Recommended Satellite PVRs?

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99 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#646060 25-Jun-2012 19:16

grant_k:
getresults: What other brands & model(s) would you recommend with a similar feature set?

I will answer the first question on Xarqi's behalf because we have the same receiver:

http://www.vuplus.com.au/Satellite-STB/Vuplus-DuoLE

Vu+ provides a very solid platform with a variety of images available and excellent support both from Craig (the Aussie distributor) and a UK-based forum. Craig was in touch with me today about another matter, and he is a font of knowledge about all things regarding satellite reception in this part of the world.

As you will see from the link above, Vu+ can be fitted with up to a 2TB HDD which is awesome.

Well it might be amazing but:

1) There are no specs there :(

2) AUD$450 + shipping + hard drive to NZD.

That's going to way blow any budget I have. Any suggestions for something more in the NZ$300-$400 range?

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#646063 25-Jun-2012 19:30

getresults:
xarqi: My advice about Ultraplus: avoid.
I don't want to get dragged into the whys and wherefores again because each time I do I find it very hard not to get angry all over again. If you do choose to go that way, be *very* sure that you have a no-hassle right of return so that if you find that it is just a bad joke, as I did, you won't have to rely on the Consumer Guarantees Act.

Doubtless others will sing the praises of Ultraplus, but be aware that that opinion is by no means unanimous.

Okay... I know you mean well but your post doesn't actually help.
What other brands & model(s) would you recommend with a similar feature set?

Well it does and it doesn't. I can't recommend a PVR available on the NZ market, that's true, but if I can help you avoid a lot of frustration, maybe that's useful.

Can you point me to a thread regarding problems?

There's a recent thread here on problems experienced by at least two people with an Ultraplus unit that records from the wrong transponder. I stopped following the thread several days ago when I'd said my piece and I could feel the old blood pressure rising.

Point noted re: right of return - I'll ask. Kind of need to know why I might want to return it though :)

Typical problems relate to shoddy, untested, prematurely released firmware, meaning that stated functionality is in fact not reliable. You may find that something just does not work as described, or the box crashes and needs rebooting often, or just about anything else. You may strike trouble such as "None of my other clients are having this problem"; "Prove that the problem is actually in the hardware/firmware".

Just one example: the 980HD I got, although advertised as being able to record multiple streams from the same transponder in fact could not. Granted, this was fixed with a firmware update (which also stuffed up WiFi security by requiring a broadcast SSID), but the unit as shipped did not perform as advertised.

As Grant alludes, I now have a Vu+ Duo, and it just works. It's virtually faultless. Essentially, it only gets rebooted when the mains power fails.

Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#646064 25-Jun-2012 19:31

I have 2 Ultraplus units and love them. I find them both excellent. I have the Ultraplus x-9200 with 1TB hard drive and its very good. using v2.10.54 firmware without problems. Love the series link with it.
The older one is the Ultraplus F-9000HD with a 2TB hard drive also going well but no series link on it.

HTPC Intel Pentium G3258 cpu, Gigabyte H97n-wifi motherboard, , 8GB DDR3 ram, onboard graphics. Hauppuage HVR 5500 tuner, Silverstone LC16M case, Windows 10 pro 64 bit using Nextpvr and Kodi

pc

120 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#646102 25-Jun-2012 21:20

theres always the DishTV S7090 PVR. _think_ it's still the only freeview certified sat pvr. ~$450 with HD.

gave my mother one and with the latest firmware seems to be working ok. dish tv have a manual online to read.

theres a few threads on geekzone, do a search.

no where as nice as mysky but theres not much choice for freeview sat pvr's.

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek

#646112 25-Jun-2012 21:46

pc: theres always the DishTV S7090 PVR. _think_ it's still the only freeview certified sat pvr. ~$450 with HD.

gave my mother one and with the latest firmware seems to be working ok. dish tv have a manual online to read.

theres a few threads on geekzone, do a search.

no where as nice as mysky but theres not much choice for freeview sat pvr's.

Had to get one of these for my in-laws at one of their places, they have a TiVo at the other. It works ok, but nowhere near as well as the TiVo. Little it laggy, UI is not ultra intuitive, I'm not sure about the kiddylock features. It does have a "seaon pass" type function but isn't as good as TiVo. Wasn't much choice for freeview satellite recorders when I researched late last year.

Apsattv

2363 posts

Uber Geek

#646135 25-Jun-2012 23:21

I recommend the X-9200. I've had one for nearly a year with very few problems. The internet tv function is great. You can watch all the BBC channels direct from England. Also ABC, CBS ,NBC USA and countless other channels from around the planet.

A recent firmware update added support for adding a 3rd Tuner via the USB conection.

Theres very little wrong with the current firmware

bfginger

1244 posts

Uber Geek

#646137 25-Jun-2012 23:28

I'll ask neighbours tomorrow but I'm pretty much convinced there's no hope now after talking to local installers.

Sometimes it's still possible to get UHF with an extra strong aerial
http://www.dtvs.co.nz/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=85
http://www.rocketroberts.com/cm4251/cm4251.htm

Yank

14 posts

Geek

#646161 26-Jun-2012 08:15

If you decide to go with satellite instead of freeview and still want to use your tivo perhaps an rf modulator would solve the problem, just a thought.

Jaxson

8002 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#646165 26-Jun-2012 08:38

Yank: If you decide to go with satellite instead of freeview and still want to use your tivo perhaps an rf modulator would solve the problem, just a thought.

The current model NZ TIVO's don't allow for you to record from external sources that I know of.

Xarqi and others have touched on several points I completely agree with across the board really.

Namely, in the satellite world especially there are often raw user interfaces, usually hashed up straight out of China, that by NZ standards are far from intuitive. The stock UI's usually don't subscribe to our preferred 'less is more' approach of the likes of an apple iPod/phone/pad etc or Sony's developments like the cross menu bar etc. It's usually one text menu after another on the cheaper units.

Also, as mentioned above, there seems to be confusion over a good company that 'has great support and releases lots of updates' vs a company that thoroughly tests it's products and commissions fully prior to releasing the product. If a product is released to market, ie they have taken your money, it should do everything it says on the box, and if it doesn't then releasing a fix months later is not good service, it's simply giving you what you have already paid for initially.

DishTV and Ultraplus both have a history of doing this in my experience.

Apsattv

2363 posts

Uber Geek

#646180 26-Jun-2012 08:57

Well just your opinion, but, my Ultraplus does a hell of a lot more than when I bought it 9 or 10 months ago.
Internet TV, Internet Radio, DLNA, support for USB tuners, support for 3g modems, Series record and RSS are just a few of the functions added in the past few months. None of which were advertised on the box.

Jaxson

8002 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#646197 26-Jun-2012 09:08

Apsattv: Well just your opinion, but, my Ultraplus does a hell of a lot more than when I bought it 9 or 10 months ago.
Internet TV, Internet Radio, DLNA, support for USB tuners, support for 3g modems, Series record and RSS are just a few of the functions added in the past few months. None of which were advertised on the box.

I have no problem with that. That sounds great.

mthredgo

80 posts

Master Geek

#646269 26-Jun-2012 11:05

I have tried Vu+ Duo, but only got a effed up Chinese clone (and I got my money back after a few angry letters :-)
I also have been disappointed with my HTPC, mainly because DVB-S software assumes you don't have more than 4 satellites, and then the best of the software, MediaPortal still has bugs in it when sending DiSEqC commands to my multiswitch.

But in my lounge room I've not been disappointed with a simple Dish TV box. This is what I got:
http://www.dishtv.co.nz/Satellite-Receivers-satBox/8-DishTV-S7050PVR-HDMI.htm NZ$249
Then it's external HDD for the PVR. The EPG is non-Freeview (like that really matters). It supports all my 5 sats.
There are also cheaper sat PVR models from Dish TV that don't have the CI slots.
Plus they have phone support in NZ and when I rang them up they were actually helpful.

Consider going for a straight Sat set top box, and don't worry about all the internet TV bells and whistles. Easier to use than a box with Linux inside. Also I like my old Topfield box. I wouldn't touch a dodgy box off Trade-me at all.

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#646322 26-Jun-2012 11:58

My workmate lives in Loburn, approximately 40km north of Sugerloaf. He can get Freeview UHF using rabbit ears (slight adjustment required for each mux), admittedly it is LoS. I would be quite surprised if you can't get FreeviewUHF even in the shadow of the Port Hills.

As for satellite, I don't think anyone has yet suggested a Series 1 TiVo paired with a STB? Excellent UI (as you know), and very cheap (complete kit on Trademe now for less than $100).
Disadvantages are that it is SD, and records only one program at a time.
My sister and her husband use one with Sky, and I have one for analog VHF/UHF.

getresults

99 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#646384 26-Jun-2012 13:53

I just wanted to thank everyone for participating in this discussion and offering their opinions to help me out.

At this stage I'm going to go for an UltraPlus 900HD because it's in my budget range and because I'm already a Linux geek I'm pretty much used to a box that works great 98% of the time and infuriates the other 2% :)

From what I'm reading it looks like the UltraPlus firmware has been improving steadily, so here's hoping it proves a good investment.

There definitely seems to be a lack of good, rock solid Satellite PVR choices in NZ at the moment...

Thanks again everyone.

Phill

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#646386 26-Jun-2012 14:00

I hope all goes well for you. Report back in a month or so if you like, and let us know how you got on, good or bad.

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