Best Combo box for Satellite, Saorview and with an ability to record series

dxhound2005

The NI map might be out of date, but you won't need an aerial that can get signals from 250 miles away for Freeview. Or Saorview. You could try that aerial, but you might find you need an outside one. There are two versions of Freeview, Full and Lite. Brougher Mountain is one of the three Full Freeview transmitters in the North, but some of the stations are on a lot lower power than the main BBC etc channels. The Lite transmitters e.g. Belcoo do not carry the full range of channels.

This is the coverage map for Brougher. If you replace the "Brougher_Mountain" in the address bar with other transmitters, including Saorview ones, you should get a coverage map for each.

https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Brougher_Mountain

https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Belcoo

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/52256/ulster_v2.2.pdf

Truskmore would probably be your Saorview transmitter.

https://2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2RN-DTT-Television-Transmission-Network-Sept-2019-Rev.1.2.pdf

https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Truskmore

AindrisBro

Thanks so much boys. I’ll send off that email tomorrow to them and let WOS know what to put on for me. Really appreciate the help @swoofer and I’ll check that channel out before I get the kit. @DXH thansk for that it’s good to know. My closest saorview transmitter is about 20-30km away in Longford. I’m out that side of things. So more or less squarely in between the freeview transmitter and the saorview view. One thing that did dawn on me there was we tried to get imagine broadband when we moved as it was in the area but they couldn’t as we where in a black spot and had we been 20m in either direction we would of gotten it?? We ended up with starlink instead and that’s been brilliant so I’m assuming whatever transmitter they work off is a different type and feq to the tv ones

AindrisBro

Had a friend of mine give me this https://www.screwfix.ie/p/visiblewave-4-output-universal-quad-lnb/734gv he never used it but said it should work according to the reviews for Freesat. Unsure about it as not much info on it and the fact it’s a universal not hybrid one..? waiting hopefully also for the guys at WOS to get back to me today about the preload image too.. hopefully should be set up by the end of the week.

swoofer

You don't need a HYBRID LNB and the one linked is ideal. I looked on WOS and it gives all the options ie it is an SSD = good, they will supply an USB and that is good, box will work better with epg saved to USB. As you are using a UK address delivery is cheap and you miss all the bits, cost will be about 168 euro and that is very good. 240 here and not setup very well.

I had a look at WOS and went through the process of ordering and it gives all the options ie which region, 2 tuners, ssd, usb.

AindrisBro

hi lads sorry for never replying. Got the box and ended up bed ridden before I could do anything. Went out today to try put the new lnb on and chatting my next door neighbour about him doing the same as me here and getting a Zgemma etc. we say his lnb and mine currently installed had 4 outlets and his had two. He is using the satellite that was there when he moved in. So looked up quickly and saw if it has 4 slots it’s a newer lnb and a hybrid. The one I bought has 4 connections on it side by side. This one has 2up 2down. Tried it on the box just now and got no signal at all. My question is does the connection in the lnb make a difference ie must be in certain ports? Or is it simply not a hybrid at all and I need to replace it with the one I bought? Or last one I have to do something on the box in order to allow to signal through? Thanks a lot lads if I can just save myself the hassle of getting up on a ladder it would be lot right now and the fact with the wind already I think I seen Mary poppins flying over the house earlier haha.

greasepalm

If Sky Q was in that house feeds would be different , Hybrid allows a freesat box or Zgemma to use the other feeds.

Does he have a sub with Sky i wonder , what box is he using ?

AindrisBro

that’s probably it then I have sky Q myself. Not sure if he has but he’s only in there I think 4 years or so. But I never asked him that. He may of just moved in and they didn’t touch his dish. So even tho it has 4 outlets it’s still not a hybrid lnb? Under pressure as sky goes off in a couple of days.. bad timing

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121977743#Comment_121977743

It could be a quad universal LNB - 4 legacy outputs or a hybrid LNB - 2 legacy outputs and 2 wideband SkyQ outputs

swoofer

If you currently have sky q and its working then its a wideband lnb and wont work with the zgemma box. If it has 4 outputs then use the 2 spare outputs and they may work. Sky q LNB usually has 2 outputs.

But you have me a bit confused when mentioning next door neighbour!! The big wind is tomorrow. Is the dish very high?

AindrisBro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121978133#Comment_121978133

sorry the neighbour was just to say looking at his lnb it simply has two outputs which are connected where mine has the 4. It’s in an awkward spot it’s on the corner of the house about 10ft up. Can reach over to it by putting the ladder on the trim but no direct way of putting myself directly underneath it with the lay out of the back wall etc. I’ll give that a go tho what you said there and swap the two ports as a test first. I can manage that quick enough. If not I know then it’s just a matter of replacing the lnb

swoofer

Can you take a pic of LNB on dish? 4 output for SKY Q is rare but you may be in luck.

I had a quick search and yes you can get them 2 for sky q and 2 for old SKY/FREESAT

Here is a pic.

gb2000.jpg

The 2 at the front are Sky Q, ie coloured red, black

AindrisBro

sorry for the delay literally just got in door. That’s exactly just went out with the torch to check except mine has a casing over the ports. But that’s it.. the two connections re the ones closest to the dish. So that’s the front I may just be in luck and all I need to do by the sounds of it is swap them around.

greasepalm

You do know your possibly wanting a box like the H7S that allows you to record sat and watch sat with 2 feeds.

Saorview with 1 tuner you could record and possibly watch Saorview on tv ?

AindrisBro

yes saorview is already hooked upto to the tv. Gonna swap it over to the H7S after I get the dish connection sorted before I go connect it and tune in that. The tv can record on its own with soarview which I’m tempted to leave there as there is very little I would ever need to record from saorview channels

swoofer

That cover is a weathershield and just piushes back up to access the lnb's. Its on the pic as well if you look closely, a little lip is visible. Those lnb connectors may be quite tight and may need a spanner to twist off. I have forgotten the spanner size but may figure it out later. Quite windy here in Clare, be careful.

greasepalm

Are they not 11mm F Connectors in size as that is beside my box. If old they could be corroded?

Put a splitter on Saorview feed as can have H7S ready to go on record.

Like yourself dont record much there but on Virgin i am recording Captivated.

Harry Wild on RTE.

AindrisBro

thanks very much lads. I’ll get up on the ladder tomorrow when it’s less wild. Crazy in Roscommon/Leitrim boarder right now dog won’t even go out cause he’s afraid. But that’s great I know the size now as well so less hassle going up to do it. Will update here when I have the job done thanks again boys

greasepalm

If you knew what box they were/ are on would also help.

illdoit2morrow

Slightly off topic.

I've been a Freesat and Saorview user for years now, but have recently moved into a new-to-me house.
Is it still worth getting a dish and aerial on the new-to-me house? Will i get 10+ years out of it, not having to pay a subscription for TV channels or is the end in sight?

My TV has a satellite and Aerial connection but I'm also considering a combo box if it'll still be useable for a good few years.

swoofer

The best value combo box is the Zgemma H7S. How long is a piece of string.

decor58

What does it cost to install a dish and aerial, would you install it yourself, aerial, dish and cabling 100e approx, what do contractors charge. The current fleet of satellite dishes are near end of life, 3-5 years, the PSB's would probably be obliged to find alternative satellite coverage to continue satellite broadcasting for a few years after that, due to the absence of national terrestrial coverage and the quality of broadband coverage. What would a subscription service cost for the 5, 7, or maybe even 10 years, even allowing for the difference in the fta v subscription services.

AindrisBro

just a quick update got it sorted finally today. While balancing on the ladder and holding the roof I swapped the leads around and all is good have 95% of the channels coded in and all seems to be working well. Thanks again for all the help lads and I’m sure I’ll be wreaking your brains with questions on the other forum for Zgemma haha

greasepalm

I think its worth having a sat and aerial as long as you check first for anything in the line of sight , trees or buildings in the way?

Rick_

Sorry to jump into the thread, but just looking to check if this H7S is still considered the best box for those looking to receive Saorview, Freeview HD, FTA 28.2E and 19.2E (through DiSEqC) in the one fully customisable EPG - i.e. custom channel numbers/order, custom channel names etc.

I am after a box that will allow me to stream the channels/EPG to other TV's in the house over the network without having to change any of the physical dish setup. The extra TV's won't be used a lot but when they are, the small number of channels available is pitiful so if I was able to receive everything from the main TV but elsewhere in the house that would be a godsend.

Gerry Wicklow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122014978#Comment_122014978

I have mine setup just like that with 13, 19, 28 and terrestrial. all available to anything with a browser on my home network. Listings can be ANY combinations in any order you like. You can also control, set timers, search epgs etc over network.
H7S is still best bang for buck IMO. You can get better built boxes at twice the price for minimal extra features.

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122014978#Comment_122014978

What you are asking for is SAT-IP. Few German manufacturers but it never caught on over here. This can all get fairly complex to setup but it's good and versatile when you do.

Rick_

Sat-IP seems very expensive for all I'm looking. If the H7S offers me the ability the very odd time to go to the web browser on a different TV and log in so I can watch something in another room without needing cables and extra equipment installed then that's good enough for me.

Gerry Wicklow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122023909#Comment_122023909

Needless to say you can also access anything recorded on the box in a similar manner.

dam099

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122023909#Comment_122023909

Using a web browser is probably not that user friendly, while I appreciate usage might be infrequent if your smart tv App Store has any IPTV apps you can download you should be able to configure it to access streams on your H7S. I do this with LG TVs and a Gigablue receiver.

swoofer

Can you say the app you are using on the lgtv and will it work with an app on say a firestick?