Tiviar Alpha Plus Combo STB

logonmar

I have 2 issues that I would really appreciate help on. I have two Tiviar boxes but one recently crashed so getting it sorted again despite being far from an expert.

My 2 issues are:

A: The mini screen in menu like in this image is missing on 2nd Tiviar Box & I can't find the Menu or Sub menu where I can restore the mini screen

B: I tuned TV to Spur Hill, Cork for Saorview but it has RTE2, TG$ etc but not RTE1. Any suggestions please for either question.

Thanks

swoofer

For A try , Menu, Setup, EPG, graphical epg , show mini TV window make sure it says Yes you toggle.

For B are you using correct Channels and if so check aerial.

logonmar

Thanks for that

Having compared setup on both Tiviar boxes I now realise that on the box I'm having a problem on I do not have Vertical EPG option in my EPG menu whereas I do on the other box.

I can't see where I can restore 'Vertical EPG' as a menu option anywhere

vimes

Hawey the Satellite People,

I have one of these boxes, with HHB's wonderful install. Thing is, the internal hard drive is befukt. We've had problems with losing recordings, and now the box has started resetting every time it starts or finishes a recording. This (obviously) limits our enjoyment of what has been a wonderful little box.

I've looked around on OpenATV places on the interweb, and I know this is a HDD problem, so the best course appears to be a fresh shiny new one. Thing is, I haven't the first notion how to install OpenATV on a blank HDD, I don't even know what formatting it should have.

Has anyone done this? Either replaced the HDD or installed OpenATV for the first time on a Tiviar? I'd really appreciate any help here.

Gerry Wicklow

The operating system is stored on internal memory not on the HDD. If you replace the HDD you need to shutdown the box. Fit the new HDD, reboot and go into the menu, look for the HDD settings and "initialise" it. This will erase anything from the HDD and format it to the required Linux ext4 format. I don't have access to an openATV box to tell you the exact menu steps.

vimes

Thanks Gerry, that's what I'll do. Now to see which of the kids has a HDD spare...

brokenangel

Hi, I am looking for a TV box for saorview/freeview. Is this still the best box available? or is it even available anymore/

Gerry Wicklow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119556935#Comment_119556935

The Tiviar is very long in the tooth if you can even find them still. The current budget alternative is the Zgemma H7S

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057971250/zgemma-h7s-guide/p1

darced

I was wondering if there are any fixes for sound sync, I have a new JVC tv and the sound is delayed, I've the box just connected just with the HDMI cable at the minute.

greasepalm

Sometimes i got that and rebooting box seemed to have fixed it.

Did you maybe try anther hdmi cable.

Paul2019

It's a while since I had any problem with the Tiviar but now I have one and I'm not sure when it started.

I have 2 cables running from the dish - cable 1 to tuner A and cable 2 to tuner B and with a Saorview cable to tuner C.

Tuner A works fine but Tuner B seems to get nothing.

If I swap the sat cables around Tuner A still works and Tuner B still fails so both satellite cables seem to be fine.

I noticed lately that I have completely lost Sky News, Al Jazeera English HD breaks up and Euronews is a little bit broken occasionally but watchable - don't know if that's related.

Tuner C is okay with Saorview.

Would anyone have any idea what the problem(s) might be?

greasepalm

Might be tuner on box as swapping cables over might have swapped issue over but did not.

go into signal finder and check signal on tuner A then B

Astra 28.2 usually have a very strong signal as closer to us

No channel movement with sky news

Gerry Wicklow

If tuner B is not working regardless of which cable is in it, implies the tuner itself has failed. The poor signals makes me wonder if perhaps some water got into the coax degrading the signals and shorting out the tuner. Have a careful look at the tuner sockets and inside the plugs for signs of corrosion.

Paul2019

Thanks Gerry and greasepalm. I'll have a poke around at the back of the box in the morning when it's not in use.

peking97

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119689881#Comment_119689881

Might be worth checking the tuner config.....

Go into Main Menu/Setup/Reception/Tuner Configuration.......and check Tuner B config.

Paul2019

Okay, immediate problem is now solved. I checked the signal finder and it was good on both tuners.

It turns out there were only about 6 obscure channels associated with Tuner B so I did a new channel search and I now have the same channels on both tuners again and can record two satellite channels at the same time.

As for the broken signal problem on a few channels, I still have that but I can easily live with it.

I can see no evidence of water in the cables at the Tiviar end and am reluctant to get back on the roof at my age but I wouldn't be surprised if water is beginning to seep in. I'll face that when forced to.

Many thanks to the three of you for pointing me towards a solution.

phishcakes

Hi all,

I cancelled my sky digital sub and it’s due to end this month with the return of the equipment.

Can anyone recommend a digital receiver that I can hook to the dish? Was looking at the saorview PowerPoint connect combo

greasepalm

Maybe Zgemma H7S 2 x sat and Saorview and there is a thread about that box

spaced

Do you have Sky Q?

That has a different type of LNB (a wideband one that allows more to be recorded simultaneously), to get the free satellite channels you will need to replace it (about €25-30)

You will also need a saorview aerial for the Irish channels.

The TiViar is a great box but is nearly 10 years old, as mentioned above the Zgemma is the way to go.

swoofer

Get the Zgemma H7S but get it from VIRTS and if you look on adverts.ie they have one for €188 which includes a HDD. The problem is the learning curve in the actual setting it up. Ring them and ask to load the latest verison of Openvix and configure it. they might add a bit but for you its worth it. Box is pricey at other outlets.

As others said if you have to return sky equipment it means they changed the lnb and unless you have other box plugged in that work then you will need a new lnb as well. But in your case it would be best to get a hybrid lnb and that will allow you to use new box and go back to Sky in the future if required.

So you have cost of box €188.00 plus €8 euro P&P

Cost of hybrid lnb 30-40 euro.

Then after that its free. I just checked basic package with sky plus the HD bit and its €48 pm after a 6 month deal. 48 x 12 = 576 = ouch.

I have set up a few boxes for friends and they have not regretted it.

go to the zgemma h7s guide thread and have a read.

phishcakes

Thanks for the response,

Is there any way to tell which LNB is already on the dish? (It was sky Q we had btw)

greasepalm

If you only had 1 sat box in the house i would imagine 1 single lnb with 2 cables for high and low frequencies then it will need changing to use on other sat boxes.

spaced

Sky Q requires wideband lnb, if you have 6 outputs on the LNB it is a hybrid lnb and you can just change the output location for the cables.

The installer would have used a hybrid lnb if you also had Sky box in another room.

If it just has 2 outputs then it is a wideband lnb and will need to be replaced.

This is what the hybrid looks like, if it's not this then it will need replacing.

phishcakes

We only had one main sky Q box and the rest was wireless multi room, I can see there’s 2 sat going into the back of the main sky Q box

phishcakes

Might be a bit of a job to replace if it is wideband lnb as the dish is in a bit of an awkward spot

swoofer

did you look at lnb on dish and see if you can count the outputs but I'm pretty sure its a sky q lnb, sky are not silly they want to keep you so make it tricky to cancel. say roughly where you are and someone may know a good sat installer, if the sky guy put it up so its not that awkward.

phishcakes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119763004#Comment_119763004

im in Meath just outside of Dublin

phishcakes

Dish is a wideband lnb, zgemma box arrived this morning so just need to get the lnb changed and away we go

phishcakes

Lnb that’s currently on it

spaced

You will want to swap that wideband one out for a new one.

As long as you don't move the dish you can remove the old one yourself and replace it.

A standard Lnb is €15 but would probably be worth it to get the hybrid for €45 and that is future proof and allows for extra satellite cables if you need them.

greasepalm

A lot of people leaving Sky as costs are high but many wont go back as cannot afford it so why need a hybrid ?

New sky tv dont use a sat dish and are IPTV via broadband.

swoofer

And a quad ordinary lnb would be a lot cheaper.

phishcakes

I actually have the original sky hybrid lnb here from when the sky was first installed

swoofer

That wont be hybrid, a hybrid allows Sky Q and ordinary Sky HD + to work. Do a pic in case I am wrong. Basically if it was a true hybrid you would not need to change it for the one in your pic.

phishcakes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119771452#Comment_119771452

It’s another one I have that the sky technician had left when the dish was originally fitted, says hybrid on it

greasepalm

If its new you might have a chance to sell it to someone else who needs a hybrid and that you no longer want/need sky services.

Others may want and looking to add another freesat box into their viewing?

swoofer

Now that is weird and that is a hybrid as it has 6 outputs. I wonder if he could not fit it and left it with you just in case. There should be a label on the other side and this lnb is better than a bog standard hybrid as you can use any out to work sky q and any output to work your sky hd + box.

They are expensive now.

Can you reach you dish easy? I think you said it was in an awkward position but your pic looks good.

logonmar

I have a 2 Tiviar Combo Boxes and both are running fine

However in past few days the EPG for Channel 5 & Channel 5 +1 is no longer updating.

All other channels are updating same as always

Can anyone suggest anthing I might do to rectify

I hadn't changed any settings and Ch 5 programmes were on EPG a few days ago

greasepalm

Yes its the same for everyone and awaiting a fix as some say it might be moving transponders.

It seems to be all the ch 5 even changing to a 2108 number listed.

It might be just a wait for providers to fix their issues and epg returns.

swoofer

This is not the case on my boxes, epg is working as normal this is with latest Openvix image and using OpenTVEPG downloader.

You could try a re-scan on DVB-S QPSK 10964 H, 22000, 5/6.

You did not say the image.

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923974#Comment_119923974

Are you using the sky platform or freesat ?

swoofer

You have lost me there!! OP is using a Tiviar. Mine is enigma 2 box with openvix image and open tv and hdf.

Gerry Wicklow

The CH5 suite of channels had issues on FreeSat recently. OpenEPG users were not affected it seems.

https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/101879330#Comment_101879330

swoofer

Would freesat be used on a Tiviar?

greasepalm

I have freesat in use on Vu Solo2 and have the epg and ch5 issues also but its not a big deal as next time i use it maybe fixed.

Heiser

Can RTE+1 be tuned into this box? I found it in a scan but there's no picture

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120796483#Comment_120796483

Not on Sat

Should be able to receive it on Terrestrial via aerial

Working here on 3 rock transmitter.

How long was it since you scanned Saorview in case it moved

Atlantic Dawn

Anyone got any ideas about what could be causing slowness on this box, I am getting the busy indicator in the top left of the screen most times when doing simple tasks like changing through channels or going through menus. I have tried flashing back to my previous build that and that has the same problem, have also tried going back to the original 6.1 build here and that has the same problem.

I am thinking it could be the hard drive on the way out or some corruption on it, unfortuntely I don't have a spare to swap and try. Would that sound like next logical step or perhaps some way I can format or reconfigure the drive?

greasepalm

Usually reflashing and setting up from scratch fixes things.

Dont have epg going to Internal flash.

You can reformat and lose everything on drive , any recordings send somewhere else before a format.

Sometimes they say to remove Hdd from it to see if it makes a difference.

andy1249

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120871434#Comment_120871434

Its an old old box now , mine died because of swollen capacitors on the mainboard.

Take the lid off , have a look , there are 5 or 6 main capacitors on the board , see if the tops are swollen , if so , time for a new box.