nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Cost-Effective, High-Functionality, User-Friendly Replacement for Pay TV

NewClareman

Many customers of Pay TV companies are reluctant to consider subscription-free alternatives. The fear they will lose ease of use and a wide range of additional features - ending up with a "bargain basement" solution. That need not be the case.

This thread describes a high-functionality, feature-rich, alternative to Pay TV solutions. From a usability perspective, it compares very favourably to products from the main PayTv providers. It is designed to be user-friendly and suitable for general home/family use.

The solution is based on a customized Tiviar AlphaPlus set top box. The Tiviar AlphaPlus is a highly capable cable TV Box, with a large range of features. It is available with storage for about 1000 hours of programs, for around €200. However, it is complex to use for the general family, with a big learning curve.
To manage the usability issue, I have configured a simplified GUI to make it much more user friendly. Following substantial feedback this version has finally passed the wifey test. Given the amount of help I have got on this forum, I thought it only fair that I would make the image generally available. I have started a new thread to keep what is a substantial amount of information, easily accessible.

The attached image supports:

• All Popular Free-to-Air TV Channels (Irish + UK Satellite) with 7 day EPG
• Catch-Up TV (RTE Player and 3 Player, in Ireland)
• Satellite and Terrestrial Radio with 7 day EPG
• Internet Radio Stations with covers and track information.
• Film Playback with Covers, ratings and descriptions.
• Music Playback with Covers.
• Photo Viewing, With Slideshow
• Series Recordings assigned to folders to avoid recordings clutter
• TV Picture-In-Picture
• Apps for Tablets and Smartphones (3rd Party)

Design Criteria

• Intuitive to use, with low learning curve.
• Advanced Features for Sophisticated Users
• Emphasis on consumer information, rather than technical data.
• Single button to access popular functions.
• Single remote to control TV + STB – with simple usage.
• Insulated from user mis-operation – e.g. accidentally accessing technical features.
• Must pass the Wifey test!

The updated software, and any future updates, is available here
It only takes a few minutes to install and requires minimal setup, afterwards.

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

sligojoek

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Would a standard indoor aerial be ok for the Saorview channels?

As the lads said, it depends on your location. There's a checker on the saorview site.

I'm lucky enough to be able to see the very tip of Truskmore although I'm only 7 km away. I can get saorview with a rabbits ears sitting om the floor. Before they raised the mast I wasn't able to get the analogue transmission at all. Broke my heart to give Sky 30 or 40 quid a month just to get RTE.

NewClareman

Milsey wrote: »

Hi thanks for the image. I've been running it since yesterday and it's a keeper. Two questions. In the movie browser there is thousands of movies listed with no link. I presume it's your movie library that I don't have. How do I delete it. I cannot find how.
Also when I power off and on again the channel goes back to channel one. I cannot find where to change that it starts with the last channel watched. I just can't come across the setting.
Thanks in advance.
Oh and I had to delete a load of timers that had been set. No biggie. Loving the e2i player.

Glad you like it.
By the way, that isn't the latest image, which had all timers deleted.

Yes that is my database of films, should have removed it.
To delete it:

Open Movie Browser
Open Menu
Scroll to "Reset Database", and set to "Yes"
Hit Green Button (Save) and Exit.

(Note: The database updates daily, so should have reset, by now.)

To remove (RTE1) startup service:

Press the down button (below the OK button)
Select the Bouquet with the startup service (Main TV Channels) => Hit Enter.
Highlight the channel to be removed (RTE1), from the list.
Hit Menu and enter code (0000)
Select "stop using as startup service"
Hit enter

(Note: The same process, in reverse, sets a startup service.)

NewClareman

aka7 wrote: »

Hi All,
Tiviar box with openatv to be delivered ... Just to clarify:
To be able to play-pause-play live tv and maybe record, beside hard-drive, do I need 2 separate cables all the way from lnb to the back of Tiviar (LNB IN tuners 1&2)?
No way to combine the 2 cables into one and split again to save on the cabling job ?

You can use a single cable to the Tiviar, once you have a Unicable LNB. (I have used this with other boxes, and it works great.)

If you're buying a Unicable LNB, it would do no harm to check that the manufacturer is one of those listed in the installation setup. (A good number are listed, including Humax, Inverto, Megasat, Schwaiger, Telestar and Triax.)

Sorry for the late reply, missed this previously.

LeinsterLegend

NewClareman wrote: »

If you're buying a Unicable LNB, it would do no harm to check that the manufacturer is one of those listed in the installation setup. (A good number are listed, including Humax, Inverto, Megasat, Schwaiger, Telestar and Triax.)

I'm literally typing this waiting for the Sat install guy. I have the Tivilar here waiting to go. Thank you so much for the image!

I'm getting unicable installed, its a GT-Sat lnb. Have you split the cable so you are connected to both Sat in tuners? Thanks.

NewClareman

LeinsterLegend wrote: »

I'm getting unicable installed, its a GT-Sat lnb. Have you split the cable so you are connected to both Sat in tuners? Thanks.

There a link cable in the box to connect lnb1 out to lnb2 in. I haven’t used Unicable with this box, but that should work. If you’re having issues, I posted the original Tiviar manual, online. The connections should be the same with this software.

Let us know how you get on, please.

vidapura

NewClareman wrote: »

You can use a single cable to the Tiviar, once you have a Unicable LNB. (I have used this with other boxes, and it works great.)

If you're buying a Unicable LNB, it would do no harm to check that the manufacturer is one of those listed in the installation setup. (A good number are listed, including Humax, Inverto, Megasat, Schwaiger, Telestar and Triax.)

Sorry for the late reply, missed this previously.

Ohh wait a minute !!
I didn't realise you can use a Unicable LNB with the Tiviar !!!

Thats very interesting.. !!!

I'd prefer not to have restrictions about what and when I can record...
So, I was going to buy a gigablue or something (more expensive) cos I thought I'd need an FBC tuner...

Can you record multiple channels simultaneously? Or is it just two?

While I'm on the subject.. I find more and more that I want to record two saorview channels at the same time rather than satellite channels...
Friday night I might want to record a match on TG4 and herself might have a soap coming on at the same time...
Would I need a dual T2 tuner box for that?
(was thinking Gigablue UHD UE 4K 2xDVB-S2 FBC and adding a twin hybrid T2 tuner)...

Thanks.. great thread.

LeinsterLegend

THanks NewClareman. I'll let you know. I took the day off to get it installed and they've just phoned to say they cant get to me today due to a weather related backlog - I'm v disappointed so they are seeing if they can get another installer for me (I'm not hopeful). When it gets installed I'll let you know how it goes.

@vidapura: The Tiviar is unicable compatible but does not have FBC tuners. THis means you can split the cable (on ordinary lnbs you cant) but you wont get all the virtual tuners an FBC tuner gives you. (at least that's my understanding from my own research but I'm a complete noob at this!)

murpho999

Hi all,

I'm seriously thinking of jumping to this but have a few questions.

1) I currently have Sky Q and see from posts that it needs a hybrid lnb. I get Sky via a shared dish on apartment block with no access to dish. When I upgraded to Sky last year the engineer did connect cables to some sort of junction box/transformer. Will this work with box?

2) Everybody mentions Tiviar box but I see it's from 2013. Is that not dated at this stage?

Is it easy to install. I'm handy enough but know nothing about this. So just connect box to dish and saorview. Install image and that's it apart from settings?

Johnboy1951

2) Everybody mentions Tiviar box but I see it's from 2013. Is that not dated at this stage?

Yes it is a bit dated ....... but it was at its release a great specification and very costly.
Since then it has reduced considerably in price and the hardware is still good by todays standards.

Last year it was finally hacked so that different operating systems could be used on it, hence the 'revival'.

So now, with a different image(OS) and good hardware, it is one of the better options available in its price range.

The high horse brigade

I think it was originally 400 quid without a drive in 2013

Johnboy1951

The high horse brigade wrote: »

I think it was originally 400 quid without a drive in 2013

Yes
http://linux-tv.com/receiver/tiviar-alpha-plus/

Option to fit Internal SATA HDD 2.5″

trabpc

Beginning to think I have an issue with the box itself. I simply cannot get it to pick up the image from the usb or any usb port on the rear. I've downloaded the image and extracted it. Formatted the drive in fat 32 and copied across the extracted folder. All box will do is boot up and go straight to default installation looking for language settings then scanning for satellites etc.
Note.ive no HDD yet installed , nor is it connected to aerial or sat feeds I assume it should flash without been connected to these?
Tried 7 usb keys even bought an 8 GB Kingston.
Any ideas?

The high horse brigade

trabpc wrote: »

Beginning to think I have an issue with the box itself. I simply cannot get it to pick up the image from the usb or any usb port on the rear. I've downloaded the image and extracted it. Formatted the drive in fat 32 and copied across the extracted folder. All box will do is boot up and go straight to default installation looking for language settings then scanning for satellites etc.
Note.ive no HDD yet installed , nor is it connected to aerial or sat feeds I assume it should flash without been connected to these?
Tried 7 usb keys even bought an 8 GB Kingston.
Any ideas?

Can you confirm that the usb only contains a folder named tiviaraplus, in which there are only the update files, nothing else. And that you're trying with the usb port at the back of the box. Also that you're pressing power when prompted on the display while the box is booting

trabpc

Yes that's the only folder. I'm not getting prompt on box to press white button. Which usb port at rear. There is 3 on back?
I've tried all 4 USB ports. I get the following messages on start up:

L1.16
Start 1
Time Calibration
Installation guide

Box never prompts to press white button

Barr

I'm still humming and hawing about going for this box , not brave enough to pull the trigger yet.

Few questions to help give me a push :pac:

-Will I be able to record saorview

-Is the recording series linked

-Is it full hd 1080p

-The tv3 app is gone , will the virgin media one work

sligojoek

Yes to the first three.

Not sure about the tv3/Virgin thing. I'm not at home to check.

NewClareman

vidapura wrote: »

Ohh wait a minute !!
I didn't realise you can use a Unicable LNB with the Tiviar !!!

Thats very interesting.. !!!

I'd prefer not to have restrictions about what and when I can record...
So, I was going to buy a gigablue or something (more expensive) cos I thought I'd need an FBC tuner...

Can you record multiple channels simultaneously? Or is it just two?

While I'm on the subject.. I find more and more that I want to record two saorview channels at the same time rather than satellite channels...
Friday night I might want to record a match on TG4 and herself might have a soap coming on at the same time...
Would I need a dual T2 tuner box for that?
(was thinking Gigablue UHD UE 4K 2xDVB-S2 FBC and adding a twin hybrid T2 tuner)...

Thanks.. great thread.

The tuner is not wideband, as stated earlier. However, you can watch/record up to three satellite stations, once two are on the same transponder. You can simultaneously watch/record one terrestrial channel.

I hear you re supporting multiple terrestrial channels - I get the same from Wifey. The box supports a second terrestrial tuner , via usb. I’m going to order one of these, over the next week. (I have one, but it’s not compatible.) Some have a standard coax socket at the rear, giving an ok solution.

NewClareman

@Barr The three app is throwing an error, stating that ad blockers are not allowed.

Barr

NewClareman wrote: »

@Barr The three app is throwing an error, stating that ad blockers are not allowed.

Shame about that , thanks for checking

davidm20

I thought while watching one sat channel and recording from another I needed two sat feeds.

From the manual...

Satellite Dish Connection
Connect the cable from the satellite dish to LNB IN of TUNER 1. In most situations,
connect LNB OUT of TUNER 1 to LNB IN of TUNER 2 using the loopthrough
cable. Only when two satellite dishes are available without any multi-dish switch,
users should connect the cable from the other dish to LNB IN of
TUNER 2.

What would their config achieve?

NewClareman

davidm20 wrote: »

I thought while watching one sat channel and recording from another I needed two sat feeds.

From the manual...

Satellite Dish Connection
Connect the cable from the satellite dish to LNB IN of TUNER 1. In most situations,
connect LNB OUT of TUNER 1 to LNB IN of TUNER 2 using the loopthrough
cable. Only when two satellite dishes are available without any multi-dish switch,
users should connect the cable from the other dish to LNB IN of
TUNER 2.

What would their config achieve?

If you have a Unicable feed, from an LNB or Multiswitch, it would allow you watch/record up to three satellite channels, from two different transponders.

With a standard feed it would allow you watch/record up to three satellite channels, from the same transponder.

NewClareman

trabpc wrote: »

Yes that's the only folder. I'm not getting prompt on box to press white button. Which usb port at rear. There is 3 on back?
I've tried all 4 USB ports. I get the following messages on start up:

L1.16
Start 1
Time Calibration
Installation guide

Box never prompts to press white button

I never saw those messages, is there any chance the box is still on the original Fortis OS. When the box is booted up, and showing a channel, what is shown on the display?

trabpc

Seller advised box is blank and said best image was openatv on email to me when I asked what image was onboard

Gerry Wicklow

trabpc wrote: »

Seller advised box is blank and said best image was openatv on email to me when I asked what image was onboard

If your box has openATV already why not let it install properly and see exactly what you have. If it IS openATV you will be able to install or upgrade from within the OS itself.

NewClareman

trabpc wrote: »

Seller advised box is blank and said best image was openatv on email to me when I asked what image was on-board

All I can think of is that the box is still on the original Fortis OS Operating System. I am posting the instructions to convert from this, in the next post. (This is what I would attempt, but use at your own risk.

)

NewClareman

The following steps are adapted from the Open ATV Forum, and are reproduced here for convenience, only. I have never converted a stb from the Fortis OS and cannot stand over their veracity.

1) Download the “cfe-tiviaraplus_to_Enigma2-20171020.zip” file,
from the directory at start of this thread (post 1).
2) Format USB Stick (128 MB - 2 GB USB 2.0) as FAT32
3) Extract the zip file and copy the files to the USB Stick
4) Power off your Box with the rear power switch.
5) Disconnect any USB-HDD or WIFI Sticks from the Box
6) Connect the USB Stick to any free USB port (I use the front port, for convenience).
7) Press and hold the Channel Up Key on front of the Box and power on the box with rear power switch. (Note that this is not the “Power On” key with the white light.)
8) The front display will show download and after 2 sec "Complete".
(This means that the box can now be flashed with an Enigma2 Image.)
9) Power off the Box with the rear power switch

10) Download the most recent image, from the link at start of this thread (post1).
11) Flash the box, as described previously

trabpc

Looking at that linked thread it looks like my box is running Fortis. I'll let u know how it goes.

Tks

davidm20

NewClareman wrote: »

If you have a Unicable feed, from an LNB or Multiswitch, it would allow you watch/record up to three satellite channels, from two different transponders.

With a standard feed it would allow you watch/record up to three satellite channels, from the same transponder.

Balls, I just renovated and AFAIK got standard coaxial cable run from the SAT in...

Approx how many transponders are on Astra?

trabpc

trabpc wrote: »

Looking at that linked thread it looks like my box is running Fortis. I'll let u know how it goes.

Tks

Thanks allot all up and running now. Found an old 128 mb usb key and got it ready for flashing. Great stuff. Thanks again.

NewClareman

trabpc wrote: »

Thanks allot all up and running now. Found an old 128 mb usb key and got it ready for flashing. Great stuff. Thanks again.

Glad to help.