Looking to switch to Saorview + Free to air sat

puzl

I'm looking to cancel my sky subscription and use my dish and areal with a combo box to receive Saorview for the basic channels and free to air satellite for everything else.

What I'm looking for is:

1. Reliable, decent quality device - not fussed about manufacturer though.
2. pvr functionality with ideally a replaceable 2.5" drive
3. Dual dvb-s tuner and a dvb-t tuner for saorview
4. HD decoding with HDMI output.

I've looked around a bit last night and again this morning and many devices provide some of these features, but hardly any provide everything.
Any of you got this setup and if you do, what do you use?

The Dreambox 800 is an obvious choice with the dual dvb-t plugin.. but omg 1K for a set top box seems obnoxious.

Apogee

Vu+ Duo has 2x DVB-S2 tuners, and very good quality box. You can add a dual tuner DVB-T USB dongle and it works out considerably cheaper than the DM8000.

Thread here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055816677

Mr Keek

You could also consider keeping things seperate.

Get a Freesat PVR like the Humax HDR Foxsat and a Saorview PVR when they are finally released; there are plenty Freeview HD ones that will do the job, I'm personally waiting on the Humax HDR Fox T2, just waiting to hear what the story with Series Link and compatability before I buy.

Once set up, get yourself a Harmony 650 or greater remote to control everything on the one remote. No messing around with a TV, Saorview and Freesat remote and with the 'Activities' that can be programmed, their is no need to select TV inputs before you change from Saorview to Freesat

That way, you will be able to record 4 programs at once, 2 on Freesat and 2 on Saorview.

Granted, I bought my Freesat PVR over a year ago, and it'll be another while before I buy the Saorview PVR so I have plenty time to spead the cost out. If getting all this equipment in one go, you'll be spending over €600.

FireStart

Was thinking of getting Saorview as I have free to air and an oldish TV, I was thinking if getting one of the combi boxes. the questions I have are

1. Assuming I can record with an external HD, what can I record. If I am watching RTE1 can I record RTE2, or can I record and Irish terrestrial channel if I am watching a free to air channell

pms7

As I understand it you can watch RTE and record satellite, and vice versa. Can't watch RTE 1 and record RTE2. Bear in mind no Saorview approved combi box at present. I thint it is better to wait until there is one and things settle down.
Strange to see the shops not having what you want, they are usually pushing the latest technology that you don't need...

kilkenny31

What i noticed with the most combi boxes on tvtrade you get a 7day epg with saorview but dont with the UK sat channels. Does anyone know of a HD combi box on the market that has

> all available HD free to air terrestrial and sat channels
> pvr function
> 7 day epg for both services not just now next for one service

John mac

kilkenny31 wrote: »

What i noticed with the most combi boxes on tvtrade you get a 7day epg with saorview but dont with the UK sat channels. Does anyone know of a HD combi box on the market that has

> all available HD free to air terrestrial and sat channels
> pvr function
> 7 day epg for both services not just now next for one service

see post #2 above.

Donegal_TDI

I'm using a Humax HDR Fox T2 for Saorview, for the last few months, updated with latest firmware, no issues, and very usuable for recording, set and forget, just no series link yet.

For Freesat, I'm using a Panasonic DMR-BS850, flawless recording and blu ray to boot.
Works best with Panasonic telly so tread carefully there for Saorview compatibility.

All HDMI going through Yamaha amp.

Good luck.

FireStart

Donegal TDI
what way do you record with these. can you watch RTE 2 HD and record another terrestrial and the same with free to air
Can you use a DVD or video recorder or does it have to be on the channel to do this

Donegal_TDI

The Panasonic has its own hard drive, as does the Humax.
On both you can record one station, while watching another.
On both you can record 2 channels while watching something playing back.
They each have 2 separate tuners so great flexibility.
On the Panasonic, you can burn some recorded content to disk,
if it's permitted, and it has very sophisticated series link functions for freesat.
You can also watch Blu Ray, DVD and record 2 HD freesat channels at the same time,
no problem, very versatile but expensive piece of kit.
Also, if you have a panasonic camera like I do,
you can plug in the sd card and play back pictures or videos,
or burn the videos to disk.
No series link on Humax yet but that's to do with RTE, soon hopefully.
Any more questions feel free to ask.
Done for today though.

FireStart

thanks
so am I right in saying if you have a reciever for saorview and a reciever for freesat, you can only record say RTE2 if you are watching another saorview channell, or if you are using the freesat box you can record and rte channell with the other reciever.

STB

FireStart wrote: »

thanks
so am I right in saying if you have a reciever for saorview and a reciever for freesat, you can only record say RTE2 if you are watching another saorview channell, or if you are using the freesat box you can record and rte channell with the other reciever.

You do realise that you can buy a Ferguson 120 Combo for €81 delivered or apx €157 for 2 of them.

Doesnt that take all the issues out of the way.......

Donegal_TDI

FireStart wrote: »

thanks
so am I right in saying if you have a reciever for saorview and a reciever for freesat, you can only record say RTE2 if you are watching another saorview channell, or if you are using the freesat box you can record and rte channell with the other reciever.

More or less correct, both boxes are independant of each other,
even if you turn them off with the remote, they are still semi-alive and carry out your recording requests.