Saorview Connect

Turbulent Bill

Is there even an indicative period (say Q3 or Q4 this year) when the Saorview Connect boxes will be available? I'm looking to get a FTA system installed, and from the rumoured features a Saorview Connect box looks like a good option, but I'm not going to wait indefinitely for it to launch...

The alternative is to get an Ariva 153 (or similar) as a stopgap but that's just extra cost.

corm500

https://twitter.com/SAORVIEW/status/733284054892695552

A response to a question that I asked Saorview on twitter

former total

I'm also holding off on getting a new FTA set-up so it would be good if they got this sorted.

However, I'd rather they get it right before release, rather than rushing out a half-finished version that's full of bugs.

Johnboy1951

corm500 wrote: »

[url]https /twitter.com/SAORVIEW/status/733284054892695552[/url]

A response to a question that I asked Saorview on twitter

A non-answer to the question asked

The Cush

former total wrote: »

However, I'd rather they get it right before release, rather than rushing out a half-finished version that's full of bugs.

Visions of Walker making another bags of it.

JDxtra

Please, please not Walker.

Please, please be Humax.

FRIENDO

JDxtra wrote:

Please, please be Humax.

JDxtra wrote:

Please, please not Walker.

Humax is very good, I have the foxsat hdr since 2009 and still working perfect, however they can be a little pricey, but great quality.

I also have the Walker WP95SAT - HD Saorsat approved stb and it works very well.

My Father has the Walker combo Saorview/FTA sat TV and it works excellent for him.

I did have issues with a Walker Saorview/sat combo stb in the past that I returned to power city and then got the 95sat, however I think Walker are ok and reasonably priced.

decor58

JDxtra wrote:

Please, please not Walker.

We use a Walker in the canteen in work, it's on the go all day, 20 people use the canteen, no problems. I use a Humax at home, it does have the edge.

byte

Personally, I find the Walker Saorview box and the Satellite box OK. The text in the info banner, etc is a good size and legible.

Not a fan of the combi box, which had potential but the software could do with work. Mind you, the first Triax combo was some pile of crap IMO, the successor just a bit better until 2rn decided to fire loads of blank channels into the mix, which had made it a bit more awkward.

The PVR hasn't been mighty either, don't know if the Vestel boxes used in Freeview areas are the same, or have better software?

Iamhere

Email reply I got earlier this week:

Thank you for your email.

I regret to advise that the Saorview Connect box will not be out in time for the European Championships.

As soon as we have a firm date for it's launch, we will let you know via updates to you as a registered Saorview viewer.

byte

Iamhere wrote: »

Email reply I got earlier this week:

Thank you for your email.

I regret to advise that the Saorview Connect box will not be out in time for the European Championships.

As soon as we have a firm date for it's launch, we will let you know via updates to you as a registered Saorview viewer.

Well, that is very disappointing.

With any hope, maybe, just maybe, the STB will be released in time for Winter, when people are more inclined to record and watch TV during the long dark nights.

Stuxnet

Cancelled Sky a while back, should I plough ahead and order the Humax 1100S free-sat box, I like the bells and whistles. Ive have been patiently holding out for Saorview Connect box, following this thread for a long time but we are going no-where fast it appears.

Sam Russell

Stuxnet wrote: »

Cancelled Sky a while back, should I plough ahead and order the Humax 1100S free-sat box, I like the bells and whistles. Ive have been patiently holding out for Saorview Connect box, following this thread for a long time but we are going no-where fast it appears.

Yes. It will at least work as expected.

Everything to do with Saorview has been a disappointment delivering less than the least anyone expected. Saorview Connect has been announced as a title or brand but nothing else. Why the secrecy? Does it even exist? What will it have? Will it be like RTE Player and be completely unusable because it is full of adverts (that work perfectly but cannot be avoided) and content that does not appear?

I have become an inveterate sceptic.

galtee boy

Sam Russell wrote: »

Yes. It will at least work as expected.

Everything to do with Saorview has been a disappointment delivering less than the least anyone expected. Saorview Connect has been announced as a title or brand but nothing else. Why the secrecy? Does it even exist? What will it have? Will it be like RTE Player and be completely unusable because it is full of adverts (that work perfectly but cannot be avoided) and content that does not appear?

I have become an inveterate sceptic.

Totally agree with you. Saorview Connect was announced last Oct/Nov and still no sign of it. Puff of smoke it would seem. And some here on these forums wonder why people pay Sky, Virgin, Eir and now Vodafone for their TV services ? Why ? Because how else do you get a box that can record, series link, pause, rewind, fast forward, is user friendly for all the family to use etc etc.

galtee boy

galtee boy wrote: »

Totally agree with you. Saorview Connect was announced last Oct/Nov and still no sign of it. Puff of smoke it would seem. And some here on these forums wonder why people pay Sky, Virgin, Eir and now Vodafone for their TV services ? Why ? Because how else do you get a box that can record, series link, pause, rewind, fast forward, is user friendly for all the family to use etc etc.

I don't know what kind of TV you have but most modern ones now let you record on to a USB stick,might be worth considering.

Sam Russell

droidman123 wrote: »

I don't know what kind of TV you have but most modern ones now let you record on to a USB stick,might be worth considering.

Series link, anyone? Used to be but not anymore.

2rn appear to go out of their way to make Saorview as unusable as they can, particularly for non-approved bits of kit. I have an approved TV but because it also receives Freesat it has to operate in UK mode, so is no longer approved. But even the one that is approved does not do series link.

Saorview is a non-commercial operation (we are told) but is very secretive (I presume for commercial reasons) and does strange engineering things (like 38 blank channel headers and HD and SD test cards) without explanation. They stopped series link, again unexplained, except on the Walker PVR.

Something smells.

galtee boy

Sam Russell wrote: »

Series link, anyone? Used to be but not anymore.

2rn appear to go out of their way to make Saorview as unusable as they can, particularly for non-approved bits of kit. I have an approved TV but because it also receives Freesat it has to operate in UK mode, so is no longer approved. But even the one that is approved does not do series link.

Saorview is a non-commercial operation (we are told) but is very secretive (I presume for commercial reasons) and does strange engineering things (like 38 blank channel headers and HD and SD test cards) without explanation. They stopped series link, again unexplained, except on the Walker PVR.

Something smells.

I don't want to sound like your "yes man" but totally agree again. Series link is to recording, what a remote control is to a TV set. USB recording is all very well and good, but try telling the missus or kids about manual timer recordings etc and you might as well explain that once upon a time, people used to rub two stones together to make fire !

Gerry Wicklow

Totally agree with the above Sam and Galtee. Just about the only thing we can rely on is that SaorView/Sat continues to disappoint. It even took the 'poor cousin' TG4 to initiate a Red Button service of sorts.
I'm still convinced that no one in Montrose even looks at, or cares about, their output after 4PM on Fridays. But that's another story.

Sam Russell

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Totally agree with the above Sam and Galtee. Just about the only thing we can rely on is that SaorView/Sat continues to disappoint. It even took the 'poor cousin' TG4 to initiate a Red Button service of sorts.
I'm still convinced that no one in Montrose even looks at, or cares about, their output after 4PM on Fridays. But that's another story.

No one in Montrose or in any Dublin media (like the Irish Times) watches Saorview or Freesat (probably never heard of either) so one should not be surprised if it disappoints.

They all watch (UPC/NTL/Virgin) cable or Sky. You can tell this by their conversations and writing about TV, and by the listings of TV programmes.

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

Saorview Connect was announced last Oct/Nov and still no sign of it.

And some here on these forums wonder why people pay Sky, Virgin, Eir and now Vodafone for their TV services ? Why ? Because how else do you get a box that can record, series link, pause, rewind, fast forward, is user friendly for all the family to use etc etc.

Not quiet that far back, they only announced the agreement 4 months ago. The Sunday Times broke the story that they were in discussion with Freesat last Nov. While the Saorview/Freesat HbbTV solution is sorted getting a manufacturer to licence the software and produce the receiver for such a small market could be the reason for the delay.

Unlike Sky, eir etc. the Saorview Connect receiver won't generate a revenue stream for RTÉ just development costs.

former total

The Cush wrote: »

Not quiet that far back, they only announced the agreement 4 months ago. The Sunday Times broke the story that they were in discussion with Freesat last Nov. While the Saorview/Freesat HbbTV solution is sorted getting a manufacturer to licence the software and produce the receiver for such a small market could be the reason for the delay.

Unlike Sky, eir etc. the Saorview Connect receiver won't generate a revenue stream for RTÉ just development costs.

Exactly. Whoever is making the box is probably looking at the number of units ordered... and then putting it waaaay at the bottom of the "to do" list.

STB.

former total wrote: »

Exactly. Whoever is making the box is probably looking at the number of units ordered... and then putting it waaaay at the bottom of the "to do" list.

It might be that the manufacturer is developing a box for the UK Freetime platform and one for Saorview. The second one may be casualty of the first one not being ready. Apparently its neither Humax or Vestel.

The Cush

STB. wrote: »

It might be that the manufacturer is developing a box for the UK Freetime platform and one for Saorview. The second one may be casualty of the first one not being ready. Apparently its neither Humax or Vestel.

A new range of Freesat receivers on the way this year according to Matthew Huntington, CTO at Freesat

The Cush wrote: »

Q&A with Matthew Huntington, CTO at Freesat

http://www.iptv-news.com/2016/04/qa-with-freesat/

...

4. What are FREESAT’s goals for 2016?

Freesat’s goals include plans to launch a new range of set-top boxes into the UK, support the launch of the Soarview Connect service with RTÉ, win a number of new international customers with our Metaphor proposition and continue to improve our UK-based service.

Further Freetime product collaborations with Manhattan and Vestel are on track to launch in the next 12 months.

Freesat 6 August 2015

Netflix joins Freesat Freetime
...
New Freetime products from Manhattan and Vestel are slated to launch in the next 12 months.

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2015/12/16/netflix-joins-freesat-freetime/

STB.

The Cush wrote: »

A new range of Freesat receivers on the way this year according to Matthew Huntington, CTO at Freesat

Yep. In addition to the existing Humax, two new suppliers for freetime.

V & M. Fingers crossed.

Hibrasil

Saorview Connect ! by Christmas if we're lucky!:(

Atlantic Dawn

Next major sporting event the box is likely to be ready for is the Women's Rugby World Cup in August 2017.

CELBRIDGE HOOP

Women's Rugby World Cup is not a major sporting event.

Atlantic Dawn

CELBRIDGE HOOP wrote: »

Women's Rugby World Cup is not a major sporting event.

It is for Ireland hosting it.

CELBRIDGE HOOP

No matter who is hosting it,the Woman's Rugby Cup will never be a major sporting event.
Two men and a dog spring to mind.

jgbyr

CELBRIDGE HOOP wrote: »

No matter who is hosting it,the Woman's Rugby Cup will never be a major sporting event.
Two men and a dog spring to mind.

Sexist comments & of no relevance to the thread.