Is the satellite tuner on the Sony XH85 range any good?

deezell

The Freesat implementation is a basket case. I rescanned the Freesat tuner, but just clicked channel update. There were no new channels, so unsurprisingly the EPG didn't populate at all, only a few now/next would appear if you left it long enough. Over a few days the now/next list improved, but when I casually switched to the general Satellite tuner, it was populated for 7 days, on almost every channel. It's not updating daily of course, but has 7 days right now, had 8 last night ( Sun to Sun). Theres obviously software bugs in the EPG code, it doesn't know when or where to place the data tables assuming its even accessing them routinely from the EPG feeds on Astra.

championc

Is your set now set to being Irish ? I looked at my EPG over the weekend and it was certainly populated for up to about 48 hrs ahead. I have my tv set to a UK postcode, so all my Irish channels are in the 800's.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134917#Comment_119134917

It was joint Irish and UK using @byte's bodge, described on page two of this thread. From a tv reset, start in region Ireland, tune Digital (terrestrial) tuner, hit the back button right back to region, select UK, then proceed to tune Satellite and/or Freesat. Digital remains in Rou region, Saorview format, while satellite is UK, this showing Freesat option. If you ever have to retune Digital, you have to reset to get the region option, which means losing all your Netflix etc sign ins, a pain. Otherwise, Digital will now retune as 800+, unsorted, but easily sorted and renumbered to 0001 for Rte1 etc.

I had to do this as I was having severe interference on ch 35 Rte1 mux from Kippure, which after a chat with 2RN guy would seem to be atmospheric propagation CCI from Manchester ch35. Partner Rte2 mux on 34 was perfect. I also had a good signal from 3Rock on ch33, but poor in Rte2 ch30. These are tuned and stored in pairs by the Irish region Saorview setting, I.e. 30 and 33 from 3Rock or 34 and 35 from Kippure. Manually adding 33 was ignored. Disabling and enabling Digital reset the tuner, but now its in UK region, which facilitated mixing transmitters, ch33 and 34, which were all over the shop at 800 but easily sorted.

lenovo1

Just checking in on this. Does anyone have an update.

It seems the freesat works but doesn't refresh each day so you need to rescan? Which is a long way from ideal. Just want to set it up and leave it.

Does Saorview and fta work fine? Just get now and next?

Thinking Saorview on tv and freesat box could be solution. Do freesat boxes let you add free to air?

deezell

There are official Freesat boxes which will retrieve the freesat 7 day epg and tune in all the freesat astra channels. I'm not sure how they will tune the non freesat listed channels, probably on a 'Other channels' list. Some have UK freeview tuners as well, which is capable of receiving Saorview, though it won't be numbered or sorted correctly. Heres one cheap as chips BUT, you'll have to certain it has a licenced freesat decoder, otherwise you'll just get now next. Freesat enabled satellite only receivers are generally more expensive, and were fir a long time not available in a combi with terrestrial. The Linux type combis were capable using a series of online apps.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeview-Satellite-Receiver-Television-Terrestrial/dp/B08L9HX7RJ/ref%3Dmp_s_a_1_3?crid=2RCXU7YM6AXBE&keywords=freesat+receiver&qid=1658326191&sprefix=freesat+receiver+%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-3

Freetv.ie do this freesat only one, its not that cheap.

https://www.freetv.ie/freesat-box/

vidapura

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119358860#Comment_119358860

Ehh not sure what you mean about not refreshing.

It does work fine for me .. I get a 7 day EPG on both Freeview and Saorview.

Recording is not massively reliable and of course pausing in still complete pants.. so its still a sh**e telly in my view...

lenovo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119423981#Comment_119423981

Are you near the North to get Freeview. I think the issue is with Freesat refreshing.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119423981#Comment_119423981

It doesn't do timeshift at all even with pants. Not part of it's spec. The rec/play/pause workaround is just that, a bodge. The issue with FreeSAT updating is frustrating, there's no real solution out there yet, it may well have to do with regional issues. A poster here got the set replaced under warranty for this issue, but hasn't posted if the replacement consistently updates Freesat.

Some of the main reasons for purchase is Android apps, mixed epg, and the ability to fudge regions. Samsung broke my heart trying to shift from RTE1 to BBC1, eleven button presses, and the one which changed tuners seemed like a reboot, such was the thunk and pause before the choice of tuner presented.

columt

Just checking back on this thread.

Thanks for sharing all your findings @deezell - all useful information.

FYI - I didn't bother taking Sony up on their offer of a replacement TV - having 2 such problematic TVs I'd zero confidence in that offering any improvement. For now I continue to use my old Humax box for my occasional sat recording requirements.

I like to dream that Sony my decide to fix their crappy software - but I'm not holding my breath.

deezell

Yes, I'd thought about that too, what with 5 year warranty, but realistically, I just don't watch enough satellite broadcast TV to endure the hassle of a probably pointless return. We're not really entitled to Freesat epg, it's a UK postcode feature. I strongly suspect it's tied in software in some way with the Live/On demand app that I can't seem to shut off, and which afaik requires some element of Freeview to he available, which only happens if you live on the border.. Freesat and Freeview are merging have I also read? It doesn't matter, a quick retune of the Freesat program group seems to kick the epg off, and give me full 7 day epg, counting down. It also transfers to the Satellite tuned group, which includes extra channels not displayed under Freesat.

I bought the TV specifically for the quick channel switching, and the android features. I've downloaded a different android browser which seems bulletproof for watching live streams (not a dodgy box sub) of certain sports without constant interruptions from ads/porn. Did you know Jim Beglin is a much sought live commentator on US and SA feeds of football. Also the BBC Iplayer, Netflix, (shared family sub while it's still possible), and YouTube would fill up my viewing time, with Saorview for the rest. I don't record stuff at all. If I do it's to grab a clip of something to send to someone, and I'll do that on the SAB Linux box, as you can't download or copy the encrypted recorded files from the Sony HDD, or serve them out over the network. With the Linux box just find the disk share on your pc or phone and there's all your recordings.

I devour YouTube, I've just done my own automatic transmission fluid/filter and underbody fuel filter change on the car thanks to it. Cost me €64 for fluid and filters. €400 at dealers. Upgraded my car media system to Android Auto/ Carplay/Google maps also, completely free thanks to YT. It pays to watch it!

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119645121#Comment_119645121

Sorry can you help me understand what you mean by this:

It doesn't matter, a quick retune of the Freesat program group seems to kick the epg off, and give me full 7 day epg, counting down. It also transfers to the Satellite tuned group, which includes extra channels not displayed under Freesat.

Do you retune once a week and get the 7 day guide? I just have FTA channels and it doesn't even fully populate now and next. I understood I would have to reset to tune in Freesat and wouldn't want to do that weekly due to apps.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119653171#Comment_119653171

You don't have to reset the TV to do a manual retune. If you go into Settings/Channels/Channel setup/Auto Tuning/ you can scroll across to the Freesat Set Up, from there you can Disable it or Set up again.

Sometimes I think disabling it and then reinstating it made the EPG restore faster, but Set Up seems to work too after a while.

You'll then be asked to "Scan channels to set up new channel List" Yes to that

"Use the current Satellite Antennae Config". Yes to that

"Enter your postcode" put in a UK or NI postcode, or skip

Finally, "Scan using Freesat channels" yes to this, it sits at 1% for a few seconds, then completes in a flash, unlike a full generic Satellite scan which takes ten minutes or more.

When you return to the EPG, it may not populate immediately, but selecting different channels briefly, especially odd ones in the upper band of the Astra spectrum, you should see program info extend beyond Now/Next. Selecting Sky Arts seemed to help fill it quickly. As I've only one sat feed to the TV, it would in theory need to be on the correct band to pull the epg data, but I'm unsure exactly what's happening in the software. Pressing the blue button to advance by a day responds eventually with a full EPG for next days. You can see in the next images how I have EPG on the 23rd, and the 30th. Unfortunately, I've yet to be able to get this to update daily, so it runs out in a week, hence my 'countdown' comment. Some images to help.

No Freesat EPG.

Today's EPG

Next Fridays EPG

deezell

In relation to the above, If you've set region as Ireland, the Freesat option won't appear alongside Digital, Cable, General Satellite. In that case a reset is required to change the region to UK, to display Freesat tuning option

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119656136#Comment_119656136

That's for detailed response. I'll have to have a better look when home.

But do I need to set the TV to Ireland to get Saorview channels? Do you have rte etc for 7day EPG by having it set to UK?

The reset as you show it isn't too bad to do once a week.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119656311#Comment_119656311

You can bodge it by setting it to region Ireland, setup and tune Digital (Saorview terrestrial) , then without leaving the tuner setup, hit the back button until you are back to the region, change to UK, the go forward and you can tune general satellite and Freesat. Set up Freesat, and option ally General satellite. Digital will be tuned with correctly numbered Saorview channels, while theTV will present as a UK tuner for satellite. This bodge due to @byte on page two if this thread, with images, have a look. If you tune entirely in UK region, Saorview numbering will begin at 800 and be all over the place, as the tuner expects Freeview channels, but is easily sorted and renumbered.

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119656820#Comment_119656820

Last question.

Given you are the in UK mode is rte player and VM app available from the app store?

I guess it could be side loaded? RTE is probably the only one I'd use.

deezell

I'd no problem loading RTE player, or VM. They show up on the play store app. I still had to sideload BBC iplayer, as it knew from IP that I was in the wrong region. Once loaded you still have to spoof the Domain Name Server, otherwise programs won't play. I use HIDEIPVPN.com, they have a Smart DNS which is just a couple of IP addresses for DNS that you enter into a manual network configuration on your Telly, tablet or phone. Iplayer will work. Just using a VPN to UK doesn't seem enough, as well as having a data charge overhead sub.

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119658943#Comment_119658943

But if you go with a smartDNS, does RTE and VM apps work too ?

deezell

All works on mine. I'd had one hiccup when Netflix wouldn't connect. I reverted to DHCP, and I connected, then went back to Smart DNS and it continued to work. There was talk that Netflix were going to hit family shares across different addresses, but it still working fine.

championc

@deezell What Smart DNS are you using please ?

deezell

This one. Its the DNS only, not the VPN, which is more expensive. I don't know what I paid, or if its annual. It was trivial, and I don't recall paying anything since the original fee after the trial. Maybe its a standing order I don't even notice.

Works on TV and phone. It worked in my Samsung Qled also until I changed the region back to Ireland as the terrestrial EPG was nuts to sort. Weirdly, after the change, I retained the Freesat EPG on this set but lost the iplayer.

https://www.hideipvpn.com/free-smart-dns-trial/

deezell

Btw, there's a new channel on Saorview, VM4. It's been around a few weeks, never even knew about until an article decrying Saorview for dallying in adding it to the EPG. It's there on my region Ireland Samsung, Brian Kerr sounding off, but I'll have to manually add to my Sony as I lost region Ireland when I had to disable and retune it due to UK interference on one Mux ch35, which made it necessary to select seperate mux from Kippure and Three Rock. With Saorview running the show it always filled the EPG from all of one or the other, but due to my compromised location, my best options were ch34 Kippure (Rte2, etc) and ch33 (Three Rock, Rte1, etc). In UK mode my terrestrial tuner doesn't try to fill the EPG from only one mux, or fill it from the unwanted partner mux. Ch 35, which was suffering Co Channel Interference from UK 35 in Manchester. VM4 is lurking in the RTE1 mux for anyone needing to manually tune sat box or TV on UK region.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119662870#Comment_119662870

Where are you located that you're getting CCI from Manchester, Winter Hill I assume?

deezell

Near bog of Allen, the 2RN people had a look at some of my recorded screen images with superimposed signal strength and quality bars (help button on Sony does this), and recommended I change to Three Rock, as he figured it was ch 35 CCI. It's atmospheric dependent, but really annoying, signal strength might actually increase but quality turns to ****, then picture block pixellates. I though perhaps it was someone operating a cell phone booster. Or some kind of RT, but the CCi explanation made sense. I should know, I spent most of 1980 and 81 in the hills of West Ireland measuring the effects of the VHF band channel sharing which enabled the RTE2 TV introduction, without a nationwide UFH network.

A straight retune to 3 rock left me with under par ch30, hence the need to split twixt kippure and 3 Rock, 33 and 34. All tuned and sorted now on the Linux box and the Sony. Let's see if there's anything worth watching on it, they might use it for alternative champions/europa league match choices.

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119658943#Comment_119658943

Thanks. I'm up and running. Depending on how I go into it by Irish digital channels can appear in some sort of different EPG display. Looks a bit better but all the same.

I just made a favourites list of Digital, Freesat and CNN from regular satellite as it didn't seem to be on Freesat. Probably less than 20 channels.

But the built in players don't work. My understanding is they just need to receive UK digital once and they activate. Difficult thing to fool. Maybe but the TV in the back of the car and drive to the border and find somewhere to plug in :)

championc

I got the following SmartDNS entries and added them to the TV, but no joy with iPlayer. I gave the TV a reboot too

deezell

That's odd, do you have your network connection on static? Maybe disconnect from your router and reconnect. It may be a limitation of your isp, you may not have a 'real' external ip, though how that would affect connection im not sure. Make sure you sideloaded the correct iplayer app for android TV, not for Android mobile. https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/media-applications-technologies-for-the-bbc/bbc-iplayer-android-tv-2/bbc-iplayer-android-tv-2-0-4-5-release/

Youll need to sign up to BBC also at https://account.bbc.com

Regarding the other players, ITV, ch4, there isn't an easy way to get ITV hub as its known, All4 also not available as an android-for-tv app. I have an old Apple TV box, it has a working All4 app on it so that ticks that box. ITV hub is available as an app, but doesn't show on TV play store. I could download apk and try it, but first I tried the browser version. The sony's browser opened up the interface, let me log on, (registered on the phone beforehand), and I selected a live channel. Unfortunately no joy, just the trying-to-load four dots. Just to see, I switched my WiFi to a DHCP connection, at which point the itv hub scolded me for trying to connect outside the UK, so my Smart DNS was working to that point, but something is blocking the stream. Oddy the ITV hub app showed on my phone playstore, but was labelled unsuitable for my device. Undeterred, I tried it on my phones samsung browser, and it worked fine, Live ITV or on demand. If it works on the phone then it must be a quirk of the TV browser thats preventing it working on the TV, as the smart dns is definitely enabling the connection. I have an alternative browser on the TV I use for sports streams, very tight. In this case the problem was that the itv.com site looked to load cookies, but I think this browser doesn't do cookies

You can experiment with sideloading the itv hub app, and maybe get a vpn and smart dns app directly from the TV's play store. You could also try a different browser for android TV, but first you need to sort the DNS. If you try some of the vpn/dns apps in the sony's play store, and you get bbc iplayer working, then you can move on the other players. Happy fiddling!

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664691#Comment_119664691

The built in apps run for me. Well sort of. I can get ITV Hub to play. However no joy with BBC and Channel 4. What's surprising is that I can login to both. It's just at the play stage it doesn't work.

However a sideloaded BBC iPlayer does work. I guess it's different.

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119666300#Comment_119666300

Ah right, I'll go the side loaded route so. I was going into the built-in ones

Fake Tales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667477#Comment_119667477

Only issue is I don't think there is a sideload for All 4 available.

It's funny because it works on other devices in Ireland without any issues or need for VPN etc.