Simply add saorview box or ditch old FTA box for a combi box?

An Ri rua

Hi all,

sorry to ask; but I've read through a lot of threads and am not fully sure of what to do.

I'm concerned about the buggy nature of some triax combi boxes although from I've read, DID's Triax 114 seems fairly stable?

For a number of years, my elderly parents have had the FTA set-up from Lidl. A Silvercrest SL45 HDMI.

Would it be unwise to simply add a good brand Saorview STB to run alongide the SL45 or should we for some reason be upgrading to a combi box? We have no need to change the telly, a 28" beko, for the moment. My mother loves the sound from it and is not fond of the inferior sound from many flatscreen 3-400 jobbies. If we got 2-3 years out of this new set-up, the component parts could still be used again should the telly or 6 year old FTA box keel over.

Am I correct in saying there would be no installation issues with running 2 boxes into the telly? The feeds are run through an Antiference 4-room signal booster?

One more thing: - The Beko has 2 scart inputs. One is taken up by a dvd player. I suppose one of the scart inputs would have to be given over to the Saorview box? It would hardly convert from scart to the old aerial input no (If there was such a cable)?

Peter Rhea

Does the tv have 'phono' or 'RCA' inputs? Is there a yellow one for composite video? You could use these for the SL45 (with suitable cable or converter), as it only outputs composite anyway, so no need for RGB scart. However, it won't automatically switch to the AV input on powerup, when connected like this.

Of course, I'm assuming here we're dealing with a tv that doesn't have HDMI inputs.

An Ri rua

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Does the tv have 'phono' or 'RCA' inputs? Is there a yellow one for composite video? You could use these for the SL45 (with suitable cable or converter), as it only outputs composite anyway, so no need for RGB scart. However, it won't automatically switch to the AV input on powerup, when connected like this.

Of course, I'm assuming here we're dealing with a tv that doesn't have HDMI inputs.

Hi, no unfortunately only 2 x scart and the standard old aerial input. Nothing else at all. Losing the DVD player wouldn't be a big issue for her if that was the minimalist solution.

Thanks for the input (no pun intended).

zg3409

It's a matter of person opinion, but

Saorview box 50 to 80 euro
Combo 80 -150 Euro

New 26" TV with Sat and Saorview inbuilt 320 ish
http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-11-WP2670&pages=1&prod=WP2670&brands=WALKER&image=

Picture is probably not the best, south could probably do with seperate AMP or even PC speakers.

This solution is one remote control for everything.

The main issue with seperate remote for TV, seperate for Sat, seperate for Saorview can be confusion and the unwillingness to switch from on system to another meaning you only end up watching one box most of the time. This would be helped with a very fancy universal remote though normally they needs lots of programming and may not work evey feature.

The good thing about seperate boxes are if one item goes pop you only need to replace that item.

STB

The Ariva 250 Combo has a universal remote control with it. It also has a scart output.

It would mean that you could ditch all other remotes including the dvd remote.

It mixes the Saorview channels with the UK Satellite channels and is customisable.

FRIENDO

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-TS1124&pages=1&prod=TS1124&brands=DIGIHOME&image=

A good Saorview approved Combo box € 99.95.
Will tune in Saorview channels easy.
However like the lidl box it takes a little time organising English satellite FTA channels on first installation.
Once set up a very easy box to use.
Will work with one scart.
Easy remote control.
It also has full Aertel Digital Text on RTE and should also do red button text on BBC.

t_man

FRIENDO wrote: »

...
However like the lidl box it takes a little time organising English satellite FTA channels on first installation...

Is it safe to assume that all these combo STBs will function like other FTA satellite receivers (in satellite mode), in that they will do DiSEqC, operate motorised dishes, and have memory for many channels (2000+)? This info is really hard to come by, and the only reason I haven't gotten one yet.

dodzy

t_man wrote: »

Is it safe to assume that all these combo STBs will function like other FTA satellite receivers (in satellite mode), in that they will do DiSEqC, operate motorised dishes, and have memory for many channels (2000+)? This info is really hard to come by, and the only reason I haven't gotten one yet.

Pretty much, yes.