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Walker Saorview HD is it any good

  • 17-02-2011 8:07am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 45


    I want to purchase a saorview receiver. This seems like a good bet but I have one query, if I connect a hard drive to the usb will it act like a pvr. Or are there better options. Any advice would be most welcome.

    http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP11DT&brands=WALKER


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    It is not a PVR. It's only a receiver. http://www.saortv.info/terrestrial-saorview/saorview-reception/

    Almost none of the receivers that take external HDD or USB memory Stick are "proper" PVRs (i.e. dual Tuners, internal Drive, Series Link, MHEG5).

    IMO you need Dual Tuners and MHEG5 for a proper PVR. If the TV has DTT (Compatible with Irish Digital even if not Saorview Certified), then like VHS you only need one tuner and could perhaps use external HDD. An External HDD is a much less reliable option than internal HDD in some cases.

    Even in the single Tuner case you may need MHEG5 for series link. It's likely RTE will add an MHEG5 EPG with Series Link for PVRs. A Dual tuner gives ability to have overlapped recordings on more than one Mulitplex (There will be at least a 2nd Mux, and there are allocations for 6).

    MHEG5 is mandatory part of spec.

    I'd recommend anyone really interested in PVR to wait till June/July. They may then be able to record all UK FTA TV and Irish TV on a single dual tuner Satellite box/PVR. Also we should know what is needed for Series Link.


  • Registered Users Posts: 395 ✭✭jamescc


    i have the walker w11 box i think . i have connected a usb/hard drive to it does not record and will only play a film for a few mins and then stops working

    wait till full launch get a better deal


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 deco76


    Thanks for the info Watty, most helpful.

    My tv is a UK bought Panasonic, it has DVB but it won't pick up the Saorview channels (it picks up the radio channels) so I was looking for a dtt receiver as I'm in an apartment and dtt is the only option at the moment.

    I can hold off till June for a proper PVR but in the meantime do you have any advice for a cheapish dtt receiver?


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    A non-PVR UK "Freeview HD" (not freeview). Refurbished (i.e. returned) Tesco is about £36 from "tesco direct" or "Tesco Outlet" (forget which), pristine models from a variety of UK outlets from about £40 or £50. So about €15 to €30 cheaper than a Saorview certified Walker (€90).


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 deco76


    Thanks for your help watty


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 Justin Case III


    deco76 wrote: »
    I want to purchase a saorview receiver. This seems like a good bet but I have one query, if I connect a hard drive to the usb will it act like a pvr. Or are there better options. Any advice would be most welcome.

    http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP11DT&brands=WALKER

    I bought one of the new boxes a few weeks ago and am quite happy with it apart from one problem - that incredibly bright blue light on the front panel !! I've had to cover it over with black tape ... Has anyone else spotted this design flaw?


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    The Walker has no PVR function.

    Our new TV had a dim red light on standby and bright light (blue or green?) when on. We had tape on it for a day and then discovered you could turn it off in the Menu!


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,088 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    I bought one of the new boxes a few weeks ago and am quite happy with it apart from one problem - that incredibly bright blue light on the front panel !! I've had to cover it over with black tape ... Has anyone else spotted this design flaw?
    Yes, it's VERY bright! The standby Red LED is just as bright. I haven't tried searching the menu to see if it can be disabled yet though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Byte did a review of one of the Walker boxes
    http://www.techtir.ie/node/1003629


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 Justin Case III


    watty wrote: »
    The Walker has no PVR function.

    Our new TV had a dim red light on standby and bright light (blue or green?) when on. We had tape on it for a day and then discovered you could turn it off in the Menu!

    Hi ya Watty, I'm a little confused here. Is there a way of turning off the bright blue LED in the menu of the Walker box. I feel as if I'm getting LASER surgery every time I turn the box on - Ta J


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  • Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    No idea, other than dot of black tape or black Marker pen over LED.
    I was remarking on a quite different product with obnoxious "on" LED that did happen to have a menu option (only 2nd time ever I have seen such a thing!).


  • Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭johnnylancer


    I was in Future Sound and Vision in Limerick this morning and was advised that an announcement will be made next week on Saorview certification of a Humax and a Ferguson box.
    No other details.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16 mahargwa


    I bought a walker WP3261R Saorview TV. Picture is fine but teletext takes 25 seconds to start and same to change pages. Also changing from TV to Radio is a complete mystery as the EPG shows either tv listings or radio listings but not both at the same time. There is no Remote control button to change from TV to Radio. I am awaiting a response from Walker about bthese issues. Seems to need a firmware update. If you dont want teletext and dont want radio then the set is probably fine - But I do want both text and radio. How does the set get Saorview approval when it doesn't work properly ??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23 Clareman08


    Mahargwa, I recently got a Walker WP2211 Saorview TV which sounds something similar. Now I know it's a really cheap 22" set, so I wasn't expecting premium quality, but like yourself I wonder how such a set could get Saorview approval. With a smeary washed-out picture, amazingly slow text, impossible to find radio stations, inadequate handbook, it certainly doesn't do Walker or Saorview any favours. This set unbelievably claims to be HD! I was shocked at the low quality, especially as I have the Walker Saorview set-top box which gives a really good picture (on a Sony TV through HDMI) and fast text.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16 mahargwa


    Hi Clareman08. Since I posted here I contacted Walker. www.walker.ie. Their phone number is on their website. Spoke to Monica there. They are an Irish company and the products are manufactured in Turkey in the same factory as Mitsubishi. Monica told me that a software upgrade would address the problems of slow text and also the difficulty of changing between radio and TV. I emailed them details of the problem together with mu address and they say they will send me a usb stick with updated software tomorrow. I will wait and see. Otherwise the set is fine good picture and passable sound. The sound on flat screen tvs is very much inferior to that of the old TVs with cathode ray tubes as these had decent size loudspeakers.
    Suggest that you contact them at info.walker.ie or by phone at 01 403 6230
    Good luck!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23 Clareman08


    Mahargwa, I don't think I'll bother chasing up Walker for a software upgrade. The WP2211 is a cheap 22" TV with a substandard picture which is adequate as a 2nd set. The model you have sounds as if it has a better quality picture, but with much the same software. The main issue is the significance of the very prominent "Saorview Approved" label on the box. I think your average Joe/Josephine browsing in the store will assume it is some sort of quality mark, like the "Bord Bia" mark on Irish food products.

    Let us know how you get on with upgrade.


  • Registered Users Posts: 90 ✭✭leana


    we got one of these last week and found it easy to set up but there is a constant skipping on each chanell of both picture and sound. its driving me mad, does anyone know whats causing it

    Leana


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,088 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Lack of signal, usually. What aerial are you using for Saorview?


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 deco76


    Does any body find they get interferance anytime they send or receive a text message. I'm using an indoor aeial.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭deRanged


    deco76 wrote: »
    Does any body find they get interferance anytime they send or receive a text message. I'm using an indoor aeial.

    same here, it messes up the sound and picture quite a bit.


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