comboboxes recommendations?

irishgeo

Hi

any recommendations on a good combo box for soarview and freesat.

Am I correct in assuming that none of the comboboxes support a 7 day EPG guide?

Any technical reason for that?

Is it likely to be fixed in the future?

Apogee

irishgeo wrote: »

Hi

any recommendations on a good combo box for soarview and freesat.

It depends on your budget. Cheaper boxes have 7-day epg for DTT only. More expensive boxes support both sat and DTT 7-day epgs.

Am I correct in assuming that none of the comboboxes support a 7 day EPG guide?

Linux based boxes do, and some others (e.g. Fortecstar Passion) or HTPC setups.

Any technical reason for that?

Is it likely to be fixed in the future?

Freesat use a non-standard, proprietary EPG format. It's unlikely to be "fixed" in future.

zg3409

For €100 Ariva 120
For €150 Walker combi
For €180 Triax combi
For €200+ linux boxes

A Saorview approved box and a FreeSAT+HD is possibly a better setup than any combi less than 200 Euro. I would not pay €180 for a single terrestrial and single sat tuner.

STB

These boxes unofficially do the 7 day epg for both

- DM500HD CE for €120 and add a DVBT stick €15.
- Icecrypt S3500HDCI €170
- Technomate Combo box 6900 Super+ range and higher ie 8000 etc. €240

The Sunray Sr4 800SE range have DVB-C/DVB-T hybrid, DVB-S2 and wifi built in and take many of the linux images. €200.

SalteeDog

-Gigablue HD800SE - €189 - another linux twin tuner box.

Apogee

STB wrote: »

These boxes unofficially do the 7 day epg for both

- DM500HD CE for €120 and add a DVBT stick €15.

Where can you get a DM500HD (non-clone?) for €120?

luis suarez

Hi can someone help me please?I'm looking for a set up the same as the op with 7 day epg for both saorview and satellite.

I have read the posts above and just wondering if i buy http://www.satboxes.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=26 and http://www.satboxes.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=63 will it work? If it will work is it hard to set up?I have never used a box like this before.Thanks for any help.

zg3409

luis suarez wrote: »

will it work? If it will work is it hard to set up?I have never used a box like this before.Thanks for any help.

The items you link to are a single tuner box. Not recommended for serious recording. If set up properly it will work, but yes they are not east to set up. Over time you may need to set them up again and again as they do not automatically re-configure when things change on the satellite and when changes to Saorview are made.

They are generally only recommended to hobbiests who understand the inner workings of computers.

A genuine FreeSAT +HD box is much easier to use but it is not a combo. All combos on the market have some sort of compromise. If you are not technical then aviod boxes that need software installed/updated/tweaked etc.

luis suarez

Thanks zg3409.I'm not really bothered about recording that much tbh but would just love to have both saorview and satellite with a 7 day epg.What about the gigablue hd800 box then will that work?http://www.satshop.tv/GiGaBlue-HD-800-SE What happens if i bought that with the dvb-c/dvb-t tuner?How does that work for saorview?Thanks for any help i just want to get the best advise before buying the wrong box.

zg3409

luis suarez wrote: »

Thanks zg3409.I'm not really bothered about recording that much tbh but would just love to have both saorview and satellite with a 7 day epg.What about the gigablue hd800 box then will that work?http://www.satshop.tv/GiGaBlue-HD-800-SE What happens if i bought that with the dvb-c/dvb-t tuner?How does that work for saorview?Thanks for any help i just want to get the best advise before buying the wrong box.

All these boxes need software configuration. There is no off the shelf box that meets your needs. A 7 day guide is only really needed for recording.

SalteeDog

Re. the Gigablue - I have one of them and it works fine and gives little in the way of problems. ZGs comments about Linux boxes still apply though. All of them will force you to undergo some level of frustration as you set them up.

On another forum I suggested a structure for a newbies manual describing the set-up of this box..:-

1. How to flash image
2. How to mount drives
3. How to setup network
4 How to setup recording paths
5. How to setup services/channel lists/picons/
6. How to configure CrossEpg
7. How to set-up EPG display (e.g. CoolEPG)
8. How to setup remote control
9. How to setup WebIF
10. Installing and setup of CAMs
11. Other useful Plugins

As you can see there is a lot to learn and a lot of set-up. Unless you like this stuff then it's not recommended. For me, I enjoy the technical set-up more than actually watching TV so it suits me fine.

paulcdub85

SalteeDog wrote: »

Re. the Gigablue - I have one of them and it works fine and gives little in the way of problems. ZGs comments about Linux boxes still apply though. All of them will force you to undergo some level of frustration as you set them up.

On another forum I suggested a structure for a newbies manual describing the set-up of this box..:-

1. How to flash image
2. How to mount drives
3. How to setup network
4 How to setup recording paths
5. How to setup services/channel lists/picons/
6. How to configure CrossEpg
7. How to set-up EPG display (e.g. CoolEPG)
8. How to setup remote control
9. How to setup WebIF
10. Installing and setup of CAMs
11. Other useful Plugins

As you can see there is a lot to learn and a lot of set-up. Unless you like this stuff then it's not recommended. For me, I enjoy the technical set-up more than actually watching TV so it suits me fine.

Hi could you tell me where I could learn the stuff listed above? are there any other forums or websites that teach it?

SalteeDog

paulcdub85 wrote: »

Hi could you tell me where I could learn the stuff listed above? are there any other forums or websites that teach it?

Not much of this info is spoon-fed so requires work to go out and learn. http://linuxsat-support.com and http://www.world-of-satellite.com are two forums which cover this space.

STB

Apogee wrote: »

Where can you get a DM500HD (non-clone?) for €120?

Non ? They are CE's alright. So no is the answer.

Sim 2.1 M tuner. €127 incl delivery.

Compton

thats an 800hd, not a 500hd...

STB

Compton wrote: »

thats an 800hd, not a 500hd...

Well spotted Compton. 500HD is and extra €28 at the same place.

Site is a good source for the Sunray SR4 800SE, which is the DVB-T/c/S2 combo with built in wifi.

Compton

Always wondered about that Sunray seems a great option for the money and what it is. Anyone have one?

STB

One thing that puts me off them Compton is the record facility between watch dvb-s and record dvb-t. The current config doesnt allow for the tuners to be treated seperately. (also the terrestrial scan is not defined and must be included as a manual tune in the sat menu)

But for display purposes all the 7 day epg options are there through various images I have seen on sat universe.

I may await for someone to market the new combo that OEM Fulan have made available.

makeorbrake

I was going to get a combo box for my folks house. However - in reading this - I'm now in two minds. Perhaps I would be better off just getting them a standalone dvb-t box. Have saorview gone the same way as freeview in that there are boxes out there with their own easy to use epg?

championc

STB wrote: »

Well spotted Compton. 500HD is and extra €28 at the same place.

Site is a good source for the Sunray SR4 800SE, which is the DVB-T/c/S2 combo with built in wifi.

Between a 500HD, a 800HD or an SR4 800SE .... or other boxes, would there be any box which anyone would recommend which can stream all channels over the Lan via the Ethernet port ? Would I ideally need a box with twin Satellite tuners - one for H and one for V ?

Thanks in advance

zg3409

championc wrote: »

which can stream all channels over the Lan via the Ethernet port ?

i don't think such a box exists, besides commercial hotel systems etc. If you had one you would need one per mux. At the moment there is only one mux but another will be launched at some stage to allow for TV3HD etc.

zg3409

makeorbrake wrote: »

I was going to get a combo box for my folks house. However - in reading this - I'm now in two minds. Perhaps I would be better off just getting them a standalone dvb-t box. Have saorview gone the same way as freeview in that there are boxes out there with their own easy to use epg?

Saorview do not may any boxes. They do not force any supplier to use a certain layout as far as I know. They do however broadcast a full 7 days guide which all approved boxes can display. At the moment they do not send series link information so you cannot series link. They will send the info once a dual tuner Saorview approved box is launched. This will then allow series linking etc, so as such yes they have a similar system in place.

makeorbrake

zg3409 wrote: »

Saorview do not may any boxes. They do not force any supplier to use a certain layout as far as I know. They do however broadcast a full 7 days guide which all approved boxes can display. At the moment they do not send series link information so you cannot series link. They will send the info once a dual tuner Saorview approved box is launched. This will then allow series linking etc, so as such yes they have a similar system in place.

Hmm....that makes the decision even more difficult. I hate buying 'scrap' - and it looks like that whatever box I decide to get right now will be inferior by the time they get their act together and have series linking in place...

Johnboy1951

zg3409 wrote: »

Saorview do not may any boxes. They do not force any supplier to use a certain layout as far as I know. They do however broadcast a full 7 days guide which all approved boxes can display. At the moment they do not send series link information so you cannot series link. They will send the info once a dual tuner Saorview approved box is launched. This will then allow series linking etc, so as such yes they have a similar system in place.

I don't understand the logic of that.
Surely series link is useful on a single tuner box also? .... could be used on a second box or when unattended due to working hours etc .... or maybe I am misunderstanding the function completely.

Sam Russell

There is no logic in it. Their whole attitude to approval has been strange. They do not broadcast any AAC or AAC+ audio even thought they simulcast RTE Radio 1 on the DDT channel most of the time. Surely they should try out all the bells and whistles now.

squonk

TBH this looks like a shambles. I was hoping to get a good combo box for my parents with a built in HDD that would allow them to record shows if they wished. I held off because I thought the initial boxes were going to be crap. I'd also hoped that a good FreeSat/Saorview combo would become available. The fact that it's now almost July and the switchover is only 4 months away yet useful digital featurs like series link are not yet implemented is depressing. Makes you wonder what these people are doing, or indeed how competent they are. It's not like somebody sprung all this on them last Feb.

I would really love if Humax did a combo Freeview T2 and FreeSat HD box. That'd solve a lot of problems I'd think. My Humax Freesat+ is the business.

Alun

squonk wrote: »

I would really love if Humax did a combo Freeview T2 and FreeSat HD box. That'd solve a lot of problems I'd think. My Humax Freesat+ is the business.

I guess the reason is that for their primary market, the UK, there'd be little or no demand for such a beast. People there will either have Freeview or Freesat but not both, and the market here is pretty small in comparison.

Sam Russell

squonk wrote: »

TBH this looks like a shambles. I was hoping to get a good combo box for my parents with a built in HDD that would allow them to record shows if they wished. I held off because I thought the initial boxes were going to be crap. I'd also hoped that a good FreeSat/Saorview combo would become available. The fact that it's now almost July and the switchover is only 4 months away yet useful digital featurs like series link are not yet implemented is depressing. Makes you wonder what these people are doing, or indeed how competent they are. It's not like somebody sprung all this on them last Feb.

I would really love if Humax did a combo Freeview T2 and FreeSat HD box. That'd solve a lot of problems I'd think. My Humax Freesat+ is the business.

The problem as far as I can see is that RTE have failed to take Saorview seriously since they were refused RTE 3/Plus and were refused the right to advertise on RTE News Now. Since then they have just ignored it. However RTE NL have gone on and implemented the transmitters anyway. Everything has been working since this time last year. RTE had a beta MHEG5 EPG up and running for 15 minutes yonks ago but it has since vanished. The series link has failed to appear. No attempt to implement any AAC audio coding on a 'spare' radio channel. Total indifference.

The Humax situation is a little sad. The Humax Freesat Foxsat HDR plus the Humax Freeview T2 would be fine except that they will not work together - they use the same remote, and there is no way round requiring to use both remotes at the same time. Or at least that is my understanding, otherwise I would buy the T2 to add to my Foxsat.

zg3409

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I don't understand the logic of that.
Surely series link is useful on a single tuner box also? .... could be used on a second box or when unattended due to working hours etc .... or maybe I am misunderstanding the function completely.

At a technical meeting in Kilkenny "Saorview Brian" said it was not a technical problem as such but more of a user experience problem.

RTENL/Saorview want to downplay the current recording capabilities until a proper dual tuner PVR is made available. The timeline on this is not up to RTENL as they don't submit boxes for approval. It's totally up to manufacturers to do this.

However what is broadcast over the air is up to them.

It's a PR thing. When a proper recording box is available they will start sending series link and promote the ability of this new box. Any non dual tuner recording box is a bit of a bodge and not really anyway comparable to Sky+ and FreeSat+ and Freeview+

RTENL/Saorview would like to launch a Saorview+ box today, and they could if the manufacturers wanted to put one through the approval process. Very similar boxes do exist and some seem to work with Saorview, although until the series link information is broadcast 24/7 it is not possible for joe soaps to test non approved boxes capability.

The average Joe Soap wants a + type box which is not here yet, and may not be by October.

So it's more a political/PR/marketing/user experience standpoint than actually RTENL/Saorview problem. Have a look at how Sky promoted their live pause to encourage sign up vs what's available today for Saorview.

Personally I think they should send series link information now.

Sam Russell

zg3409 wrote: »

Personally I think they should send series link information now.

Of course they should. This whole project has been dogged by delays and more delays. First a wait for each of the bidders to decide it was not commercially viable which took nearly three years. Then a complete silence from RTE NL as to what they were up to, followed by RTE ignoring the project when they failed to get any extra advertising revenue. No-one has been driving this project - we could have turned off analogue last year to coincide with the 50 years of RTE.

.

Apogee

STB wrote: »

Non ? They are CE's alright. So no is the answer.

Sim 2.1 M tuner. €127 incl delivery.

CE = clone edition??

Any feedback on the build quality from that supplier or component reliability?

Apogee

SalteeDog wrote: »

Re. the Gigablue - I have one of them and it works fine and gives little in the way of problems. ZGs comments about Linux boxes still apply though.

As you have hands-on experience with the Gigablue, you might answer a few q's?


How does your Gigablue compare to your Vu+? What images do use on the Gigablue, and is the Freesat EPG built into the firmware, or do you have to run a plugin like CrossEPG?

What's the Gigablue like in terms of recording e.g Can you do record on DTT and watch Sat and vice versa? Can you do multiple recordings on the same mux/transponder?

Thanks!

maxg

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Humax situation is a little sad. The Humax Freesat Foxsat HDR plus the Humax Freeview T2 would be fine except that they will not work together - they use the same remote, and there is no way round requiring to use both remotes at the same time. Or at least that is my understanding, otherwise I would buy the T2 to add to my Foxsat.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=69551826&postcount=2

SalteeDog

Apogee wrote: »

As you have hands-on experience with the Gigablue, you might answer a few q's?


How does your Gigablue compare to your Vu+? What images do use on the Gigablue, and is the Freesat EPG built into the firmware, or do you have to run a plugin like CrossEPG?

What's the Gigablue like in terms of recording e.g Can you do record on DTT and watch Sat and vice versa? Can you do multiple recordings on the same mux/transponder?

Thanks!

Gigablue: Not quite in the same league as Vu+ in terms of build quality but nicely put together all the same. Has a very bright blue led display which luckily can be turned off in s/w.
I run the TeamRed Image - does everything I need it to do and appears to be very stable. As an image it compares very well with VIX or BlackHole.
For EPG I have to run the Cross EPG plugin - easy to set up but you must have a USB stick or HDD for storage . I use 'Cool EPG' as the graphical EPG display - but I don't particularly like it aesthetically.

Recording: Yes - I can record DTT and watch Sat and vice versa.
Obviously a USB Stick or separate HDD is required for that.

I have not tried recording multiple channels on same TP. I'll try it and let you know how it goes. (I don't actually use this box for recording in general as I prefer to use the Vu+ for that and as a mediaserver with the GigaBlue as a client in the second room. Hence all my recordings will be on the Vu+ HDD).

CodyJarrett

Anyone have any experiences of this Ferguson HD Combo box:




Peats are selling them for €199.

Compton

I think thats the very first ever combo model. There seem to be brand new models out

150 and 250

http://satworld.ie/product-list.php?Combo__UK_Irish__Receivers-pg1-cid50.html

Gerry Wicklow

whiplashed wrote: »

Anyone have any experiences of this Ferguson HD Combo box:
...

Peats are selling them for €199.

That looks like the old model that came before the 120. It works perfectly well with the basic functions on DTT and DVB-S2. No MHEG5 and no 7-day EPG on sat. The 120 is a better box for half the price.

championc

1. Is it possible to get a Linux Based or any other Combo box (which can take a HDD) which can access BBC Red Button Channels ?

2. Am I correct in saying that there is no Freesat box which ALSO has a DVB-T2 tuner ?

Sam Russell

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Russell

The Humax situation is a little sad. The Humax Freesat Foxsat HDR plus the Humax Freeview T2 would be fine except that they will not work together - they use the same remote, and there is no way round requiring to use both remotes at the same time. Or at least that is my understanding, otherwise I would buy the T2 to add to my Foxsat.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...26&postcount=2


Yes you can set up the two remotes to co-exist, but you still have two remotes. They do not operate with the FoxSat on one button and the FreeviewT2 on another. They both operate on the PVR button. Sad.

SalteeDog

championc wrote: »

1. Is it possible to get a Linux Based or any other Combo box (which can take a HDD) which can access BBC Red Button Channels ?

2. Am I correct in saying that there is no Freesat box which ALSO has a DVB-T2 tuner ?

1. Yes - but the channels will be tuned in just like regular channels (i.e. will not be accessed interactively via a button on the remote). In fact most free to air receivers should be able to tune them in.

2. Yes, you are correct.

SalteeDog

SalteeDog wrote: »

I have not tried recording multiple channels on same TP. I'll try it and let you know how it goes. .

It will record at least two channels simultaneously on the same transponder. Trying three caused the system to hang.

I also succeeded in recording two Saorview channels simultaneously with one sat channel. no problem watching a separate channel but trying to record an additional sat channel caused it to hang also (needed to reboot).

Note - it is possible that my USB-HDD was the limiting factor. The one I was using was nothing special.

makeorbrake

In the absence of series linking - and a better option, I have reluctantly ordered up an Ariva 120......

STB

makeorbrake wrote: »

In the absence of series linking - and a better option, I have reluctantly ordered up an Ariva 120......

I guess you missed the thread on the Ferguson 150 then.

Apogee wrote: »

CE = clone edition??

Any feedback on the build quality from that supplier or component reliability?

Chinese Edition.

Rave about the VU+Duo over at Digital-Khaos/DigitalWordz from them. Seem to be a reliable crowd.

The first one I linked btw the 800HD takes a USB DVB-T stick which the same crowd have for $9. (Nearly sure its the same one this guy confirmed working, think he posts here too).

makeorbrake

STB wrote: »

I guess you missed the thread on the Ferguson 150 then.

Yeah, I guess I did. However, I'm not all that disappointed. Still no support for mpeg5 and no series link - so makes no odds...

STB

makeorbrake wrote: »

Yeah, I guess I did. However, I'm not all that disappointed. Still no support for mpeg5 and no series link - so makes no odds...

Not to be pedantic but it is MHEG5. Whatever hope you have of MHEG on the 150, you wont find it on the 120. The 150's chip at least support CI+modules, if installed.

No Series link ? Series link data is not being broadcast at present so I dont know how you came to that conclusion.

makeorbrake

STB wrote: »

Not to be pedantic but it is MHEG5. Whatever hope you have of MHEG on the 150, you wont find it on the 120.

Ok, my bad then - I wasn't aware of this :-(

STB wrote: »

No Series link ? Series link data is not being broadcast at present so I dont know how you came to that conclusion.

Of course, that's a broadcaster issue - but does the box not have to support it too?

I guess the point is that ultimately, they are likely to introduce it (whenever) - and at that point, which of the current box offerings will work with it?