Most user friendly Sky+ replacement of Saorview and Freesat for pensioner

Mad Benny

I've read many of the threads on boards.ie of Sky+ replacements. Most recommend an Enigma box. I have a Vu+ Ultimo that I'm delighted with but my wife finds it hard to use.

My mother in law has cancelled Sky+. She records programmes and likes to use the pause feature.

She doesn't have internet so I'm presuming she won't be able to get the 7 day EPG.

What is the most user friendly and reliable combo? I live 100 miles away so won't be nearby to sort out problems.

Gerry Wicklow

Mad Benny wrote: »

I've read many of the threads on boards.ie of Sky+ replacements. Most recommend an Enigma box. I have a Vu+ Ultimo that I'm delighted with but my wife finds it hard to use.

My mother in law has cancelled Sky+. She records programmes and likes to use the pause feature.

She doesn't have internet so I'm presuming she won't be able to get the 7 day EPG.

What is the most user friendly and reliable combo? I live 100 miles away so won't be nearby to sort out problems.

Enigma boxes usually download the EPG from the satellite, no net reqd.

Mad Benny

Any recommendations on an Enigma box then? One with an easy to use remote control?

mass_debater

Mad Benny wrote: »

Any recommendations on an Enigma box then? One with an easy to use remote control?

No such thing, they are not very intuitive and there is a huge learning curve with any enigma 2 box

bk

At the moment your best bet in a Freesat DVR box. It will only give you the UK channels, but it is easy to use, with 7 day EPG, recording, pausing, series link. It would all e very similar to what she is use to with Sky+

What this misses out on are the Irish channels. For those, simply use the TV's inbuilt tuner if it supports Saorview or a separate Saorview box.

I love my Enigma 2 box, but I have to agree that it is very techy and I'd have difficulty recommending it for elderly people.

If you can wait a few weeks, their are rumours that Saorview are about they announce new boxes, which may integrate Freesat and Saorview on one box. Absolutely no guarantees on this, but might be worth waiting for to see if it pans out.

NIMAN

An enigma box for an older person! Nothing but trouble.

freesat branded one is the only, and easiest, way to go.

Cherrycola

This seems to be the new saorview/freesat partnership details, doesn't say anything about being able to receive uk channels though, would that not be counter productive for their product?!


Saorview NewsService Updates
RTÉ and Saorview partner with Freesat to deliver a next-generation product for Irish audiences

20 January 2016

RTÉ has partnered with Freesat, the UK free-to-air television company, to develop a new product for Saorview, Ireland’s free digital television service and the largest television platform in Ireland*. The new product, called Saorview Connect, will allow viewers to access a range of on demand content as well as the Saorview television channels, all integrated in a new set-top box with a range of additional features.

Noel Curran, Director-General of RTÉ, said: “Saorview has come a long way since digital switchover just a few years ago: it is now the largest television platform in Ireland. Saorview Connect will offer viewers a richer experience and, by connecting a Saorview Connect box to broadband, viewers will be able to access a wider range of content. We are pleased to be partnering with Freesat, who have successfully run their connected service in the UK for the last three years. We hope to achieve the same success with Saorview Connect.”

By connecting a Saorview Connect box to both broadband and a television aerial, users will be able to watch on demand and catch-up content alongside the Irish television channels. The new Saorview Connect set-top boxes will feature an easy-to-use programme guide, including a roll-back television guide providing one-click access to catch-up programming.

Saorview Connect will be based on Freesat’s cloud-based connected television guide solution, Metaphor. The recently launched service for satellite, terrestrial and cable operators is based on Freesat’s award-winning UK based Freetime service. Freesat will integrate the Metaphor platform, set-top box application and mobile applications with Saorview’s existing linear service to create the Saorview Connect offering. Freesat will provide the solution as a fully managed service.

Saorview Connect will have a range of new features, including content recommendations, programme title search, enhanced recording capabilities, and a new standard Saorview remote control. Together with a forthcoming Saorview mobile application, Saorview Connect users will be able to remote record programmes from wherever they are.

Alistair Thom, Managing Director of Freesat said: “Freesat is extremely pleased to partner with RTÉ and Saorview to deliver their next-generation connected service. Through Metaphor, we have been able to take our experience of operating a successful integrated television service to help other platforms integrate their own broadband services. We are delighted that Irish viewers will be able to enjoy our technology through Saorview Connect.”

Saorview Connect is due to launch later in the year.

* There are 676,000 homes in Ireland that have Saorview, 43% of all TV homes. Source: Nielsen Establishment Survey, January 2016.

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Johnboy1951

It seems there is no intent to provide Satellite reception with "Saorview Connect", only DVB-T and on line (broadband) sources.

I think they have missed out on a great opportunity to essentially take over the Irish market with a good product which would do the three ...... DVB-S, DVB-T and on demand via broadband.

I guess the self builds remain king.

icdg

Politically, as well as rights-wise it is quite difficult to be seen to be providing any assistance to Irish viewers to access BBC and previously ITV services FTA. The attitude on both sides is that Irish viewers should be paying Sky and Virgin to access UK services, and Irish viewers should only see Irish channels free to air. (We remember when Sky and UPC went running to the Minister when the now infamous MOU was published). Hence the Only Irish Need Apply attitude to Saorview.

(The attitude from ITV might change now that it is in the Irish market, but we'll see how that one plays out).

The Cush

Cherrycola wrote: »

This seems to be the new saorview/freesat partnership details, doesn't say anything about being able to receive uk channels though, would that not be counter productive for their product?

Saorview have confirmed via twitter there will be a combi box in the new range but no further details yet

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=98577486

bk

Cherrycola wrote: »

This seems to be the new saorview/freesat partnership details, doesn't say anything about being able to receive uk channels though, would that not be counter productive for their product?!

I think that was RTE's previous opinion, but I think they were wrong about that and have come to the same realisation themselves.

What I see happening all the time on the ground now is people buying Freesat boxes for the UK channels and with the idea of continue to use their Saorview on their TV for the Irish channels. But then they discover Freesat is so good, that they rarely switch back to Saorview. Just not worth the trouble.

RTE is seriously in danger of losing lots of viewers to Freesat. I think RTE have come to the realisation that it would be better if they had their own Saorivew/Freesat combo box, where RTE is right up their on EPG position one and two, etc. along with the other UK channels further down. At least then they have a chance of being viewed.

After all this is what they do on Sky, Virgin, etc. and it has worked extremely well for them. Why not do the same for Free To Air channels?

icdg wrote: »

Politically, as well as rights-wise it is quite difficult to be seen to be providing any assistance to Irish viewers to access BBC and previously ITV services FTA. The attitude on both sides is that Irish viewers should be paying Sky and Virgin to access UK services, and Irish viewers should only see Irish channels free to air. (We remember when Sky and UPC went running to the Minister when the now infamous MOU was published). Hence the Only Irish Need Apply attitude to Saorview.

(The attitude from ITV might change now that it is in the Irish market, but we'll see how that one plays out).

I believe the attitude has change completely now.

From RTE's perspective they simply have to deal with the reality on the ground of people switching to Freesat.

C4 has always been interested and operated in the Irish market with Irish ad's, so no problem there.

ITV now is likely to drop their objections as they have now bought into the Irish TV market and they likely want to see Saorview be successful. In fact ITV would likely to have a very strong network on this platform if they start doing Irish ads on ITV 1, 2, etc.

BBC is a bigger question, but I'm not so sure they care too much. After all, RTE is the biggest purchaser of BBC content for Ireland. So if RTE don't object, then the BBC probably don't care too much.

Also we aren't sure exactly what this EPG will look like. Saorview could create their own new combined EPG which only includes the channels that want to be included (C4, ITV, etc.) but not others (maybe, C5, BBC, etc.), with those channels only being available via a "other channels" type menu.

That would be perfectly legal and the channels that don't want to be included couldn't actually do anything to object to it.

Certainly not ideal, preferably we would like the full saorivew and freesat line up in an integrated EPG, but certainly better then the current situation.

Johnboy1951

A suitable STB could easily be made available .... if they have the will.

There is no technical reason that a combi box could not be produced with dual tuners for both DVB-T & DVB-S, and the full tuned mux made available across the home network for any device to receive broadcasts.
Add in a HDD and a combined 7 day EPG and all is good.

mass_debater

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

A suitable STB could easily be made available .... if they have the will.

There is no technical reason that a combi box could not be produced with dual tuners for both DVB-T & DVB-S, and the full tuned mux made available across the home network for any device to receive broadcasts.
Add in a HDD and a combined 7 day EPG and all is good.

Licencing, Feeesat is a branded product for the UK only. It asks for a UK postcode

bk

mass_debater wrote: »

Licencing, Feeesat is a branded product for the UK only. It asks for a UK postcode

Note that Johnboy1951 didn't actually say anything about Freesat!

Freesat only has a license to their own EPG and UI, not to the underlying data.

Nothing at all stopping Saorview from going straight to the various channels and getting EPG data directly from them (as RTE already clearly does for the RTE Guide) and creating their own EPG (which they already have for Saorview) and transmitting it via DVB-T, to work with a combo box to generate a combined EPG and import sat transponder data.

People seem to be really confused about what Freesat actually is. It is simply an EPG and GUI transmitted over satellite. It certainly isn't the only EPG, Sky, Sky Q on sat, Virgin, Vodafone, Eir all do the same.

long_b

Can anyone recommend a cheap box to replace a Sky box (just to get the UK channels) ?
That seems to be a "Freesat DVR" ?
Please forgive ignorance - just got rid of Sky sub and getting to the free channels through their menus is a PITA

UrbanFret

long_b wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a cheap box to replace a Sky box (just to get the UK channels) ?
That seems to be a "Freesat DVR" ?
Please forgive ignorance - just got rid of Sky sub and getting to the free channels through their menus is a PITA

Amiko Mini Combo (DVB-S2 + DVB-T2/C) or Revez Q12 HD Combo Receiver. Personally I'd go down the enigma 2 route but as others have said they need a bit of knowing.

dubrov

I'd avoid Linux boxes. I use them myself and love them but wouldn't set one up for a mother in law if i wasn't close enough to fix it.

Cost aside, the best solution would probably be a tv with inbuilt Saorview and Freesat. One remote would simplify things a lot.


Could be expensive though.

The Cush

long_b wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a cheap box to replace a Sky box (just to get the UK channels) ?
That seems to be a "Freesat DVR" ?

As a direct replacement for a Sky receiver, to get the UK channels, any of the Freesat HD receivers listed here would be recommended, plug & play, user friendly, using existing cabling and dish. The Freesat+HD PVR/DVRs are twin-tuner recorders with built-in hard drive like Sky+ - http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-boxes

List of channels on Freesat - http://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

Saorview TV or set-top box and aerial required for the Irish channels

Johnboy1951

dubrov wrote: »

I'd avoid Linux boxes. I use them myself and love them but wouldn't set one up for a mother in law if i wasn't close enough to fix it.

I find that a little puzzling.
What is it about STBs utilising the Linux OS that is problematic more so than any other OS that might be used?

Cost aside, the best solution would probably be a tv with inbuilt Saorview and Freesat. One remote would simplify things a lot.


Could be expensive though.

Walker produce such Dual tuner sets that are not very costly, IIRC.

dubrov

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I find that a little puzzling.
What is it about STBs utilising the Linux OS that is problematic more so than any other OS that might be used?




Walker produce such Dual tuner sets that are not very costly, IIRC.

In theory, it should be possible to setup a Linux box once and leave it run. It rarely works out like that.

Images on Linux boxes are highly configurable. There are tons of menus and hundreds of different settings. It can be overwhelming for the novice user. They are also likely to change a setting without realising it or how to change it back.

Unexpected things can and do go wrong. For example, recordings might fill up a hard drive. On some images this may lead to the box crashing regularly. The novice user wouldn't know how to interpret the error or how to fix it.

Walker boxes can get satellite but do not have Freesat and would need to be setup. Channels would need to be retuned as required.

amikoalien2

long_b wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a cheap box to replace a Sky box (just to get the UK channels) ?
That seems to be a "Freesat DVR" ?
Please forgive ignorance - just got rid of Sky sub and getting to the free channels through their menus is a PITA

A good basic box would be the Ferguson ariva
You can watch the free satellite stations like BBC UTV channel 4 and so on
Also you may at some point require RTE
As the ariva combo box will do both terrestial ( RTE ) and satellite stations with 1 remote control in 1 box and in HD for around the €100 budget its a no brainer
the sat part would be a direct replacement for your existing sky box just unscrew the f connector from your sky box and screw it in to the ariva
But for RTE you would need to add a terrestial antenna ( UHF ) around €20
And off you go

Johnboy1951

dubrov wrote: »

In theory, it should be possible to setup a Linux box once and leave it run. It rarely works out like that.

Images on Linux boxes are highly configurable. There are tons of menus and hundreds of different settings. It can be overwhelming for the novice user. They are also likely to change a setting without realising it or how to change it back.

Unexpected things can and do go wrong. For example, recordings might fill up a hard drive. On some images this may lead to the box crashing regularly. The novice user wouldn't know how to interpret the error or how to fix it.

Walker boxes can get satellite but do not have Freesat and would need to be setup. Channels would need to be retuned as required.

So the problem is that the Linux Boxes you refer to, give users too much access to settings for their own good

bulbs2010

dubrov wrote: »

In theory, it should be possible to setup a Linux box once and leave it run. It rarely works out like that.

Images on Linux boxes are highly configurable. There are tons of menus and hundreds of different settings. It can be overwhelming for the novice user. They are also likely to change a setting without realising it or how to change it back.

Unexpected things can and do go wrong. For example, recordings might fill up a hard drive. On some images this may lead to the box crashing regularly. The novice user wouldn't know how to interpret the error or how to fix it.

Walker boxes can get satellite but do not have Freesat and would need to be setup. Channels would need to be retuned as required.

walker combi boxes have freesat software ,they are very easy to use

dubrov

Can you link to a Walker Combi box that has Freesat and Saorview?

peneau

dubrov wrote: »

Can you link to a Walker Combi box that has Freesat and Saorview?

Does he mean this one ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vFE06Rk-0E

bulbs2010

yes thats the one ,you can get it on a site called free tv .the guy on that video owns free tv

steveon

From my experience as an installer the problem with the Walker combos is

You have to press a button to switch between the Freesat and Terrestrial channels have countless elderly customers who cannot do this easily and regularly get phone calls about it despite writing it down and printing guides for people on how to do it.

You need to update the software to get the freesat guide on it

Have often had to re tune the boxes as they go blank...this was meant to be fixed but happens but not as bad as it once was...

Mr_D

Hi there,

Asked myself the same question 18 months or so ago and decided to go with an Amiko Alien 2 (so 2 DVB-S/S2 + 1 DVB-T/T2) for the in-laws. Initially we tried the pre-installed software (Spark), stable but lacking in features and no longer supported (I think). So I replaced this with enigma 2 from PK Team. Works well after doing the initial tuning (7 day EPG, multi record, etc.) Require "maintenance session" every 4 to 6 months to fix the odd "problem" (e.g., USB drive would remount read-only and not allow deleting old recordings, etc.)

Good luck,
Mr_D