Vantage HD6000T/NZ DVB-T (Freeview) PVR 50% discount for Geekzone users

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444 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#203566 26-Mar-2009 17:36

Changed the vid to 720 and changing channels more responsive.

Seems like 10 - 20 seconds to boot.

Im now looking at Tivo so Im clad I only paid the $249 for this

"The only way to learn some- thing is to do it"

jonathan18

7413 posts

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#203658 27-Mar-2009 06:54

Can anyone recommend a cheap drive (but good brand/warranty) that definately works with the Vantage?

I've just ordered a Vantage this morning, but will need a new drive to be able to use the PVR function - don't want to spend anything more than necessary, and looking for one around 500-640GB

Has anyone tried the Vantage with one of those cheapie Western Digital Elements drives?

Noel Leeming has the 640GB model for sale at the moment for $179 - while they may not be the cheapest, I do want to get it from somewhere where returns aren't difficult in case it doesn't work with the Vantage.
http://www.noelleeming.co.nz/prspy/prod95368.html?ac=pricespy

Otherwise, Dick Smith has the Seagate FreeAgent 500GB for $179, so clearly not as good value, but I understand a superior drive.
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/en/product/XH9749?id=pricespy

Any recommendations or thoughts on these models? Especially concerned about the drive powering down with the STB.

Thanks.

dtvs

73 posts

Master Geek

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#203665 27-Mar-2009 07:54

jonathan18: Can anyone recommend a cheap drive (but good brand/warranty) that definately works with the Vantage?

I've just ordered a Vantage this morning, but will need a new drive to be able to use the PVR function - don't want to spend anything more than necessary, and looking for one around 500-640GB

Has anyone tried the Vantage with one of those cheapie Western Digital Elements drives?

Noel Leeming has the 640GB model for sale at the moment for $179 - while they may not be the cheapest, I do want to get it from somewhere where returns aren't difficult in case it doesn't work with the Vantage.
http://www.noelleeming.co.nz/prspy/prod95368.html?ac=pricespy

Otherwise, Dick Smith has the Seagate FreeAgent 500GB for $179, so clearly not as good value, but I understand a superior drive.
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/en/product/XH9749?id=pricespy

Any recommendations or thoughts on these models? Especially concerned about the drive powering down with the STB.

Thanks.

Hi,

There is a list of tested drives here http://www.dtvs.co.nz/forum/index.php?topic=24.0 . No prices mentioned though.

Cheers

RobNZ

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#203685 27-Mar-2009 10:04

Jonathan

I just purchased a WD MyBook Essential Edition 640GB with 3year warranty.
Thats a model up from the elements you mentioned.

The elements model does not support power down/up when the host is off/on, according to the WD website. It also has only 1 year warranty.

The drive I have is very quiet, and has a single blue LED in the front which is not overly bright.
They retail around $210 inc gst.

The drive also came formatted as FAT32, which means you can use it with the PVR out of the box.
A friend has just purchased a seagate 500GB for his PVR - he had to reformat it to FAT32, and he says the LEDs are rather annoying. It does however have a 5 year warranty.

Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#203703 27-Mar-2009 11:50

Lipex666: I have set it to 720 I think as thats all my old Sony CRT will handle

A CRT TV will only display at Standard Definition. It may well accept a High Definition (720p) input and downscale that for display, but you would probably do better setting the Vantage output to 576 (if that's an option).

jonathan18

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#203725 27-Mar-2009 14:08

RobNZ: Jonathan

I just purchased a WD MyBook Essential Edition 640GB with 3year warranty.
Thats a model up from the elements you mentioned.

The elements model does not support power down/up when the host is off/on, according to the WD website. It also has only 1 year warranty.

The drive I have is very quiet, and has a single blue LED in the front which is not overly bright.
They retail around $210 inc gst.

The drive also came formatted as FAT32, which means you can use it with the PVR out of the box.
A friend has just purchased a seagate 500GB for his PVR - he had to reformat it to FAT32, and he says the LEDs are rather annoying. It does however have a 5 year warranty.

Thanks for the advice - hadn't noticed the limitation of no auto on/off on the Elements drive, and enough reason not to get that (along with the warranty).

Have gone with the same drive as you've purchased - found it for $190sh including postage on a computer store's website (Expert Infotech); however, they do have two models for sale, and it looks like the cheaper one may be an older model. For this purpose, I can't imagine it'll be an issue!

If, for some reason, this doesn't work out, I'll just go with the 500GB Seagate they have for sale at DSE.

alliao

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#203804 27-Mar-2009 22:34

great service, ordered it yesterday afternoon, less than 24hrs later it arrived!

everything's great, apart from two things.

1. teletext color seems a bit off? I'm not sure how teletext works off the digital signal..which brings me to
2. subtitles. the timing of it is way too fast, usually a second or two "before" the actual dialog.

anyone else having this issue? or just where i am that's way too close to the pinehill tower that's causing it (wild wild stab in the dark).

no complaints on everything else, quick service, great price.

Quic Broadband

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driller2000

935 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#203879 28-Mar-2009 15:53

hi all,

have been using the vanatge for a week now and for the money i am very happy

boot up is slowish - but patience is a virtue innit?

find it to be responsive between channels - have set it to 720p to match displays and this has sped it up

have recorded to apacer usb flash drive as a test and this has worked fine

budget external drive didn't seem to work - but will purchase wd mybook as that seeems to work well based on posts here and elsewhere

as for epg - next(ish ) is fine by me - and if the "skeleton" epg works then that should do the trick, no?

divx files have also played back without issue

like the fact it is a stb as it allows me to route the signal to the tv / projector - as opposed to an inbuilt tuner which would not

i have however had a minor issue getting the center channel playing on tv 3 if using dolby digital through hdmi (set up: vantage set to dd on hdmi --> hdmi ---> onkyo 606 (5.1 speakers) ---> hdmi ---> palsma/projector) - if anyone has this issue and has managed to fix it, any advice would be appreciated :)

so in summary - i believe it is great value for the money - especially compared to the competition and given it's a working pvr and can also play back other media

so all in all - i am very happy with the purchase

cheers

ed

highspeedsteel

34 posts

Geek

#204103 30-Mar-2009 08:32

To the person who asked about the Subtitles, I have noticed this as well, but with a different box and I think its a freeview thing. The subtitles seem to be off by ~1-2 seconds. Some shows are better then others.

benaltoft

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#204118 30-Mar-2009 09:31

Hi - got one of these last week, ordered it one day and it turned up the next!
Hooked up with a brand spanking WD mybook 640.
Only issue is I can't get TV3/C4 but that is due to poor signal. Am moving soon so will sort it at the new joint.
Watched Slumdog on it (.avi), worked a treat.
Recorded fine, finding recordings/files is easy, setup is easy. All in all very happy and recommend this unit.
Thanks to all above who gave detailed reports and assisted in my purchase. For a total cost of $249 + postage + $190 for the mybook - total ~ $450 you get going on HD digital plus you can record the news when the kids are screaming.
[This is about the same as what I paid for a twin-tuner 250GB LG unit in Australia about 2yrs ago ... as we are on MPEG4 here I had to sell it when I moved here].

dtvs

73 posts

Master Geek

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#204120 30-Mar-2009 09:34

HURRY!!! Only 2 days remaining to get your HD6000T/NZ at the special Geekzone price.

Special will expire at midnight on the 31st and will not be extended.

kmagyoyo

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#204160 30-Mar-2009 12:36

Thanks DTVS.

Ordered yesterday, picked up this morning. Easy to setup, pictures fantastic on 42" LCD.

1080i video output and channels change instantly...or so close to it makes no difference. I've lucked in with good signal strength so maybe that is why it is allot quicker than what some other guys are getting?!?

Boot time...20 seconds but personally I could care less.

Time to remove some old crap off the hard drive so I can try recording.

Cheers again DTVS very happy!

srtgumbee

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#204183 30-Mar-2009 14:22

Thanks for the great product.

The vantage is really easy to set up and use.

Pic and sound quality is great.

Pysically it is a small, good looking unit. I now don't have to sink hundreds of hours building a massive HTPC!

Channels change ~1 sec so that is great.

Plays most of my Dvix/Xvids :-)

Records onto my 2.5" 80GB hardrive that inside a portable media player (Media Gate MG-25).

8 day EPG would help with recording, but it is still easy to set up. You just need to know when your programe is coming on in the future.

I'm a Happy customer :-)

Cheers

SRT

Spong

1005 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#204188 30-Mar-2009 14:31

I bought two of these last week, and delivery was very fast. I must say these are a far more solid performer than the other boxes I've tried. It's worth installing the latest firmware which fixes the very few problems I saw when I had a loan unit last year. Highly recommended and if anyone's sitting on the fence, I'd urge you jump now. This is a really classy and mature product. For the money, I don't think anything comes close.
I particularly like the way DTV Solutions have supported these with a level of professionalism sadly lacking by a certain importer of a competing box, now banned here at Geekzone.

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#204423 31-Mar-2009 13:47

dtvs: Special will expire at midnight on the 31st and will not be extended.

Right up to the last moment of the financial year.

It's doubtful that the New Zealand economy will rocket out of recession any time soon (and that's unfortunate). But it does mean that we will probably be seeing other promotions for other products in the not-to-distant future as companies turn their attention to making it through the 2009-10 financial year intact.

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