MagicTV 3600.. my quick impression report (updated)

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#339560 8-Jun-2010 21:42

some noise is common with switch mode power supplies, and with the obsession for efficiency it will get worse.

Richard rich.ms

MadKiwi

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#340164 10-Jun-2010 13:00

Gemini: Problem

MagicTV reception was great 100% on top bar 80% on bottom.

Moved it into another room temporarily, also good reception.

Now back in it's original location and it can't find any channels. Have tried numerous aerial cables, repositioning MagicTV, repositioning it's power transformer, all other equipment off, still nothing.
Help please!

Same result here! Bought Magic on the weekend, got it home... can't find any channels.... take it back to Harv Norm next day, not the 1st one returned that day. Sourced new units, tested in store, tuned in at 1 location in store nothing from a different location. Picked up the now tuned in unit.... tried it at home... yup works.... attempted setup at home.... no channels detected !!! Already have built in freeview at home.... Frustrating, Harvey salesman sending out their aerial expert at no cost to investigate!!

Gemini

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#340187 10-Jun-2010 13:35

MadKiwi:
Gemini: Problem

MagicTV reception was great 100% on top bar 80% on bottom.

Moved it into another room temporarily, also good reception.

Now back in it's original location and it can't find any channels. Have tried numerous aerial cables, repositioning MagicTV, repositioning it's power transformer, all other equipment off, still nothing.
Help please!

Same result here! Bought Magic on the weekend, got it home... can't find any channels.... take it back to Harv Norm next day, not the 1st one returned that day. Sourced new units, tested in store, tuned in at 1 location in store nothing from a different location. Picked up the now tuned in unit.... tried it at home... yup works.... attempted setup at home.... no channels detected !!! Already have built in freeview at home.... Frustrating, Harvey salesman sending out their aerial expert at no cost to investigate!!

Yeah I haven't "fixed" mine, don't know how. Will be interested to hear what the expert said

Mac2008

121 posts

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#340188 10-Jun-2010 13:36

richms: some noise is common with switch mode power supplies, and with the obsession for efficiency it will get worse.

Yep richms on to it, the noise is normal, and it will be different in each power supply. It is the components oscillating at high frequency (why it sounds like arcing). It is only by using switch mode power supplies (that do this) that they can fit the power supply into such a small pack.

Nutts

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#340208 10-Jun-2010 14:15

richms: some noise is common with switch mode power supplies, and with the obsession for efficiency it will get worse.

Yep richms on to it, the noise is normal, and it will be different in each power supply. It is the components oscillating at high frequency (why it sounds like arcing). It is only by using switch mode power supplies (that do this) that they can fit the power supply into such a small pack.

Thanks guys. It does make quite a loud buzz/arc type noise which is why I mentioned it.
Interestingly I rang Magic TV in Raglin and had to leave a message. Still no call back. I guess they could be away.

N

Mac2008

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#340810 11-Jun-2010 21:50

MadKiwi:
Gemini: Problem

MagicTV reception was great 100% on top bar 80% on bottom.

Moved it into another room temporarily, also good reception.

Now back in it's original location and it can't find any channels. Have tried numerous aerial cables, repositioning MagicTV, repositioning it's power transformer, all other equipment off, still nothing.
Help please!

Same result here! Bought Magic on the weekend, got it home... can't find any channels.... take it back to Harv Norm next day, not the 1st one returned that day. Sourced new units, tested in store, tuned in at 1 location in store nothing from a different location. Picked up the now tuned in unit.... tried it at home... yup works.... attempted setup at home.... no channels detected !!! Already have built in freeview at home.... Frustrating, Harvey salesman sending out their aerial expert at no cost to investigate!!

Hi MadKiwi, one thing I have noticed with the MagicTV is that it doesn't like too much signal. I suspect that MagicTV designed the tuner to be more sensitive to overcome some issues that NZ has had with the Freeview|HD signal being problematic in some areas. At times in some installs you have to put in an attentuator (buy from Dick Smith) to reduce the signal by a few dB.

Easy to test, just hold the antenna plug about 2-3mm away from the Ant In socket on the MagicTV. Have someone do a scan. If it picks up the channels then too much signal is your problem. Strange but true.

Of course I have only found this in situation where the transmitter is very close and often line of sight with the TV aerial. But it could be your problem?

Gemini

429 posts

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#340818 11-Jun-2010 22:37

Mac2008:
MadKiwi:
Gemini: Problem

MagicTV reception was great 100% on top bar 80% on bottom.

Moved it into another room temporarily, also good reception.

Now back in it's original location and it can't find any channels. Have tried numerous aerial cables, repositioning MagicTV, repositioning it's power transformer, all other equipment off, still nothing.
Help please!

Same result here! Bought Magic on the weekend, got it home... can't find any channels.... take it back to Harv Norm next day, not the 1st one returned that day. Sourced new units, tested in store, tuned in at 1 location in store nothing from a different location. Picked up the now tuned in unit.... tried it at home... yup works.... attempted setup at home.... no channels detected !!! Already have built in freeview at home.... Frustrating, Harvey salesman sending out their aerial expert at no cost to investigate!!

Hi MadKiwi, one thing I have noticed with the MagicTV is that it doesn't like too much signal. I suspect that MagicTV designed the tuner to be more sensitive to overcome some issues that NZ has had with the Freeview|HD signal being problematic in some areas. At times in some installs you have to put in an attentuator (buy from Dick Smith) to reduce the signal by a few dB.

Easy to test, just hold the antenna plug about 2-3mm away from the Ant In socket on the MagicTV. Have someone do a scan. If it picks up the channels then too much signal is your problem. Strange but true.

Of course I have only found this in situation where the transmitter is very close and often line of sight with the TV aerial. But it could be your problem?

I have a strong signal where I am.
Just had a look at Attentuators. I can get a 3db, 6db or 24db ...

Lenovo

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mail2mm

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#340872 12-Jun-2010 06:09

Gemini - Get a 3 db and a 6 db attenuator. You can then play with 3, 6 and 9 db combinations which should be plenty of attenuation.

JimmyH

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#341088 12-Jun-2010 23:24

Jaxson: Whoops, sorry!

They're all rediculous rules anyway when people get dodgy copies via the internet, not off set top boxes. And as you say, nothing consumer grade has HD in for copying anyway, certainly not via component input. Heck even copying to DVD means downscaling broadcast HD to DVD SD resolution now anyway.

Don't get me started on limiting EPG data too, which only prevents potential viewers from watching a show because they weren't made aware of it in the first place.....

I understood that Blu-Ray recorders (which are consumer machines) currently on the market would record & copy in HD (although admittedly not over component). If you want to record HD over component, while I haven't tried it myself, I have heard fairly good things about the Hauppauge HD PVR caputure box - pair it with a laptop or a HTPC and you should be away.

With a good HDCP stripper (which would cost about $200US), I gather from a work mate that you can even record HD over HDMI.

So basically, anyone who has a bit of time and a few dollars goes around these ineffectual rules, and the pirates and people who want kudois by putting shows on torrent sites are essentially unhindered. It's only the poor saps like me who can't justify the time and budget needed to go round this, and who pay for our content anyway, who lose out. Sigh......

2lostkiwis

67 posts

Master Geek

#341359 14-Jun-2010 00:27

Hey Everyone,

I have made some progress in investigating the Magic TV.
I can now telnet in and copy programs off over the network connection.
Here's a more detailed description of how I did it:
http://2lostkiwis.com/wordpress/mtv3600/

Cheers,
Ian.

richms

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#341363 14-Jun-2010 00:41

Good job.

As far as the serial console, dont bother with the level converter, just get a nokia data cable, they are 3.3v and a USB on the PC end so you can actually use it.

Richard rich.ms

Mac2008

121 posts

Master Geek

#341516 14-Jun-2010 13:58

2lostkiwis: Hey Everyone,

I have made some progress in investigating the Magic TV.
I can now telnet in and copy programs off over the network connection.
Here's a more detailed description of how I did it:
http://2lostkiwis.com/wordpress/mtv3600/

Cheers,
Ian.

Nicely done Ian. This is all a little out of my league but is there a possibility that given time you can provide an upgrade to let us all use ftp to pull files off via the network?

Mac2008

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#341523 14-Jun-2010 14:15

shouston

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#341589 14-Jun-2010 16:45

I have an issue most mornings that Audio is out of sync with pictures.I have grown used to the milliseconds associated with LCD and Home theatre systems, But overnight or after a long period of time with any activity the sync drifts, I mean up to a second perhaps. A simple toggle of channels, or toggle of the audio settings fixes it. In television we use a word clock to keep audio and pictures in sync. What is Magic TV using?? I have reported this to Magic TV. They suggested its an ongoing issue with Digital TV?? They said just flick to live TV, this makes no difference. Does anyone else have this issue.
We are fully up to date with firmware.
HDMI out of MTV to LCD
Audio Analogue out of the LCD into home theatre, with the option setup to go Spidif directly out of MTV into home Theatre.

richms

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#341595 14-Jun-2010 17:04

If they dont use the ability to skew the video clock to keep it in sync with the audio that will happen.

Developers used to PC stuff dont account for the fact that they should be clocked together, since PCs have seperate clocks on the sound and video cards, and most STBs do as well, but you can lengthen or shorten each frame slightly to get them back in sync. Real STBs have to do that since they are not playing from disk, or else just drop or repeat a frame occasionally.

Richard rich.ms

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