Amiko Alien 2 connection queries

boardtc

I have a second feed from the Sky dish (faces S/SE as standard), the installer said the Quad LNB was a hybrid, I have 2 lines coming into the attic, one used for a Sky Q box and the other I am loking to connect to an Amiko Alien 2. I'm looking to pick up one off done deal second hand with my budget. I have a couple of questions please

• I just want to double check that the sky dish will give me all the Free to Air channels ?
• I have an additonal coax, not feed out to the dish coming to the TV point from the attic, and was planning it for the terrestrial signal. I have an old rabbit ears, can they be used in the attic?
• With only one satellite feed to the combo box I'm not making use of the 2 satellite tuners, but thinking I'd future proof myself or would I be better looking for an older model (though the v2 seem more common to get used)

Thanks!

Thurston?

There should be 2 cables feeding the Sky Q box, so if that's all that's connected to the dish, you haven't got a spare connected to the quad part of the LNB.

Whether the set-top aerial works in the attic will depend on what the signal is like where you place it.

Gerry Wicklow

IF it is a hybrid LNB it should have 6 connections. As Thurston? says two are used for the Sky Q box and the other 4 are the normal ones for use with standard boxes. Sky and the FTA stuff all come from the same satellites so the dish should work IF it is a hybrid LNB. You will need two feeds to the other box if you want it to record while watching another channel.
"Rabbits ears" are actually VHF aerials but you may still be lucky enough to get them working. No harm in giving it a shot.

boardtc

Thurston? wrote: »

There should be 2 cables feeding the Sky Q box, so if that's all that's connected to the dish, you haven't got a spare connected to the quad part of the LNB.

Thanks, 2 into the sky q box yes, just checked that. The sky guy drilled a fresh hole for me so each hole is carrying 2 feeds then. I had been hoping to use 1 of the feeds for an aerial in the attic, not thinking it was already gone out to the dish. I guess I could cut it and rejoin later if doing something else - once I knew the signal worked of course!

Gerry Wicklow

boardtc wrote: »

.... I had been hoping to use 1 of the feeds for an aerial in the attic, not thinking it was already gone out to the dish. I guess I could cut it and rejoin later if doing something else - once I knew the signal worked of course!

I'm open to correction on this but I was told, unlike normal satellite, you cannot piggyback onto a Sky Q coax as the frequencies overlap.

boardtc

Gerry Wicklow Good point, my setup is wired for RG6 coax cables which sky connects to in the attic. I guess I need to find that connections and disconnect one to use for the terrestrial aerial.

All advice appreciated so far! I can get a second hand X2 Amiko Alien Triple for 70 on done deal. From my reading it would seem to be the best combo box out there. Ideally I want to have a friendly EPG.

boardtc

Still trying to figure things out before making the purchase. If I want to also watch Netflix, can the Amiko Alien triple be updated? Or would connecting something like an Amazon Fire TV stick or phone/Chromecast be more viable?

Gerry Wicklow

For 20 quid more this is a vastly superior box than the AA2

boardtc

Thanks, @Gerry_Wicklow!

The Formuler F1 is Korean made and it reads well - see review - http://linux-tv.com/receiver/formuler-f1/. I like the world of satellite Price Match Promise. I like the sound of the EPG. What enigma flash would people recommend to go for?

For a box like that, I would have expected to be able to add an internal hard drive though one has to add via USB. My understanding is that you can use a USB key for live pause and SD typically uses 1 GB per hour & HD 5GB ph - that would be grand. Update: turns out there is a full SD slot under the front flap.

Update: Formuler have told me that you can install Kodi via OpenViX plugin feeds, they have also said that no linux Enigma 2 receiver supports Netflix.

To have terrestrial I would need the DVB-T option so that would mean 114 euros (St 100) with shipping. Food for thought!

Gerry Wicklow

Have a search through the satellite and terrestrial forums theres plenty of discussion lately on these matters. I doubt you'd get internal HDD in this price range. USB keys or SD cards are not recommended for live pause (timeshift) because you are continuously recording to the disc.