Tiviar Alpha Plus Combo STB

JB81

Have been changing my satellite cables and HDMI between my sky box and my Tiviar this last few weeks, so my wife can watch her recordings on SKy before it cuts off and we can familiarise ourselves with this box, so have not got to recording anything yet.

When we do change it will be no going back, so want to know exactly what I can do.
So basically, couple of quick questions:
Can i record 2 x programmes from the 2 x satellite tuners and watch Saorview channel at the same time?
Can i record 2 x programmes from the 2 x satellite tuners and watch another recording at the same time?
Can I live pause a Satelite channel when other things are recording?
I know I cant live pause Saorview channels but can I record from both satellite tuners and a saorview tuner at the one time?
If yes, am I able to watch anything else ( a recording or otherwise ) while this is happening?
Also Can I watch anything from Plugins while I have 2/3 recordings happening?

Sorry for the questions, I assume they are easy answers for experienced users.
Also while I have been changing the leads back and forth I found the Tiviar box very very hot, especially at the back, is this normal?
Is it normal to leave it on Standby or Deep Standby over night, to ensure any recordings are scheduled?

Other than that I find it a great box, great picture and the IPTV plugin i have is very good.

JB

Gerry Wicklow

JB81 wrote: »

Have been changing my satellite cables and HDMI between my sky box and my Tiviar this last few weeks, so my wife can watch her recordings on SKy before it cuts off and we can familiarise ourselves with this box, so have not got to recording anything yet.

When we do change it will be no going back, so want to know exactly what I can do.
So basically, couple of quick questions:
Can i record 2 x programmes from the 2 x satellite tuners and watch Saorview channel at the same time?
Can i record 2 x programmes from the 2 x satellite tuners and watch another recording at the same time?
Can I live pause a Satelite channel when other things are recording?
I know I cant live pause Saorview channels but can I record from both satellite tuners and a saorview tuner at the one time?
If yes, am I able to watch anything else ( a recording or otherwise ) while this is happening?
Also Can I watch anything from Plugins while I have 2/3 recordings happening?

Sorry for the questions, I assume they are easy answers for experienced users.
Also while I have been changing the leads back and forth I found the Tiviar box very very hot, especially at the back, is this normal?
Is it normal to leave it on Standby or Deep Standby over night, to ensure any recordings are scheduled?

Other than that I find it a great box, great picture and the IPTV plugin i have is very good.

JB

YES to all of the above.

The only thing to keep in mind is if you are streaming a channel to another device around your home, that will occupy a tuner for the duration. E.G. if someone was watching BBC elsewhere in the home, you will only have one satellite tuner free to watch or record with.

ShaneOC

JB81 wrote: »

I know I cant live pause Saorview channels but can I record from both satellite tuners and a saorview tuner at the one time?

Is it a limitation on the box or tuner that you cannot live pause Saorview channels? I've not heard of such a limitation before. Live pause and rewind work fine on my box for all channels (Saorview and satellite).

Also, when recording from satellite each tuner reads all channels on the transponder so you can record more than 2 satellite channels at a single time as long as those channels are on two transponders. This also means that you can watch other channels on the transponders while there are two recordings in progress.

For example, if you are using both satellite tuners to record something on BBC One HD and Channel 4 HD you can also watch BBC Two HD, CBBC HD (if broadcasting) and 4seven.

The same is true for terrestrial tuners, all channels on the multiplex can be read by a terrestrial tuner at the same time. So with two tuners you can watch or record all of the Saorview channels at the same time.

JB81

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

YES to all of the above.

The only thing to keep in mind is if you are streaming a channel to another device around your home, that will occupy a tuner for the duration. E.G. if someone was watching BBC elsewhere in the home, you will only have one satellite tuner free to watch or record with.

Brilliant thank you, have not planned on any streaming to other devices as of yet.

Have you ever had any issues with the box over heating?

JB

JB81

ShaneOC wrote: »

Is it a limitation on the box or tuner that you cannot live pause Saorview channels? I've not heard of such a limitation before. Live pause and rewind work fine on my box for all channels (Saorview and satellite).

Also, when recording from satellite each tuner reads all channels on the transponder so you can record more than 2 satellite channels at a single time as long as those channels are on two transponders. This also means that you can watch other channels on the transponders while there are two recordings in progress.

For example, if you are using both satellite tuners to record something on BBC One HD and Channel 4 HD you can also watch BBC Two HD, CBBC HD (if broadcasting) and 4seven.

The same is true for terrestrial tuners, all channels on the multiplex can be read by a terrestrial tuner at the same time. So with two tuners you can watch or record all of the Saorview channels at the same time.

Thanks for the info, it was only mentioned above in this thread about not being able to live pause on Saorview, I actually haven't tried it yet, so don't know why, maybe I read it wrong.

JB

Gerry Wicklow

JB81 wrote: »

Brilliant thank you, have not planned on any streaming to other devices as of yet.

Have you ever had any issues with the box over heating?

JB

I don't have a Tiviar myself, but you could compare them to a mid powered laptop. The processor will get warm when working hard but not excessively so. As long as the vents aren't covered or it's located in a sealed cabinet, I wouldn't expect a problem.

JOSman

Hi all,

Got this box, sat and terrestrial channels very good.

I have two problems;

Audio description and subtitles keep coming on after switching from stand by.

Is there a way of turning these off permanently?

If herself has to deal with this I'll be looking for a new place to live.

Thanks in advance.

J

Gerry Wicklow

JOSman wrote: »

Hi all,

Got this box, sat and terrestrial channels very good.

I have two problems;

Audio description and subtitles keep coming on after switching from stand by.

Is there a way of turning these off permanently?

If herself has to deal with this I'll be looking for a new place to live.

Thanks in advance.

J

MENU>SETUP>AUDIO>AUTO LANGUAGE SELECTION

set language to english
prefer AC3 to yes
disable subtitles

kaisersose77

Picture in Picture starts everytime i restart the box. Anyway to stop this happening?

cheers

JOSman

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

MENU>SETUP>AUDIO>AUTO LANGUAGE SELECTION

set language to english
prefer AC3 to yes
disable subtitles

Thanks for the reply Gerry,

I don't seem to have the third option?


But that's working at the moment.

J
:cool:

Gerry Wicklow

The subtitles bit should be roughly half way down that page.

sligojoek

THHB . I'm having a bit of a problem with picons. I downloaded =your folder and put them on a mem stick but they never showed up. I downloaded anotther set from a site and they worked fine but there's no saorview on them. Yours came on for a day then disappeared again. Now it's back to the other ones. They're both on the memory stick in seperate folders. I'm guessing there's a setting to select a default picons folder but I can't find it.

By the way I think that other HDD is $hagged. I tried it on the PS4 this evening and it didn't recognise it either. I'm sending it back in the morning.

sligojoek

On the Saorview subject. The other night I started a recording on RTE1, then went to watch something on 2 and it was gone. It and a few others were grayed out in the bouquet list. I'm guessing while you're recording on one MUX you can't watch the other.

The high horse brigade

sligojoek wrote: »

THHB . I'm having a bit of a problem with picons. I downloaded =your folder and put them on a mem stick but they never showed up. I downloaded anotther set from a site and they worked fine but there's no saorview on them. Yours came on for a day then disappeared again. Now it's back to the other ones. They're both on the memory stick in seperate folders. I'm guessing there's a setting to select a default picons folder but I can't find it.

By the way I think that other HDD is $hagged. I tried it on the PS4 this evening and it didn't recognise it either. I'm sending it back in the morning.

How can they both be in separate folders on the usb key, they need to be in a folder called picon in the root of the usb, only there will they get picked up, the box won't look in any other location. Thats picon not picons or any other name. There should be a directory called picon that just contains the individual picon images

sligojoek

The high horse brigade wrote: »

How can they both be in separate folders on the usb key, they need to be in a folder called picon in the root of the usb, only there will they get picked up, the box won't look in any other location. Thats picon not picons or any other name. There should be a directory called picon that just contains the individual picon images

I thought that was what was on the key. Did it late one night. I just looked in nnow using FZ and found yours and the others in the same folder called Picon. I deleted them all and put just your set in. seems to be working fine now.
Thanks.

ShaneOC

sligojoek wrote: »

On the Saorview subject. The other night I started a recording on RTE1, then went to watch something on 2 and it was gone. It and a few others were grayed out in the bouquet list. I'm guessing while you're recording on one MUX you can't watch the other.

All channels on the multiplex (MUX) can be read by a terrestrial tuner at the same time. So with two tuners you can watch or record all of the Saorview channels at the same time. If you only have one terrestrial tuner you can only view (record) channels on one multiplex.

Gerry Wicklow

If you have the aerial looped through, you can still use the TV tuner to watch one mux while the box records the other.

Sysmod

A google search for "Tiviar Alpha Plus Combo STB" does not yield any sites in Ireland, nor does adding "amazon" to it.

I currently have an out-of-subscription Sky box which I understand is tied to its Astra sat so can't take input from anything else. I get the FTA channels OK there. And a separate dish for Hotbird connected to an old Lidl box which can't handle HD so I can't watch France 24 in French any more.

I'd like to use both dishes with a buy & plug in device, no bothering with Linux installation, putty, whatever.

The high horse brigade

Sysmod wrote: »

A google search for "Tiviar Alpha Plus Combo STB" does not yield any sites in Ireland, nor does adding "amazon" to it.

I currently have an out-of-subscription Sky box which I understand is tied to its Astra sat so can't take input from anything else. I get the FTA channels OK there. And a separate dish for Hotbird connected to an old Lidl box which can't handle HD so I can't watch France 24 in French any more.

I'd like to use both dishes with a buy & plug in device, no bothering with Linux installation, putty, whatever.

What you seek does not exist. This box is available from here but is flashed with enigma 2 software and needs configuring and setting up to suit your own setup.

greasepalm

I hate that place as always buying from them,i agree you will get to like what an e2 box can do.

spongerobinson

Hi all,

Just a quick question. Been a while since I've set up a linux box. Are you all using CrossEpg to download EPG for Saorview as well? I know the Saorview channels will automatically receive the 7-day EPG, but I want to make sure it updates itself regularly. For UK channels I've got CrossEPG set to update itself daily at 4 in the morning, but I'm wondering will this take care of Saorview channels too?

Thanks.

The high horse brigade

spongerobinson wrote: »

Hi all,

Just a quick question. Been a while since I've set up a linux box. Are you all using CrossEpg to download EPG for Saorview as well? I know the Saorview channels will automatically receive the 7-day EPG, but I want to make sure it updates itself regularly. For UK channels I've got CrossEPG set to update itself daily at 4 in the morning, but I'm wondering will this take care of Saorview channels too?

Thanks.

Saorview Epg just works, it downloads every time you select a Saorview channel, no need for CrossEpg for this

spongerobinson

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Saorview Epg just works, it downloads every time you select a Saorview channel, no need for CrossEpg for this

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'll set an AutoTimer to turn on to a Saorview channel every morning or something. Reason being, the box will primarily be used for recordings which will be watched through a network share on various Raspberry Pi's around the house, meaning Saorview channels may not be selected that often if you get me.

The high horse brigade

spongerobinson wrote: »

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'll set an AutoTimer to turn on to a Saorview channel every morning or something. Reason being, the box will primarily be used for recordings which will be watched through a network share on various Raspberry Pi's around the house, meaning Saorview channels may not be selected that often if you get me.

Good idea, that should work

spongerobinson

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Good idea, that should work

I know I sorted the same issue before on a Zgemma that I use, but it's been a good few years since I set it up. I'll check what way I was doing it on that box and report back in case anybody else wants to do the same.

JB81

Just wondering if anyone would have a quick fix for an issue I have. I don't have any sound on any of the HD channels coming through the satelite.

Also how do I move Saorview channels to a different bouquet, say the same one as all the FTA, so i would have all channels on the one EPG?

Thank
JB

Gerry Wicklow

Chances are you have the audio description sound selected. Only some shows have this feature. Press the YELLOW button to see a list of audio channels and select English not NAR.

The easiest way to edit channel bouquets is using the Web interface, WEBIF. Enter the box's network address (192.168.xxx.xxx) into any web browser on the same home network to access this app.
Failing this you can do it manually on the box using the remote but this is slow and tedious if you are doing more than a few channels.
1. Bring up your channel list on screen and highlight the channel you want to copy/move.
2. Press MENU and select ADD TO BOUQUET. Then select the bouquet you wish to copy it to and press OK.
3. Repeat as necessary for all channels.
The new entries will be at the bottom of the list. To move them within, say, your favourites list:-
4. Bring up the favourites list on screen and press MENU and select ENABLE MOVE MODE.
5. Highlight the channel you want to move and press OK to select it. Use UP/DOWN buttons to move it around your list and hit OK when in the right location.
6. When you are happy with your moves, press MENU again and select DISABLE MOVE MODE.

UsedToWait

spongerobinson wrote: »

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'll set an AutoTimer to turn on to a Saorview channel every morning or something. Reason being, the box will primarily be used for recordings which will be watched through a network share on various Raspberry Pi's around the house, meaning Saorview channels may not be selected that often if you get me.

spongerobinson wrote: »

I know I sorted the same issue before on a Zgemma that I use, but it's been a good few years since I set it up. I'll check what way I was doing it on that box and report back in case anybody else wants to do the same.

Any update on this?


Setting up another box for a very non-tech person, so would like Saorview guide to be there every time TV is turned on..

spongerobinson

UsedToWait wrote: »

Any update on this?


Setting up another box for a very non-tech person, so would like Saorview guide to be there every time TV is turned on..

Same reason I'm setting one up. The box has now been moved to the parents house, so I'll be checking up on it in a week or so to see if the guide etc has downloaded ok.

I set a zap timer to tune to a Saorview channel at 5 every morning, but I'll have no way of knowing if it actually works to update the guide unless nobody turns it onto a Saorview channel for more then a week.

UsedToWait

spongerobinson wrote: »

Same reason I'm setting one up. The box has now been moved to the parents house, so I'll be checking up on it in a week or so to see if the guide etc has downloaded ok.

I set a zap timer to tune to a Saorview channel at 5 every morning, but I'll have no way of knowing if it actually works to update the guide unless nobody turns it onto a Saorview channel for more then a week.

You hardly remember which menu the timer setup is under?
I'm sure I'll figure it out if not,,

spongerobinson

UsedToWait wrote: »

You hardly remember which menu the timer setup is under?
I'm sure I'll figure it out if not,,

Just press Menu > Timers and it was one of the options in there. If you don't figure it out let me know, and I'll take a screenshot of the page next time I'm there.

endeval

Hey High Horse,

How's the system for catch-up tv?

Can you intermix Sat and Saorview channels and just flick through them?
e.g Ch1 RTE1, Ch2 BBC1, Ch3 RTE2, Ch4 BBC2

Can you get Netflix or NowTV on it?

Cheers
James

gotasmoke

I'm hoping someone can help. I have a Sky connection in the house and I want to cancel Sky and replace it with the freeview channels so I bought this box and flashed it with High Horses image. It looks like it successfully flashed because the bouquets are updates but no satellite channels are showing up. The EPG info is showing up for most channels ok, but I'm not actually viewing the channel. I'm using the same cables from the LNB that work fine in the Sky box so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

greasepalm

Are you using a sky q box that uses a special lnb not suitable for ordinary boxes?there is a hybrid lnb for using both services for sat and is your box a sat version?

sligojoek

Check that you're not making the mistake I made. There's tuner A input and output. Then there's a tuner B input. I plugged one of the cables into tuner A output.

Rick_

How easy is it to create your own layout for these boxes, or modify an existing one to amend, say, the font used or the colour of the OSD? Looks like a great little box, I am sorely tempted, if only I had a dish installed at my current flat to get me the extra channels.

gotasmoke

greasepalm wrote: »

Are you using a sky q box that uses a special lnb not suitable for ordinary boxes?there is a hybrid lnb for using both services for sat and is your box a sat version?

I didn't know that the sky lnb won't work with other boxes. I'll get a generic lnb and try that out. Thanks.

JOSman

gotasmoke,

I think sky lnb doesn't work with other dishes.

Boxes should be fine.

Johnboy1951

The Sky Q LNB is not compatible with the vast majority of other STBs, unless a 'special' LNB was requested and used at the time of installation of Sky Q. This special 'Hybrid LNB' does allow compatibility with other STBs.

Gerry Wicklow

PFMC84 wrote: »

How easy is it to create your own layout for these boxes, or modify an existing one to amend, say, the font used or the colour of the OSD? Looks like a great little box, I am sorely tempted, if only I had a dish installed at my current flat to get me the extra channels.

To change the general layout of menus, colours etc you can download and change the "skin" with just a few clicks. There is a fairly big range available for the different makes of box. Beyond that you can edit specific details if you are VERY comfortable working with Linux internals.

ShaneOC

gotasmoke wrote: »

I didn't know that the sky lnb won't work with other boxes. I'll get a generic lnb and try that out. Thanks.

The Sky Q LNB (the one with 2 outputs on the LNB) will not work with other boxes.

A regular Sky LNB (usually one or four outputs) will work perfectly well with other boxes. LNBs with just one output were used originally before Sky+ arrived.

Some Sky Q installs use a hybrid LNB (6 outputs on the LNB)which does work with other boxes.

Easy Guide:
1 LNB Output - Will work with other boxes (but no simultaneous watch and record)
2 LNB Outputs used with a Sky Q box - Will not work with other boxes
4 LNB Outputs - Will work with other boxes
6 LNB Outputs - Will work with other boxes

quarryman

Two questions:

1. How do I telnet/ssh into the box? I've found the IP and tried to access via Putty but no response

2. How to I delete multiple files in the Playlist?

greasepalm

Is it an ipk file your trying to load as it can be put onto a usb and installed internally?
Think i had to use dcc that has a telnet portal.

UsedToWait

quarryman wrote: »

Two questions:

1. How do I telnet/ssh into the box? I've found the IP and tried to access via Putty but no response

2. How to I delete multiple files in the Playlist?

1. You need the user name and password too - root and tempass if you're using THHB's image


2. Easiest using openwebif to connect to the box, then boutique editor - there might be another step to prevent them reappearing the next epg download - THHB or someone knowledgeable might advise..

JB81

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

If you have the aerial looped through, you can still use the TV tuner to watch one mux while the box records the other.

IN relation to this. I am just trying to get my head around the recordings, and auto timers etc.. and trying to figure out what and how many things I can record at a time.

Loop - Is this the lead that comes with the box?
Where does it go? Do you need any other particular aerial or anything for it to work?

Thanks
JB

The high horse brigade

JB81 wrote: »

IN relation to this. I am just trying to get my head around the recordings, and auto timers etc.. and trying to figure out what and how many things I can record at a time.

Loop - Is this the lead that comes with the box?
Where does it go? Do you need any other particular aerial or anything for it to work?

Thanks
JB

You have a TV aerial loop out, you connect this to your TV so you can watch the Saorview channels on the TV itself while the box is recording/streaming Saorview

JB81

The high horse brigade wrote: »

You have a TV aerial loop out, you connect this to your TV so you can watch the Saorview channels on the TV itself while the box is recording/streaming Saorview

Good stuff, your on the ball early this morning.
Its actually a great box. I do need to get a booster for the signal from my saorview aerial.

The high horse brigade

quarryman wrote: »

Two questions:

1. How do I telnet/ssh into the box? I've found the IP and tried to access via Putty but no response

2. How to I delete multiple files in the Playlist?

What image, the default Openatv is root, no password. I open my box to the outside world so I always put a password on my boxes. Mine is root with password tempass. You can easily change the password for the root user using telnet/ssh with the Linux command "passwd root"

quarryman

The high horse brigade wrote: »

You have a TV aerial loop out, you connect this to your TV so you can watch the Saorview channels on the TV itself while the box is recording/streaming Saorview

What about the satellite feeds? If I have two coming from my dish should I plug them both in or loop LNB out from Tuner 1 to LNB in to Tuner 2 instead?

1. You need the user name and password too - root and tempass if you're using THHB's image

Good stuff, that's working now, I think i might have been trying to connect while the box was off. D'oh!

2. Easiest using openwebif to connect to the box, then boutique editor - there might be another step to prevent them reappearing the next epg download - THHB or someone knowledgeable might advise..

Thanks. I'm in openwibif but can't see my recorded programs anywhere or a way to delete them.

UsedToWait

quarryman wrote: »

What about the satellite feeds?


Thanks. I'm in openwibif but can't see my recorded programs anywhere or a way to delete them.

I think you just plug in the two sat feeds..

Re: the second bit, sorry, picked you up wrong - thought you were asking about unused bouquets..

THHB (hero of this thread!) can advise I'm sure..