Silvercrest SL-45 FTA HDMI-output receiver at Lidl UK - Thursday 2nd September

[2cvbloke]

That time of the year again, though it's a very much paltry selection of 1 Satellite TV item, the title says it all...

Price - £29.99

(Is it me or do they seem to be going backwards with model numbers? Makes my SL-65 look newer!!!)

 

[Channel Hopper]

I think the model number stems from the manufacturing cost in Chinese Yuan.

 

[Topper]

the title says it all...

The photgraph of the unit says even more the display reads........... POO

 

[Lazarus]

Saw this on the outside-the-store poster whilst shopping yesterday.

As I have an SL65 and find it an excellent bit of kit, I was tempted - but at first glance one might think it's an HD receiver.

All it does, however, is provide HDMI connection to permit clever tellies to do their stuff.

And they didn't have any anyway!

 

[2cvbloke]

Saw this on the outside-the-store poster whilst shopping yesterday.

As I have an SL65 and find it an excellent bit of kit, I was tempted - but at first glance one might think it's an HD receiver.

All it does, however, is provide HDMI connection to permit clever tellies to do their stuff.

And they didn't have any anyway!

They won't have any until next week, the date's a good clue for that....

And as for the HDMI output, that's why I put "HDMI-Output" in the title, there's no mention of it being HD, or it upscaling or anything like that, so, yeah, I foresee many returned cos they're not picking up HD channels...

 

[Lazarus]

< that's why I put "HDMI-Output" in the title, there's no mention of it being HD, or it upscaling or anything like that >

Yes, I know, but you and I vaguely know what we're talking about (Possibly) .............. Many people bought the SL65 and similar thinking it was some sort of magic box that would let them get "Sky" for nowt, so I suspect, as you do, that further confusion might reign amongst the proletariat. Not sure what yer actual Lidl serving wench would say if asked "does it do HD?", either.

Loads of returns, ultimately finding their way onto fleabay, having been bought in bulk by offering Store Managers the opportunity to offload them at rock-bottom prices.






















(No, I didn't check the date 2 )

 

[2cvbloke]

Yes, I know, but you and I vaguely know what we're talking about (Possibly) .............. Many people bought the SL65 and similar thinking it was some sort of magic box that would let them get "Sky" for nowt, so I suspect, as you do, that further confusion might reign amongst the proletariat. Not sure what yer actual Lidl serving wench would say if asked "does it do HD?", either.

Loads of returns, ultimately finding their way onto fleabay, having been bought in bulk by offering Store Managers the opportunity to offload them at rock-bottom prices.

(No, I didn't check the date 2 )

Yeah, this time round I bet it'll be people expecting to get skyHD for free...

I still have my SL65 upstairs, haven't used it in about 2 years though, I prefer the way that one looks compared to this SL45, cos the SL45 looks like my Oggle freeview boxes, very plain and very boring...

 

[ukdave]

Hi read quite a few posts about this reciever on the forums so bought one today being my first go at freesat i do not have a dish yet and will not have one for another week as we are on holiday from saturday so will get dish when we get back.
Now please can someone tell me if i can plug the reciever into the mains and the tv without having a dish connected or will it be damaged by the voltage that is not being used to power the lnb on the dish (just so i can check if the reciever is working).
Also what size and type of dish should i buy i live in the S21 area of Chesterfield this is my first post on here and hope ive got the right forum.
Thanks in advance for any help.
David

 

[DishDick]

Well I bought one of these the other week for a spare room. Nice bit of kit. Excellent value for money (looks like a Televes remote). Quick channel change, low power comsumption and under 2w in standby.

 

[Lazarus]

Hi read quite a few posts about this reciever on the forums so bought one today being my first go at freesat i do not have a dish yet and will not have one for another week as we are on holiday from saturday so will get dish when we get back.
Now please can someone tell me if i can plug the reciever into the mains and the tv without having a dish connected or will it be damaged by the voltage that is not being used to power the lnb on the dish (just so i can check if the reciever is working).
Also what size and type of dish should i buy i live in the S21 area of Chesterfield this is my first post on here and hope ive got the right forum.
Thanks in advance for any help.
David

Dish size depends on what you are planning to use the receiver for: If for UK FTA Channels, a Zone 1 "Sky" dish would suffice in Chesterfield.

But to allow for your curiosity to develop, you might like to consider something akin to 80cm which has the benefit of not a lot of visual impact but quite capable of receiving many Satellites in due course.

Plugging in as you suggest won't harm the box, but it won't tell you anything useful either .............. unless you get no front panel activity at all, of course!

 

[Lazarus]

Well I bought one of these the other week for a spare room. Nice bit of kit. Excellent value for money (looks like a Televes remote). Quick channel change, low power comsumption and under 2w in standby.

Thanks for the useful feedback.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks for the useful feedback.

(Psst, he's a manager for Lidl ;))

 

[Arfer Daley]

hi guys whats the recording potential of this unit anyone know please ??
i have a Technomate TM-5200D USB Unit works great but let down by poor epg and only now and next record function
it is linked to a motorised 80cm dish at present i am recording onto a 8GB usb stick and also on composit thru tv card connection i am attracted to the 7day epg which i dont have now any advice would be great had the unit about two years has worked and still works faltless apart from the listed thanks again

 

[Lazarus]

You won't get 7 day EPG on the SL45 ............. It's a generic box, not a Freesat box.

So you'll get exactly the same EPG data as your TM does (or, rather, doesn't!!)

 

[Analoguesat]

FWIW I was in our local B&Q yesterday afternoon and noticed they are still selling generic fta HD kits for £75.

 

[Arfer Daley]

thankyou for the info i will sit tight for now to be honest i am attached to my tm box sits on my desk and the usb record being at the front is a real dream too use

 

[ukdave]

Thanks to all who replied to my question re. SL45 got it setup now on the ASTRA/EUROBIRD satellite using an ICECRIPT 60cm mesh dish the LNB came with the dish it just says ICECRIPT universal.
To be honest it was easier than i thought to set the dish up but i had read through a lot of posts on the forums beforehand after putting the dish up it only took about 10mins to find the satellite.
Signal intensity 92,Signal quality 74 is this a good signal or can it be better i used the signal stregnth meter on the SL45 to set the dish as for the LNB i read somewhere it should be turned clockwise looking from LNB towards dish so turned it slightly clockwise.

 

[Analoguesat]

To be honest it was easier than i thought to set the dish up but i had read through a lot of posts on the forums beforehand after putting the dish up it only took about 10mins to find the satellite.
Signal intensity 92,Signal quality 74 is this a good signal or can it be better i used the signal stregnth meter on the SL45 to set the dish as for the LNB i read somewhere it should be turned clockwise looking from LNB towards dish so turned it slightly clockwise.

Thats very good going , so well done. Some folks take days or weeks to locate their desired satellite!

The signal strength meter reading seem fine - you will soon find out if the setup isnt good enough - the signals will disappear when it rains!

Whilst facing at the dish rotate the lnb so the cable entry is at about "7 oclock". You should get a small increase in signal. If it drops off then back it off a bit..

 

[Lazarus]

The Icecrypt is one of the two LNB brands that may have strange construction ie F connector is not vertically down for zero skew.

If you've adjusted it optimally by experiment, that's great.

If not, have a butchers at http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/...vn-icecrypt-0-1db-single-lnb.html?pagenumber=

 

[ukdave]

Just read post about icecrypt LNB skew when i put dish together i had read somewhere that it needed to be turned clockwise so turned lnb clockwise a little looking at the dish from the lnb the f connector looks like its between 6 and 7 on a clock face will try moving the lnb and will post how i get on.
Thanks