Advice upgrading

[Bann32]

I currently have a Kompro s350 (pci express dvb-s card) and a Dreambox 500s I am not to fussed about HD or recording channels and I only have 1 LNB running off my Satellite, at present.

Is there any point upgrading the Dreambox for something more fancy?

[alom5]

if you don't want HD ...then i would say not!


but why wouldn't you want HD....defo worth HD!!

[cactikid]

why dont you think hd is not good enough,sd boxes are now old skool like a vcr,have a look at the blade sat box.

[Bann32]

Its not that its not good enough it would prob cost a fortune to run another LNB off my dish.

The dish is on the back of the house and the STB the front, and im not very nimble when it comes to ladders :(

Edit: Cost me ?30 just to have it realigned and I bet it was only marginally out.

[potrobber]

i dont understand what you mean by this

Its not that its not good enough it would prob cost a fortune to run another LNB off my dish

why do you need to run another lnb are you thinking that you need two feeds for hd?

or are you looking to have 2 boxs ?

the one single feed you have will give you hd

and as said above blade bm7000 is a very good hd box for 149 there is hd boxs from around the 60 pounds and above just depends what you are looking

[Bann32]

Ok so lets say I decided to go HD/upgrade would I be best getting the LNB done first or upgrading my box to be ready? As I prob wont be able to do both in same month.

I supppose the result is the same in the long run.

[cactikid]

i would have said remove dm,insert blade in its place and if you have a hd tv and you get a sub to open up the channels it will be an eye opener for a start.hopefully dish is pointing to astra2.

[Bann32]

I can pick up astra 19 and hotbird 28

[mdt]

I can pick up astra 19 and hotbird 28


hotbird is at 13e and not 28e.. astra2/eb1 are at 28e with the uk channels. regards mdt

[digicon]

I would say if your already use to a DM500s then why would anyone want to take a step backwards to something like a closed source box, if your on a budget and want HD either A get a secondhand DM800 clone or B money is really tight and you want HD but it is a step back get an Openbox HD around ?60.

[Bann32]

Money aint that tight, and what would be a step forward?

im gunna get a quote for an additional LNB installing and I was going to ask what was so special over the blade over the openbox's.

Would I need any other equipment to get max benefit?

[Manic01]

Why do you need to change lnb?

[Bann32]

because I only have one feed from the sat dish it was put up years ago

[alom5]

That's all you need mate. Unless you want a twin tuner......

[Bann32]

Oh I thought you needed two for HD, or is the two just to be able to watch one channel and record another.

[cactikid]

twin tuners mean you can do recordings on different channels if you want to do so,then a multi lnb is needed.and always ask how good the epg is any box which is as important,

[Bann32]

Ok thats cool so far, not to fussed about that at the mo. Are any of the cams any good or are they just a no no? or any other bits of kit.

So best sticking to an open source box, like the dm800?

As eventually id like to get my old mum a box so she can have a few more channels too id prolly have to look at the forbidden c/s and how many hops they allow for that. so id need an additional lnb for that box in the distant future.

So the big question is what is so special about the very expensive boxes?

[cactikid]

vu+duo original knocks the spots off many other boxes and has a 2 year warranty and most important a very good backup service in relation to been an open sourced linux box.+ they can do so many other things like access recording from the harddrive with another linux box like the vu solo,a warning with clones they may be good or bad and if you pay ypur money whats the after service like if you have a problem,how good are the tuners,power supply and a 7day epg,always ask questions.excellent picture quality also.

[ramjet]

Ok thats cool so far, not to fussed about that at the mo. Are any of the cams any good or are they just a no no? or any other bits of kit.

So best sticking to an open source box, like the dm800?

As eventually id like to get my old mum a box so she can have a few more channels too id prolly have to look at the forbidden c/s and how many hops they allow for that. so id need an additional lnb for that box in the distant future.

So the big question is what is so special about the very expensive boxes?

depends on the boxes , as there are literally hundreds of them , with various features and build qualities , originals and clones , all sorts of differences

bit like cars , which do you buy ? and why , ask 100 people and you get 100 answers , all different , diesl , petrol , saloon , 4x4 , rolls royce , ferrari , zonnda , the list goes on and on

but generally speaking the linux boxes are better as they are programmable, using open source software , and those with internal hdd interfaces are better than those with just external esata or usb interfaces

cams need programmers and so for most people are a waste of time , dont open much and not all boxes have CI slots either

to some extent you get what you pay for , and usually people want more and more , but for less and less

[Bann32]

Well that clarfies things, and I am pretty much guilty of the same.

[Shadwell72]

I ordered a DM800hd yesterday for ?114 and it comes ready to plug and play ;)

[potrobber]

I ordered a DM800hd yesterday for ?114 and it comes ready to plug and play ;)


in what way do you mean plug and play

as they all need to be pluged in and you will for sure do some playing to set it up


please let us all know what this box does as the cheaper 800,s build quality is strange at times ie cutting heatsink with hacksaw to fit harddrive

or is this a second hand box setup for a month on cs

[Manic01]

I ordered a DM800hd yesterday for ?114 and it comes ready to plug and play ;)

We are all intrigued by this, let us know exactly what you are getting.

[Shadwell72]

What i meant by play was it has an image already installed , obviously i have to input certain details but will be up and running within 20 mins of opening , cheers

[Shadwell72]

in what way do you mean plug and play

as they all need to be pluged in and you will for sure do some playing to set it up


please let us all know what this box does as the cheaper 800,s build quality is strange at times ie cutting heatsink with hacksaw to fit harddrive

or is this a second hand box setup for a month on cs

This is my 2nd box and the first one is superb and have never had a problem , purchased from the same seller for this reason !!

[ramjet]

What i meant by play was it has an image already installed , obviously i have to input certain details but will be up and running within 20 mins of opening , cheers

I always thought that all dreamboxes had an image installed , same as non-linux have official firmware installed, they dont come blank like an sdcard does ;)

seem to remember gemini being the officially installed image on a dreambox

[Bann32]

I maybe swearing here but what about the Humax, or is it the fact that its a 'closed' os box?

and just been looking at the 800s whats the difference between an L3 and Rev M tuner?

- I should look up the difference, but im trying to recoup some of my lost stuff, so apologies for my lazyness :(

[alom5]

M tuner won't give any pros watching HD. L3 tuner can't handle HD picture.

Get the HD pro version if you getting dm800.

[Bann32]

Just window shopping at the mo mate, but thanks for clarifying that for me much appreciated.

[Bann32]

I was looking at


http://www.hdtvdreambox.com/ and noticed they were different. The Sunray also caught my eye.

Given the limitations of the box I don't see the point in the T tuner unless I am missing something. I am also wondering if it could forward details of two tuners simultaneously.

[Manic01]

Sunray is DM clone, diff name used for customs purposes.

[digicon]

I was looking at


http://www.hdtvdreambox.com/ and noticed they were different. The Sunray also caught my eye.

Given the limitations of the box I don't see the point in the T tuner unless I am missing something. I am also wondering if it could forward details of two tuners simultaneously.


Even though the Sunray edition of the 800se has 3 tuners you can still only use one at a time

[Bann32]

Ok you would have to change the image or?

Edit: Just wanted to apologise for all the questions, I appreciate the answers and im getting a better understanding of the pro's and con's of the different stb's out there :)

[alom5]

Images are generally personal preferences mate. There plenty around for the dm clones to choose from...

[Bann32]

Images are generally personal preferences mate. There plenty around for the dm clones to choose from...

I meant from the sunray to switch tuners mate, sorry I didn't make that clear. (made sense in my head ;) )

[digicon]

I meant from the sunray to switch tuners mate, sorry I didn't make that clear. (made sense in my head ;) )

The Sunray SR4 has its own set of images compared to the 800se i would imagine so they have the Terrestrial and Cable .xml files in the image itself.

[Bann32]

Sorry I know your prolly all sick of me now, but this should be the last time

Ive had a look round and im thinking -
Dreambox 800 HD (http://www.hdtvdreambox.com/products/Dreambox-DM800-HD-%28Rev-M-Tuner%29-%28Satellite%29.html)

My question is that they offer to install a HDD for additional cost but it seems quite expensive. I could install my own cheaper.

I wont loose out on anything buy doing it myself will I and not at the factory stage so to speak. Dont think so but I wanted to be sure.

and now just to confuse matters they have a 500HD s more expensive than the 800....

If anyone knows a better place please let me know.

and final final thing, ive been looking at ccam -> Newcs becomes a new share seperate from the other? and then you use Mgcam on any after the newcs

[digicon]

Sorry I know your prolly all sick of me now, but this should be the last time

Ive had a look round and im thinking -
Dreambox 800 HD (http://www.hdtvdreambox.com/products/Dreambox-DM800-HD-%28Rev-M-Tuner%29-%28Satellite%29.html)

My question is that they offer to install a HDD for additional cost but it seems quite expensive. I could install my own cheaper.

I wont loose out on anything buy doing it myself will I and not at the factory stage so to speak. Dont think so but I wanted to be sure.

and now just to confuse matters they have a 500HD s more expensive than the 800....

If anyone knows a better place please let me know.

and final final thing, ive been looking at ccam -> Newcs becomes a new share seperate from the other? and then you use Mgcam on any after the newcs

the 500Hd has the BCM7405 chipset inside the same as whats in the 800se main difference is a faster 400mhz cpu compared to the 300mhz inside the 800.

The shop you linked to has them for ?107.41 + delivery which says its 7-14 days using DHL sounds like drop shippers to me.

I just priced the same 800 up with china supplier delivered in around 4 days and at todays currency exchange works out at ?105 roughly.

The difference is you probably get 12 month warranty, you do with the Chinese suppliers but it has to be sent back there which would cost slightly dearer than sending it back to a UK shop.

And lastly the far superior 800se works out at just under ?150 from hong kong

Choice is yours

[Bann32]

Put like that, ill get the se, I thought the se was the lesser model I must have misread a previous post.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that, it really is appreciated.

[Bann32]

Just waiting to get paid then I can order :)

Was just reading a different thread and I am still happy to go with the 800SE - Just one question, is there anything speical about the Gigablue?

I am assuming the VU Duo is more expensive due to having a twin tuner?

[Bann32]

Not been on for a few days internet died, is anyone able to provide any insight into the above?

[digicon]

The Gigablue is another Enigma2 receiver and i have just been having a read up on this new box looks quite good for the price but what you have to look out for is the support for the box itself and how many teams will do images for it.

the DM800se clone has a massive image range and loads of support for it, The Duo is exactly both receivers are well established and that shows in the support.

the gigablue is the new kid on the block and i have only seen 1 team image for it so far, how well this pans out in the future is anyone's guess just look what happened with the Technomate TM800HD its a duck the Gigablue could go the same way i am not saying it will but comparing it against 2 top performers. I know which one i would choose 800se or Duo enough said.

[Bann32]

Just a post to let you know, on the HD front, I stand very much corrected! UFC in HD was awesome!