Recording onto memory sticks

Mrs Garth Brooks

Has anyone tried recording from a saorview box?

Just wondering what sized memory stick will do for a movie of about 2 hours?

excollier

An 8GB stick should be more than enough. Most set top boxes are limited to 4GB files (FAT 32 format) which should be close on 2 hours in sd. If you want HD then you can record much less with the 4GB limit (per recording)

farmer_dave

Just make sure your memory stick has sufficient read/write speeds for your Saorview Box. Otherwise you might have issues with freezing and blocking images.

marob1969

farmer_dave wrote: »

Just make sure your memory stick has sufficient read/write speeds for your Saorview Box. Otherwise you might have issues with freezing and blocking images.

Sorry, but how do you determine/find out if the memory stick has sufficient read/write speeds, and is this the same with external hard drives?

farmer_dave

marob1969 wrote: »

Sorry, but how do you determine/find out if the memory stick has sufficient read/write speeds, and is this the same with external hard drives?

Good question. I'm not an expert, but usually I just opt for a device for which I can see the speeds listed. Such as:

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/USB-Flash-Drives/Corsair/Corsair-32GB-Flash-Voyager-USB-3.0-Flash-Drive (Look under the Tag heading)

I think it would be the same issue for the external drives too, although I'm not proficient with these devices.

I think the Saorview box should define somewhere in the specification what speeds it requires for seamless operation. Which box are you using?

marob1969

farmer_dave wrote: »

Good question. I'm not an expert, but usually I just opt for a device for which I can see the speeds listed. Such as:

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/USB-Flash-Drives/Corsair/Corsair-32GB-Flash-Voyager-USB-3.0-Flash-Drive (Look under the Tag heading)

I think it would be the same issue for the external drives too, although I'm not proficient with these devices.

I think the Saorview box should define somewhere in the specification what speeds it requires for seamless operation. Which box are you using?

Thanks Farmer Dave. It's a Triax TSC 114.

farmer_dave

I've read through http://www.triax.co.uk/upload/tsc114_saorviewguidevisual.pdf and there is no mention of the read/write speeds required for the box.

Before purchasing, it might be worth calling them in order to confirm what you intend to purchase is suitable My understanding is that recordable devices are exempt from money back warranties in shops (it is the case in NI, not sure about RoI).

I would say that most external HDD's would be fine. However, a USB stick would be more suceptible to freezing etc. You can get 500Gb fairly cheap now - 250Gb or 320Gb would suffice the majority of people.

I'm surprised that some of the more knowledgeable folk on here haven't confirmed what I've said yet, but that is my advice to you.

whizbang

Most TV's and STB's do not support External Hard Drives. 2 Issues:
Not sufficient power available for HDD,
Cannot recognise higher capacity devices. as above:

Most set top boxes are limited to 4GB files (FAT 32 format)

watty

The TSC114 is a rebadge of a box that does have NTFS (no 4G limit). But a real PVR has a built in HDD. The fact is that recording is NOT tested on any box or TV using USB for external storage, recording is only tested on real PVRs (Dual Tuners AND internal Media rated HDD AND submitted for test as a PVR).

watty

farmer_dave wrote: »

My understanding is that recordable devices are exempt from money back warranties in shops (it is the case in NI, not sure about RoI).

No, in ALL of EU the SOGA applies.

An HDD will need its own PSU for reliable operation. The problem is the actual boxes are not PVRs. Recording is only an untested feature. It really shouldn't be enabled on any of them, and be media play back only as it's not reliable.

If you are sold any USB only box as a PVR you are entitled to refund as it is NOT a PVR.

watty

marob1969 wrote: »

Sorry, but how do you determine/find out if the memory stick has sufficient read/write speeds, and is this the same with external hard drives?

It's impossible. Because there is no adequate specification of the box or the recording device. You need the ability to handle the peak real time bit rate of the HD Video + audio and other data without buffering. An External HDD or USB stick that runs "fast" enough may not be able to do that long enough for real time recording. In contrast when copying from a Camera or Laptop etc, the system can pause when the USB stick or HDD needs it momentarily. An HDD with a higher speed may not manage sustained real time transfer.

Real PVRs don't use fastest HDDs, but ones designed for continuous media use, or else they have a large RAM buffer. Ordinary Set-box has no suitable buffer usually.

elperello

Hi OP,
Check your instruction booklet.
I have a Walker 12DTB-R and the booklet says that an hour of recording occupies approximately 2gb of space. I connected a 16gb memory stick and it read that I had just over 8 hours recording capacity. It works fine, no probs so far.

watty

Huge difference depending on SD, Upscalled to HD or action HD. USB Stick recording isn't reliable and remaining/ total time misleading. 16G might not manage a 3 part HD mini-series. Also some sticks will not handle sustained HD Data rates.

Johnboy1951

watty wrote: »

The TSC114 is a rebadge of a box that does have NTFS (no 4G limit). But a real PVR has a built in HDD. The fact is that recording is NOT tested on any box or TV using USB for external storage, recording is only tested on real PVRs (Dual Tuners AND internal Media rated HDD AND submitted for test as a PVR).

I find it difficult to accept that blanket statement.

It is my understanding that recording to external devices, via the USB port, IS tested by the manufacturers.

watty

It's NOT tested for Certification which is the point. Nor is it tested with a wide range of "memory sticks". I doubt it's tested on each model either. But I was purely referring to Certification testing.

These are not PVRs. USB sticks are unreliable, especially for real time HD.

Johnboy1951

watty wrote: »

It's NOT tested for Certification which is the point. Nor is it tested with a wide range of "memory sticks". I doubt it's tested on each model either. But I was purely referring to Certification testing.

These are not PVRs. USB sticks are unreliable, especially for real time HD.

OK ......... I guess you mean Saorview Certification ...... that was not clear in the post in which you mentioned lack of testing.

I doubt it's tested on each model either.

You expect consumer devices to receive 100% testing?
Yeah, right!

watty

No, you expected the testing. I didn't.

FREETV

watty wrote: »

No, you expected the testing. I didn't.

Most devices only seem to work with an external hard drive no larger than 500GB, how come?

L1011

FREETV wrote: »

Most devices only seem to work with an external hard drive no larger than 500GB, how come?

Larger external HDDs are almost always shipped as NTFS.