Advice on beginner's system please

[Penners]

Hi

I couldn't find a "dumb newcomers" forum on this site, so I hope I'm posting my first series of questions in the right place. I shall be very grateful for any and all advice, in the plainest language possible, please!

I have a standard Sky dish and box that is about to become disused (contract cancelled). I now want to install a free HD digital satellite receiver, with a hard drive video recorder (PVR - is that the right term?) built in.

Originally I was waiting for Freesat's Humax HD PVR "Freesat Plus" box to be launched (later this month, I understand), but as I have tried to research this whole subject it has become clear to me that I could actually create a completely independent system, which will receive all free satellite TV channels, by buying an "open market" box.

However, my grasp on the subject is pretty tenuous so I thought I would try to get some expert advice here, before I spend any money.

My plan is as follows:-

1. Have a new twin receiver head (LNB - is that right?) fitted to my Sky dish, with a second cable running into the house.

3. Buy a digital receiver with twin tuners, HD capability and a PVR built-in.

If I do this, please could you advise me whether that setup will
enable me to satisfy all of the following requirements?


1. Receive all free satellite channels, including HD channels, with no
contract of any kind.

2. Have an on-screen electronic programme guide for all channels that
I can receive.

3. Record one channel while watching another.

4. Set up the PVR to record weeks ahead. (I'm not sure how
this works if your programme guide only shows, say, seven days ahead).

5. Not need any kind of card in the machine.

I would also be grateful to know whether my ex-Sky dish will receive any other satellites, other than Astra. If so, is this capability worth having for extra English-language channels?

Final question - if I get all this kit installed, am I safe in assuming that the box will come with a function that will enable it to automatically find and tune into all the available channels, without any expert knowledge on my part?

A lot of questions - sorry! Please help with any advice you can.

Thanks a million.

 

[rolfw]

Hi Penners, welcome to the forum.

If you hang on for a month or so, you will be able to buy a Freesat HD PVR, hopefully these will have twin tuners and satisfy pretty much all of your wish list.

The long term recording may be more difficult, although they may have the series link functionality as in the Sky+ receivers.

If you want to view other satellites, you may be better considering a second dish with a small motor, there are a lot of satellites out there.

PS. A quad LNB for a Sky minidish can be bought for very little money, don't think they make the twin LNBs any more.

 

[Robbo]

Hi, yes, because of your requirement for an EPG, and auto tuning in, A Freesat box is your only option really.

The 'open market' boxes do have an EPG of sorts, but it is normally very limited, and if a channel changes parameters, you normally have to manually get it back.

 

[Penners]

Thanks very much, rolfw.

I have considered the Freesat PVR box, but I wondered whether I could get a much wider choice of free English language channels from a "non-specific" box.

Or am I making life difficult for myself, for not much benefit?

 

[Penners]

Ah - while I was posting, Robbo seems to have answered my question (thanks Robbo).

It sounds as though I may be at risk of exceeding my intellectual pay grade, searching for something that doesn't really exist. At least, not at my level of knowledge!

Would you say that's a fair assessment?

 

[rolfw]

Yes, for the PVR functions you require, a dedicated box is the only way to go. most other receivers will only offer now and next.

There is very little FTA English language programming on satellites other than Astra 28.2 East.

 

[Robbo]

For 28E, you would not lose many channels (if any) over a generic satellite receiver, this because once you gained a little more knowledge, the Freesat software allows you to put the box into FTA mode, allowing any channels that are not in the freesat EPG to be received.

 

[Penners]

OK rolfw, thank you very much again.

Robbo - I'm not sure if I have understood you correctly. Are you saying that, if I buy a Freesat Plus HD PVR box, it will come with a facility that allows me to expand its "capture" to include additional free-to-air channels (over and above the Freesat package) on the Astra satellite?

Presumably this is a software function? Would these extra channels then appear in the EPG?

 

[Robbo]

Yes, that is the precisely what I meant. I have not got one to confirm, but it has been posted many a time, on the sat forums.

I don't have further details to hand, but if I remember correctly, they do appear in the EPG at the end, but no idea how well it has been implemented.

 

[Penners]

OK, thanks again, Robbo.

I've thought over the advice that you and rolfw have kindly given me, and I think on balance I'm best going for an "idiot-proof" system like Freesat.

It'll be interesting to look and see what facilities exist on the EPG to capture additional channels, but given my (low... very low!) level of expertise, I'm best off playing safe.

However, no doubt when I get my system all set up I won't be able to resist fiddling, so I shall almost certainly be asking more questions on this forum!

I can't see any way to close this thread - or don't you do that on this forum?

 

[Llew]

No reason to Penners - only those that go against forum rules (or those that become repetitious and aren't leading anywhere useful...

BTW the Fortec Passion Innovation HD with PVR facility is a reasonably priced box that has a 7-day EPG (if you don't mind having an outboard HDD).

Llew

 

[Robbo]

Does it get fully populated Llew?

I get about 4 days on mine, fully populated on Nilesat MBC, but no so good on 28E.

 

[Penners]

Thanks, Llew.

On the Maplin website, the following is said about the Fortec Passion:
"Receive over 250 free-to-air digital channels and HD broadcasts from the Astra 28.2E satellite "

I understood that Freesat is being broadcast from Astra 2D. Is 28.2E just another description (presumably geographical) for Astra 2D or are they different satellites?

 

[rolfw]

Same satellite group, really, from your requirements, wait for the dedicated PVR, you will only be disappointed otherwise.

 

[Llew]

Does it get fully populated Llew?

I get about 4 days on mine, fully populated on Nilesat MBC, but no so good on 28E.

Yes Robbo, a full 7days on 28E if you leave it on or standby overnight on 28E. I have the basic Passion HD.

Other sats' providers give the same EPG info as with previous S/W, i.e depending on what info the various channels are sending, altough I rarely leave it on long enough to find out (only occasional use).

Llew

 

[Llew]

Here's a 7-day EPG on my Passion for BBC1 to next Friday.

 

[ElJayfit]

just a thought checkout comag chd1000 for cheap freesat HD, and it as two card slots and a usb slot to had external memory stick or HDD for PVR function.

I am fairly new but you may be able to add a quad lnb, or get further help on here!!

was available at amazon, comet, guardian online readers offer (£149), and is currently £99+vat from makro!!

 

[ni9e]

For 28E, you would not lose many channels (if any) over a generic satellite receiver, this because once you gained a little more knowledge, the Freesat software allows you to put the box into FTA mode, allowing any channels that are not in the freesat EPG to be received.

Do all freesat boxes have the ability to do this? I was looking at the Comag chd1000 yesterday in Makro would this have the facility to go into FTA mode?