Which setup???

B

Bulletguy

Member
My Satellite Setup
Humax Foxsat HDR. LG 37LH3000 with LG DRT389H.
My Location
UK
Bewildered by the variety of satellite 'setups' I am somewhat confused as to exactly which way to go apart from I have decided to go for Freesat rather than Sky.

I notice some receivers are advertised as Freesat +, and others just Freesat.....whats the difference?

Next question! I've been told Humax are a good make of receiver but having looked at them on various electronic sites I am even more bewildered by the huge differences in prices. Is there any real advantage to buying a twin tuner type, or one with a hard drive for example? Installation costs of the twin tuner seems quite expensive considering its basically another length of co-ax!

I already have a new dvd recorder/player and will be buy a new television within the next few weeks so as I live in a non cable area anyway, want to get a decent satellite setup.

All advice and tips appreciated!!
 
Freesat+ is the pvr version (the Fressat equivalent of Sky+)

It needs the twin tuners so it can record one channel whilst you are watching another.
 
If you are prepared to accept some limitations you can watch a few different channels whilst recording another with just a single feed from a dish.

But, if you're having a new dish installed, it doesn't make sense not to have two feeds put in. The only extra cost is a different LNB and an extra length of co-axial cable. You might even consider putting extra leads into other rooms as a sort of future proofing; there are 4 and 8 output LNBs available.
 
Using an external DVD recorder or HDD recorder to record programmes will give recordings of an inferior quality to what is now easily achievable.

As, basically with that setup, you are converting back to analogue and then to digital again to make the recording.

With a HDD built into the receiver, the recording is made direct digitally, and on playback is exactly the same quality as it was live.

PVRs don't have to have twin tuners, but add the conveniance of being able to view any different channel to what's being recorded.
 
PaulR said:
If you are prepared to accept some limitations you can watch a few different channels whilst recording another with just a single feed from a dish.
But, if you're having a new dish installed, it doesn't make sense not to have two feeds put in. The only extra cost is a different LNB and an extra length of co-axial cable. You might even consider putting extra leads into other rooms as a sort of future proofing; there are 4 and 8 output LNBs available.
Click to expand...
Can you explain how please and exactly what are the limitations you mention?
 
Robbo said:
Using an external DVD recorder or HDD recorder to record programmes will give recordings of an inferior quality to what is now easily achievable.

As, basically with that setup, you are converting back to analogue and then to digital again to make the recording.

With a HDD built into the receiver, the recording is made direct digitally, and on playback is exactly the same quality as it was live.

PVRs don't have to have twin tuners, but add the conveniance of being able to view any different channel to what's being recorded.
Click to expand...
Hmmm.....this gets more complicated!

If my TV set is receiving digital channels via satellite, then when I record a programme and burn it to a blank disc....how/why am I not recording that same (or similar) quality of picture? My dvd player/rec is an LG DRT389H and the television I am proposing to buy within the next few weeks will also be an LG, possibly HD and 1080 res. Still to decide on the screen size though.

Which Humax box would you recommend as the 'best buy' on both price and features?
 
An LNB is under the control of the satellite receiver. The signals received are split into Horizontal and Vertical polarity and then, further, into High and Low bands. If you have a dual ouput LNB then each is independantly controlled but with a single feed the LNB1 input is in control. The LNB2 input, which is fed with a loopthrough cable from LNB1 out, can "watch" anything that is on the same polarity and band (H or L) .

You would have to check the satellite listings to see which transponders, and therefore channels, will be available in which combination in advance. If you have the setup with one input only and are recording something then, if you try to change channel, the innaccessible ones are greyed out. You can only change to the highlighted channels.
 
Back
Top