New receiver looking at going to a linux box

[Ukhammy2015]

Hi all

new to this group and i am looking fir some guidance on my next receiver.
My current system is a spiderbix 9000hd with a metre dish on a motor.
this receiver has now started to get problems to looking to buy a new one.
the buzzword appears linux and openvix.
having a spider was really like plug and play but i beleive linux a bit different.
i am looking to spend around ?200 on a new one.
i only have one dish with a single lnb.
the next question is what can the linux box offer me my spider bix could not
if it is easier to explane by messaging me please feel free
would apreciate help

cheers

[ramjet]

they both do the same jobs as far as channels are concerned (within your budget)

if you get something like a vu solo2 (twin tuner like a sly plus box) you can have similar functionality if you fit an internal laptop style hdd drive

you can also get 7 day epg and set plugins to record

depending on the image and plugins it will do far more than your old spiderbox , like youtube , kodi , weather , all sorts of app type plugins exist

it will play back divx , mp4 and mkv files that you download and place on the hdd , like tv shows and films

if you swap the lnb to a quad and add a second cable you get twin tuner capability , so for example record 2 shows , or watch one while recording another one

pause live tv is another one

so many , many extras and more configurable to what you want and your own preferences

[Ukhammy2015]

Thanks ramjet i was starting to get a complex that no one was talking to me Lol
Being new to linux are these hard to set up for someone with no prior expereince of linux
the spiderbox was easy
so the vu box can run kodi i did not know that.
the quad option is also a posibility
you mentioned what image i put on is that somethink u can answer or not
do areciate your reply

[cactikid]

one of the popular images in use is openvix,i like it and use it on 6 boxes .

others may use a different image as it is all to do with choice.

[Ukhammy2015]

I have seen some images of openvix and it looks quite good
some of the bixes i have been looking at are the mutant vu range technomate and i think another one was called xtrend

[happy_highlander]

I have vu, technomate and extrend and use openatv all are very good boxes. open atv is much more configurable than vix but more difficult to set up correctly. For someone new to linux vix is by far the easiest to use and hardest to break

[Ukhammy2015]

Thanks for the info highlander i think the vu would be the box to start with than for me
i think you can purchsse these with openvix pre installed.
ramjet on a earlier post ,mentioned abiut getting apps for this box is there a section on here with apps?

[ramjet]

although there may be some you can install, the vast majority are held on their own servers (a bit like using the play store on an android phone)

so most of the popular plugins are installed with the image , or from within the plugins menu within the image and download off a special server that hosts them

openVIX is by far the easiest to setup and with a few modifications can replicate a sly plus box , with similar skins and epg and menus

I would change your lnb to a quad and double up or add a twin "shotgun" cable as used by sly to get the best from your new twin tuner box, if you buy a twin tuner version that is

on a non vu box like the technomate twins the openVIX image is probably the best option but it is all down to choice as several images exist

stick a miniature usb stick in the back to keep picons and epg data etc , not using the hdd and definitely dont use the flash mem for those tasks either

I realise you dont know all this , but am telling you so you know what to look for and why later on, it is a learning curve but the rewards are much better than your old spider

[Ukhammy2015]

That is a big help ramjet i think i am going to get a vu2 box the hard drive i assume is an external one that i could add myself i have a few hd drives
Thanks for soending the time answering my questions some other groups i have been on not so helful

[DOUGALMCD]

Hard drive would be inside box and plenty of tuts on tube on how to do so if your not sure box will come with all the fittings and should be set up with image you want from seller. You can always change settings in e2 to suit yourself and people on here will keep you right.

[Ukhammy2015]

Any recomendations on where to purchase one from a repuitaboe source

[Ukhammy2015]

Hard drive would be inside box and plenty of tuts on tube on how to do so if your not sure box will come with all the fittings and should be set up with image you want from seller. You can always change settings in e2 to suit yourself and people on here will keep you right.

So if i dont choose hard drive option when purchasing will i have a job getting the fittings fir the bix after

[ramjet]

not sure which vu you are buying but I recommended the vu solo 2 which allows for an internal fitting of any 2.5 inch internal laptop hdd

if not bought at purchase time, it can be fitted later and the cables and cradle should all come with the solo 2

there are other vu boxes that take internal hdd drives , not tried those but should be similar, although some can also take the bigger 3.5 inch internal hdd drives as well as the 2.5 inch ones

the drives are sata , no matter what capacity they are , any decent make will do the job , seagate , maxtor , western digital etc and are easily fitted

add a 16gb or 32gb button type usb driver at the back for the full monty , I use kingston or similar from reputable sources on mine

goldwafers is a reputable retailer for vu boxes but other retailers are out there as well

[Ukhammy2015]

Thanks ramjet ill put in my own hdd and i have found a co that sell the vu solo 2 with free loading of openvix at ?223
so i think ill order the box then the fun begins

[Ukhammy2015]

i am thinking of getting my vu2 from a co called world of sattelite never used these guys before ?223 inc openvix installed
anyone used these before