Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Bargain Alert: New Ferguson HD DTT/Sat Combo Box - €63 before postage

Options
1…4849515354…102

Comments

  • Options
    #1502
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,853 ✭✭✭Spocker


    Following on from STBs post earlier, it's really quite simple to move your USB port from the front to the back, if you're handy with a screwdriver and don't mind opening the box. This took me < 10 mins, before I left for work this morning. Note you will void your warranty by doing this.

    171159.jpg
    Warranty sticker

    171160.jpg
    Location of RS232 port (to be removed) and the USB header, and were it's connected to the PCB

    171161.jpg
    RS232 to be removed. Take out the two posts, and disconnect from the board

    171162.jpg
    What you get when the RS2232 is removed

    171163.jpg
    Screws holding the USB to the front of the case. The lower screw is a little difficult to get to.


  • Options
    #1503
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,853 ✭✭✭Spocker


    171164.jpg

    USB lead moved to the back of the case

    171165.jpg

    What the USB socket will look like when in-situ - I didn't have proper nuts & bolts to mount this properly before I left for work, I'll post another pic when I have them fitted correctly, and the cable properly routed


  • Options
    #1504
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    There is an 'interesting' spare header on the PCB next to the serial header ...... is there any indication what it is for?

    Sorry ... also meant to ask if the PCB header for the USB port is industry standard wired?
    If so them that opens up a few options from the PC 'spares' ;)

    Thanks for the pics ....


  • Options
    #1505
    khumbu
    Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭khumbu


    Having mixed results playing back mkv files containing "supported" audio formats.


    all files tested were the mkv containing h.264 video but with audio encoded as follows:-
    Format    Supported / not supported        Result on playback
MP3       Supported                        "audio codec not supported"
AC3       Supported                        plays fine
AAC       not listed in manual             plays fine
MP2       not listed in manual             "audio codec not supported"
    Anyone else with similar issues with supported formats? I wonder if a firmware update be possible to allow mp3 play back as mentioned in manual. If so maybe mp2 could be added too.


  • Options
    #1506
    dinkydee
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭dinkydee


    It seems there are so many technical people on this forum able to do just about anything with this box. I'm a newbie and non techie and got the box installed from satellite.ie with much delight. Just wondering if any of you wonderful people could do some videos on youtube on simple things, like how to update firmware, and showing how the timeshift and recording works in practice, how to update channels etc. the instructions are quite minimal, because it helps if you can visualise things. I am sure I am not the only one out there who would like to see it as short videos. Thanks.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1507
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,853 ✭✭✭Spocker


    The maker on the 4-pin header for the RS232 is 'JU01'; the six-pin header beside it is just marked 'JM01'

    171267.jpg
    171268.jpg

    All neatly back in place :)


  • Options
    #1508
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    The maker on the 4-pin header for the RS232 is 'JU01'; the six-pin header beside it is just marked 'JM01'

    Thanks for the info ...... I failed to find any info on the headers on the PCB :(


  • Options
    #1509
    Mal78
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭Mal78


    I just installed a Ferguson Ariva 120 last night. All went well except the Irish DTT channels were glitchy, piture paused for a secon every few seconds while the sound was unaffected, there were no probs with any of the satellite uk channels. I used 2 seperate cables from aerial and satellite to the receiver. it was an Mpeg 4 tv so put the aerial cable straight into the tv with no glitches to the irish Dtt channels. On the Ariva i was getting 63% for satellite which is fine and on the Irish DTT i was getting 90% and 90%. after changing the conrtact Aerial with a high gain aerial i was getting the same results. I left the job and went back today with a new ariva 120. when i arrived there was no sound coming from the origonal box now. I switched it for the new box and hey presto no problems. when packing away the faulty box i noticed that the Ferguson warranty hologram sticker didnt seem quite right. These boxes always seem to have a bit of wear and tear on them. Is it a common occurance that they have been tampered with before buying them? any similar problems? dont get me wrong, cheap and cheerful and does the basics ok when working but again i think you get what u pay for. I'll keep using them until I can provide another cheap alternitave with mheg 5 or other extras but I feel they are quite sub standard like most other boxes like them.


  • Options
    #1510
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    Spocker wrote: »
    All neatly back in place :)

    email it onto Thomson/Ferguson!


  • Options
    #1511
    dulpit
    Registered Users Posts: 10,359 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Right, so I am 99.9999% certain that I'm going to purchase one of these boxes today but was wondering - is there any other combo boxes out there? If so, are they all on the pricey side?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1512
    Moon54
    Registered Users Posts: 1,242 ✭✭✭Moon54


    Mal78 wrote: »
    Is it a common occurance that they have been tampered with before buying them? any similar problems?

    Definitely not, I'd say.
    I've ordered about 6 over the last few weeks and all have been perfect.


  • Options
    #1513
    dulpit
    Registered Users Posts: 10,359 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Decided to stop thinking about it and ordered one from Tony just now, I shall let people know how it goes :)


  • Options
    #1514
    6ix
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭6ix


    Just wanted to add my praise for this box. Had it delivered yesterday, set it up in my parents' house. It worked great out of the box thanks to the channel list already being set up for the Satellite channels (cheers Tony!). Just scanned for the Irish DTT channels and then rearranged them so that they're at the 'top' of the EPG.

    HD and SD pictures look great, PVR functionality working well - tried it out with a 16GB USB stick. Just one question - can anyone give me a rough indication of how much space a record takes up? Both SD and HD? I'm thinking of just getting a large USB stick rather than a HD as my parents probably won't use the record function that often.

    So, all in all a great purchase - so far so good!


  • Options
    #1515
    Taltos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,830 ✭✭✭✭Taltos


    I recorded a show the other night on TV3 for an hour - it came in at 1.3 Gig - later converted with with another app down to 400M.


    I was using a 16G memory stick as well - am now using a 500G WD HDD, working a treat.


  • Options
    #1516
    Gerry Wicklow
    Registered Users Posts: 4,542 ✭✭✭Gerry Wicklow


    Allow roughly 4 gigs per hour for HD


  • Options
    #1517
    bigtom71
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭bigtom71


    @Spocker:
    That was a lovely job you did on moving the USB port. I'll give it a go tonight. I have a panel-mounted USB port and cable on order, but it looks like I won't need it now.

    I have had the box now for over a month and am really starting to like it. I bought a Harmony 300 remote on Amazon for about 20 quid and it works perfectly for the TV, Ariva and DVD player. A little bit of decision-making as how best to utilise the keys on the remote at the start, and it beats the hell out of the remote supplied with the unit (a much more solid feel to it). I have an external drive connected up as well which works fine. The Ariva seems to be writing to it all the time, maybe buffering or saving channel info.?, and I am sure this will kill the drive sooner or later. But as it's only an ATA drive in an enclosure, I can replace anytime at little cost.

    Occasional freezing still happens but not as much as before and the latest firmware has fixed some minor issues (such as the RTE2 HD EPG) very nicely. It isn't quite a Sky+ box but it's not far off - for me anyway. So I'm happy with it and, almost as important, the Missus and the kids can understand it. ;)


  • Options
    #1518
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    The Ariva seems to be writing to it all the time, maybe buffering or saving channel info.?, and I am sure this will kill the drive sooner or later. But as it's only an ATA drive in an enclosure, I can replace anytime at little cost.

    Thank you for that snippet of information.

    This is apparently a problem with the firmware .... there is a selection in the menu to stop that buffering, but it does not work here ... see previous post of mine.

    Hopefully Tony might pick up on this and maybe get it fixed for a future release of the firmware...... ;)

    Turning off Timeshift completely fixes the buffering problem.

    I am using a flash stick so this is even more of a problem than for those using external HDDs.


  • Options
    #1519
    dinkydee
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭dinkydee


    I don't have any signal from channel 59 - 67 inclusive, what do I do to resolve it?

    Could you confirm the external hard drives that work with the box? Its near impossible to get a 500gb hard drive with external power source now. 1TB seems to be the smallest desktop you can get. I tried a seagate freeagent 500gb but it had movies on it already (don't want to delete movies) so didn't work, probably configured incorrectly.

    Cheapest of the portable hard drives seem to be amazon, but I am open to correction.

    Thanks for any advice.


  • Options
    #1520
    saorviewseeker
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭saorviewseeker


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    Thanks for that idea about the timeshift ..... I will check it tomorrow time permitting. I have no idea how it is set.

    I suppose the same thing could affect radio stations .... but that would seem very odd to me ... buffering of radio should be done in whatever memory is allocated ..... USB flash sticks could very quickly get worn out if there is that much writing going on ...

    regards.

    This happened to me. I bought a brand new 16Gb stick in June and it packed up last week. The retailer kindly replaced this under warrenty.


  • Options
    #1521
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    saorviewseeker wrote: »
    This happened to me. I bought a brand new 16Gb stick in June and it packed up last week. The retailer kindly replaced this under warrenty.


    Make sure timeshift is off completely, else you will have the same problem again ..... at least until the firmware is corrected.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1522
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    dinkydee wrote: »
    I don't have any signal from channel 59 - 67 inclusive, what do I do to resolve it?

    I am unsure what you had that is now missing .....

    Maybe this is the reason?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056362362


  • Options
    #1523
    saorviewseeker
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭saorviewseeker


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    Make sure timeshift is off completely, else you will have the same problem again ..... at least until the firmware is corrected.

    Thanks


  • Options
    #1524
    mongoola
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭mongoola


    When I record on Ariva 120 the recorded title is the name of a different programme! Anybody else have the same problem?


  • Options
    #1525
    Peter Rhea
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭Peter Rhea


    hibble wrote: »
    Mine wasn't the old brown gear . . . nice shiny black coax fitted by electrician on aerial line hopeless.

    Crappy 'low loss' coax is still available & it isn't all brown (appropriate colour though).
    The electrician may have used RG59 cable or something which isn't meant for radio frequencies.


  • Options
    #1526
    Tony
    Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    Some transponder changes mentioned on this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056362222 . A transponder scan on the new freq will get them back.
    ISAA wrote: »
    True movies have changed there frequency, since this morning, so FTA receivers have lost there channels.

    More details here : http://www.isaa.tv/?p=212

    Desktop PC Boards discount code on https://www.satellite.ie/ is boards.ie



  • Options
    #1527
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Re transponder changes; I spent an hour last night re-jigging all the channels, I think there were about sixteen changes, then I had to redo my Fave's listings which included Childrens channels, Movie Channels, and Music Channels, but its done now and all the channels on 11642 V have now been re assigned to 11307 V.

    I presume the Radio channels haven't been affected.


  • Options
    #1528
    Tony
    Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    I'll do up a channel list and post it up when I get back to work .

    Desktop PC Boards discount code on https://www.satellite.ie/ is boards.ie



  • Options
    #1529
    saorviewseeker
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭saorviewseeker


    mongoola wrote: »
    When I record on Ariva 120 the recorded title is the name of a different programme! Anybody else have the same problem?

    Yes, I do and there are others on this thread who have reported this also.

    I emailed Ferguson on July 18th, which is exactly one month ago, about this problem and I expected it would have been fixed with this latest firmware update. We waited long enough for this one; how long are we expected to wait for the next one. There are others too who reported other problems related to their particular requirements and these have to be addressed too. This box, while good value at 94.99 euros, delivered free from an ebay seller here in Ireland, should be withdrawn by Ferguson until these problems have been fixed because as it stands at the moment, it's flawed. The least I would expect from Ferguson is an acknowledgement of these problems, either to those of us who went to the trouble of reporting this to them or through their distributors here in Ireland, advising us that they are aware of these issues and naming these so that we know they are aware and are doing something to put these right.


  • Options
    #1530
    Hotwheels
    Registered Users Posts: 751 ✭✭✭Hotwheels


    HD Question...
    Will i need a twin feed from my sat into the back of this box for the freebie HD channels?

    And a big Thanks to all the contributors, I've learned a lot from this post...:)


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1531
    Tony
    Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    No you just need one cable from your satellite dish and one cable from your UHF aeriel.


    Hotwheels wrote: »
    HD Question...
    Will i need a twin feed from my sat into the back of this box for the freebie HD channels?

    Desktop PC Boards discount code on https://www.satellite.ie/ is boards.ie



Advertisement