Silvercrest HD receiver at Lidl - good?

Conba

What do people think of the HD satellite receiver available in Lidl next week - http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_30888.htm

Any idea what the EPG is like? Better to go with Freesat?

PogMoThoin

Conba wrote: »

What do people think of the HD satellite receiver available in Lidl next week - http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_30888.htm

Any idea what the EPG is like? Better to go with Freesat?

It's a generic satellite box, nothing special. The EPG will be limited to now and next, like any other free to air box. If you want 7 day EPG you'll need to buy a more expensive one, like a Freesat box. Freesat is a branded product, it's a joint venture between UTV and BBC

mrbrown69

Don't know about the receiver but I'd advise anyone to get the remote, does all the functions you'd expect from a remote that costs 5 times as much...I have tv Sky UPC and dvd working on mine, a doddle to set up

Kristopherus

mrbrown69 wrote: »

Don't know about the receiver but I'd advise anyone to get the remote, does all the functions you'd expect from a remote that costs 5 times as much...I have tv Sky UPC and dvd working on mine, a doddle to set up

+1. Not an easy doddle to set up imo. Plenty of patience required.

NIMAN

These generic boxes are never the most user friendly, always best to go with Freesat branded one if you want a good EPG, auto updates etc.

mrbrown69

Kristopherus wrote: »

+1. Not an easy doddle to set up imo. Plenty of patience required.

Well the learn function is time consuming but not hard to do

PogMoThoin

mrbrown69 wrote: »

Well the learn function is time consuming but not hard to do

Yeah, until the batteries go dead and you have to start again :P

mrbrown69

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Yeah, until the batteries go dead and you have to start again :P

Never had that problem...tho must admit the ones I picked where slightly different to these on sale, the remotes next week have a cheapish look whereas the ones I got have a hard plastic gloss black finish, look the part

watty

The Lidl box is poor value and also outside Lidl's return period but inside the 2 years you are entitled to you have to threaten them with Court and only the call centre, not the Shop will deal with you.

The totally unconnected generic Remote on offer isn't bad, worth about what they charge.

Capt'n Midnight

Conba wrote: »

What do people think of the HD satellite receiver available in Lidl next week - http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_30888.htm

Any idea what the EPG is like? Better to go with Freesat?

EPG will not work with UK channels because they have proprietary EPG's that can only be decoded by SKY or FreeSat boxes or worked around by some Linux boxes with the aid of an internet connection.


EPG should may work with Saorsat with a special LNB pointing at a different satellite , or with many foreign language channels.

FreeSat , like SKY have the advantage that they just work and you get goodies like series link and the channel list sorts itself out. The disadvantage is the upfront cost and in the case of SKY a monthly contract if you want to watch recordings.

watty

The Interactive on Saorsat may not work though. Is it definitely DVB-S2 as well as HD / HDMI?
Lild have sold HDMI satellite boxes that didn't even do DVB-S HD
Quite a few UK HD FTA channels are still DVB-S2, they will migrate to DVB-S2. Saorsat is DVB-S2 and needs a Ka-Band LNBF (€30 to €45) as well as better dish alignment.
This box may be best value for mainland continental TV, inc some Mainland subscription TV that uses a CAM that works in a generic CI slot.

If it's CI+, then it may support Saorsat & BBC Interactive to a limited extend.