Fortec star HD receiver now in maplin

[Llew]

Nothing confirmed yet on your last query, but I bought the Fortec because there is more activity on the firmware front coming from beta firmware suppliers compared to the likes of Humax.

Remember this STB was only available from just over a month ago - expect more upgrades in the coming weeks.

Check out Laurals.net for latest software.

Llew

 

[gorm]

Looking good iwol, had another play today. Still need to get my head around the menu system though

First, no 4:2:2 with the last s/w update, Fortec Holland are working on this (possibly blind scan too).

I particularly like the USB facility for uploading software and saving channel lists, better than having to take the box to your PC. Humax would do well to utilise their USB for these functions.

The last satellite list uploaded with the last software is very up to date - even has H/B 9E included.

Channel scans are very fast. Hotbird scanned in 5 minutes.

Cool in operation, unlike the Humax.

Power switch on the front is a bonus.

Diablo cam works ok, although I can only open Prem*ere ATM, I think I need to update the Stealth file.

Llew

quick question. Only on the maplin site have I seen reference to its ability to upscale sd signals to hd. does it upscale?

 

[Llew]

That's the only reference I've seen to its scaling ability too. No mention on the Fortec site in their spec to it.

However, the STi7100 processor has the ability to upscale, but to be honest, SD quality through HDMI seems just that, whichever resolution I choose in the Passion's TV settings, be it HDMI, 720p etc.

It's a good picture though on SD channels, better than the Humax IMO.

Llew

 

[gorm]

Thanks for that Llew. Have one on order now. The guy in Maplin said that on their internal web site it states that it upscales to 720p

 

[edthekid]

orderd me a diablo and cas 3....will i need another cam eg t rex or diablo all i need....new to cams

 

[Llew]

Diablo will do fine. Don't worry if it doesn't recognise the cam first time - I sometimes have to reboot the receiver to kick-start it, although other users don't seem to have the same annoyance.

Llew

 

[barrykap]

I am interested in any new HD receiver as I have two at the moment and neither of them are exactly right for my needs.

The humax HDCI 2000 is pretty crap for Sat/channel updating as it won't retain anything you feed in manually. Also it seems to not want to lock onto BBC HD. Well it will initially, then after a few seconds it will blank and only way to get it back is to get the menu up as if doing a channel search, exit out again and there it is. Signal quality is 100% so nothing to do with the signal. All other HD channels work fine.

The Pace receiver is also pretty useless when it comes to Motorised Dishes as it seems very erratic, very little menu assistance (no real signal/quality metering to assist) and is prone to changing Sat positions whenever it feels like it, so I never use it on a motor dish. The quality of subtitles (if they happen to be receivable - some channels with subs are not displaying although they are on my other receivers) is very bad too, as is on the Humax.

In fact I have YET to find ANY 'non-Sky' receiver that will supply and display subtitles as good as Sky do. (this is said as a hardened anti-Sky person too)

The thing is, I am deaf so I rely on subtitles, but it seems most manufacturers just chuck a very basic facility in without even trying to do a decent job of them.

So I am looking at anything that will supply good HD reception, good Diseq 1.2 and good subtitles.

Anyone know of one? What is the Topfied like with subs? And the Passion?

Any info would be helpful thanks.

Barry.

 

[danit]

The thing is, I am deaf so I rely on subtitles, but it seems most manufacturers just chuck a very basic facility in without even trying to do a decent job of them.

So I am looking at anything that will supply good HD reception, good Diseq 1.2 and good subtitles.

Anyone know of one? What is the Topfied like with subs? And the Passion?

Any info would be helpful thanks.

Barry.

I'm testing Fortec Passion HD and I have to say first impressions are quite good

it's perfect for multifeed and motorised dish witch disecq 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 (USALS)

i tried subtitles on BBC and they work perfectly

tried every HD channel available (dvb-s and dvb-s2) form 45east to 30west and they all were sintonized perfeclty, BBC HD included

software support is actually excellent, as beta tester have been testing in last 45 days 3 releases (av 101, av 102 and latest av 103) and many updates

firmware updating is extermely simple and fast via USB memory stick

Fortec Europe say in a short time blinc scan will be available too

I dind't try Topfield but I read it works fine too

 

[barrykap]

Thanks Danit.

I may get one soon then as Maplins are running a £50 off offer until mid-August.

One thing though, I checked Fortec website for downloads and there are none for this receiver. Neither is there any manuals I could read in advance.

Where exactly do you get these Beta firmawares from?

Cheers.

Barry.

 

[danit]

Where exactly do you get these Beta firmawares from?

there's a beta tester forum, I'll tell you in pm (as I don't know if it's allowed to link other forums here..)

 

[Snuffer]

Here to version 1.03 NO 4:2:2
Please can you send me that info about beta testers??

THX

 

[danit]

Here to version 1.03 NO 4:2:2
Please can you send me that info about beta testers??

THX

snuffer, the 422 is a quite unlikely development for the Fortec as the chipset doesn't support it, the only way to implement it is to "downscale" the chroma format fom 422 to 420 (as happened in the northamerican version) but it's not so simple

the blind scan is imminent and the support for the external hdd is likely but will take more time

 

[Llew]

You can now download the official 1.03 firmware for the Passion from www.Fortecstar.com.

Llew

 

[osbornewebspace]

Llew
How do you upload firmware to the passion, also I am finding with mine when I place my USB stick into the Passion it turns off and resets.

 

[Llew]

Transfer your unzipped firmware to your USB stick. Click on your Fortec's Menu and go to Channel Edit. Select Software Transfer highlight Sysem Update and click on OK. Select USB option, then OK.

Plug in your loaded USB stick. The firmware to be loaded will be shown in the Transfer window. Click on OK. It will then start the transfer process, erase the flash and burn your firmware to your receiver.

When this has finished, you will need to restart your receiver to finalise the firmware process.

Don't know about your USB stick problem, has it any software on it?

Llew

 

[osbornewebspace]

Not working when the usb key is placed into the passion it
shuts down.
All I have on my USB Key is the update.

 

[CHONG SPARKS]

does this have the blind scan yet ???

 

[danit]

does this have the blind scan yet ???

not yet, developers had a week off but it's just a matter of (short) time, I'll tell when blind scan will be there

 

[Llew]

Echoing danit, No, a previous beta software version had a power scan facility, but it just used the Passion's existing TP database, didn't do a full range scan.

Software developers still working on this.

Llew

 

[danit]

Echoing danit, No, a previous beta software version had a power scan facility, but it just used the Passion's existing TP database, didn't do a full range scan.

Software developers still working on this.

Llew

true, they just added the power scan menu to it but it didn't work at all

btw a beta software with "real" blind scan function seems to be almost ready