Saorview+ and Freesat+

kojak_smooth

Hi All,

I am planning on cancelling SKY and getting a triax tr212 and a humax 320 gb freesat + box, so that I can have saorview with record one, watch one capabilities and the same on freesat+.

I need to know if both boxes need 2 cables:
2 from the saorview aerial to the triax box
and 2 from the satellite dish to the freesat box?

I cant find any proper pictures of the back of these boxes online, I am more concerned with the triax as I am fairly sure that the freesat box will need 2 cables from the satellite dish - same as sky+.

Thanks, John.

Solair

The Saorview box will only need one cable as there's switching of LNBs involved.

The Cush

kojak_smooth wrote: »

I need to know if both boxes need 2 cables:
2 from the saorview aerial to the triax box
and 2 from the satellite dish to the freesat box?

I cant find any proper pictures of the back of these boxes online, I am more concerned with the triax as I am fairly sure that the freesat box will need 2 cables from the satellite dish - same as sky+.

2 cables for the Freesat PVR and 1 cable for the Saorview PVR as there's no LNB switching required.

zg3409

Don't buy a TR212. The WP6500 can do series link. As far as I know the 212 cannot. By the time you buy a seperate hard drive for the 212 (50 to 80 Euro) the 6500 is far better.

http://www.tvtrade.ie/saorview-pvr.html

Look at the video guides etc. I have one and the series link on Saorview is brilliant. Even the news is covered.

It only needs one connection. If going from Sky you will expect series link on the Irish channels.

kojak_smooth

thanks for the responses.... thats what I wanted to know.

kojak_smooth

thanks zg3409 - i will look into the walker box... looks good!!!

Sam Russell

Also, you could use a combiner/splitter to combine the Saorview signal with the satellite signal down one lead. Just place your aerial close to the satellite dish (if appropriate re: orientation).

kojak_smooth

Hi again,

So I got the walker box and the humax.

Walker is setup and working.

However I can not get the humax to work on freeview mode, It detects that the 2 cables are connected, but says that there is no signal.

If I swap the cables from the dish back to the sky box, I get a signal straight away.

The very strange thing on the humax is that when I switch to "non-freesat" mode, it gets a very good signal and adds 300+ channels - obviously the sky channels are scrambled. Then I switch the box back to freesat mode and its saying no signal again.

Then I tried a software update, and it still gives the same behavior.

Can anyone suggest something that I can try?

Thanks, John.

IrishHomer

kojak_smooth wrote: »

Hi again,

So I got the walker box and the humax.

Walker is setup and working.

However I can not get the humax to work on freeview mode, It detects that the 2 cables are connected, but says that there is no signal.

If I swap the cables from the dish back to the sky box, I get a signal straight away.

The very strange thing on the humax is that when I switch to "non-freesat" mode, it gets a very good signal and adds 300+ channels - obviously the sky channels are scrambled. Then I switch the box back to freesat mode and its saying no signal again.

Then I tried a software update, and it still gives the same behavior.

Can anyone suggest something that I can try?

Thanks, John.

Did you input a uk postcode during initial setup on the Freesat box?

kojak_smooth

yeah, I did.

I even tried a few different ones.
Tried Northern Ireland and a few London post codes.... its a bit baffling to be honest

Thanks, John.

zg3409

Try a factory reset, try it on another dish (from what I understand freesat needs to "see" one particular transponder that has the lastest channel lists and 7/8 day guide. If it does not see this then it will declare no signal.

Just to elimiate the dish and LNB totally try in another house.

There also may be LNB settings that may be wrong. I am not sure which model Humax you have but some have single cable router mode and DiSEqC options which could mess up normal freeSat mode. I don't know if a factory reset clears these.

kojak_smooth

zg3409 wrote: »

Try a factory reset, try it on another dish (from what I understand freesat needs to "see" one particular transponder that has the lastest channel lists and 7/8 day guide. If it does not see this then it will declare no signal.

Just to elimiate the dish and LNB totally try in another house.

There also may be LNB settings that may be wrong. I am not sure which model Humax you have but some have single cable router mode and DiSEqC options which could mess up normal freeSat mode. I don't know if a factory reset clears these.

Thanks.... I'll give it a go during the week in my friends house. Tried a factory reset, but twas no good

bmaxi

kojak_smooth wrote: »

Hi again,

So I got the walker box and the humax.

Walker is setup and working.

However I can not get the humax to work on freeview mode, It detects that the 2 cables are connected, but says that there is no signal.

If I swap the cables from the dish back to the sky box, I get a signal straight away.

The very strange thing on the humax is that when I switch to "non-freesat" mode, it gets a very good signal and adds 300+ channels - obviously the sky channels are scrambled. Then I switch the box back to freesat mode and its saying no signal again.

Then I tried a software update, and it still gives the same behavior.

Can anyone suggest something that I can try?

Thanks, John.

Just a suggestion but check your connections, I think Freesat boxes are inclined to be very sensitive. I had a problem with dropped channels and eventually, like yourself, with Freesat not connecting at all, even though an FTA box connected seamlessly and showed good signal and quality. It turned out the original Sky installer who had joined the cables in my attic had done so without the benefit of cable joiners, i.e. had just twisted the cables together. This worked OK on both the Sky box and the FTA box but would not work with the Freesat box, I remade the joints using proprietary joiners and bob's your uncle, everything works.

kojak_smooth

thanks for all the suggestions.

tried this out at my friends house tonight and it worked perfect - first time.

Guess i'll be going at the dish/lnb/cables at the weekend

Thanks, John.

kojak_smooth

ran my own cables around the house and the freesat box picked up a signal from them.

thanks, John.

rock1234

Have just wasted hours researching freesat and saor view.

Havej ust cancelled sky+ . Have saorview enabled TV. Ideally would like system with good menu, with the ability to record and watch or record both regardless of whether saorview or free view. Am happy to pay whatever it takes seeing as it is once off payment.
I wpuld really appreciate if someone could advise on what would best suit as I am not much wiser after hours wasted

zg3409

rock1234 wrote: »

Have just wasted hours researching freesat and saor view.

Havej ust cancelled sky+ . Have saorview enabled TV. Ideally would like system with good menu, with the ability to record and watch or record both regardless of whether saorview or free view. Am happy to pay whatever it takes seeing as it is once off payment.
I wpuld really appreciate if someone could advise on what would best suit as I am not much wiser after hours wasted

Is series link on Irish and UK channels a must? Do you have a TV aerial?

The Cush

There is no single approved receiver that combines both Saorview and Freesat with 7 day programme guide for both and built-in HDD.

Separate Saorview and Freesat PVRs is the best option for recording, 7 day guide, digital text, red button services etc.

There are combi receivers out there but can be lacking in certain areas such as no digital text, no 7 day guide for satellite channels, no built-in HDD.

Saorview PVR
http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500&pages=1&prod=WP6500&brands=WALKER&image=
http://www.tvtrade.ie/saorview-pvr.html

Freesat+
http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/ (rh column)

Combi
http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/combined-digital-receivers.html

rock1234

Just a thought. With two units and 2 LNBs is it record on one unit and watch on the other

The Cush wrote: »

There is no single approved receiver that combines both Saorview and Freesat with 7 day programme guide for both and built-in HDD.

Separate Saorview and Freesat PVRs is the best option for recording, 7 day guide, digital text, red button services etc.

There are combi receivers out there but can be lacking in certain areas such as no digital text, no 7 day guide for satellite channels, no built-in HDD.

Saorview PVR
http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500&pages=1&prod=WP6500&brands=WALKER&image=
http://www.tvtrade.ie/saorview-pvr.html

Freesat+
http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/ (rh column)

Combi
http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/combined-digital-receivers.html

rock1234

zg3409 wrote: »

Is series link on Irish and UK channels a must? Do you have a TV aerial?

Series link not a must . Have TV aerial.

The Cush

rock1234 wrote: »

Just a thought. With two units and 2 LNBs is it record on one unit and watch on the other

The Saorview PVR (twin-tuner) requires an aerial to record the Irish terrestrial channels, record 2/playback 1. The Irish channels are not available free via the dish.

Freesat+ PVR (twin-tuner), for the UK satellite channels requires 2 feeds from an LNB on the dish - record 2/playback 1 or watch 1/record 1

rock1234

The Cush wrote: »

The Saorview PVR (twin-tuner) requires an aerial to record the Irish terrestrial channels, record 2/playback 1. The Irish channels are not available free via the dish.

Freesat+ PVR (twin-tuner), for the UK satellite channels requires 2 feeds from an LNB on the dish - record 2/playback 1 or watch 1/record 1

I had a stupid there. Seeing as my TV is doesn't need a saorview box is there any advantage in buying a straightforward PVR box. Thanks for the info

The Cush

rock1234 wrote: »

Seeing as my TV is doesn't need a saorview box is there any advantage in buying a straightforward PVR box.

Only if you want to record the Irish channels.

rock1234

The Cush wrote: »

Only if you want to record the Irish channels.

Thanks. I think I'm getting a clearer picture of what I want. If I buy something like the Walker WP12DTB-R Saorview Box I guess I could record a saor view channel and watch another as my TV is Saorview enabled ? This should be enough for the limited number of saorview channels. For freesat I will buy a unit that will allow record and watch or record two stations.

The Cush

rock1234 wrote: »

If I buy something like the Walker WP12DTB-R Saorview Box I guess I could record a saor view channel and watch another as my TV is Saorview enabled ?

That's correct, you'll require an external HDD with that receiver and series link isn't available as it's not a true PVR.

rock1234

The Cush wrote: »

That's correct, you'll require an external HDD with that receiver and series link isn't available as it's not a true PVR.

Great. Thanks for the assistance