Cheap receivers with fat32 support

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Mofofofo

41 posts

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#73386 13-Dec-2010 14:09

Setting up freeview for my folks, and I see some of the cheaper boxes support recording to USB, though the filesystem is limited to fat32, which has a file limit of ~4gb.

Does anyone have one of these boxes (VESTA, Digistar, etc) and know what happens when a recording reaches that limit (stop or split & continue)?

xpd

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#416547 13-Dec-2010 14:43

I have a Digistar 811 (DVBS) unit with a 160GB external drive formatted as FAT32 - when it hits the maximum FAT32 file limit it just continues into another file and so on... so a 8hr recording might end up being 4 files.

Works fine for us until I get a PlayTV unit :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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Mofofofo

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#416566 13-Dec-2010 15:17

Ah sweet, cheers for that. Does playback make it seamless or do you have to select part 2 once part 1 has finished etc?

xpd

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#416569 13-Dec-2010 15:26

Pretty sure its seamless, but cant remember last time we actually recorded anything over an hour long :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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foamfollower

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#416577 13-Dec-2010 15:36

I have a Digistar as well - it has gone well - and do many recordings. As above most of my recordings as within the limit, but I think that the one time there were two block it was not seamless - you had to press the double arrow "next chapter" button. No drama.

Mofofofo

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#416605 13-Dec-2010 16:27

All good, one last question

Will I get a better picture from scart or composite connection?

RunningMan

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#416669 13-Dec-2010 18:24

Mofofofo: All good, one last question

Will I get a better picture from scart or composite connection?

It depends what output you use from the scart plug.

Scart is a type of plug, not a method of transferring a video signal. Depending on what the reciever and TV support, then composite, s-video, RGB and component video are the four common signals available in a scart plug (plus audio of course).

You will need to check what the receiver and TV support, and what connections are available at each end - so you may end up with a scart-RCA cable for example to do component video.

Also, be aware that scart cables are directional - in and out (to/from) use different pins, so you need to know if the scart plug is at the source or destination end of the cable when you buy.

Reasonable guide is here

Mofofofo

41 posts

Geek

#416676 13-Dec-2010 18:42

Theres a scart on the back of the TV and one on the STB so I though there was a scart to scart cable of some sort. The TV doesn't have component connections (unless thats what the scart at the back is for?, ill have to look it up) so was just wondering if there was a scart-scart cable if it might be better than composite.

Theres S-video but only on the front of the TV (why not on the back I have no idea) so I don't wan't a crappy cable hanging out of the front of the TV running into the cabinet, also I don't think the STB supports S-video output over scart which id need an adapter for too, so I guess I'm going composite.

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RunningMan

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#416682 13-Dec-2010 18:56

Yep, you can get a scart-scart cable easily, just be aware of the real cheap $10ish ones that may not have all the pins connected.

Usually in the setup menu of the reciever you can tell it which signal to send from the scart plug.

The TV on the other hand - you will need to check online, or the manual as to what inputs it supports via scart. Be aware that some tvs with multiple scart connectors will (say) support compnonet via one, and s-video via another - just to complicate matters!

Mofofofo

41 posts

Geek

#416689 13-Dec-2010 19:11

Ah ok, Just checked the manual and it says RGB is the supported signal. The receiver also supports this over scart, so is Scart-RGB likely to get a better image over composite and if so is this an appropriate cable?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/TVs/Cables-aerials/auction-339417716.htm

RunningMan

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#416711 13-Dec-2010 20:07

Mofofofo: Ah ok, Just checked the manual and it says RGB is the supported signal. The receiver also supports this over scart, so is Scart-RGB likely to get a better image over composite and if so is this an appropriate cable?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/TVs/Cables-aerials/auction-339417716.htm

Yep, RGB should be far better than composite.

That cable will work, but the cheaper ones generally don't have sheilding on all the individual signal lines. RGB over this cable will still be much better than composite, but if you get a slightly better cable with individual sheilding, you will get an even better picture. Having said that, the improvement from composite to RGB will be far more than the improvement from a more expensive cable...

Try this or same thing second hand

Mofofofo

41 posts

Geek

#416742 13-Dec-2010 20:50

Awesome that cable looks good, cheers for the help!