Dr HD F16 ... from Vu+ Uno?

Captain Jack

Captain Jack

Retired human
My Satellite Setup
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North Somerset
Hi,

I am getting a little bored of Uno - it kind of seems to just work. Which is fine of course, but I have Sky HD box for "just works". So, it seems like Dr HD F16 looks like a decent buy especially for DX-ing and weak signals. I probably won't have anything more than a Penta 85 dish but with a predicted arc of 30W to the horizon to the east, so I'd like to make the most of it. I am also contemplating putting a 1.2M dish on the balcony somewhere to the east (C-Band?) but not sure if it's big enough to accommodate the Channel Master and not sure which sat I would point it to (40E and 49E are the main candidates).

Anyway... I've been looking for information about this receiver and it's very hard to come by. Most of the information seems to be in Russian, which is fine as I speak it but find it strange that there's nothing in English. I understand there are some patches available that make it capable of using it with "remote cards" (the ones that have 'p' after firmware number). This is important for me as my Platforma HD card can only be read in a reader from GS9300 receiver, which is running from my laptop - a very messy set up but works fine with Uno/most Linux receivers.

The plan is to get Dr HD and see if it suits my needs and then get rid of the Uno - hopefully I'll break even with the costs. Also, where on earth can I buy the things? I checked fleaBay and there is only 1 available from Ireland for around £200. Any other sources I can get it from?

Any other thoughts/advice?

Cheers my dears!
CJ
 
You'll probably realise I have a DrHD F15 (rather than an F16). I don't use any cards in it so can't comment on that. I use it on my motorised set up and it does a really good job. I'd say it's slightly more sensitive than the VU+. I obtained mine from Ireland but I think that site's now closed. The support for it is frankly, terrible. Both Vipersan and I have one and we both joined their forum which as you may expect is mainly in Russian and seemingly visited as often as a prisoner in solitary. I think VS may well fill you in with more relevant info but having said all the above I really like it as a receiver. Sorry I can't offer more help.
 
Is there any difference between F15 and F16 (speed/tuner sensitivity)? I like the looks and display of the F16 - don't really need the terrestrial tuner though..

I see that you can also put F16 firmware onto Clarktech 5000HD as well. Of course, tuner sensitivity will be slightly diminished (I guess?) from the real thing.
 
Captain Jack said:
Hi,

The plan is to get Dr HD and see if it suits my needs and then get rid of the Uno - hopefully I'll break even with the costs. Also, where on earth can I buy the things? I checked fleaBay and there is only 1 available from Ireland for around £200. Any other sources I can get it from?

Any other thoughts/advice?

Cheers my dears!
CJ
Click to expand...

Is this the Irish site for the F16? There seems to be eight available there at present -

_http://dr-hd.ie/shop/index.php?main_page=products_new&disp_order=6&page=2
 
sonnetpete said:
You'll probably realise I have a DrHD F15 (rather than an F16). I don't use any cards in it so can't comment on that. I use it on my motorised set up and it does a really good job. I'd say it's slightly more sensitive than the VU+. I obtained mine from Ireland but I think that site's now closed. The support for it is frankly, terrible. Both Vipersan and I have one and we both joined their forum which as you may expect is mainly in Russian and seemingly visited as often as a prisoner in solitary. I think VS may well fill you in with more relevant info but having said all the above I really like it as a receiver. Sorry I can't offer more help.
Click to expand...

Pete, I've got an F15 on its way right now. Look forward to testing the tuner sensitivity against my Dreambox et al.
 
From what i have seen in the user manual and pictures of the menu layout it looks identical to a Blade 7000HD, just wondering if its from the same factory but different software.
 
Well ..from what little I know about the 2 receivers ..
The F15 is the better box ...and can do all the F16 can do ...only better ..
I also believe the F15 has more memory available ..so ...more channels on the F15 ?

The forum was very active at one time ..but soon fell into disuse and open to abuse by trolls..
Tuner wise ..I believe there is no discernable difference ..
As to the Irish ebay site ..
Very helpful ..and I believe is still fully active ..
In fact I contacted the owner around Christmas to obtain another remote handset ..as I suspect mine was damaged when I trod on it.
My vote ..
The F15 ...and does everything I want except 4:2:2
rgds
VS

..oh and btw ..
excellent news that we have a member conversant in Russian ..
That is definately one to commit to memory ..
..you just never know when you'll need a translation ;)
Many of the most useful TV repair forums are Russian based ..
 
Vipersan said:
..as I suspect mine was damaged when I trod on it.
Click to expand...

LOL, was it the crunching and cracking sounds that aroused your suspicions??
 
Hi VS and everyone else, thank you all for your replies! In what way is the F15 better than the F16? I can't see anything glaringly obvious from the specs... VS, have you used both?
 
Captain Jack said:
Hi VS and everyone else, thank you all for your replies! In what way is the F15 better than the F16? I can't see anything glaringly obvious from the specs... VS, have you used both?
Click to expand...

..Fairly sure I read the F15 has more memory on board ...and that it handles HD Graphical front ends better ..
These were introduced with a firmware release back end of last year ..
Also ...I think I remember reading that the F15s handling of the speccy is better..
..again ..this may be down to better graphics handling ..
but ..no ..I never used an F16 ..
Perhaps someone whos got one could comment ..
Edgar perhaps ?? ...I think he has one.
rgds
VS
 
You will of course have seen this youtube presentation ? of the F16..
[video=youtube;V3Dc2qspqHo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Dc2qspqHo[/video]Dr.HD F16 (English)


and one for the F15
[video=youtube;1IBfaPIQAlk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBfaPIQAlk[/video]

..admin ..are these ok to leave as live links ?

or is the video embedding now working again ?
rgds
VS
 
Looks like those boxes come out of the same factory as the Technomate ones. I can see a lot of similarities but the TM boxes are not quite as fancy.
 
Vipersan said:
and one for the F15
[video=youtube;1IBfaPIQAlk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBfaPIQAlk[/video]

..admin ..are these ok to leave as live links ?

or is the video embedding now working again ?
rgds
VS
Click to expand...

Btw, on later versions of firmware the graphics of the spectrum analyser are different, with bars, not lines.

f15.webp
 
timo_w2s said:
Looks like those boxes come out of the same factory as the Technomate ones. I can see a lot of similarities but the TM boxes are not quite as fancy.
Click to expand...

I agree. The remote control is very like the TM 6900 I use to have. The F15 is more sensitive than the TM and it is more sensitive than the AzBox Premium which I have looped through it. I am not into feedhunting but I like to tune in the ones that have been reported by other people so this combination is ideal as the AzBox does 4:2:2.

Jack if you want to make your life more complicated get an AzBox. I wouldn't be without mine but it is a bit of a challenge at times. You might soon get tired of the F15 as it works perfectly out of the box.

Vipersan it was me who supplied that F15 channel list including Saorsat. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
 
Well ..the only advantage I can see to owning an F16 is the additional dvbt tuner ...
..which I don't need...
As to the speccy ...it just a question of which firware you choose ..

All in All I love my F15....
Gripes ..
No 4:2:2
Not enough channel storage space ..
Resticted to 65 satellite positions ..
I suspect the latter is fixable in firmware ..but my pleas on DRHDs forum fell on deaf ears ..
rgds
VS
 
dxhound2003 said:
I agree. The remote control is very like the TM 6900 I use to have. The F15 is more sensitive than the TM and it is more sensitive than the AzBox Premium which I have looped through it. I am not into feedhunting but I like to tune in the ones that have been reported by other people so this combination is ideal as the AzBox does 4:2:2.

Jack if you want to make your life more complicated get an AzBox. I wouldn't be without mine but it is a bit of a challenge at times. You might soon get tired of the F15 as it works perfectly out of the box.

Vipersan it was me who supplied that F15 channel list including Saorsat. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Click to expand...

Seriously appreciated the channel list ..
I had to eliminate that last possibility ..before I could admit defeat..
At least I tried.
btw I also have an AZbox ...and is perfect for 4:2:2
If only the tuner was more sensitive ..
Sadly its well below par compared to the F15
Nice ..versatile stb though
rgds
VS
 
Vipersan said:
I suspect the latter is fixable in firmware ..but my pleas on DRHDs forum fell on deaf ears ..
rgds
VS
Click to expand...

They mostly like to brag about their participations in various exhibitions than deliver fresh firmwares and support through their forum. D'oh... :-ohcrap
 
Vipersan said:
Seriously appreciated the channel list ..
I had to eliminate that last possibility ..before I could admit defeat..
At least I tried.
btw I also have an AZbox ...and is perfect for 4:2:2
If only the tuner was more sensitive ..
Sadly its well below par compared to the F15
Nice ..versatile stb though
rgds
VS
Click to expand...

Glad to be able to help. I'm no expert but if you looped the AzBox through the F15 wouldn't that allow you to tune in the channels on the F15 with the advantage of the extra sensitivy and then resolve them on the AzBox if they were in 4:2:2.?
 
dxhound2003 said:
Glad to be able to help. I'm no expert but if you looped the AzBox through the F15 wouldn't that allow you to tune in the channels on the F15 with the advantage of the extra sensitivy and then resolve them on the AzBox if they were in 4:2:2.?
Click to expand...

Sady no ...
Looping through just passes the signal to the AZboxes tuner ...so ..it would still be employed ..at that lower sensitivity level..
Nothing to be gained by that ...
rgds
VS

..in short DrHD and the box manufactures missed a perfect opportunity to make that elusive ...'dream of a box ' ..that all serious dxers lust after ..
I for one would have paid another 50 > 100 pounds for the F15 ..with all the trimmings ...
cest la vie
 
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