VU+ Duo, Quick review.

[Huevos]

Surely if you are VAT registered and the item is for your stock, it will have to go on your return as an input, won't it?

Yes but when you buy from another EU country you don't pay any VAT in the first place if you are in the VIES database so there's nothing to offset. And no you can can't offset VAT charged in another country against your own country's VAT system.

 

[sonnetpete]

A dram or three of VAT 69 would fit the bill ..................

Entirely appropriate but it's Glenfiddich 12 year old single malt. (VAT incl.)

 

[wod]

Huevos, have you tested the vix 2.0 image yet on your vu+ ?

also does the vu+ need a swap file on a external memory card/usb stick as been using one on my dm 7020 for extra system memory.

sonnetpete, only the vantage 8000s has hardware blind scan which is very good on the hd models.

 

[Huevos]

Huevos, have you tested the vix 2.0 image yet on your vu+ ?

also does the vu+ need a swap file on a external memory card/usb stick as been using one on my dm 7020 for extra system memory.

I'm running VIX 2.0. It seems to work flawlessly. No green screens. And I haven't found any need to run a swap file yet.

 

[sonnetpete]

sonnetpete, only the vantage 8000s has hardware blind scan which is very good on the hd models.

Fair comment Wod, but I'm not that reliant on a blind scan and TBH I've never been totally happy with the Vantage, although one of the recent software upgrades improved it a lot.

 

[wod]

looking at the cband channel grabs the vu+ duo must have a lower signal threshold to keep weak channels locked in as 35% snr would have thought just be a black screen. does the vu+ duo pull in the astra 2d channels for you huevos ?

sonnetpete, surprised you dont like the vantage receiver as I prefer them to the ones I have used before it.

 

[Huevos]

does the vu+ duo pull in the astra 2d channels for you huevos ?

At this time of night the Vantage is in the dark, just flicking the blue message up every now and again, but the Vu is still going strong.

 

[sonnetpete]

sonnetpete, surprised you dont like the vantage receiver as I prefer them to the ones I have used before it.

Wod, when I said I wasn't happy with the Vantage, I didn't mean that I didn't like the thing! I do like the actual receiver, but I only had the Manhattan prior to that to compare it to. The software (mainly the way it showed channel lists) I found annoying and it just seemed clunky in comparison. The upgrade I have on it now is much better. If it were not for the fact that the VU+ has a more sensitive tuner and I feel that I should be trying with Linux I probably wouldn't have changed.

 

[World-of-Satellite]

Well, it's either me on the laptop or me watching tv or a movie so tying up the laptop doesn't seem to matter too much (unless I can watch a movie and surf but being male I'm incapable of multitasking!!)

Anyway, I've taken the plunge and ordered a VU+ Solo from HM-Sat this afternoon. With delivery by UPS for €284 (about £245 using a credit card exchange rate which is usually poor, though still cheaper than the quote earlier in this thread). When I get it, I'll have a play around, compare it to my Vantage performance and report back!!

You should have contacted us before ordering, we've got a price match policy ;) Also buying from us you would have been supporting the ViX Team as we're their Official sponsor ;)

 

[sonnetpete]

You should have contacted us before ordering, we've got a price match policy ;) Also buying from us you would have been supporting the ViX Team as we're their Official sponsor ;)

Well yes, perhaps I could have contacted you, however I prefer to try and order any sat equipment from mainland Europe because of the lower carriage costs and quicker delivery times to me in France. (VU+ ordered Thursday afternoon, delivered to me Monday) I've no doubt you could price match but I've used the supplier I've ordered with before and as I've indicated, it's more convenient for me.

 

[samoloko]

Wod, when I said I wasn't happy with the Vantage, I didn't mean that I didn't like the thing! I do like the actual receiver, but I only had the Manhattan prior to that to compare it to. The software (mainly the way it showed channel lists) I found annoying and it just seemed clunky in comparison. The upgrade I have on it now is much better. If it were not for the fact that the VU+ has a more sensitive tuner and I feel that I should be trying with Linux I probably wouldn't have changed.

have you compared tuner sensitivity of your Vu and Vantage - the winner ?
what channels trying to get In fringe area

 

[sonnetpete]

Definitely the VU+. I've been lucky enough to get a few Horizontal T/P's from Nilesat during the day before but the VU+ pulls them in more effectively and the're mostly rock steady on a night. I'm also getting more stable reception from Badr 6. My dish also needs tweaking which I can't do until later this month but I will post a new thread comparing the VU+ to the Vantage shortly.

 

[sonnetpete]

After the last post, I decided to peak up my dish elevation on Nilesat (the dish needs recentering on the motor stub as well, but it's easier with two people). Anyway, I got quite a bit of improvement. At 15:00 GMT, 11919H was steady and 11843H was also coming in without breakup, normally it's after 21:00 before I can get that without pixellation. Sadly nothing from 201 but as it looks like a very clear night I'll give it another go later. The tuner is the VU+ is certainly impressive!!

 

[wod]

The black ultra lnb will help too and do you have a short cable run which always helps.

Any other satellites, you can get better reception on with the vu+, 4west etc ?

Overall sounds like a good buy. I just cant decide on the solo or the duo but I'm in no rush to buy one with my 7020 still working fine.

 

[Huevos]

I'm in no rush to buy one with my 7020 still working fine.

Wod, if you're happy with what you've got right now I'd wait. I guess the Holy Grail is all the features of the Vu+ Duo, plus real time PiP, and full hardware blind search. Apparently the Clarke-Tech ET9000 has the hardware required for blind scan but it is not available in the user interface.

I just cant decide on the solo or the duo but

Getting the Duo means the missus can record twice as much rubbish.

 

[Analoguesat]

Now the prices are starting to come down a bit Im wanting a Duo. Ive already got a spare hard drive sitting here waiting to go in it!

 

[A nonymous]

Hope its a SATA drive AS

The Vu+ doesn't use the older PATA IDE Drives.

Nano

 

[sonnetpete]

The black ultra lnb will help too and do you have a short cable run which always helps.

Any other satellites, you can get better reception on with the vu+, 4west etc ?

My cable run is probably between 10 - 20 metres, so yes, relatively short.

On 4°W, all T/P's are stable and locked, showing good strength and quality. Unfortunately, I can't now test 40°E, where I was picking up some of those hard to get Russian channels, as I think they have all moved onto C Band. Shame as it would have been a good test of the tuner sensitivity. If you can suggest any other sats to try as a test, fire away! (though my arc is restricted to the West)

 

[samoloko]

At this time of night the Vantage is in the dark, just flicking the blue message up every now and again, but the Vu is still going strong.

great

what Is min snr that Vu can lock signal - my db5620 with terible tuner can not work with 62 snr at 5/6
can Vu show up BER

there are rumors that there will be new Vu box - vuplus-support.org forum - so I will try at least to see new DM7020HD out and decide to buy

 

[sonnetpete]

what Is min snr that Vu can lock signal - my db5620 with terible tuner can not work with 62 snr at 5/6
can Vu show up BER

Threshold for locking seems to be around 30 SNR. Yes, it shows BER. Check out the two attached thumbnails. The graphic display and the Satfinder are only included with the VIX image that I'm running however, not the image that is loaded as standard.