Cost-Effective, High-Functionality, User-Friendly Replacement for Pay TV

clevtrev

greasepalm wrote: »

Depending on what you need/want try here.
https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/air-digital-zgemma/zgemma-h7s

I thought everyone was operating with the Tiviar AlphaPlus box. Can this thread be used with any Linux based box such as the one you have linked to?

Chrizfitz

clevtrev wrote: »

sorry, but from a quick scan of this thread, I can't find where people are buying these boxes. The only place I see these for sale are on ebay for 189 euros. I noticed a few links on satellite forums advertising these for £99 but they are now out of stock? Any recommendations on where to buy thanks

https://www.satworld.ie/tiviar-alpha-plus-triple-tuner-combo.html

These guys near the red cow

greasepalm

You would be buying an older model and stock as i think it is now a discontinued model.His image mod was for that box he had at the time.Most e2 boxes could be tweeked to run a similar setup.

Johnboy1951

clevtrev wrote: »

I thought everyone was operating with the Tiviar AlphaPlus box. Can this thread be used with any Linux based box such as the one you have linked to?

That hardware was premium tech when it was released in 2013

In 2018 it became available at a reasonable cost so was adopted by many users and the OS updated and tweaked.

IMO there is very competitive or better hardware available now at the same price point.

I would be inclined to look to newer tech if I was purchasing a new box.
That is not to say that the Tiviar would not still suit and function well.

NewClareman

clevtrev wrote: »

I thought everyone was operating with the Tiviar AlphaPlus box. Can this thread be used with any Linux based box such as the one you have linked to?

It could be used as a starting point, only. However the customised bouquets can be added to any Enigma 2 based STB, with ABM installed. See my post on the Zgemma H7s thread.

tadhg88

Hi all, I have NewClareman's image installed on my Tiviar with the last year or so without issue. Today when i tried use the remote to get the menu up or change the channel the STB light on the remote is flashing but nothing seems to be happening on the box. The box is stuck on one channel and this works fine but i cannot change the channel or anything else. I put new batteries in the remote and no improvement. I tried to use the channel up and down buttons on the box and nothing. The standby button does work on the box but doesnt help. I have powered the box off and on a couple of times but nothing seems to help so i am just wondering if anyone has any other suggestions on what I could try before going for the drastic reinstalling a new image.
Thanks all.

greasepalm

Have you added something new by any chance as that can through up issues.
Do you know the ip of box if so enter that in web browser like 192.168.1.75 and see if webif opens and try remote to see if anything changes,have your window refresh every 3 seconds.

tadhg88

greasepalm wrote: »

Have you added something new by any chance as that can through up issues.
Do you know the ip of box if so enter that in web browser like 192.168.1.75 and see if webif opens and try remote to see if anything changes,have your window refresh every 3 seconds.

No i have not made any changes to the box in weeks and the last changes were just moving some channels around.
Unfortuantely I dont know the IP of the box but i think I can find that out somehow, ill give it a shot tomorrow and hopefully it will give me some more info.
Thanks for the suggestion.

greasepalm

On my other boxes i can do a network search to list all e2 boxes and mounts,think pc can should do also.

crisco10

I notice the Tiviar Alpha Box is about 7 years old at this stage, is there a more modern box?

A bit of browsing has brought me to these 2 "alternatives"...are they really? are they as well supported with images etc...?

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/octagon-sf8008

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/zgemma-h7s?filter_name=h7

They seem newer, and cheaper, but is there any difference? Also, I need to ship with the internal HDD for recording I assume?

Basically, I'm just looking to replicate my current Sky+ arrangement (Saorview, UK Freeview, recording, series links etc)

TiA

greasepalm

Both great boxes Octagon is a combo and Zgemma is twin sat and 1 cable.

In southern Ireland we can use Freesat for sat and Saorview for terrestrial
as we dont get freeview via aerial.

Yes i got boxes with large size hdd fitted when purchased,but you can add yours later if so wish.

Gerry Wicklow

crisco10 wrote: »

I notice the Tiviar Alpha Box is about 7 years old at this stage, is there a more modern box?

A bit of browsing has brought me to these 2 "alternatives"...are they really? are they as well supported with images etc...?

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/octagon-sf8008

https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/zgemma-h7s?filter_name=h7

They seem newer, and cheaper, but is there any difference? Also, I need to ship with the internal HDD for recording I assume?

Basically, I'm just looking to replicate my current Sky+ arrangement (Saorview, UK Freeview, recording, series links etc)

TiA

If you want to record one satellite program while watching another you need 2x DVB-S2 tuners. The octagon only has one.

NewClareman

tadhg88 wrote: »

Hi all, I have NewClareman's image installed on my Tiviar with the last year or so without issue. Today when i tried use the remote to get the menu up or change the channel the STB light on the remote is flashing but nothing seems to be happening on the box. The box is stuck on one channel and this works fine but i cannot change the channel or anything else. I put new batteries in the remote and no improvement. I tried to use the channel up and down buttons on the box and nothing. The standby button does work on the box but doesnt help. I have powered the box off and on a couple of times but nothing seems to help so i am just wondering if anyone has any other suggestions on what I could try before going for the drastic reinstalling a new image.
Thanks all.

I’m sorry, but reinstalling the image is all I can suggest. -:)

fireless

Having worked in the computer industry for many years I have now retired and have not kept up with developments the only experience I have with LINUX is that which I have gleaned by exploring my TIVIAR box with NCM's image 6.3.
Could NCM or 'an educated person' please tell me how to keep my populated 'Favourites' bouquet from deleting every night.

greasepalm

I take you have moved your channels in order of your choice? If you have set bouquets to update early in the morning i would disable it so that it does not move your channels .All the usual bouquets will update if switched to yes.

On the second page there might be one called " your favourites " where your list goes and not be affected by the nightly update.

fireless

If I disable the update will the EPG fail to up date? I was not aware that there was a second page but will look, anyway I would like that the first bouquet available is 'favourites', as this would then give my wife less to do and things are difficult enough to explain as it is. Many thanks for the prompt reply.

dulpit

fireless wrote: »

If I disable the update will the EPG fail to up date? I was not aware that there was a second page but will look, anyway I would like that the first bouquet available is 'favourites', as this would then give my wife less to do and things are difficult enough to explain as it is. Many thanks for the prompt reply.

There is an option in ABM that will let you keep or delete other bouquets. Check that setting first. It's definitely possible to have a custom/favourite bouquet and still have the channels/epg update nightly.

fireless

Found what I think you were referring to, created a large favourites hope it remains overnight time will tell. Thank you for information

fireless

If I set up the 'favourites' bouquet that I have added, as I require will it remain setup after overnight update if I backup and restore it ?

greasepalm

It should not alter with abm updates but the other ones will.

GSRNBP

NewClareman wrote: »

Use the LINK in the first post and use the latest backup.


Follow the instructions in this LINK and then follow the instructions in Post 925.

On a windows PC the TiviarAlphaplus should be visible in windows explorer, under network. To load the image on the Tiviar just drag and drop it to TIVIARAPLUS-Harddisk-images. When you start todo an online flash, as shown in the pictures, the new image will now be available to use.

The google drive link seems to be not working at the moment.

CBear1993

How can one go about buying or getting someone to install this system? Looking to leave sky as they're looking €80 per month for TV & Broadband this year.
@NewClareman

DFS UTD

CBear1993 wrote: »

How can one go about buying or getting someone to install this system? Looking to leave sky as they're looking €80 per month for TV & Broadband this year.
@NewClareman

Interested in this too !

CBear1993

After posting on here (thread "cancel Sky") about getting Sky down to €80 per month. I've thought about it and it's still a rip off. €960 a year (at least)
Not interested switching to Vodafone or any competitor as it's the same - it'll go upto €70+ per month next year like Sky, if it's €60 this year for new customers.

I am in my day 14 day "cooling off" period, as I officially signed up last Thursday 14th May for another 12 months TV & Broadband. So I assume I'm well within my rights to still exit this before 28th May.

I had a TV Services guy who did work previously to a house in the countryside in Ashbourne for me. He was able to put up a dish on the house, do a bit of wiring, and I now have a "box" with a lot of channels on it.

Can anyone explain to me what's the best options to go with? They did their test today in my apartment here in Dublin 15, and had a "One4All" aerial for freesat/free to air and said I can get it. So now it's just a matter of what to install. Girlfriend want's a box that can record channels and doesn't want to leave sky due to user friendliness of it. The lads today didn't recommend Saorview at all.

I'm thinking I could save myself a good bit each year here - but my MAIN worry is will the signal be crap or will it be unreliable, i.e. maybe the TV won't work on certain days for a few hours. I have never had any interest in these dodgy boxes, family members have had them and the lag on TV is simply not worth it.
This guy assures me this isn't the case.

Considering my girlfriend and I both only watch TV in the evenings from 7-10pm it should be fine for us.

As you can tell from above I'm not up-to-date on the whole TV/Cable/Digital topic!!

Is easiest solution - Get a box in , get broadband only with a provider, and a chromecast or similar for Netflix?

Thanks in advance. I'm sure this has been posted on here numerous times, I did read the stickies.

CBear1993

Just found out the lads that are proposing the install - Their system is a "Tiviar Alphaplus" - (They're of foreign descent so a bit hard to make out sometimes)

In the 2 bed apartment we have one 42" plasma in the bedroom and one in the main living room. They are not smart TV's, They're old enough Philips & Panasonic with HDMI slots. I would consider upgrading one if it is going to help the new system.

So the 2 options he's given me is either the Tiviar with 7 DAY EPG that can record channels.
Or something about an alternative system which requires an external hard drive, that is easier for applications like netflix etc but he said if i had a smart TV it would make everything easier.

I think the whole thing is around €200-250 so I'm happy enough, as long as it gives no problems.

decor58

CBear1993 wrote: »

After posting on here (thread "cancel Sky") about getting Sky down to €80 per month. I've thought about it and it's still a rip off. €960 a year (at least)
Not interested switching to Vodafone or any competitor as it's the same - it'll go upto €70+ per month next year like Sky, if it's €60 this year for new customers.

I am in my day 14 day "cooling off" period, as I officially signed up last Thursday 14th May for another 12 months TV & Broadband. So I assume I'm well within my rights to still exit this before 28th May.

I had a TV Services guy who did work previously to a house in the countryside in Ashbourne for me. He was able to put up a dish on the house, do a bit of wiring, and I now have a "box" with a lot of channels on it.

Can anyone explain to me what's the best options to go with? They did their test today in my apartment here in Dublin 15, and had a "One4All" aerial for freesat/free to air and said I can get it. So now it's just a matter of what to install. Girlfriend want's a box that can record channels and doesn't want to leave sky due to user friendliness of it. The lads today didn't recommend Saorview at all.

I'm thinking I could save myself a good bit each year here - but my MAIN worry is will the signal be crap or will it be unreliable, i.e. maybe the TV won't work on certain days for a few hours. I have never had any interest in these dodgy boxes, family members have had them and the lag on TV is simply not worth it.
This guy assures me this isn't the case.

Considering my girlfriend and I both only watch TV in the evenings from 7-10pm it should be fine for us.

As you can tell from above I'm not up-to-date on the whole TV/Cable/Digital topic!!

Is easiest solution - Get a box in , get broadband only with a provider, and a chromecast or similar for Netflix?

Thanks in advance. I'm sure this has been posted on here numerous times, I did read the stickies.

I would be fairly confident that you won't get UK TV on an aerial in D15, you will get Saorview on an aerial, although the aerial may have to be outside. If you have sky at present, then you have a dish, do you have SkyQ, if not then you can replace your sky box with a combo FTA box, it's a straight swap, SkyQ is a bit more complicated. FTA boxes are available from Powercity or DID, there is a bit of set up involved, you will need a HDD to record to. A Freesat recorder would be similar to Sky, 7 day epg, auto update, but without the Saorview channels, Saorview can be got through most reasonably new tv's with an aerial.

NewClareman

GSRNBP wrote: »

The google drive link seems to be not working at the moment.

I’ve just checked the google drive link in the first post and it appears to be working fine 🙂

carlito57

All working fine using the image thanks newclareman.

Can anyone recommend an easy to use client (e.g. a roku streaming stick) for streaming live channels from the alphaplus in another room?

okla

carlito57 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an easy to use client (e.g. a roku streaming stick) for streaming live channels from the alphaplus in another room?

I use dream player on an Amazon firestick and it works a treat.

GSRNBP

NewClareman wrote: »

I’ve just checked the google drive link in the first post and it appears to be working fine ��

Yeah it was saying something about being in the bin before but working now.

The strange thing is that I cannot get my box to flash from the latest backup at all. I've tried it on various different USB sticks - I've also tried THHB's image and the regular openATV 6.3 image just to check on the same USB stick and I can flash from those. Any theories on what's going wrong?

EDIT: If anyone else is having this issue, I flashed to the generic ATV6.3 image and then flashed from the backup and it worked. Only 20+ times of reformatting the USB and trying repeatedly down the drain for a simple enough fix!