Is there a buyers guide for FTA Combo boxes?

greasepalm

Think Zgemma H7S can have full 7 day epg when setting up to download and enabling AutoBouquetMaker ABM for short + folders for channels like entertainment , news , hd channels , favourites.

Should be able to program it for Sony tv remote but never much bothered to program it.

Gerry Wicklow

The Zgemma H7S has full 7 day EPG for Sat and Terrestrial. Not sure about the TV remote working the box beyond switching it on/off. Likewise the box remote will switch on/off the TV if you want. I never explored beyond that in practice. Like many others I don't use the TV Smart functions as they were obsolete before it left the shop. The box does all I want.

Fake Tales

Thanks. Just interested in how it does that, it's fta not freesat right? Is it getting the epg from the internet?

Its a bit more experience than I'd hope. I agree with the smart features on a tv and have a Firestick. The Sony remote will control the Firestick which is handy. Doesn't feel like you are changing to a different device.

Would be nice to do everything with one remote.

Is there a cheaper option if I don't need to record.

I guess I could go with a freesat box and use the TV saorview. Is the Manhattan SX the best bang for the buck?

Gerry Wicklow

The EPG data is downloaded from the satellite. No internet needed. Generally cheaper boxes don't have a 7 day EPG or streaming abilities. Official Freesat boxes are more or less plug and play. Some of the lesser free channels and +1s are not on Freesat. Using the TV for Saorview and a Freesat box is perfectly viable but of course means switching inputs to go from one to the other. The enigma boxes have the advantage of Satellite and Saorview channels in the same list in any order you wish. Enigma also has the likes of series linking on Sat and Saorview, live pause for when the phone rings etc etc.

Zgemma €180 delivered on Amazon.de

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364350#Comment_120364350

I decided to go with a used ebay Humax HB-1100s instead because the remote control looks much better than the Manhattan. I got the non recorder venison but if the folks like it I might get the recorder version for the main room. There's loads of them on ebay.uk I won it at £42 and will have to pay custom and postage on top of that. It does have 7 day guide, I assume auto updates and has built in wifi. Has UK TV apps and youtube. I see the last software update for it is from 2022 so those should work for those with vpn.

AllForIt

Well the Humax arrived and It's pretty good except for one thing. To get to a non-freesat channel you have to go though multiple menu choices to go from freesat mode to set top box mode. And non-freesat mode doesn't even show a list of channels. What a pain. And I didn't know so many channels would be missing like CNN as I've never used freesat. The Manhattan seems to let you simply type in a non-freesat channel number to get to a non-freesat channel, I think after looking at a youtube demonstration. Oh well if they don't like it I can always sell it.

Páid

I recently got rid of Sky Q. I'm not sure which type of LNB is installed. I know it's wideband but I don't know if it's hybrid. The dish is attached to the chimney and I don't fancy going up there. There are two coaxials running to the TV room.

I have Saorview on my TV using an indoor aerial.

I've read a lot of threads on here but I'm not sure what my options are. What type of combo box should I go for? Will all of the boxes work with the wideband LNB's ?

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120512209#Comment_120512209

No possibly only 2 outputs on the lnb as a hybrid would have 6 and is only fitted if you ask for one as you are using a freesat box in another room.

Are you looking for 1 sat and 1 saorview or a treble tuner box.

Páid

I don't have a Freesat box in another room.

I already have Saorview on my TV via an indoor aerial. I'm just looking to plug the two coaxials into a satellite box and run a hdmi to the same TV.

I wouldn't mind having Saorview on a combo box either. I just want to be sure the lnb will work with whatever box I buy.

If it was beneficial I would replace the lnb with a hybrid. What advantage would that have?

swoofer

If the lnb has only 2 ouyputs then its a wideband only and will only work with sky q and the Freesat arris.

A hybrid lnb will give you 2 wideband outputs and 4 legacy outputs, the legacy will work with old sky hd boxes and any other satellite box.

So you need to change lnb and if you dont want to have the facility to upgrade to a sky q box in the future then get a box standard sky quad lnb.

Páid

So I can leave the lnb alone and get one of these https://northxsouth.ie/products/freesat-500gb-satellite-recorder-box?pr_prod_strat=use_description&pr_rec_id=5ca7b615c&pr_rec_pid=7989339750621&pr_ref_pid=7989341061341&pr_seq=uniform

Or I change the lnb, plug the existing coaxial cables into the legacy ports of the new hybrid lnb and I can use any satellite box.

Correct?

The Cush

Correct on both counts.

Páid

Is there a box that supports both wideband LNBs and Saorview?

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120538950#Comment_120538950

Saorview is an irish service via aerial and not a sat dish , indoor aerial if close or outside if further away.

Most people leave Sky Q of costs and dont want to go back and changing LNB is easier for other boxes to work

dubrov

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120538950#Comment_120538950

IF you want to avoid switching the LNB, you could get a multiswitch that takes a wideband LNB input and could supply multiple outputs to satellite receivers.

A lot of them take terrestrial inputs as well so you could add that and split at the receiver.

icdg

As far as I know the only FTA receiver that supports wideband LNBs is the Arris Freesat 4K range. That box is explicitly designed for the U.K. market and as such isn’t a combo box.