Freeview DVB-S Box - DishTV S7070 vs DTVS-1B vs Zinwell ZMX-7500B?

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russelljsmith

23 posts

Geek

#72961 6-Dec-2010 00:05

Hi,

I'm looking for some help choosing a new Freeview DVB-S box.

We've just moved into a new rented property, it's in a bit of a hole so UHF reception is poor which rules out Freeview|HD unfortunately. The previous tenants had a MySky setup but I don't want to pay a subscription for TV so I'm shopping around for a cheap & cheerful Freeview DVB-S set-top box to get us up and running.

I've found three units all available at $150:

The three units are:

DishTV S7070

DTVS DTVS-1B

Zinwell ZMX-7500B

The manufacturers websites are awful though and I'm having a tough time tracking down any detailed information or reviews the would help be pick the one to go for. Any personal recommentations or any pointers on where I can get more info would be really appreciated.

Related to this I'd also appreciate some advice on how best to connect any set-top box to my TV. My TV is a Sony Bravia KDL-40W5500 which I brought over from the UK. It has 4x HDMI (2 used), 1x Component (used), 2x SCART (not used) & 1x Composite (not used) connections. I don't really want to give up my only component connection for anything that isn't in HD so is there anyway to use the HDMI or the SCART connections that would this give a noticeably better connection than just using the Composite connection?

Thanks in advance for any help with answering these questions / Russell

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727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413248 6-Dec-2010 00:52

I can only address one aspect of your question, and that is to use HDMI if the STB you get supports it. Next would be SCART (same proviso), and lastly composite.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#413300 6-Dec-2010 08:56

The Dish TV unit has a scart output... but I'm yet to try it.
I used to have one before going to MySky, and it seemed reliable and easy enough to drive.
The picture quality was what you would expect from Freeview satellite... which, frankly, without HDMI upscaling, is pretty much the same quality as analogue TV.
So yeah...

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#413421 6-Dec-2010 13:14

Usually you can run component video over a SCART plug.

There's an "Ultraplus 700HDMI" model being released tomorrow which supports HDMI and costs a little less than those units so I'd think about that.

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413432 6-Dec-2010 13:27

I'd rather forego HDMI than risk getting another Ultraplus box released onto the market prematurely. The 980HD I had briefly must have been intended as a joke, but I didn't see the humour.

russelljsmith

23 posts

Geek

#413486 6-Dec-2010 14:17

Thanks for the answers so far guys.

@Dunnersfella I managed to find a manual for the DishTV unit and noted it had SCARTs on the back but wasn't 100% sure I had downloaded the correct NZ manual, so it's good to get that confirmed.

@bfginger The Ultraplus 700 looks interesting especially with the PVR features, but it doesn't appear to upscale on the HDMI, just uses it to output 576. (Also it's not Freeview approved though I'm not sure how big of a deal that is).

I've noticed this morning Noel Leaming have the DishTV S7070 on sale until tomorrow for $99 dollars so I might go for one of those and dig out an old SCART cable to connect it.

In the future I'm looking to get a Home Cinema Receiver with HDMI upscaling so that will hopefully give me a few more connection options and improve things slightly for the picture from the Freeview Satellite.

I'll let you know how I get on with the DishTV box if I pick one up.

Thanks / Russ

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413489 6-Dec-2010 14:19

"Freeview approved" = "intentionally crippled".

russelljsmith

23 posts

Geek

#413639 6-Dec-2010 18:04

Hmm, well this hasn't gone so well, I picked up a $99 DishTV box this afternoon, but the unit appears to be DOA! :-(

The front panel is blank and I get no output through the TV, tried it in a couple of different power sockets, still no luck, will have to take it back to NL tomorrow unless anybody has any bright ideas?

R.

Equinox IT

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xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413642 6-Dec-2010 18:10

Power switch on the back maybe?

russelljsmith

23 posts

Geek

#413659 6-Dec-2010 18:38

Nah, I found that switch ;-) neither the switch on the back or the power/standby button on the front appears to do anything useful. I even tried pointing the remote at it and hitting some buttons on that, but it remains stubbornly unresponsive.

Can't remember the last time I brought something home that just refused to work straight out of the box, glad I didn't get it as a Christmas present. I wonder if it's a coincidence NL had a big pile of them on the shop floor and are selling them at $99!

Oh well, as my UK-spec TV doesn't do VHF I guess it's back to watching DVDs & Blu-Rays for another night...

R.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413745 6-Dec-2010 21:56

Get the DTVS - they are great units. They are the only satellite receiver i will sell! Component output (also composite and 2x audio outs) and most reliable receiver i have seen yet.

russelljsmith

23 posts

Geek

#414114 7-Dec-2010 16:33

Okay, swapped the DishTV unit for a working one. Just set it up now, appears to have picked up all the Freeview channels. Picture is pretty average, a little better than analogue terrestrial maybe, varies by channel too which is expected. Will try it with a SCART cable when I dig one out, see if that improves things.

@xarqi What am I missing out on with a Freeview approved box, Satellite TV is new to me?

@illicit Went for the DishTV unit as the SCART outputs are more useful to me right now as my TV only has one Component input and that's taken up with the Wii. Would the DTVS unit have better picture quality or any features I'm missing out on with the DishTV

Thanks / Russell

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#414132 7-Dec-2010 17:06

I doubt the DTVS will look much better by default.
Cables will help... and up-scaling amplifier would of course help somewhat.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#414158 7-Dec-2010 17:53

Scart can handle three different signals

1- Composite (the yellow plug)
2- S Video (4pin plug)
3- RGB (or component, depending on the unit)

Im 99% confident that the DishTV doesn't handle component via scart (maybe S-Video) so basically your wasting your time with a scart cable - you'll have the same connection/picture

Dunnersfella: I doubt the DTVS will look much better by default.

In my experience; I have seen a noticeable difference between the DishTV & DTVS picture. While the DTVS is not perfect (mainly due to the low quality picture from the satellite) it is better than the Dish TV (in my opinion)

Freeview approved units have a full TV guide and automatically update themselves with new channels and software. In future will be compatible with new services from Freeview (interactive TV etc)

Dunnersfella: ... and up-scaling amplifier would of course help somewhat.

Not always, can make the picture worse through some receivers

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#414259 7-Dec-2010 20:46

The main thing that you miss out on with any freeview-approved box is the ability to play recordings on any device other than the one on which they were recorded. There was something about not being able to skip ads too I think, but now I think about it, that seems preposterous.

As always, somebody, please correct me if I'm wrong.

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#414793 8-Dec-2010 21:50

S-video, RGB, component, are all much preferable to horrible composite.

See if you can tune in your new receiver to SBS 1 and 2.

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