Bargain Alert: New Ferguson HD DTT/Sat Combo Box - €63 before postage

LordSutch

Anyone got a list of HDDs that will work with this machine?

I nearly bought a 500 Gig WD passport today, but I held back just in case it isnt compatible.

hibble

Using a 320? gb WD on mine powered through the USB - seems okay so far.

danjo-xx

If I was to wait a few months till all the probs are fixed will there be one 'general' update available that fixes everything!

hibble

In my opinion, I think all the problems (lip synch / blank screen from EPG) have been sorted - I can't see with my very limited knowledge that the occasional poor remote response would be sorted by firmware change.
Can only guess that any further updates will be to enhance what I think is an easy to use value for money product. Eg. if they could sort the full EPG on satellite

John mac

danjo-xx wrote: »

If I was to wait a few months till all the probs are fixed will there be one 'general' update available that fixes everything!

There will probably be a newer box out by then.

applewoodgo

hibble wrote: »

In my opinion, I think all the problems (lip synch / blank screen from EPG) have been sorted - I can't see with my very limited knowledge that the occasional poor remote response would be sorted by firmware change.
Can only guess that any further updates will be to enhance what I think is an easy to use value for money product. Eg. if they could sort the full EPG on satellite

There were two other issues with the old firmware.

1. Favourites button, find button and menu button disabled in both the manual and timer record mode.

2. Saving the recorded programme name as the previous programme in the timer record mode.

So far nobody has clarified if this is still the case or are these issues solved.

hibble

applewoodgo wrote: »

There were two other issues with the old firmware.

1. Favourites button, find button and menu button disabled in both the manual and timer record mode.

2. Saving the recorded programme name as the previous programme in the timer record mode.


So far nobody has clarified if this is still the case or are these issues solved.

Favourite groups can be accessed using the arrow keys around the ok button.

Rarely use the find button as everything is organised into different groups so wouldn't come across this.

Wouldn't know about the menu button either as haven't tried to access during recording.


2.I haven't experienced this naming problem with recordings?

applewoodgo

2.I haven't experienced this naming problem with recordings?[/QUOTE]

Does this mean that your box is now saving the file with the right name?

hibble

applewoodgo wrote: »

2.I haven't experienced this naming problem with recordings?

Does this mean that your box is now saving the file with the right name?[/QUOTE]


Okay after playing for a few minutes, as far as my box is concerned, it seems like this upgrade has made a difference to channel naming:


All recordings made on Satellite - made prior to upgrade

When I've set the timer it has named programme correctly.

Just pressed instant record programme now and it says BBC THREE

DTT Previously only recorded Traffic cops on RTE1 which was correctly named


Just set timer for News now but it has named it as Police programme I was watching on satellite when timer kicked in.

One step forwards 2 steps backwards????:(

applewoodgo

hibble wrote: »

Does this mean that your box is now saving the file with the right name?

Okay after playing for a few minutes, as far as my box is concerned, it seems like this upgrade has made a difference to channel naming:


All recordings made on Satellite - made prior to upgrade

When I've set the timer it has named programme correctly.

Just pressed instant record programme now and it says BBC THREE

DTT Previously only recorded Traffic cops on RTE1 which was correctly named


Just set timer for News now but it has named it as Police programme I was watching on satellite when timer kicked in.

One step forwards 2 steps backwards????:([/QUOTE]

Thanks for trying this. Seems the box still has problems.
With regard to the three disabled buttons in the record mode, did you try this one. I know you can navagate the box in other ways but I don't see why these buttons should be disabled. Is this a problem with the box or is this how it should be?

hibble

I think the locking of the buttons is deliberate so you cannot inadvertantly change any parameters which would halt the recording from the chosen TP / MUX

STB

Old McGroin wrote: »

Thanks for the info man, I'm using Super right now, actually it's been converting one 728MB movie for the past 2 hours now and the progress bar looks like it's only about 3/4 of the way there so it's definitely not the most convenient way of doing things! Is there a way of speeding it up or maybe a quicker programme?

Anyone know what the official word from the good folks at Ferguson is regarding .avi playback? Is there a firmware fix in the pipeline?

AVI's are not the same as Divx or Xvid formats. They are containers.

Dont use Super. Use Format Factory. I used to use Xmedia Recode but it is second best. Formatoz even does DVB formats. But I would use the function convert to MKV for use with the Ferguson. It is fast.

applewoodgo

hibble wrote: »

I think the locking of the buttons is deliberate so you cannot inadvertantly change any parameters which would halt the recording from the chosen TP / MUX

Thanks again, perhaps you're right there.

MattOne

LordSutch wrote: »

Anyone got a list of HDDs that will work with this machine?

I nearly bought a 500 Gig WD passport today, but I held back just in case it isnt compatible.

I've a Iomega Select Desktop Hard Drive 500Gb. It comes already formatted in NTFS with a single partition. In other words, it works straight from the box (although you would be as well to plug it into your PC & check for 'bad sectors'. Even new drives can be faulty!). I've done a few test recordings with no problems. I've yet to put it through its paces, but so far, so good. Hope this helps. P.S. Don't get the Iomega Prestige. It's their newest drive & more expensive, and as far as I can tell you're paying for it to stand on its edge (like the Wii). Wow.

STB

givecredit wrote: »

When your talking to the guys at ferguson. You might ask if the are looking at adding freesat epg info to freesat channels. This epg, unlike the sky epg downloads on tuning to any freesat channels and populates all freesat channels no matter what transponder they are on.
(enigma 2 receivers are already doing this nicely)
The addition of freesat epg info would turn an already great receiver for the money into a super receiver..

The EPG is broadcast an all Freesat transponders, just with a few differences which I've copied in below. If possible, please could service be updated so that they can receive EPG data from all Freesat transponders?

Inclusion of this functionality would mean that for UK tv the EPG would update while watching regularly watched channels including, but not limited to, all BBC, ITV and Channel 4 channels.


Transponder 11427 transmits at a symbol rate of 27500000 while the other transponders transmit at 22000000
11427 uses PIDs 3002 and 3003 to transmit EPG data - other transponders use PIDs 3841 and 3842
11427 transmits EPG at a faster rate - 30 seconds is enough to generate a full EPG on 11427 but other transponders need 30 minutes to get the full list

This is actually the Sky Open Epg that you are talking about that is being grabbed, not the Freesat Huffman tables. It has been implemented on non enigma boxes too and rolled out as a patch for the Technomates, so it is possible to write code that will grab the data from the radio transponder and populate the boxes internal epg grid. As Combo boxes go in Technomate range it is only stable on the Technomate 6902s/7100 range. The Technomate 6900 Super model requires a USB device to be present as the internal flash memory is reserved. Blade Media 7000s have also rolled it out on their combo boxes and so have Icecrypt. I gather, all the patches were written by the same firmware team at Technomate and released under the pen name, Phant0m. For what its worth I tracked down the firmware writers, but they didnt get back to me. I suspect it is a feature they wish to keep within the Technomate range. But the basic info you gave above could be one for Ferguson to consider looking into. If there is internal memory issues for Fergusons to do this, the file which is only temporary could be setup to write temporarily to an EITfolder on the USB drive. They may not be interested in releasing offcial cracks! I should add that there is an element of manual interaction involved in order to do this and it takes some time for the data to come down from the TP- 30 mins at least.

For people new to this, the technomate patches written are for technomate boxes, so dont try it.

Spocker

Tony wrote: »

I'd say not as when tuners go faulty they tend to lose eithe all channels or one polarity IE half the channels . From experience when you lose one or two transponders its either a cable fault or perhaps a cordless phone interfering with poorly shielded cable.

So I plugged the into neighbours dish and all the channels (on Tonys firmware) came in 100%. Scanned the TPs for 5*/5USA/PickTV and all were decrypted by the card properly - means the box works just liked I hoped

It now means I have to trace the signal problem, which isn't so bad - they're all routed to a patch panel in attic. Failing that, it's an LNB switcheroo, which is no biggie.

Thanks for the pointers Tony, I appreciate the help. Order for 2 new boxes on the way once I sort my cables

Apogee

STB wrote: »

This is actually the Sky Open Epg that you are talking about that is being grabbed, not the Freesat Huffman tables.

AFAIR the 11427 TP he mentions is for Freesat. Sky use 11778.

STB

Apogee wrote: »

AFAIR the 11427 TP he mentions is for Freesat. Sky use 11778.

Yes so it is. I'd say he is talking about the epg grab done within DVBViewer. Try doing that within a satellite box for every transponder! If it is the dvb viewer hack it was written for dvb viewer and has dependancies!

They did a grab for the open epg data used on Sky Italia and Sky UK as its off just one transponder as well. Again for DVB Viewer, not a satellite box.

Tony

Spocker wrote: »

Thanks for the pointers Tony, I appreciate the help. Order for 2 new boxes on the way once I sort my cables

My pleasure , feel free to start a new thread if you get stuck nailing down the problem. As I'm sure you know its just a matter of eliminating possible causes one by one.

Apogee

STB wrote: »

Yes so it is. I'd say he is talking about the epg grab done within DVBViewer. Try doing that within a satellite box for every transponder!

Don't the Fortecs also use the Freesat TP?

bigtom71

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Any (non flash) drive attached will be in an enclosure so I would say provided that the enclosure is a good design, with airflow through it all should be OK. A lot of them have a small fan to help with airflow.

I don't see anything to worry about with data transfer rate ---- unless the drive is extremely old.

I will probably do something similar myself soon .... just have not got around to it yet and am using a 16GB flash stick presently.

Thanks Johnboy. That's a great help.

invpat

BBC 24 hours News keeps coming and going, what can I do to remedy this, everything else is great really happy with my purchase.

bmaxi

Not really a problem but has anybody noticed that fast forwarding a recording made on DTT is much slower than one made on Satellite, regardless of speed selected?
I've never been able to record DTT to a hard drive before and this stands out.

dulpit

I've read through most of this thread, and am pretty much convinced that I want this box. It looks that any problems are rectified here

One question that's bothering me though, and I suppose it's more a query on DTT than this box in particular:

My analogue reception is so-so, sometimes it's close to perfect, sometimes it's quite fuzzy. Does this mean I'll experience problems with DTT? Or should it come through on the clear?

John mac

dulpit wrote: »

I've read through most of this thread, and am pretty much convinced that I want this box. It looks that any problems are rectified here

One question that's bothering me though, and I suppose it's more a query on DTT than this box in particular:

My analogue reception is so-so, sometimes it's close to perfect, sometimes it's quite fuzzy. Does this mean I'll experience problems with DTT? Or should it come through on the clear?

have a look here but should be fine (is your tv3 ok ?)

trebor28

dulpit wrote: »

I've read through most of this thread, and am pretty much convinced that I want this box. It looks that any problems are rectified here

One question that's bothering me though, and I suppose it's more a query on DTT than this box in particular:

My analogue reception is so-so, sometimes it's close to perfect, sometimes it's quite fuzzy. Does this mean I'll experience problems with DTT? Or should it come through on the clear?

i was in pretty much the same position as you, but when i rang tony he told me as long as i had a half decent picture on tv3 it should work and it did, works perfect.

now i am quite close to the transmitter so that might have something to do with it but still, i'd say yours will work.

howamidifferent

Just an fyi, I bought a 1TB WD Passport USB3.0 2.5 iinch drive for 69.99 euro from currys.ie on saturday, delivered today. Tiny size and works just great for timeshift and record even though the documentation says it suports drives max size 750Gb. The 1TB reports 950GB usable and came preformatted NTFS and just worked out of the box.

dulpit

John mac wrote: »

have a look here but should be fine (is your tv3 ok ?)

trebor28 wrote: »

i was in pretty much the same position as you, but when i rang tony he told me as long as i had a half decent picture on tv3 it should work and it did, works perfect.

My TV3 is actually quite good, probably the best of stations I have... RTE2 is crappiest of them all...

John mac

you wont have any problems so .

bennyineire

My reception was poor to middling(tg4 was crap), but I have had no problem with my new telly (mpeg4 tuner) or with tony's box, I have the telly about 2 months and have had 0 reception issues