parkmoy Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Any recommendations for sensitivity and quick channel changes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Replied to give it a bump, and also a bit more info. You may have to be more specific as to what you want. (and you may well know the following). Currently, there is Freesat from Sky, which will deliver you a set of FTA and FTV (Free to View) channels. This includes the current BBC/ITV channels and Channels 4 and 5. If you want to go this route you're tied to a (subscription free) Sky box and a (one-off charge) viewing card for C4/5. You'll also get the Sky EPG, and various interactive services. If you can do without C4/5 than a generic FTA box will do. You won't get C4/5 (at least at the moment - but maybe within a year), or EPG and Interactive Services, but you will get all BBC/ITV channels ,and lots of other free stuff as well. Frankly, my Maplin 240v/12V box (less than £50) is perfectly adequate for this. (and its audible signal makes it easy to set up the dish). In a couple of month's time, BBC/ITV Freesat will be with us, with a separate EPG, Interactive Services, and C4 (C5 rumoured to be following). Boxes are not yet released, but will be subscription free. You may wish to wait. see www.freesat.co.uk FWIW, each of the above uses the same transmission for each channel (e.g. BBC1 is the same satellite and frequency on each, only the EPG and interactive services will differ (and the core interactive services will have to be the same on both Freesat flavours). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkmoy Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 In a couple of month's time, BBC/ITV Freesat will be with us, with a separate EPG, Interactive Services, and C4 (C5 rumoured to be following). Boxes are not yet released, but will be subscription free. You may wish to wait. see www.freesat.co.uk I certainly don't want to pay Sky! As I understand it a FTA box will receive all the currently free channels and the new Freesat service. If this is so then I'm soliciting recommendations for a 12v FTA box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Maplin do a box for around £40, they tend to appear under different names as they are commonly rebadged.... I was going to get it but sister gave me her old sky box and that will do for now. I now have all the (portable) bits but have not set it up yet as have been to busy and its far to cold lol I believe you need a box that can select different satellites if you want to pick up channels in southern Europe as I think you need to be able to swap to astra south beam..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkmoy Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Given the number of MH's I see with sat dishes I'm very surprised that more people haven't been able to recommend a box. I know from experience of home freeview boxes that there can be a considerable difference in peformance between them and I'm sure this applies to the FTA sat boxes as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 parkmoy - 2008-02-11 8:55 AM Given the number of MH's I see with sat dishes I'm very surprised that more people haven't been able to recommend a box. I know from experience of home freeview boxes that there can be a considerable difference in peformance between them and I'm sure this applies to the FTA sat boxes as well. The problem is that the majority will go with a SKY box and most people just use the first box they get, whether it be SKY or FTA therefore they have nothing to compare it with. If you had only ever used one set top box, whether it was for terrestrial freeview or freesat you would only be able to judge by that box's performance. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I have a suitcase sat dish and a 12v FTA box..works no problem...well with a lot of practice. Have tried with my sky box and got nought...is this a common problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I certainly don't want to pay Sky! As I understand it a FTA box will receive all the currently free channels and the new Freesat service. If this is so then I'm soliciting recommendations for a 12v FTA box. The Freesat service is an EPG, which only Freesat boxes will pick up. A Lidl/Aldi FTA box (Silvercrest) is excellent value and you don't need to buy an additional 'sat finder' as it is built in to the unit. You will get now/next but not seven days' listings. For a manually operated dish, the Sky box is not too good and quite fiddly to get a signal, I assume the Freesat boxes will be the same as they are designed for static operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 derek500 - 2008-02-11 12:45 PM A Lidl/Aldi FTA box (Silvercrest) is excellent value and you don't need to buy an additional 'sat finder' as it is built in to the unit. You will get now/next but not seven days' listings. The above (COMAG) box badged Silvercrest is the same as the Maplin 12V FTA box. http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=48736&doy=11m2 It has already been mentioned by myself and others. I find it entirely acceptable in use, and you are correct, the audible signal is great for positioning the dish. It's small size also makes it very transportable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Could anyone tell me whether the Maplin unit and the others mentioned, are of lesser quality/performance, than this one which is twice the price and looks very similar. http://www.snellyvision.co.uk/store/satellite/satellite-receivers/12v-/-240v-free-to-air-fta-satellite-receiver/prod_23.html Thanks Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 We bought an Axil AD600 Freesat box not long ago and at the moment it is working in the house on a Sky minidish. Bought it for the motorhome but the Sky digibox is kaput and we are waiting delivery of a replacement. On the Freesat box we get all the BBC, ITV, & Sky news channels but not 4 or 5 obviously, we also get many other channels. The Axil box will pickup 4500 free channels, so it says in the blurb, we also get all the normal Radio Stations, there are 60 at the moment including all BBC radio stations. We bought the Freesat box from our local BricoDepot but they are on sale everywhere, this one was 59 euros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Randonneur - 2008-02-11 10:16 PM We bought an Axil AD600 Freesat box not long ago and at the moment it is working in the house on a Sky minidish. Bought it for the motorhome but the Sky digibox is kaput and we are waiting delivery of a replacement. On the Freesat box we get all the BBC, ITV, & Sky news channels but not 4 or 5 obviously, we also get many other channels. The Axil box will pickup 4500 free channels, so it says in the blurb, we also get all the normal Radio Stations, there are 60 at the moment including all BBC radio stations. We bought the Freesat box from our local BricoDepot but they are on sale everywhere, this one was 59 euros. Just clarification that the Axil is a FTA box and not a 'Freesat' box. 'Freesat' boxes are not yet on sale, they say Spring on their website. 'Freesat' is the brand name of the new BBC/ITV FTA boxes that will pick up the 'Freesat' EPG. 'Freesat' pick up the same channels as a Sky box will without a card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Shaun - 2008-02-11 9:12 PM Could anyone tell me whether the Maplin unit and the others mentioned, are of lesser quality/performance, than this one which is twice the price and looks very similar. http://www.snellyvision.co.uk/store/satellite/satellite-receivers/12v-/-240v-free-to-air-fta-satellite-receiver/prod_23.html Thanks Shaun I am 99.99% certain it is the same box, badge engineered. The Maplin/Lidl box is a good budget buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 They do look identical, but the dimensions aren't the same. That's what made me think the one for £100 was different to the Maplin/Lidl for £50. Thanks for the recommendation, however. Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I'm still pretty confident - It simply looks like the Comag box badge-engineered. (Maplin, Lidl, etc) I've had a close look at a Maxview one, and it looks exactly the same as mine. Maplin don't supply the 'remote eye' that Snelly does, however. Edit: Just had a look at the Maxview site, and this box (020) is a new release with the remote eye - don't think you can even fit one to mine (and I suspect there is little change from previous). The previous Maxview version (014) was the same as the Maplin. Would still recommend the latter unless you need the remote. End Edit The Maplin unit (bought in a suitcase kit) was my first, and is still my only experience of Satellite. Soon ditched the rest of the suitcase kit (it would work, but I found it difficult to set up and align the dish). Replaced with a Thomson (cassegrain type) dish bought cheap, and now find it very easy to use. Used it North of Scotland to South of France so far, with no issues. As is mentioned elsewhere here, the audible signal on this box is great for dish alignment. (though it might annoy the neighbours for a minute or two whilst you align ;-) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Do I take it that the magic eye is only used to change satellites? If that's the case, surely it's not too difficult to get up off one's bum and change manually. However, if it serves a greater purpose, then please let me know. As things stand, it doesn't seem worth a doubling of the price over the Maplin unit. Before diving in, I've found another reasonably priced FTA unit (£80) and wondered if anyone has any comments on it. Here's the link. http://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_detail.aspx?prod=ZEHNDER+DX+65+FTA+SATELLITE+RECEIVER+(WITH+IR+SENSOR)&id=919# Cheers, Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 The magic eye is simply a remote IR receiver which allows the digibox to be tucked away in a cupboard rather than on plain view. The Maplin box cannot have a magic eye added to it as it has no RF output socket and this is where the magic eye connects to. I know this because I set onew up for a customer and Maplin told them (and sold them one) that the magic eye would work. When I pointed out that there was nowhere for the magic eye to connect to the box they were less than impressed with Maplin muppetts. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 derek500 - 2008-02-11 11:00 PM Randonneur - 2008-02-11 10:16 PM We bought an Axil AD600 Freesat box not long ago and at the moment it is working in the house on a Sky minidish. Bought it for the motorhome but the Sky digibox is kaput and we are waiting delivery of a replacement. On the Freesat box we get all the BBC, ITV, & Sky news channels but not 4 or 5 obviously, we also get many other channels. The Axil box will pickup 4500 free channels, so it says in the blurb, we also get all the normal Radio Stations, there are 60 at the moment including all BBC radio stations. We bought the Freesat box from our local BricoDepot but they are on sale everywhere, this one was 59 euros. Just clarification that the Axil is a FTA box and not a 'Freesat' box. 'Freesat' boxes are not yet on sale, they say Spring on their website. 'Freesat' is the brand name of the new BBC/ITV FTA boxes that will pick up the 'Freesat' EPG. 'Freesat' pick up the same channels as a Sky box will without a card. It is a digibox connected up to a satellite dish with free channels. Are they going to be a badged "Freesat" by the manufacturer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 OK, Dave, I'm still trying to get my head around the need for the magic eye. Let's say the Maplin box is in a cupboard out of sight. No magic eye, so no IR, so what does than mean in terms of actually using the receiver? Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Shaun - 2008-02-12 9:07 AM OK, Dave, I'm still trying to get my head around the need for the magic eye. Let's say the Maplin box is in a cupboard out of sight. No magic eye, so no IR, so what does than mean in terms of actually using the receiver? Shaun It simply means that as the box can't "see" the remote control in your hand it won't change channels when you press the button on the remote. IR is Infra Red and is the signalling system used for most remote controlled entertainment equipment. As it uses light waves it has to have clear line of sight between remote and receiver to work. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 OK, I'm with you. I appreciate all the IR stuff, but imagined that the magic eye did something 'special' and didn't simply alleviate the need to have the receiver with a clear path to the remote. So, I gather that if it's not desirable to have the receiver situated out in the open, where the IR path is clear, then the alternative approach is to have the receiver tucked away, say in a cupboard, with only the magic eye on display, thus providing the necessary contact with the remote. I suppose the inevitable question is whether it's worth the extra £50 or so for a receiver (which can be stored out of the way) with a magic eye. Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkmoy Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 Here's another that looks like a rebadge: http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/skypacker.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Yes, but I don't get this comment from the blurb: "This receiver is designed for use with a small TV screen where composite video is quite adequate." I'm not sure Mr Maplin would suggest that. Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Technomate TS 1000D is quick, easy and sensitive. You will need a good LNB (low noise) signal finder, compass, and a dish that will work in whatever country you want to receive in. Have a look here http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/ Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Are they going to be a badged "Freesat" by the manufacturer? Yes and they will be the only boxes to receive the Freesat EPG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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