Free to air Irish and UK channels

Gardening wrote:

Hi Can anyone recommend an installer for the free to air Irish and UK channels that all come through one recordable box in Waterford city please. Need aerial and dish. Thanks

I can only ever think of toner electronics in these situations, but I'd imagine there's other installers out there, even though I'm sure the folks in toner are just fine. I think I could be going for an android box myself soon

Gardening wrote: »

Hi
Can anyone recommend an installer for the free to air Irish and UK channels that all come through one recordable box in Waterford city please. Need aerial and dish.
Thanks

As mentioned already there are loads of boxes out on the market. If you dont want the hassle of retuning boxes from time to time then id suggest a freesat box over a generic free to air box.

If you arent anyway tech savvy keep away from Linux based boxes as they can take some playing around with to get working the way you want so again id go with a freesat box.

Humax do a fantastic range of fresat pvrs with on demand players pre installed. Manhattan also do a good freesat non pvr box if pause/rewind/series link isnt your preference.

Combo boxes in this country are not really a reliable way of watching tv as there is no good box on the market. Unfortunately imo to have a good stable system without much maintenance or setup then a freesat box and a saorview box/tv is the way to go.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

You will not get a 'Freesat' approved box that does what you specified unfortunately.

BUT, with a little effort you can get a Linux box, for which someone else has done most of the work, and write their image on the box, to get all and more than you have specified.

There is a lot of reading here if interested

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057827739

and an image provided by a Boards member

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057925678

All it requires is that you set up the correct Saorview mast and all should work.
If you have the box before the installer arrives you can have it prepared for testing.

Lad named Noel did our TV installation. Installed a satellite and a saorview receiver. I can PM his number if you want?

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

You will not get a 'Freesat' approved box that does what you specified unfortunately.

BUT, with a little effort you can get a Linux box, for which someone else has done most of the work, and write their image on the box, to get all and more than you have specified.

There is a lot of reading here if interested

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057827739

and an image provided by a Boards member

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057925678

All it requires is that you set up the correct Saorview mast and all should work.
If you have the box before the installer arrives you can have it prepared for testing.

To be fair its fine getting a Linux box already setup the issues arise when the image develops problems. Unless a person has the patience and know how these issues can be a pain in the ass. From my experience of doing satellite systems most people just want it in with minimal setup or configuration and Linux boxes can sometimes be well outside those requirements.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Yes sometimes they can ...... particularly when people attempt to do things like change settings they have no knowledge of, or use alpha and unproven software.

In my experience where users have access to stuff they can change they must take responsibility for their actions ....... it is not the fault of the box as if they left it as it was it would continue to work without problems.

In addition, the box I linked to has a complete setup provided by a Boards member, and quite well locked down, to help prevent this type of problem.

Having multiple boxes and multiple remotes and probably multiple HDDs to be able to record from more than one box, is anything but ideal, and does not fulfil the OP's initial request.

The ability to use one remote, one STB and have all the available channels on a list that is user configurable, 7 day EPG, autotuning when channels move frequency, sufficient tuners to allow record and view from different muxes/transponders and one HDD to record to, makes perfect sense.
If you can suggest a STB that provides those please post a link.
I know a lot of people who would be interested.

Im not so sure why you are being so hostile when some one posts a reply which doesnt necessarily go with your suggestion? Another poster commented on what they had installed and by whom yet you say its not what the op is looking for. Well the funny thing is people are allowed come up with alternative solutions which the op might just sway toward.

I never said Linux wasnt the way to go. I use Linux on my laptop so i know the ways around a Linux based system. I said it can have issues, issues which most people may not have the know how to rectify therefore it may not be the best way forward for the op. Just because you can do it doesnt mean others can. I could do it but i dont as i don't feel it is worth the effort.

I have a freesat box and a saorview tv. Does me the finest. I have installed many systems like i have at home myself and i have only been back to one place due to an issue. That issue was due to rain fade not a tech failure. 5 mins to rectify instead of half and hour or more on a Linux box depending on the problem.

If the op wants to go down the road of Linux then fair play if they dont then we are merely giving suggestions as to what they could do.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

My post was not hostile.

Yes you suggest an alternative ...... but for some reason omitted to explain the compromises involved in accepting that alternative.
The same happened with another suggestion.

Information is empowering, so let the user decide what compromises they are willing to accept by detailing what they are.

Because I did that I was hostile?

OK.

For the OP ...... if you do decide to use a Linux box the main drawback of doing so is that you personally are responsible for the software on that box and not some seller somewhere that you can complain to.
The hardware is of course under warranty.

If you buy an alternative couple of boxes, as suggested, then the supplier is responsible for them being serviceable when you get them, and suited to the purpose for which they were bought. There will be usage compromises to be made with the alternatives as explained in previous posts.

Some people are willing to compromise on usage to not have the responsibility for the software themselves; others are not.
Apparently you cannot have both ..... or so far no one has suggested there is a box that provides what your stated needs are without personal responsibility.

I hope that clarifies things a bit.

Im sure the op will see the difference in set up and maintenance for a Linux system in that thread you linked and i would not be surprised if they decided not to go down that route due to the steps involved.

The route i suggested is by far the easiest to install and maintain for the average end user. Again i am not saying the system you linked to is bad but it has far more pitfalls than a conventional setup.

You also say how a person becomes personally responsible for the software yet with an install by a pro there could be a warranty or after sales service which many folks would prefer. I work in a job where people dont want to know how a system works they just want it working. I guess the same can be said for tv systems.

Also your post to me came across as hostile as you wanted me to link to a box which could do something which i never claimed in the first place. All i suggested was a freesat/saorview system. I never said there was such a box i think you will find i said system.

padraig.od wrote: »

Lad named Noel did our TV installation. Installed a satellite and a saorview receiver. I can PM his number if you want?

padraig.od wrote: »

Single box, recordable

Apologies if I misunderstood your post as two boxes when only one was provided.

www.ferguson.eu make good boxes that are both saorview & FTA Satellite.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Of course I fully agree with that.
Administering/taking responsibility for the installation on any device is outside some people's (maybe probably a large number of people) comfort zone.

But moreso on a Linux based system over a conventional system.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Hahahahahahaha

See its good that we finally agreed.

Conventional equals freesat/free to air software against a Linux system ie it is the norm compared to the latter. Pretty simple difference to be fair so the terminology is applicable dont you think.

NewClareman wrote: »

I see where you’re coming from, but that’s not necessarily the case. The Linux based system that Johnboy1951 referred to is as simple to maintain as any system I’ve come across. The only setup required is to configure the local Saorview transmitter. Thats it - it only scans the correct frequencies. It updates the satellite channels automatically, and will also add any new Saorview channels. The only maintenance required is when the terrestrial frequencies change, even then it’s a simple operation.

The biggest issue with that box is that it appears to have ended productions d stocks are running low. I think you’d be pleasantly surprised if you tried one out. No reason why you couldn’t have even happier customers. -:)

Im not dismissing what Johnboy1951 suggested. At first he seemed to dismiss other peoples alternative suggestions. I was merely pointing out that a Freesat setup would be generally an easier to maintain system over a Linux system and that majority of end users want exactly that.

I know from using Linux based laptops how it operates and they are fine until something goes wrong or it needs to be re configured in some way and again most people would not have a clue nor do they care.

Im sure the system ye use to good so if it works for ye then good stuff. Some people might prefer to shy away from using it tho so alternative suggestions are good.

Have to agree with Alta Stare on this.

I have a linux based machine running Openvix and the thing was a nightmare to set up and has locked up solid a couple of times which required a reflash of the firmware. This is not what 99% of the population want or are willing to deal with.

A decent freesat box and a separate saorview box is a far more manageable proposition.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I know from the number of help requests I get from users of Windows based PCs that they are fine until something goes wrong or it needs to be re configured in some way and again most people would not have a clue nor do they care.

This is also true.

I have no idea what the relevance is though.

The relevance is simple, Linux based systems are a bit more difficult to maintain for the average user compared to a Windows or Freesat based system. The platform is irrelevant its the OS i am referring to.