DSE-620 Review?

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greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 20765 5-Apr-2008 12:28

Hi There,

I have switched back to DVB-S... DVBViewers interface is just not good enough and i could not get media portal working correctly... So now im thinking of ditching the htpc for tv all together.

Is anyone using the DSE-620 and care to comment on the quality of the output?

I remember plugging in one if the cheaper DVB-S boxes from DSE once and being highly disapointed by its picture quality compared to DVB-S on the MCE...

Thanks

Simon

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420 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 121294 5-Apr-2008 13:40

Sorry to hear that your having trouble with Media Portal. It is possible to get a good MP setup running and I have achieved that. But it really only came right with a rebuild of my TV Server (using Windows XP) and installing the minimum of codec's. In the end I just installed CoreAVC and xVid. Then put Media Portal v2.3.0 with the latest SVN and it was all go - DVB-S and DVB-T all running sweetly.

Its is a lot of effort though - and to be frank, if your happy with DVB-S, the best option I think is to get one of the twin tuner Topfield PVR's or the Ultra Plus 880 and leave it at that. It's much easier in the long run and they just work, plus they have network access and hard disks. VideoReDo can convert the REC files to MPEG2 if you want to do that for commercial removal and saving.

Unless your really dedicated - an STB based PVR has to be an easier option.

Cheers Mike

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121297 5-Apr-2008 13:49

mruane: Sorry to hear that your having trouble with Media Portal. It is possible to get a good MP setup running and I have achieved that. But it really only came right with a rebuild of my TV Server (using Windows XP) and installing the minimum of codec's. In the end I just installed CoreAVC and xVid. Then put Media Portal v2.3.0 with the latest SVN and it was all go - DVB-S and DVB-T all running sweetly.

Its is a lot of effort though - and to be frank, if your happy with DVB-S, the best option I think is to get one of the twin tuner Topfield PVR's or the Ultra Plus 880 and leave it at that. It's much easier in the long run and they just work, plus they have network access and hard disks. VideoReDo can convert the REC files to MPEG2 if you want to do that for commercial removal and saving.

Unless your really dedicated - an STB based PVR has to be an easier option.

Cheers Mike

Yea- but im not really happy with DVB-S, thats the reason why im asking if any one has used the DSE-620 :)

linw

2048 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

# 121329 5-Apr-2008 16:34

I bought and installed the DSE-620 yesterday. It runs into a Panasonic 42" 1080i plasma via HDMI.

The HD test channel sure looks good to me but there are two places you can mess with brightness/contrast etc so it is hard to know whether you have the best quality possible. The Panasonic has settings for Standard, Cinema, Auto and Dynamic but all except Dynamic look dull and too dark.

We have been using the SKY tuner for TV tuning but the DSE box gives better pics, especially on TV3.

All I can really say is that it was easy to set up (although it didn't auto scan on turn on) and I am pleased with its image quality.

On a side note, having two STB's to switch between is not my idea of an advance but there you go... Just when I thought I had my wife semi-trained

rugrat

1796 posts

Uber Geek

# 121331 5-Apr-2008 16:40

I've got the Zinwell. Maybe the same box. Real happy with it quality wise. Picture better then Sky on SD. Tuned in all channels in under 20 Seconds. And high def through HDMI. Don't get Cue or Stratos.

Has teletext, and guide stuff, but no other features - i.e. can't set it to turn on at certain time, and witch channel to change to.

cyril7

6976 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

# 121353 5-Apr-2008 17:59

Cue and Stratos are only on the DTH FreeView service, that may change in time.

Cyril

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121358 5-Apr-2008 18:27

Well - i went and gont one. Installed in 5 mins and up and running. Added to the harmony remote with no issues and watching... I seem to feel that the quality is not quite as good as the HTPC with upscaled content... will be interesting to see "So You Think.." tonight as its in true HD.

Note: It didnt pick up the Kordia channels, tho i think this is just an issue with the Kopu (Tauranga) transmitter that is being worked on - as these channels have been going on and off over the past week.

old3eyes

8198 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

# 121361 5-Apr-2008 18:39

greminn: Well - i went and gont one. Installed in 5 mins and up and running. Added to the harmony remote with no issues and watching....

What did you enter into the harmony remote>> A Zinwell item??

Regards,

Old3eyes

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121371 5-Apr-2008 19:23

Yep - zidwell ZTM-650HD and it just worked a treat. (I got mine from Bond and Bond, DSE was out of stock)

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121375 5-Apr-2008 19:43

Well - full HD (So i think you can dance) on the Zidwell is as good as the FreeviewHD channel i have seen it on the HDPC (HVR-3000).

DaveB

1139 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

# 121453 6-Apr-2008 08:59

Very pleased with the output picture quality through HDMI. TV3 is superb.

The only early concerns I have about the DSE-620 is the heat that the box is generating and the fact that it froze last night. I will be keeping a very close watch on this over the next few days.

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121466 6-Apr-2008 09:25

DaveB: Very pleased with the output picture quality through HDMI. TV3 is superb.

The only early concerns I have about the DSE-620 is the heat that the box is generating and the fact that it froze last night. I will be keeping a very close watch on this over the next few days.

I had this issue last night as well... i was watching TV3 and the picture froze, but the sound continued on with no issues. Switch off then on solved it... but i agree - the box will be going back if it does it again!

Note that i have the reciever sitting in its own space in our entertainment unit, so it is not on top of any other stuff.

Simon

linw

2048 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

# 121475 6-Apr-2008 09:56

I also noticed how hot it gets. I am concerned that two of you have had freezes, though. The reason you get a STB is that it works and freezing isn't part of the deal. It's damned annoying that they are prepared to release stuff that does this. I will run mine for longer and report back.

I was pleased how it went straight into my Harmony, as well.

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121692 7-Apr-2008 08:27

Well a weekend of using this and i must say that its pretty good. I have it connected to our SONY Bravia 42" LCD (S-Series) and its running at 1080i, the audio is connected to our Pioneer reciever via a SPDIF cable. The picture quality is good, even on a channel like TVNZ7 (relly cool airsport? doco last night). I have had it crash (mind the pun) once during usage, the picture froze and the sound carried on, a simple restart got this going again, but i will be keeping an eye on this. It takes a couple (5+) second to turn on and display a picture, but after that works as expected.

I am going to get a spliter so that i can get the HTPC box running with DVB-T to compare the picture side by side... i still feel the picture is slightly better with the HTPC, this must be down to the codec that is being used - that said however, the true HD broadcasts on the Zinwell are fantastic.

The menu is easy to use as well as the tuning. The OSD is not much chop after you are used to MCE, but its great not to have all the little computer issues that you end up getting with the HTPC and one button "TUNE" is great!. We are still using the HTPC BTW for DVDs and our DVD library!

As reported else where as well as here, the box does get quite hot on the top, so i wouldnt recommend putting anything on top of it, or it on the top of anything else that radiates heat from the top (like an amp or something).

I have noticed that using my Harmony remote with it requires you to be pretty good with the aim at the box. With the rest of the equiptment, you can give it a good slightly pissed wave at things to increase volume etc, but the zinwell requires a little more aim.

I will still be getting a HD PVR once they are released tho.

Cheers

Simon

Kiwi Pete

48 posts

Geek

# 121929 7-Apr-2008 22:20

So far my DSE-620 has not frozen except for the EPG failing. At first thought the EPG was not functioning properly because we were in the trial period. However tonight I did a factory reset on the decoder and once it was up and running again the EPG was back. It's annoying that Stratos, Cue and the 2nd Maori Channel are not on FreeviewHD in Christchurch! Especially as Freeview publicity implies that they will be! Still they might be there by next Monday. Tonight watched Bones on TV3. What a shock when I switched from HD to SD! My DSE-620 is feeding a Sony Bravia panel

greminn

172 posts

Master Geek

# 121998 8-Apr-2008 07:43

Kiwi Pete: So far my DSE-620 has not frozen except for the EPG failing. At first thought the EPG was not functioning properly because we were in the trial period. However tonight I did a factory reset on the decoder and once it was up and running again the EPG was back. It's annoying that Stratos, Cue and the 2nd Maori Channel are not on FreeviewHD in Christchurch! Especially as Freeview publicity implies that they will be! Still they might be there by next Monday. Tonight watched Bones on TV3. What a shock when I switched from HD to SD! My DSE-620 is feeding a Sony Bravia panel

Hmm - will have to keep an eye on mine for that.

Stratos, Cue and the 2nd Maori Channel will not be on FreeviewHD yet... see this:

http://freeviewnz.tv/index.php?section_id=5

Freeview (via satellite)
ONE, TV2, TV3, C4, Maori Television, TVNZ6, TVNZ7, TVNZ Sports Extra, Stratos, Parliament TV, Cue, Te Reo, Radio New Zealand National, Radio New Zealand Concert

Freeview|HD_TM (via UHF aerial)
ONE, TV2, TV3, C4, Maori Television, TVNZ6, TVNZ7, TVNZ Sports Extra, Parliament TV, tvCentral, Radio New Zealand National, Radio New Zealand Concert

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