Amiko Alien 2 / Golden Media Spark Triplex / Icecrypt S3700HD

[djb2002]

I'm shortly coming to the end of my Sky contract and will be cancelling it, as I generally only watch the free channels anyway.

I'm looking for a satellite receiver that will do at least what Sky+ HD box will do - Mainly - Twin tuners, HD, recording PVR functionality.

Price is important too - I don't want to spend too much, so a budget one would may be suitable for my needs - subject to it having the above.

I think I have now narrowed down several boxes to the following three (which I believe are all pretty similar), and was wondering if there were actually any differences between them, or whether someone could recommend an alternative.

Amiko Alien 2 HD Triple Tuner
Golden Media Spark Triplex
Icecrypt S3700HD Triple Tuner

Any comments, suggestions or replies would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,

Daniel

[Sat-Shop]

They are very similar in hardware spec. but that's kind of where it ends, it's the support and backup from the brands that you need to consider and then next in line the distributors such as ourselves, those two parts are what can make and brake the receivers and continued support so is where you are best to use that to separate the three apart from each other.

Having said that there are still some differences and some other choices to be made. You've only mentioned satellite and HD but you're going for the triple tuner receivers, Amiko have just a twin tuner receiver for satellite only, would that be suitable for you or do you need to have triple tuner?

[djb2002]

Thank you for your quick reply.

I was initially interested in just a twin tuner (for satellite), but then when I saw these that included the terrestrial as well, I thought that was a good bonus and didn't seem to be much difference in price.

I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Thanks
Daniel

[digicon]

Personally i would be looking at an official Freesat recorder for what you require easier to setup and will act as close to the $lyHD box compared to the others you mentioned, and most now support the on demand player apps.

[Sat-Shop]

Thank you for your quick reply.

I was initially interested in just a twin tuner (for satellite), but then when I saw these that included the terrestrial as well, I thought that was a good bonus and didn't seem to be much difference in price.

I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Thanks
Daniel

OK, it's not a massive difference in price between them this is true but if price is also a factor then obviously if you can save a little all the better. There are 3 in the Amiko range though unlike the others and if you like the idea of the DVB-T support you might want to jump to the next step then as well and go for the triple+ which supports DVB-T and DVB-T2, and of course 2 x DVB-S/S2 as well for the satellite side of things... It's a small jump again in price but only a small amount and this way you've got most everything covered including Freeview HD through your aerial.

I think I would go the full hog and go with the A2+ to get your HD terrestrial support as well. I am sure I will probably be told off for advertising if I go much further which is fair enough, obviously have a look at all three brands still.

[djb2002]

OK, it's not a massive difference in price between them this is true but if price is also a factor then obviously if you can save a little all the better. There are 3 in the Amiko range though unlike the others and if you like the idea of the DVB-T support you might want to jump to the next step then as well and go for the triple+ which supports DVB-T and DVB-T2, and of course 2 x DVB-S/S2 as well for the satellite side of things... It's a small jump again in price but only a small amount and this way you've got most everything covered including Freeview HD through your aerial.

I think I would go the full hog and go with the A2+ to get your HD terrestrial support as well. I am sure I will probably be told off for advertising if I go much further which is fair enough, obviously have a look at all three brands still.

Thank you for your reply - It is appreciated.

I take it the the ones I quoted don't have freeview HD then, just regular freeview and it is the DVB-T2 that is required for the freeview HD ?

Which model are you referring to as A2+ ? - Is it actually called Amiko Alien 2+ ? - If so, what are the other variants (such as Golden Media and Icecrypt) models for this ?

Thanks again,

Daniel

[Sat-Shop]

That's correct yes it's the DVB-T2 support that gives you Freeview HD support. By A2+ I mean the Amiko Alien 2+ yes which is triple tuner with the extra T2 support and is the top of the range model of the 3 Spark/Enigma2 dual boot receivers Amiko offer.

I believe Golden Media do offer a similar triple tuner receiver now but not a twin tuner version, though not sure on the exact spec on their triple tuner, from a UK point of view the Golden Media products don't have a great following but are popular in parts of Europe. Icecrypt just have a single Spark/Enigma2 dual boot receiver which is triple tuner but with the 3rd tuner being DVB-C/T only so no option for Freeview HD, it's reasonably new and not a great deal of support as yet.

[djb2002]

That's correct yes it's the DVB-T2 support that gives you Freeview HD support. By A2+ I mean the Amiko Alien 2+ yes which is triple tuner with the extra T2 support and is the top of the range model of the 3 Spark/Enigma2 dual boot receivers Amiko offer.

I believe Golden Media do offer a similar triple tuner receiver now but not a twin tuner version, though not sure on the exact spec on their triple tuner, from a UK point of view the Golden Media products don't have a great following but are popular in parts of Europe. Icecrypt just have a single Spark/Enigma2 dual boot receiver which is triple tuner but with the 3rd tuner being DVB-C/T only so no option for Freeview HD, it's reasonably new and not a great deal of support as yet.

Thank you for the reply - That is great.

How do these 'dual boot' receivers work ? - Presumably you have to choose one or the other when you power the machine on, so would be forever switching it off/on to move between the two ?

Sorry for all the questions - I'm very new to this and find it all very interesting, and trying to learn how it all works.

Thanks
Daniel

[Sat-Shop]

Yep that's correct, it's dual boot and the two operating systems do work totally independent of one another so any changes etc. you make on one operating system will still be there if you switch to the other and then back again which is handy in itself. You set the default operating system the receiver boots up to on boot up with a couple of simple button presses on the front of the receiver. Once you've set the mode it will always boot into that same mode until such times as you change it and tell it to do otherwise so you've no worries about having to get up and press buttons on the front each time you turn it on.

[djb2002]

Thank you - That is good to know.

Decisions, decisions - so many choices..... At least I have narrowed it down somewhat.

Thanks
Daniel

[Fano]

I believe Golden Media do offer a similar triple tuner receiver now but not a twin tuner version, though not sure on the exact spec on their triple tuner, from a UK point of view the Golden Media products don't have a great following but are popular in parts of Europe.

The Triple tuner Amiko Alien 2 and Golden Media Triplex are exactly the same hardware ,no difference internally at all.

[sigmund freud]

Hi all, I'm new the the sat game and I too have been looking at what receiver to buy. A friend keeps banging on about the Dreambox 800 hd se? Is there much support for the Amiko Alien 2

Thanks

[digicon]

Hi all, I'm new the the sat game and I too have been looking at what receiver to buy. A friend keeps banging on about the Dreambox 800 hd se? Is there much support for the Amiko Alien 2

Thanks

Not as much as there is for the 800se check out the Enigma2 section for an idea of what is available

[Sat-Shop]

That all depends on how you class support, the Alien 2 is dual boot and can run Spark and Enigma2 operating systems (the DM800SE can't), the Alien 2 has at least twin tuners and can record one channel while watching another (the DM800SE can't) the Alien 2 has DVB-T and T2 tuner options (the DM800SE doesn't), the Alien 2 has a two year hardware guarantee (the DM800SE is unlikely to if bought in the UK). So in respect of these things, is there much support for the Alien 2? Sure is, it'll do more than the DM800SE will.

[girovend]

Does the Alien2 run enigma2 as well as the dm800se and can it use all the same plugins