSU.

I do not know anything about them, but I have done some searching since there were pointed out. But it is good kit, I have been testing one since Christmas.

Currently, I am trying to get the MHEG software added to it, but I think that is a longer time project. We are too small a market, and the move is now to go to a T2 receiver for the UK market, but I live in hope. We will see if it can be done.

They are the same hardware. The firmware is available widely under other branded names (they are all based on the MSTAR MSD7828 CHIP - from looking at the inside of them).



Outside MHEG5 your biggest concern should be that E-AC3 (DD+) and AC-3 is not available in that device which is part of the minimum spec for Saorview.

Sam Russell

STB wrote: »

They are the same hardware. The firmware is available widely under other branded names (they are all based on the MSTAR MSD7828 CHIP - from looking at the inside of them).



Outside MHEG5 your biggest concern should be that E-AC3 (DD+) and AC-3 is not available in that device which is part of the minimum spec for Saorview.

Is that just a firmware issue, or is hardware required?

Sam Russell

STB wrote: »

Outside MHEG5 your biggest concern should be that E-AC3 (DD+) and AC-3 is not available in that device which is part of the minimum spec for Saorview.

I checked the spec, and it says :

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Audio Decoder[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Standard[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]ISO/IEC13818-3 TR1011154[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Audio decoding[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 Layer I & II, Dolby Digital Audio, WMA and HE-AAC Digital Audio[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Dolby Digital (AC-3)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Stereo down-mixing to analog and digital audio outputs (including HDMI).[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]For digital outputs, L-PCM stereo encoding is provided[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sample rate[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]32 kHz, 22.1 kHz, 44.1KHz,48 kHz[/FONT]


So according to that, it will down-convert Dolby etc. to stereo. So that should not be an issue unless you have to have surround sound, but then again, wouldn't you want a better box anyway?

STB

E-AC3 is not AC-3.

E-AC3 (DD+) is part of min specs.

I am just warning you in case you are thinking of ordering a shed load of these.

There are a lot of similar products available through the likes of allegro in Poland that tick all the audio output formats like -

Ferguson Ariva T60
Goclever Cineo200
Goclever Cineo300
Not Only Tv LV6TMPVR4 (similar chipset as your box Sam)
RWT DTV 401T (optional MHEG5)
RWT DTV 421T HD
Technisat Digyboxx T4
Technisat HD T4
Televes ZAS HD
Triax TR40

If anyone is interested in these read up first.

Sam Russell wrote: »

Is that just a firmware issue, or is hardware required?

Firmware. The chipset can do it. Its been enabled on the Not Only Tv similar product and same chipset. Tested here

Sam Russell

As I said earlier, the firmware is not the same as the Polish box, and I will get onto the manufacturer and see if the firmware I have supports DD+, and if it does not, I will get it upgraded if that is possible.


@STB:How would I test it to see if it is implemented?

mise mise

Is it the same box and spec as these?


http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110670682150

fat-tony

Looks the same, but is 50% more expensive:eek:

Sam Russell

mise mise wrote: »

Is it the same box and spec as these?


http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110670682150

They are the same hardware but not the same firmware. These ones come with batteries, aerial cable and HDMI cable. They are preset for Ireland.

Trevord

I thought this looked like it. From HK though so could be hit by customs. Sam is still better on price.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/HD-SD-SCART-DVB-T-FREEVIEW-MPEG-4-H-264-HDMI-RECEIVER-/190514304056?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c5b899438

Willby

Sam Russell wrote: »

They are the same hardware but not the same firmware. These ones come with batteries, aerial cable and HDMI cable. They are preset for Ireland.

Hi Sam,
Just purchased one from you and have forwarded my address.
Willby

Trevord

Sam - PM'ed you justt there about box purchase.

desaparecidos

You do all realise that people are automatically notified when they receive a new PM, by email and by an alert when they log in?

:pac:

dowtchaboy

Got Sam's unit this morning.
Had it up and running in 5 mins.
Does exactly what it's supposed to!
Excellent quality picture (I only have a standard definition TV) - first time we have received TG4 without noise in, well, ever.
Watching TV3, 3E for the first time (we're in one of those areas not covered by analogue) ..... pretty dire content but still the picture was rock-solid....

Shoved in a USB key with some downloaded series (.avi) and they played no problem, great quality, fast forward and rewind worked great.

Displayed some jpeg files too - handy.

So far I'm not sure about sound quality, and I may have to play with settings for this and colour (on unit or TV). Am using it on the SCART socket without HDMI so maybe that would be even better.

EPG is OK - not as slick as Sky for sure.

Remote is a little clunky - up/down in menu levels and so on is not intuitive - or maybe I'll get used to it.

Haven't tried PVR function yet.

Switched across to the Radio channels and they are just fine - handy to have the EPG on those too.

All in all - great value - even if it eventually just ends up as a DTT enabler for a older set.

Really is dead easy to install and tune (2 clicks on the r/c)

jaggiebunnet

dowtchaboy wrote: »

Got Sam's unit this morning.
Had it up and running in 5 mins.
Does exactly what it's supposed to!
Excellent quality picture (I only have a standard definition TV) - first time we have received TG4 without noise in, well, ever.
Watching TV3, 3E for the first time (we're in one of those areas not covered by analogue) ..... pretty dire content but still the picture was rock-solid....

Shoved in a USB key with some downloaded series (.avi) and they played no problem, great quality, fast forward and rewind worked great.

Displayed some jpeg files too - handy.

So far I'm not sure about sound quality, and I may have to play with settings for this and colour (on unit or TV). Am using it on the SCART socket without HDMI so maybe that would be even better.

EPG is OK - not as slick as Sky for sure.

Remote is a little clunky - up/down in menu levels and so on is not intuitive - or maybe I'll get used to it.

Haven't tried PVR function yet.

Switched across to the Radio channels and they are just fine - handy to have the EPG on those too.

All in all - great value - even if it eventually just ends up as a DTT enabler for a older set.

Really is dead easy to install and tune (2 clicks on the r/c)

Cool - looking forward to getting my one from Sam - good to see it works with existing AVI's too - save an extra piece of hardware in the house!

Trevord

I too have taken a punt on Sam's HD MPEG4 box.

Played around with it at the weekend and I am broadly in agreement with Fat Tony's comprehensive review earlier in this thread.

A nice feature is that the box even comes with a short 8 page manual written specifically for the Irish user.

Agree that the teletext font is a bit chunky, but I did not buy the device for that anyway.

Power consumption is listed at 8w, so I don't expect the device will run hot.

The fact that the unit is so small and hides behind the TV was a good selling point for me as it limits box and cable clutter.

No MHEG5 at present but Sam has not give up on that being added.

Overall, a good value for money way to extend the life of an otherwise perfect (and expensive:() MPEG2 TV.

So if you have pestered Watty on this forum over the last couple of years looking for a magic CAM based solution to "fix" your MPEG2 TV, you should give this box some consideration as a possible solution to your problem.

In time better solutions may emerge, but I can't imagine them being any better value than this one.

Sam Russell

Thank you for the kind words, Trevord.

The manual is actually 12 pages long but no-one ever reads them anyway.:)

As far as I am aware, the only element missing from that box compared to the spec is the MHEG 5 middleware. I was personally very impressed with the product so I brought in a few for freinds and relations and a few extra. I do not intend to make a business out of this, but as so many posters were on here looking for a low cost box that will get the RTE NL signal, I decided to add a few extra. This box fills that gap, and despite its low cost, it is a high quality product. The fact that a simillar box is on sale on ebay for 50% more says a lot.

If anyone is interested, see my advert.ie entry.
http://www.adverts.ie/540407

efb

Would be interested in one. Do I pm u or what's the story?

jaggiebunnet

I concur with the earlier comments - a good device and does a lot for the cost.

glineli

I also bought one off Sam, well worth the money, a very neat product and as Trevord says, it can extend the life of an expensive mpeg2 tv

thanks Sam

boosabum

I too have purchase one of the units from Sam, a nice guy to deal with, for my elderly dad whose analogue picture is fairly poor. Anyone have any thoughts on a good inexpensive UHF aerial to get to complement the unit. I fear that the existing aerial is'nt great due to lack of quality of TV3/TG4. I see some units which can be used indoor or outdoor. Any help is appreciated.

mrquiteaguy

Hi Sam,
I am interested in your Digital TV adapter STB for Irish Digital Service
box if you have any left.
PM sent.
Thanks.

Sam Russell

mrquiteaguy wrote: »

Hi Sam,
I am interested in your Digital TV adapter STB for Irish Digital Service
box if you have any left.
PM sent.
Thanks.

I still a few left. A PM gets a response if you want one.

mrquiteaguy

Thanks Sam,
I have pmed you again and will get in touch with you again tomorrow.

dowtchaboy

boosabum wrote: »

Anyone have any thoughts on a good inexpensive UHF aerial to get to complement the unit. I fear that the existing aerial is'nt great due to lack of quality of TV3/TG4. I see some units which can be used indoor or outdoor. Any help is appreciated.

Much as I appreciate that you SHOULD put up a decent antenna, preferably outdoors, hang on till you get Sam's unit.
We had a crap TG4 picture despite being 1 or 2 km from the local in-fill transmitter, due to cheap aerial and probably old and tired cables - but the digital unit reports 80% for signal quality and the picture is now rock solid perfect.

BuzzG

Sam, Do you see a possibility that these adapters will support MHEG5 at some point?

Sam Russell

BuzzG wrote: »

Sam, Do you see a possibility that these adapters will support MHEG5 at some point?

Now there is a question. I have been chasing this particular question for the last six months and I think that it is possible, but unlikely. I would need a market (or order) for at least 20,000 units to get the manufacturer excited enough to go and do it. I intend to get a few minor but important software mods added to the box if I order more units, but I do not want to go into the business of shifting 20,000.

Mstar who make the chip think Ireland is too small a market to do it and have suggested that the T2 UK product will do for the Irish market. That box is 2 to 3 times the price, so that is not a viable alternative to this little box as it would be in a different price point. The manufacturer is going to get back to me eventually. Mstar do have their own engine, and the box has the horse-power and resources to do it though.

The box, as it stands, is good quality, and good value. If MHEG5 was implemented, I do not know how much it would add to the price.

Hope that answers the question.:)

BuzzG

It does indeed Sam, thank you.

bootser

Hi Sam would def be interested in gettin one of your boxes!
Do i PM or whats the story??

copeyhagen

forgive my foolishness but what does the box actually do?!

cheers

rob