Whats the Easiest/Best Satellite Reciever/Box

[Muddy222]

Hello Everyone,

Firstly I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong area or section.

I am chasing some information from all you technical able people.

I need to purchase a New Satellite Reciever. I have looked around the internet and how confused am I, Totaly let me say.

I have looked at the following recievers/box's
Dreambox HD
Openbox x5
Skybox

These are the following minimum requirements that I need.

Must have HDMI connection.
Must be able to support cccam emu
Must have Card reader.
Must be able to ...........................................

I have looked at Dreambox looks like a great box....
but it requires plenty of software mods to get CCCam to work.

I have looked at the Openbox x5 also looks like a great box.... but the info I have read, suggest the box is very old and to be honest, I thought they did away with IDE HD, the Openbox still uses the IDE connections. Again not 100% sure if CCCam will work without install mods.

I am not technical in any way shape or form, So the reciever would have to be very and I mean very easy to setup.

There are plenty of threads on different sites asking for help about install software mods to get CCCam to work, on different recievers.
There is also plenty of Youtube uploads showing how to flash or upload Mods to get different box's to work with CCCAM.

If the lastest Dreambox DM8000 HD PVR is the way to go. then I will just have to learn how to upload or flash the unit to work.
Whats the worse that can happen or that I could do, it doesnt work all together and I have to buy another one. (I can live with that)

I am hoping to get sencible and constructive replies.

Thank you to everyone in advance

[ramjet]

hi

suggest you start by reading this guide I made ages ago http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums...-setup-301108/

as for boxes, most boxes including the skybox/openbox tend to use external USB hdd drives for recording (or usb sticks)

modern boxes with internal connectors including the dreambox use SATA connectors and tend to use laptop 2.5 inch sata hdd drives and these provide the best options same as a sly plus box does

as for which box to buy, no question in my mind its now a choice between the vu solo 2 or the vu duo 2 (the latter being the newest and best)

so better to buy one of the above, fit an internal hdd drive and learn to flash it from usb stick, add cccam plugin yourself , learn how to install or ftp a channel list in and get the best benefit from the box both now and in the future, even if that means sitting down and following tutorials or asking questions or googling for answers

I certainly wouldnt touch the cheaper boxes like slybox or openbox as you soon move on from those as your requirements accelerate and you have already mentioned a box that uses a pata ide connection which is old as you say.

the point about any box is actually its features and more importantly , its support , and the dmm offerings have fell by the wayside in recent years, so despite me owning a dm800 which is still a good box, its nowhere near as good or new as a solo2 , or a duo2. the dm8000 used to be the must have box, then it was a vu ultimo, now its the new duo2, 6 months ago it was the solo2, so as you can see, it tends to be a vu now, just make sure the vu you buy is an original and can do what you require of it, the learning is the "fun" part and comes after purchase

but I cannot advise you on using one in australia as I am referring to its use here in Europe

good luck

[Muddy222]

Ramjet,

Firstly let me thank you for providing the very good information.

Like you have pointed out, I dont want to buy a box and then find out, I have purchased at least 5 yr old technology. I know in Australia our technology is always behind but never a few yrs.

I think I will research it a little further and look into the box's you have suggested. My biggest concern is purchasing a box say overseas and then finding out it doesnt work in australia or it was the wrong box to have here. But like you have also mentioned thats half the fun of researching and reading forums and tutorials.

I take it the box's you have suggested are

vu solo 2 or the vu duo 2
Can both of these box's be updated or flashed to run ......................................................

Thank you once again

[ramjet]

hi

these vu boxes are linux based like the dreambox, both vu boxes are flashed by usb stick and all linux boxes can run the cccam "app" known as an emulator or emu

there is a complete VU section here on DK for vu owners (and a dreambox section) and many tools and files can be used on both, including cccam

so yes is the answer to your question, but as I said earlier I am speaking from england and can only provide info for western europe and not OZ

OZ is a completely different story when it comes to your satellite systems so you really need to seek out an oz forum to answer specifics regarding your satellite broadcasters (foxtel ? or sly oz ? etc)

I am not even sure you can decode scrambled channels down under any more, but again that is why you need an oz forum and not a .co.UK forum

my point is that what we use here may be totally unsuitable in oz, but as you mentioned the dreambox I brought you up to date with the vu info as its more modern alternative, this is also why I told you to check what your actual requirements are, this includes tuners , ability to receive the channels, and the decoding aspect required for any scrambled ones

therefore, if you read the guide I linked to, one piece of advise was that you could spend a grand and still only get FTA channels when you have finished spending, in which case cccam is no good to you if it cannot be gainfully employed; . in any case OSCAM is now the emu of choice, not cccam

[Muddy222]

Ramjet,

Again I wish to thank you for the direction.

I am currently waiting for advise from Austech Which is the australia forum site.

smiling, I am really unsure what direction to take.

I am trying to get foxtel to work. I have been given advise about using a ....................................................... which I am assured will work. I have been told the Openbox will work I just have to put the details in.

I dont want to use the box for anything other than Foxtel.

So I might just buy the cheaper box to see if it works and then venture into the unknown and purchase a better box. no matter what happens I can always return to the cheaper box if I stuff it all up. Plus its an inexpesive way to see if this will really work. As I have no one to ask, if this really works.

I have started to read through your previous post, which by the way has totally confused me.

But like you previously mentioned thats half the fun of stepping outside your own comfort zone.

Anyway, I am more than happy with what you have said THANK YOU.

By the way the VU+ Duo2 cant find anyone selling them in Australia.


smiling

[septicsmurf]

The Duo2 has only just been released and uk stock should have arrived yesterday, so you might not see them for a week or two.
I would always advise to avoid openbox, skybox, etc as inevitably you'll want to upgrade, so it'll be money wasted.
But saying that, I thought that the whole scene had been killed off in Oz.

[ramjet]

The Duo2 has only just been released and uk stock should have arrived yesterday, so you might not see them for a week or two.
I would always advise to avoid openbox, skybox, etc as inevitably you'll want to upgrade, so it'll be money wasted.
But saying that, I thought that the whole scene had been killed off in Oz.

my thoughts were similar too

when I first answered, I had assumed that the op was in europe or the uk like most members would be on a dot co dot UK site, but then I saw his location was OZ and so amended my reply accordingly

I dont think the OP realises that this forum was a european forum, more specifically most of the active sat members will be in the british isles meaning most replies and info and retailer info will be mainly about the uk or western europe. and the fact that the duo 2 is so new its only just arriving here means the chances of buying one down under are almost non-existent at the moment, even if it did do the tasks required in OZ

I too thought the sat scene was more or less dead in the water there, but only somebody with knowledge of europe and oz or kiwi woul be able to tell us more, so maybe somebody like kegnkiwi may answer seeing as he moved from the uk to kiwiland and he also has excellent knowledge in these subjects (possibly one or two other members too I might add)

my point to the OP is you are hoping for answers from a european forum, to a conundrum that is specific to oz or kiwi
most of the stuff on this forum, and its members are european and not australasia
its not that you arent welcome here, because you are, but dont expect detailed info about oz systems from a european forum as probably less than 1% of the members here can help you

yes we may know about the boxes, but we dont have the knowledge for your area, we dont know the retailers for your area, we probably know very little about satellite for your area, hence the reason I asked you to find an equivalent oz site where you will get the best info for your area (horses for courses)

EDIT

reading threads on that austech site you mentioned seems to indicate that you need a sub for foxtel

the thread entitled "satellite tv as a hobby dying?" on page 2 of the forum you posted in seems to indicate broadband and internet tv as the way forward, so have a read of it. reading through some of the threads on there I am inclined to agree with septicsmurf that the sat scene seems to have died since foxtel made encryption changes there in the last couple of years

so iptv via broadband seems to be the message they are touting

[septicsmurf]

Depending where In oz he lives and with a big enough dish, maybe he could pick up some asian packages.
I haven't even looked at footprints as I'm on my mobi, so don't quote me on it. Just a thought.
On a side note, I really should have put more thought into my display name on here.
Septicsmurf semed like a good idea when I joined, but now just sounds repulsive.
Hey ho, live and learn.