Saorview Connect

Johnkid

Update: I exchanged the saorview connect box today and it all works well now.

Thank you to everyone who helped, ye were far more helpful than that tech support guy!

lsjmhar

Johnkid wrote:

(I should explain that I’m a geophysicist, and I’m not inexperienced when it comes to setting up satellites.) But this saorview connect box is giving me the sh*t’s!

If you're getting the sh-ts from the box you should get a doctor as well. I have never had that problem from the box. Lol

degsie

degsie wrote: »

So are there specific set top boxes that I need to get for Saorview streaming?

Sorry, still trying to figure this out Can you get a box that does pure Saorview streaming if for some reason can't (or don't want to) connect up an aerial or satellite. Thanks.

Johnkid

lsjmhar wrote: »

If you're getting the sh-ts from the box you should get a doctor as well. I have never had that problem from the box. Lol

Never say never!

byte

degsie wrote: »

Sorry, still trying to figure this out Can you get a box that does pure Saorview streaming if for some reason can't (or don't want to) connect up an aerial or satellite. Thanks.

None specific that I am aware of, which is a shame.

I know Magnet have a service called AerTV, but it's not free (though I'm sure it used to be) so not the same.

Shomar Ltd.

Johnkid wrote: »

Update: I exchanged the saorview connect box today and it all works well now.

Thank you to everyone who helped, ye were far more helpful than that tech support guy!

Hi John Kid. Could you tell us what store/branch replaced the device for you? We want to check the box to see the fault and establish its cause.
Thank You.

g6fdyotp5nj2l7

sumach wrote:

The software update seems to have fixed the TG4 player and broken the RTE player, which is not not streaming!

The update did nothing for me TG4 player still doesn't work

g6fdyotp5nj2l7

Allan Itchy Hoagie wrote:

Is there live tv on the rte player on the connect box ?

To answer my own question there's no live tv option on the RTE player on the connect box.

AngryLips

After the update I'm still having problems not detecting a wifi network when accessing on demand.

greasepalm

Would box and router need a powering off then on and wait a few mins and recheck network again.

coylemj

Shomar Ltd. wrote: »

Hi Johnkid. Shomar Ltd supply the Saorview Connect product. They will make good the proplem you are having by testing and replacing the box directly if nessessary. We can help if you make conatct with us, details are in the quick start guide or online.

Hi there, I sent an e-mail to help at shomar dot ie (which is shown the quick start guide) but it got rejected ....

Your message wasn't delivered to <as above> because the address couldn't be found or is unable to receive email.

coylemj

Anyone having a problem with the SC box not properly recognising the HDD capacity? My (brand new) Seagate 2TB external HDD is showing on the SC box as having 119MB capacity, this after a format, followed by a factory reset and I'm on the current s/w verison ... 0.20.20

When I attach the HDD to my laptop, I can see 2TB free, I installed Seagate diagnostic and test s/w and it passes all of those tests. I even repartitioned it to reduce the primary partition to 1TB, in case the SC box couldn't handle 2TB but it made no difference. I do a 'format' each time I reattach it to the SC box but it always shows as 119MB so it can only record a few minutes worth of one program, then it's 'full'.

Shomar Ltd.

Hi. Please do a full factory reset to your device. Once complete unplug for a minute. On power up retune in both Terrestrial and Satalite. Make sure your HDD is installed during this process.
Please Let us know how it go’s.
Regards
Shomar
Ps
We also emailed you directly following your request to the Helpdesk.

coylemj

Shomar Ltd. wrote: »

Hi. Please do a full factory reset to your device. Once complete unplug for a minute. On power up retune in both Terrestrial and Satalite. Make sure your HDD is installed during this process.

Did all that (even though the box is brand new), it made no difference.

Shomar Ltd. wrote: »

We also emailed you directly following your request to the Helpdesk.

The email I sent you bounced, how do you know what address I'm at? I haven't received anything from you.

Edit: your reply went into my spam folder, apologies for that. I've replied to your e-mail.

I think the issue is at the HDD level, I tried a different disk drive and the problem appears to have something to do with partitions. On the second drive I tried, the SC box used the last partition on the HDD whch was only 60GB. Though when I originally plugged in the Seagate HDD, there was only one (2TB) partition but the SC box could only see 119MB.

I've attached the Seagate HDD to my Windows laptop, am currently giving it a full format and will try it again with the SC box tomorrow. Meanwhile, I brought an old 2.5" 250GB laptop HDD out of retirement, it's now attached to the SC box (which is reporting that it can see the full capacity) and is recording for me.

alxmorgan

Apologies if this has been asked before....but its a long thread....

Just got powerpoint box and brand new USB drive, When I connect it says it can't format it. I can use PC to format it perhaps if it is looking for a specific format.

Any help appreciated

thanks


EDIT : Sorted. Formatted on PC and fine now

icdg

Sorry Shomar Ltd, Boards rules require me to inform you that you cannot post here as a company unless you are a Verified Rep. You need to contact the admins to go about that, I cannot help you.

Straight permanent ban if this warning is ignored. Sorry

greasepalm

Most boxes when adding a hdd device needs to be correctly installed and setup for box to use and see it,format only erases recordings but would ask if there was a next step to follow.

habanerocat

Hi, don’t want to read all 255 pages to be honest, so just want to ask a few quick questions that have probably been asked many times before.

Is the PowerPoint box the only Saorview Connect box available?

Is it any good?

Is there updated channel files available for this box? Can they be downloaded/uploaded and transferred to another box?

Can you watch on one saorview transponder and record on another?

Thanks.....

greasepalm

I wont buy or use one because as many people have issues.

Recordings does the box have 2 tuners connected sat and cable as usually record on one view on the other.

Might have to record on box and view on tv if it is saorview enabled.

Cant answer movement of fles to another location.

Enigma 2 boxes can send files to other boxes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZCtq-4sscc

next video mentions a walker box.

lsjmhar

Allan Itchy Hoagie wrote:

To answer my own question there's no live tv option on the RTE player on the connect box.

Why would there be??? The box has live tv!!!!

g6fdyotp5nj2l7

lsjmhar wrote:

Why would there be??? The box has live tv!!!!

On the RTE player on the phone on live TV there's the option to watch a programme from the start if you come upon it late. Suppose I was hoping for something similar with the connect box.

Tigerandahalf

Allan Itchy Hoagie wrote: »

On the RTE player on the phone on live TV there's the option to watch a programme from the start if you come upon it late. Suppose I was hoping for something similar with the connect box.

The freesat humax 1100s box has this feature. It allows you to watch all the bbc channels live through streaming or if you wish you can watch a programme from the start (bbc channels only). It is a really useful feature. You need to overcome geoblocking for this.

habanerocat

habanerocat wrote: »

Hi, don’t want to read all 255 pages to be honest, so just want to ask a few quick questions that have probably been asked many times before.

Is the PowerPoint box the only Saorview Connect box available?

Is it any good?

Is there updated channel files available for this box? Can they be downloaded/uploaded and transferred to another box?

Can you watch on one saorview transponder and record on another?

Thanks.....

Can anybody answer my questions above?

Johnboy1951

habanerocat wrote: »

Can anybody answer my questions above?

General Consensus:

It is not worth the money
There are more functional boxes available at the price point
There have been many attempts at improving the box since it first appeared, and still it is not good.

You could always read through the thread to get an unbiased opinion on what has been posted.

Sam Russell

habanerocat wrote: »

Hi, don’t want to read all 255 pages to be honest, so just want to ask a few quick questions that have probably been asked many times before.

Is the PowerPoint box the only Saorview Connect box available?

Is it any good?

Is there updated channel files available for this box? Can they be downloaded/uploaded and transferred to another box?

Can you watch on one saorview transponder and record on another?

Thanks.....

If you are talking about the Connect box, then the box has two tuners - one for watching, and one for recording. Both tuners can receive both Saorview and Satellite.

The Saorview channels are scanned automatically. It has a default satellite list that may or may not suit, but can, with effort, be rearranged.

The question as to whether it is any good, well ... ?

marathont

Hi

Does this box have the new RTE player app, or still on the old one.

lsjmhar

marathont wrote:

Does this box have the new RTE player app, or still on the old one.

It has the new one. Still problematic though!!

doney84

Hi,

Has anyone any experience on how this box deals with saorview mixed with freeview?

I'm considering buying a PVR as even though my TV has a terrestrial tuner and a satellite tuner, once its recording on one tuner you cant view channels on the other:mad:

I've no interest in connecting this box to a satellite feed for UK tv due to no 7 day EPG on that side of things, so I suppose I'm looking to know has anybody got this box running saorview & freeview with 7 day EPG, recording and series link working for both services?

Thanks,
doney84

greasepalm

Not hooked up my tv yet to feeds but sure it mentioned a 7 day epg but would need to check,You should be able to record sat or saorview and look at the other.
Plenty of enigma 2 combo boxes that can use freesat via sat dish and saorview/freeview via aerial depending on location.

I would still make use of feeds for tv and feeds for combo and as you have 7 day epg on the box set recordings on that and view on tv.

So its either saorview and sat IRL , or freeview and sat UK. via roof aerial dvb/t

lsjmhar

doney84 wrote:

I've no interest in connecting this box to a satellite feed for UK tv due to no 7 day EPG on that side of things, so I suppose I'm looking to know has anybody got this box running saorview & freeview with 7 day EPG, recording and series link working for both services?

The box can't run saorview and freeview. It only allows saorview and satellite FTA so you will only get now and next for UK channels.

doney84

lsjmhar wrote: »

The box can't run saorview and freeview. It only allows saorview and satellite FTA so you will only get now and next for UK channels.

Thanks that's exactly what I wanted to know. So does the software prevent the terrestrial tuner picking up terrestrial services other than the two saorview multiplex's?

greasepalm

Its location dependent as its use is for southern ireland,not northern ireland or uk.
It should give you the limited tv and radio channels we all get.

lsjmhar

doney84 wrote:

Thanks that's exactly what I wanted to know. So does the software prevent the terrestrial tuner picking up terrestrial services other than the two saorview multiplex's?

Yes. You can only pick up Irish Saorview channels - tv and radio - from the aerial connection as there is only one connector. There are two coax connectors for satellite FTA so you need satellite dish to receive these - no UK freeview nor Freesat option on box. I need a UK Freesat box or enigma2 box for 7 day UK epg!

doney84

lsjmhar wrote: »

Yes. You can only pick up Irish Saorview channels - tv and radio - from the aerial connection as there is only one connector. There are two coax connectors for satellite FTA so you need satellite dish to receive these - no UK freeview nor Freesat option on box. I need a UK Freesat box or enigma2 box for 7 day UK epg!

I live close to the border and currently can get Saorview and Freeview from my aerial set up. What I need to know is if my coax lead from my aerial is plugged into this box how will it treat the multiplex's from Northern Ireland. Will it simply ignore them leaving only the Saorview channels or will it add
all channels leaving an EPG populated with both Saorview and Freeview channels?

greasepalm

It might add them as i was using an arriva box in skerries and it picked up uk channel on the scan but cant remember how clear they were when you went to view them.

lsjmhar

doney84 wrote:

I live close to the border and currently can get Saorview and Freeview from my aerial set up. What I need to know is if my coax lead from my aerial is plugged into this box how will it treat the multiplex's from Northern Ireland. Will it simply ignore them leaving only the Saorview channels or will it add all channels leaving an EPG populated with both Saorview and Freeview channels?

doney84 wrote:

I live close to the border and currently can get Saorview and Freeview from my aerial set up. What I need to know is if my coax lead from my aerial is plugged into this box how will it treat the multiplex's from Northern Ireland. Will it simply ignore them leaving only the Saorview channels or will it add all channels leaving an EPG populated with both Saorview and Freeview channels?

Not sure tbh. All you could do is try and borrow one and see. I imagine the box software searches for Irish transmitters rather than UK.

As an example, the Quest HD channel doesn't tune on satellite side as the transmitter changed. The saorview guys said they need to add the new frequencies for the channel to a future software update to install channel when doing a UKFTA scan. This suggests the software is locked to scan specific frequencies. Maybe it is the same for the saorview side.

Elvis Hammond

lsjmhar wrote: »

Not sure tbh. All you could do is try and borrow one and see. I imagine the box software searches for Irish transmitters rather than UK.

I'd be pretty sure it just scans the whole band, & saves whatever it finds, with the Freeview stuff at the bottom of the list.

I'd doubt how it behaves on satellite would have any bearing on the terrestrial side.

Gerry Wicklow

I've seen FreeView stuff that ignores any non-FreeView channels as "foreign". Given that it is the same s/w house that developed Saorview it's possible they did the reverse for here.

Elvis Hammond

AFAIA, the Saorview specs have always made provision for receiving multiple networks.

STB.

lsjmhar wrote: »

Not sure tbh. All you could do is try and borrow one and see. I imagine the box software searches for Irish transmitters rather than UK.

As an example, the Quest HD channel doesn't tune on satellite side as the transmitter changed. The saorview guys said they need to add the new frequencies for the channel to a future software update to install channel when doing a UKFTA scan. This suggests the software is locked to scan specific frequencies. Maybe it is the same for the saorview side.

The two are not the same, lsjmhar.


The reason why the satellite will not tune in Quest HD is because the transponder frequency is not defined in the software which is basically a line in an xml that says <transponder frequency="11426000" symbol_rate="29500000" polarization="1" fec_inner="6" system="1" modulation="1"


The question about whether the channel list is locked down on DVB-T, I doubt it. How are these configured on setup ? Does it ask for a location for Saorview or is it autotune. Its likely that the out of network channels are just appended to the bottom unless the software is asked to ignore any service that doesn't have the RTE NL descriptor. Unlikely.


EKT could do with releasing a channel editor for these boxes. Someone sent me the firmware and it clearly ALI-ARM A9 based.

lsjmhar

STB. wrote:

The reason why the satellite will not tune in Quest HD is because the transponder frequency is not defined in the software which is basically a line in an xml that says

That's what I was saying. The PowerPoint programmers have to add it to the software.

Just wondering if sky/virgin media provide software to edit their boxes?

doney84

STB. wrote: »

The question about whether the channel list is locked down on DVB-T, I doubt it. How are these configured on setup ? Does it ask for a location for Saorview or is it autotune. Its likely that the out of network channels are just appended to the bottom unless the software is asked to ignore any service that doesn't have the RTE NL descriptor. Unlikely.

I played around a little with a Sony TV that had youview. It's a very slick UI and well layed out with great implementation of the catch up services, iPlayer, ITV Hub etc but due to geo blocking they won't work here. What I did notice was that when I scanned in the terrestrial services it completely ignored the Saorview channels and didn't populate them in the youview EPG. I wonder if the Saorview connect box would treat the Freeview channels the same and ignore them?

STB.

lsjmhar wrote: »

That's what I was saying. The PowerPoint programmers have to add it to the software.

Just wondering if sky/virgin media provide software to edit their boxes?

Powerpoint is just a brand name owned by Shomar a distributor in Dublin. I gather the software uses DTVKit and was compiled by Ocean Blue.

Such a simple fix when you have access to the software development kit to add TPs. It should be automated OR at least give people access via USB to update their own channel lists. This box will never be plug and play with new TP's popping up with moves to higher S/R's, meaning you are dependant on those who have access to what is a closed OS.

Sky, Freesat and Virgin etc don't need to give people access as they are maintained either centrally or within the software.

STB.

doney84 wrote: »

I played around a little with a Sony TV that had youview. It's a very slick UI and well layed out with great implementation of the catch up services, iPlayer, ITV Hub etc but due to geo blocking they won't work here. What I did notice was that when I scanned in the terrestrial services it completely ignored the Saorview channels and didn't populate them in the youview EPG. I wonder if the Saorview connect box would treat the Freeview channels the same and ignore them?

I don't have a Saorview connect box to check. You will need someone to test it who lives near the east coast or someone on the border who has an aerial setup that receives both services.

In the absence of a response here ask a local installer how the "connect" box treats them.

https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/retailers

Otherwise buy a enigma2 dvb-t2 box where you don't have the headaches and you can configure it to your own liking in whatever order you wish.

doney84

STB. wrote: »

Otherwise buy a enigma2 dvb-t2 box where you don't have the headaches and you can configure it to your own liking in whatever order you wish.

Can you recommend a decent enigma2 receiver? I did buy a technomate 3t a few years back and although it worked great, 7day EPG on both terrestrial and sat, recording, series link work around, I always felt navigating the menu's & EPG etc were slow and clunky.

greasepalm

I have got a zgemma H7s triple tuner 2 x sat and 1 cable/terrestrial which is a more modern box.

STB.

doney84 wrote: »

Can you recommend a decent enigma2 receiver? I did buy a technomate 3t a few years back and although it worked great, 7day EPG on both terrestrial and sat, recording, series link work around, I always felt navigating the menu's & EPG etc were slow and clunky.

E2 receivers have become faster and more affordable. You can easily buy a triple tuner config with a 1.7 Meg processor which has 1 gig of ram (the important things to watch for as they make the box run smoother).

If you are confined to dvb-t you will need an Enigma2 receiver that has two terrestrial inputs or a twin input so you can record one terrestrial channel whilst watching another on a different frequency. The box I linked below also comes in a 2 x dvb-t2 and 1 dvb-s2 config so you might want to check if WOS have it in stock.

Otherwise if you also have a satellite dish then you can buy a semi decent 2 x dvb-s2 and 1 dvb-t2 combo enigma receiver for about STG 112. Please note that your watch and record on terrestrial will be limited to watching satellite (if recording on dvb-t) if you get this config.

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/satellite-and-terrestrial/digital-receivers/zgemma/zgemma-h7s

If you just want a box to watch TV and record the occasional programme without the need to watch another programme at the same time, then the Octagon SF8008 is highly recommended.

greasepalm

If members have a combo tv wired up for sat and saorview,maybe a combo for recording might do.?

Gerry Wicklow

doney84 wrote: »

I played around a little with a Sony TV ..... What I did notice was that when I scanned in the terrestrial services it completely ignored the Saorview channels and didn't populate them in the youview EPG. I wonder if the Saorview connect box would treat the Freeview channels the same and ignore them?

That's what I found with FreeView boxes. It scanned them but didn't save them.

Hibrasil

STB. wrote: »

If you just want a box to watch TV and record the occasional programme without the need to watch another programme at the same time, then the Octagon SF8008 is highly recommended.

What Enigma Firmware / Image Options do you recommend with the OctgonSTB. T.I.A.