Saorview Connect

The Cush

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Dual Multi-format Tuner HYBRID HD STB
The DXD7025 is a high performance, high definition, Hybrid STB with EKT’s own solidTV software solution. It boasts two Multi-format Tuners allowing for Full HD reception of either DVB-T / T2 / S / S2 / C or C2.

Is the C/C2 only for cable tv?

C/C2 refers to a network cable tuner e.g. Virgin Media, not applicable here

The Cush

Lincoln Important Syllable wrote: »

Surely RTE would have specified a dual terrestrial tuner, whatever about the satellite? If not it beggars belief. The Humax FVP-4000T (Freeview) can record up to 4 simultaneous programmes from one aerial input.

The assumption has to be that the aerial input is split internally to the 2 tuners, but the second tuner won't be required for either T or S until there is a reason for it, the to be added PVR functionality.

Tigerandahalf

The Cush wrote: »

The assumption has to be that the aerial input is split internally to the 2 tuners, but the second tuner won't be required for either T or S until there is a reason for it, the to be added PVR functionality.

The box we think it is based on has the uhf input between the 2 sat inputs.

The Cush

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

The box we think it is based on has the uhf input between the 2 sat inputs.

Same box localised for Saorview Connect.

Tigerandahalf

The Cush wrote: »

Same box localised for Saorview Connect.

How is a uhf feed split like that?

The Cush

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

How is a uhf feed split like that?

Don't know the internal workings but probably similar to the way the Freeview box navi posted above, single input feeding 4 tuners.

Tigerandahalf

The Cush wrote: »

Don't know the internal workings but probably similar to the way the Freeview box navi posted above, single input feeding 4 tuners.

I presume a plug-in type which might explain the uhf being in the middle of the 2 sat inputs.

Sam Russell

From my reading it is quite simple.

Tuner one has two inputs T2 and S2. S2 comes from the 1st F connector.

Tuner two has two inputs T2 (looped) and s2 from the second F connector.

It is normal to loop around UHF but is impossible to do that with a LNB signal, hence the arrangement shown.

On launch, the software will not enable the second tuner, but a software upgrade will enable it for recording.

Both tuners will be set by software to either receive DVB-T/T2 or DVB-S2. The second tuner will only be used for recording. This means you can receive sat or terrestrial on either or both tuners depending on what you want.

This tuner is a bit like a radio receiver that can get DAB or FM or MW, but only one at a time.

Simples.

STB.

The Cush wrote: »

Don't know the internal workings but probably similar to the way the Freeview box navi posted above, single input feeding 4 tuners.

That Freeview box has three tuners. Some of the channels to be recorded would have to be on the same mux if there were 4 muxes!

What will settle all this is a picture of the board!

I hope Keri knows that we'll keep it to ourrselves here in box lovers corner.

Sam Russell

STB. wrote: »

That Freeview box has three tuners. Some of the channels to be recorded would have to be on the same mux if there were 4 muxes!

What will settle all this is a picture of the board!

I hope Keri knows that we'll keep it to ourrselves here in box lovers corner.

I posted above - it has two tuners, one for viewing/recording and a second one for recording. The tuners are programmable to whatever you want. No need for 4 tuners, just two.

STB.

Sam Russell wrote: »

From my reading it is quite simple.

Tuner one has two inputs T2 and S2. S2 comes from the 1st F connector.

Tuner two has two inputs T2 (looped) and s2 from the second F connector.

It is normal to loop around UHF but is impossible to do that with a LNB signal, hence the arrangement shown.

On launch, the software will not enable the second tuner, but a software upgrade will enable it for recording.

Both tuners will be set by software to either receive DVB-T/T2 or DVB-S2. The second tuner will only be used for recording. This means you can receive sat or terrestrial on either or both tuners depending on what you want.

This tuner is a bit like a radio receiver that can get DAB or FM or MW, but only one at a time.

Simples.

That doesnt make sense. More likely.

Tuner 1 is sat (SAT INPUT 1)
Tuner 2 is terrestrial (RF INPUT)
Tuner 3 is the disabled sat port (SAT IN 2).
Tuner 4 is terrestrial if its an internal dual tuner installed using the same one rf input.

If Tuner 3 is never enabled and you want to record a satellite channel whilst viewing another, the only channels you might be able to view are the ones on the same transponder as the one you are recording.

Tigerandahalf

It looks like the connect box link on the power city site has been removed.
I guess we are creating too much attention to the product before they launch it.

The Cush

I guess we're being too distracted by the tuner setup and Keri isn't being too forthcoming with information.

At the end of the day this is a glorified zapper box that won't appeal to a lot of people requiring a specific type of box, as I posted earlier my brother has gone the Freesat route again after waiting a while to see the specs of this box. He too wouldn't go with a box that required an external HDD, at some point in the future for god sake. He, like me were early adopters of the Walker PVR, not going to make the same mistake twice.

The Cush

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It looks like the connect box link on the power city site has been removed.
I guess we are creating too much attention to the product before they launch it.

It was there earlier, launch postponed?

Sam Russell

STB. wrote: »

That doesnt make sense. More likely.

Tuner 1 is sat (SAT INPUT 1)
Tuner 2 is terrestrial (RF INPUT)
Tuner 3 is the disabled sat port (SAT IN 2).
Tuner 4 is terrestrial if its an internal dual tuner installed using the same one rf input.

If Tuner 3 is never enabled and you want to record a satellite channel whilst viewing another, the only channels you might be able to view are the ones on the same transponder as the one you are recording.

Read the post by Keri again.

He said there is only one tuner active at launch and it can be configured in software to be either UHF or Sat. The second tuner, which is identical, will be enabled when recording is activated with a software update.

There are two tuners, not four. The two F connectors feed one tuner each. The Belling Lee connector loops to both tuners. Each tuner can tune independently to either Sat or UHF, so two or four or six muxes can be catered for as can two separate quadrants of the LNB to tune any Sat channel, be it S or S2.

I think we need to get our head around programmable tuners that can do Sat or UHF in the one device.

Tigerandahalf

The Cush wrote: »

I guess we're being too distracted by the tuner setup and Keri isn't being too forthcoming with information.

At the end of the day this is a glorified zapper box that won't appeal to a lot of people requiring a specific type of box, as I posted earlier my brother has gone the Freesat route again after waiting a while to see the specs of this box. He too wouldn't go with a box that required an external HDD, at some point in the future for god sake. He, like me were early adopters of the Walker PVR, not going to make the same mistake twice.

I think we all thought the combined 7 day epg was a very long shot. It was hoped for rather than anything else.

Having no recording is going to be a bit embarassing on launch date especially explaining it to people not in the know/general public. Kerri seemed to hint that something had gone astray before they entered. I am sure there will be questions asked about this on launch day.

Given that we now believe the box can record/view across both sat/terrestrial (once software updated) I think the box will appeal to a lot of people. The 7 day rollback will be very popular especially for people coming off shift work etc.

I don't record much stuff and I think most people stream these days or use catchup so recording won't be a big thing. You could simply watch the sat programme knowing you can use catchup for the saorview programme you also wanted to watch.

They will need to put programmes up quickly or even before they finish, e.g. you are late home for a match and want to watch it from the start.

What sort of features is skyq and the others like eir/virgin/vodafone providing?

I know skyq allow streaming to tablets.
Sky is gone so expensive though.
The Variety pack plus HD is €57 p/m and you don't get all the channels on free satellite.

tsue921i8wljb3

Sam Russell wrote: »

Read the post by Keri again.

He said there is only one tuner active at launch and it can be configured in software to be either UHF or Sat. The second tuner, which is identical, will be enabled when recording is activated with a software update.

There are two tuners, not four. The two F connectors feed one tuner each. The Belling Lee connector loops to both tuners. Each tuner can tune independently to either Sat or UHF, so two or four or six muxes can be catered for as can two separate quadrants of the LNB to tune any Sat channel, be it S or S2.

I think we need to get our head around programmable tuners that can do Sat or UHF in the one device.

They have not helped themselves by mentioning it in the specs. It may be nice from a hardware or software perspective but from an end user perspective it is irrelevant how it is implemented. All the user wants to know is what is available at any one time.

At launch that seems to be one terrestrial or one satellite.

When recording is enabled two terrestrial or two satellite or one of each.

Right?

Pangea

Sorry I'm bit late to the party, will the connect boxes have freesat integrated with saorview? Or how will it work?

tsue921i8wljb3

Pangea wrote: »

Sorry I'm bit late to the party, will the connect boxes have freesat integrated with saorview? Or how will it work?

No. Satellite is on a separate guide with only now and next programme info available.

The Cush

Lincoln Important Syllable wrote: »

At launch that seems to be one terrestrial or one satellite.

When recording is enabled two terrestrial or two satellite or one of each.

Right?

Based on the info provided by Keri, that sums it up.

Pangea

Lincoln Important Syllable wrote: »

No. Satellite is on a separate guide with only now and next programme info available.

Only now and next? So it's not freesat then but free to air?

lsjmhar

Roll back will only work if TV players are implemented. There will be no roll back on sat channels so PVR is essential to record on these. Also, how will series link work on the sat channels if only now and next is available?

tsue921i8wljb3

Pangea wrote: »

Only now and next? So it's not freesat then but free to air?

Exactly.

tsue921i8wljb3

lsjmhar wrote: »

Roll back will only work if TV players are implemented. There will be no roll back on sat channels so PVR is essential to record on these. Also, how will series link work on the sat channels if only now and next is available?

Series link won't work on satellite I assume.

Tigerandahalf

I am hoping that the recording functions on satellite are some bit more intuitive than my current combi.

I hope recordings are easy to find/search by entering text but I would imagine the satellite ui will be very basic. I presume Metaphor only covers the saorview side of things.

STB.

Sam Russell wrote: »

I think we need to get our head around programmable tuners that can do Sat or UHF in the one device.

Sam. I do have my head around programmable tuners. The problem is we do not know what hardware tuners have been installed and until thats clarified we are all guessing. The language used in the spec is unique to say the least.

If its one of the new full band capture serit tuners that enables reception of both S/2 and T2 on each tuner module then thats fine.

If its a dual tuner dvb-t2 tuner with one RF input on the interface thats fine too, but it looks to me like there are 2 single dvb-s2 ports with one disabled and one RF input for DVB-T, which possibly feeds a dual tuner module or is looped to the third disabled port or is simply a single tuner!

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I hope recordings are easy to find/search by entering text but I would imagine the satellite ui will be very basic. I presume Metaphor only covers the saorview side of things.

Methaphor is the middleware for the freetime/connected aspects of the Saorview end. It is the reason I would guess that the satellite tuner has a seperate user interface(UI) probably all within a closed linux environment. In other words satellite is an afterthought. The sat channellist cannot be integrated into the Saorview UI. You will have a seperate satellite channels lists that you will have to auto scan that you will have to sort seperately into a fav list and that you will have to switch to seperately through the box remote/menu.

I really dont know why the box has been shrouded in mystery. The box is due to be launched really soon as there are stand pictures in this thread with all the claims on what the box can do. The price and pics have already appeared on retailer websites. Theres been user field tests. What would stop all the speculation is a picture of the UI's, and board pic. This board is full of box enthusiasts many using programmable and customisable E2boxes. The forum also has some box distributors and installers. Many here are not your typical end users, so I do not know what all the secrecy is about. It makes me deeply suspicious.

Schorpio

Right lads - only one thing for it......who's volunteering to be the guinea pig that fancies parting with €200 on launch day?!

Tigerandahalf

Schorpio wrote: »

Right lads - only one thing for it......who's volunteering to be the guinea pig that fancies parting with €200 on launch day?!

Of course you will be the first to ask for pictures/videos of it in action!

Johnboy1951

Well I am not yet sure I have any real idea what is in this connect box with regard to the tuners.
The capabilities and control of the tuners has not been explained that I can judge -- from a user's point of view.

Tuner/s seem to be something like this
http://hongkong-haifei.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008833974143/pdtl/Tuner-modules/1154949055/DVB-T2-T-C-S2-S-Full-NIM-Tu....htm

How the tuners' capabilities are controlled and made available to the user remains confusing to me.

Tigerandahalf

STB. wrote: »

The sat channellist cannot be integrated into the Saorview UI. You will have a seperate satellite channels lists that you will have to auto scan that you will have to sort seperately into a fav list and that you will have to switch to seperately through the box remote/menu.

Yes this could be an important feature.
Given the screenshots we saw, the satellite epg was on a different link.
I just hope it is easy to toggle between the 2. Perhaps a button on the remote to quickly go from one to the other.

I have no problem with setting up a favourites list on the sat side. It gets rid of the poor channels something a lot of people complain about on the sky epg.