Reliability and ease of use - opinions please

Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
Whilst the below thread didn't start with Octagon

What is the best receiver to buy . ( early - 2019 ) - SatsUK

A number of members chirped up with hints on the SX88+ and SF8008 receivers being better than sliced bread.
I was impressed with the Octagon FTA receiver I had about a decade ago (though the box and instructions could have been spellchecked before production)

I now have a customer who is looking to replace the ageing Echostar under the TV and its a bit too far to travel myself, even though I've been offered food and night accomodation to do so. The plan is to play around with it first, set up the positioning/coordinates/motor and then ship over.

The specifications appear more than enough for the current models (no twin tuner is required here, wireless is similarly superfluous, and there is no 4K TV in place - yet) but which one out of the two scores higher in people's opinions ?

I'm also looking for a reliable result since the last receiver onsite is still going strong some 10 years later, has anyone had issues which required replacement, or firmware updates beyond that which comes with the box, the client has a PC and access to USB sticks but it might be a step too far if the worst happens.

Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks

Since my client has a 1.5m dish and clear coverage from 45E to about 50W, is the memory capacity large enough on Ku band for TV and radio ? The Echostar would struggle with about 1300 channels
 
Another thing to consider with the SF8008 is that blind scan is very configurable unlike the SX88, I suppose it depends what your clients want from the box..
 
Ample TV capacity with the SX88+ also very easy to set up the Blind Scan finds all the active transponders on all satellites.
 
Channel Hopper said:
Thanks

Since my client has a 1.5m dish and clear coverage from 45E to about 50W, is the memory capacity large enough on Ku band for TV and radio ? The Echostar would struggle with about 1300 channels
Click to expand...

I currently have 3,652 x TV & 1145 Radio on the SX88+
The capacity is over 5,000 channels maybe nearer 10,000.
 
Channel Hopper said:
Thanks

Since my client has a 1.5m dish and clear coverage from 45E to about 50W, is the memory capacity large enough on Ku band for TV and radio ? The Echostar would struggle with about 1300 channels
Click to expand...
Can we assume that your client is driving that dish via a V-Box of some sort because the SX88+ (and most of the other receivers around that price) is a very small piece of kit and, whilst it doesn't overheat driving a DiSeQc mount with a smallish dish, it probably doesn't have too much spare thermal capacity?

BTW: has anyone yet posted any experience of driving a V-Box with an SX88/SX88+?
 
With the enigma receivers (SF8008) you have no limit of channels and you can watch 4K channels on the TV that has (1080P) for example.
The SX88 + is Linux but closed by the manufacturer.
Calculate 12000 channels in total +/-.

If you squeeze the SX88's antenna connector, it can be released by simply pressing it down.
Only the live soldier, do not touch the SX88 + and I do not know if it's the same.
As a toy ok, but very weak looking to the future.
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Con los receptores enigma (SF8008) no tienes limite de canales y puedes ver canales 4K en la TV que tenga (1080P) por ejemplo.
El SX88+ es linux pero cerrado por el fabricante.
Calcula 12000 canales en total +/-.

Si aprietas el conector de antena del SX88 se puede soltar al estar puesto a presion sin mas.
Solo soldado el vivo, no toque el SX88+ y no se si esta igual.
Como juguete ok, pero muy endeble mirando a futuro.
 
jeallen01 said:
whilst it doesn't overheat driving a DiSeQc mount with a smallish dish
Click to expand...

My SX88 is coping with the 1.2M ok, though I think it's slower than when I had the VU+.
 
jeallen01 said:
Can we assume that your client is driving that dish via a V-Box of some sort because the SX88+ (and most of the other receivers around that price) is a very small piece of kit and, whilst it doesn't overheat driving a DiSeQc mount with a smallish dish, it probably doesn't have too much spare thermal capacity?

BTW: has anyone yet posted any experience of driving a V-Box with an SX88/SX88+?
Click to expand...


Client has a Gibertini 1.5 with a Technomate branded motor in a very secluded spot, so the system continues to work. I dont expect any trouble with the outdoor kit in the near future, receiver is a 1.2 DiSEqC spec DSB808 (CI ?)
 
sonnetpete said:
My SX88 is coping with the 1.2M ok, though I think it's slower than when I had the VU+.
Click to expand...
Mine's driving the TD110 on a Superior Dark Motor over about 25m of CT125 and it copes OK - but I think that the TM5402 might drive it a bit quicker when connected to the same cable.
 
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