Get a freesat box or Enigma2 Linux box

Tigerandahalf

Hey

I was holding out hope that Saorview Connect would offer 7 day epg guide on satellite. That now looks like it won't happen.

My needs aren't huge.

What I want is to be able to series link programmes especially like Match of the Day and other stuff like it. Being able to remote record would be handy but not needed if pushed.

I was thinking I could just get a single tuner humax freesat box that would presumably series link and just use it in conjunction with my existing combo box (and just change the hdmi input when needed). Would the freesat app allow me to remote record I wonder?

The other option is to get one of the triple tuner linux boxes with enigma2 preloaded from freetv (sab, edison or amiko).

Is there much involved in setting one up and much ongoing updating etc.

Apologies if this has been asked numerous times before.


Thanks

Edit: I would also like a hybrid tv option

Tigerandahalf

Can anyone help me with this?
I am thinking of combining a freesat humax 1100s box with my existing combo box.

If I put the existing sat feed into the freesat box am I good to go if I purchase an all in 1 remote?

I have a hdmi splitter at the back of the tv so I guess it will be a bit of hassle to change hdmi inputs. The box above also wouldn't have a hard drive.

Is going down the enigma route the better option?
Is it reliable and a finished product once set up?

swoofer

you dont say what you want to watch, is it saorview and freesat? what combo box have you got? what tv have you? most tv's have more than one hdmi port.

Tigerandahalf

At the moment I have a combo box in both the sitting room and a bedroom upstairs.

Two cables coming in with Sat and uhf feeds combined on each cable and then split to each box.

Ideally to futureproof I could put both feeds into the sitting room box and stream to the bedroom.

Tigerandahalf

Anyone?

Tom Mann Centuria

I set my vu duo2 up with no problems really, couple of good forums with guides for common things like setting up epgs etc. depending what image (or whatever it's called) you put on your box.

I have openvix and very happy with it.

Tigerandahalf

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

I set my vu duo2 up with no problems really, couple of good forums with guides for common things like setting up epgs etc. depending what image (or whatever it's called) you put on your box.

I have openvix and very happy with it.

There seems to be so many different boxes out there but I want to future proof some bit if I can.
That would mean possibly 4k but who knows when any of the main free to air channels will go down that route. This forum seems quiet so hard to know if many people are going down this route.

There are android boxes v linux boxes.
I presume the android boxes don't give the full epg for sat/terrestrial.
Most android apps have chromecast anyway.

I'd be tempted to go with paytv but they lack all channels and charge extra for hd and additional bedrooms.

Is there a hybrid tv box out there that can match sky q?
Series link plus remote recording?

tsue921i8wljb3

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

There seems to be so many different boxes out there but I want to future proof some bit if I can.
That would mean possibly 4k but who knows when any of the main free to air channels will go down that route. This forum seems quiet so hard to know if many people are going down this route.

There are android boxes v linux boxes.
I presume the android boxes don't give the full epg for sat/terrestrial.
Most android apps have chromecast anyway.

I'd be tempted to go with paytv but they lack all channels and charge extra for hd and additional bedrooms.

Is there a hybrid tv box out there that can match sky q?
Series link plus remote recording?

The benefit of the pay TV providers is that they tend to just work without user intervention. To go down the Enigma route you would have to be familiar or willing to learn basic Linux, FTP, Putty, editing XML, IP adressing etc.

None of these are particularly difficult if you are willing to put in the effort. There are plenty of tutorials available and once set up should need minimal tinkering.

All of the Enigma boxes can series link with a plugin called Auto Timer, remote record I am unsure of as I have not looked into it.

Gerry Wicklow

Pretty much any enigma based box can do series linking and remote recording. As for 4k, it is unlikely that any will be FTA in the near future. Even on the European satellites, the only FTA 4k channels I know of are a fashion channel and a German shopping channel. Android v enigma? Enigma has been around for a while now. There are several well tested and supported 'flavours' available. My preference is for openATV. My very limited experience of android told me to avoid it for now. There is the beginnings of a trend towards full band LNBs and tuners similar to that used by Sky Q but the existing technology is likely to around for a good while yet. Others here know more about this than me.

Tigerandahalf

Nathaniel Fluffy Oaf wrote: »

The benefit of the pay TV providers is that they tend to just work without user intervention. To go down the Enigma route you would have to be familiar or willing to learn basic Linux, FTP, Putty, editing XML, IP adressing etc.

None of these are particularly difficult if you are willing to put in the effort. There are plenty of tutorials available and once set up should need minimal tinkering.

All of the Enigma boxes can series link with a plugin called Auto Timer, remote record I am unsure of as I have not looked into it.

I just looked on satellitetv for a price on the Vu Duo - nearly €500!

My setup at the moment suits me fairly well with sat/terrestrial in the sitting room and a bedroom with recording available plus timeshift so I am not too bad.

I find I use Chromecast instead of the functionality offered by some of these boxes and if the rte player supports it in future it would be one less reason to upgrade.

Edit: I wonder if the Saorview Connect box is linux based could one tinker with it to set up full epg?

Gerry Wicklow

Nathaniel Fluffy Oaf wrote: »

.... To go down the Enigma route you would have to be familiar or willing to learn basic Linux, FTP, Putty, editing XML, IP adressing etc.....

There isn't that much involved for the average user. If you have a basic understanding of files / folders you don't need much more. I have never used putty or edited an XML file for my boxes. There is plenty of software to help with the setup, most of which comes on the box.
Many users start off with someone else's backup image that is already setup and learn from there.

Tigerandahalf

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

There isn't that much involved for the average user. If you have a basic understanding of files / folders you don't need much more. I have never used putty or edited an XML file for my boxes. There is plenty of software to help with the setup, most of which comes on the box.
Many users start off with someone else's backup image that is already setup and learn from there.

I think freetv sell boxes with Enigma2 preloaded.
Would you have to do much more then to get full epg and series link etc.

tsue921i8wljb3

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

There isn't that much involved for the average user. If you have a basic understanding of files / folders you don't need much more. I have never used putty or edited an XML file for my boxes. There is plenty of software to help with the setup, most of which comes on the box.
Many users start off with someone else's backup image that is already setup and learn from there.

Perhaps you're correct Gerry. I would have had prior experience with Linux so perhaps I am over complicating what is needed.

Tom Mann Centuria

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I just looked on satellitetv for a price on the Vu Duo - nearly €500!

My setup at the moment suits me fairly well with sat/terrestrial in the sitting room and a bedroom with recording available plus timeshift so I am not too bad.

I find I use Chromecast instead of the functionality offered by some of these boxes and if the rte player supports it in future it would be one less reason to upgrade.

Edit: I wonder if the Saorview Connect box is linux based could one tinker with it to set up full epg?

Well you can get a duo2 starting from 250 sterling, but there are loads of other boxes out there. Considerably cheaper.

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/vu-plus-duo-2-duo2?filter_name=Vu%20duo2


Good luck with whatever you decide.

Gerry Wicklow

Nathaniel Fluffy Oaf wrote: »

Perhaps you're correct Gerry. I would have had prior experience with Linux so perhaps I am over complicating what is needed.

Even starting from a clean install it 'talks you through' the basic setup just like any new TV or similar. Personalising / customising things like a favourites list takes a wee bit more time but only needs to be done once. I would compare it to buying a new phone or laptop. The basics work almost straight away and then you customise it to suit yourself.

tsue921i8wljb3

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Even starting from a clean install it 'talks you through' the basic setup just like any new TV or similar. Personalising / customising things like a favourites list takes a wee bit more time but only needs to be done once.

I know, I set up a Vu+ Solo2 recently and got it running pretty flawlessly. I did some XML editing for channels but as you say that is not strictly necessary.

Tigerandahalf

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Well you can get a duo2 starting from 250 sterling, but there are loads of other boxes out there. Considerably cheaper.

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/vu-plus-duo-2-duo2?filter_name=Vu%20duo2


Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks for that link.
It comes with 2 sat tuners incuded in price.
The dvb-c option I presume is cable.
Would I need to select the twin dvd-t/t2/c to be able to view other saorview channels while recording another (due to 2 muxes)?

Finally could I then stream any channel to a tv upstairs or is that beyond this box?

Gerry Wicklow

I use this as my second box and find it pretty good. How often would you need to record/watch something on RTÉ AND TV3 at the same time? Most people manage without a second DVB-T tuner. Let's face it, almost anything on TV3 is also available in HD on ITV.

Tigerandahalf

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

I use this as my second box and find it pretty good. How often would you need to record/watch something on RTÉ AND TV3 at the same time? Most people manage without a second DVB-T tuner. Let's face it, almost anything on TV3 is also available in HD on ITV.

It wouldn't be a big issue but if I could stream to the tv in the bedroom from the sitting room box I could put all my cable feeds (2 terrestrial + 2 sat) into the sitting room box.

Gerry Wicklow

You can still use the TVs own tuner to watch Saorview if the box is recording another Saorview.

Gerry Wicklow

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It wouldn't be a big issue but if I could stream to the tv in the bedroom from the sitting room box I could put all my cable feeds (2 terrestrial + 2 sat) into the sitting room box.

Unlike satellite, a twin DVB-T tuner still only needs one coax feed from the aerial. Be aware streaming is like recording. A tuner will be occupied when streaming a channel on your network to another room.

Tigerandahalf

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Unlike satellite, a twin DVB-T tuner still only needs one coax feed from the aerial. Be aware streaming is like recording. A tuner will be occupied when streaming a channel on your network to another room.

So in order to stream a channel in the bedroom what is needed. Is an extra box necessary?

decor58

Tigerandahalf wrote:

If I put the existing sat feed into the freesat box am I good to go if I purchase an all in 1 remote?[/quote

Had a similar setup, humax hb1100s for recording and sky drx595 for viewing, usb stick in tv for Saorview recordings. Is your tv Saorview, do you need the combo box, I got the humax hdr1100s and the humax remote operates my tv, saves a lot of bother. By the way I have the hb1000 on adverts.

Tigerandahalf

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

So in order to stream a channel in the bedroom what is needed. Is an extra box necessary?

Anyone answer this tor me?

Gerry Wicklow

It's not that an extra box is needed. It's just to be aware that ANY box uses one of its tuners while streaming. It has to get the signal from somewhere so it occupies a tuner as reqd.

Tigerandahalf

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

It's not that an extra box is needed. It's just to be aware that ANY box uses one of its tuners while streaming. It has to get the signal from somewhere so it occupies a tuner as reqd.

I got that Gerry but how does the tv in bedroom connect to the network. Does it have to have wifi adapter/dongle?

Fireball14013

Your best bet is to get an ethernet cable going to your bedroom, and also from your sitting room from your router. Then have your 2 sat and 2 terrestrial tuners in your sitting room box, you can actually use the signal out port on one DVB-T tuner to the Signal In port on the second, so you only need 1 Co-ax from the wall to your box.
Then, while you can get Apps that connect to Enigma2 to stream your TV, your best bet would be to buy a second Enigma2 box, a cheap one for less than 100. That then can be configured to use the tuners and hard disk on your main box. So it'll appear to the user of it exactly like your main box, even to showing what's recorded. They all come with some tuner, so maybe use a 3rd feed from your satellite to this new box and you'll have 3 sat feeds and 2 terrestrial to share between both boxes and the same recording location.

Tigerandahalf

Fireball14013 wrote: »

Your best bet is to get an ethernet cable going to your bedroom, and also from your sitting room from your router. Then have your 2 sat and 2 terrestrial tuners in your sitting room box, you can actually use the signal out port on one DVB-T tuner to the Signal In port on the second, so you only need 1 Co-ax from the wall to your box.
Then, while you can get Apps that connect to Enigma2 to stream your TV, your best bet would be to buy a second Enigma2 box, a cheap one for less than 100. That then can be configured to use the tuners and hard disk on your main box. So it'll appear to the user of it exactly like your main box, even to showing what's recorded. They all come with some tuner, so maybe use a 3rd feed from your satellite to this new box and you'll have 3 sat feeds and 2 terrestrial to share between both boxes and the same recording location.

If I can't do it over the wifi network I don't think I would bother. It is for very limited use and most of the tv in the bedroom would be watched live.

I think the sky q system uses an additional box in each extra room.

Thurston?

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

... how does the tv in bedroom connect to the network. Does it have to have wifi adapter/dongle?

Assuming it's a 'smart' TV in the 1st place, then yes, it will obviously need some way of connecting with the network: if not inbuilt wifi, then dongle or cabled connection.

Tigerandahalf

Thurston? wrote: »

Assuming it's a 'smart' TV in the 1st place, then yes, it will obviously need some way of connecting with the network: if not inbuilt wifi, then dongle or cabled connection.

Mine isn't a smart tv just an old HD Ready one. Would that still be ok with the dongle? Is the dongle plugged into usb?

Thurston?

If the dongle is just a wifi transceiver, then it won't do anything if the TV has no internet capability.