Zgemma H7s Guide
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Was bored so put together a quick start guide based on OpenATV. This is not comprehensive but after this you'll have Saorview and satellite TV and you'll have a decent EPG and working recording & live pause/rewind etc (if you have a hard drive)
1 - Basic Setup
This can be done with the basic setup 'wizard'
- language, location
- date, time, timezone
- connect to network/wifi (not a must, but preferable)
2 - Scan Channels - /Menu/Setup/Receiption/
Tuner Configuration
This configuration will allow you to watch/record one thing and record another at the same time.
Despite only having one T2 tuner this is till true for two concurrent Saorview channels if they happen to be on the same multiplexer.
- Tuner A DVB-S2X Astra 28.2
- Tuner B DVB-S2X Astra 28.2
- Tuner C DVB-T2 Ireland
- region depends on where you are, for me its Wexford, Mt Leinster
Automatic Scan
This will scan all the channels based on the tuner configuration above. It will easily take 20 mins and channels will be an unordered mess after.
The next step puts order to this and will weed the stuff out you cant receive/watch anyway.
3 - Organize Channels - /Menu/Setup/Receiption/
AutoBouquetsMaker
Here you define how you want your channels sorted and sectioned. Sections are called 'bouquets', like 'Entertainment', 'Movies', Sports & News' etc.
For Saorview there is only one option - Saorview (again region!)
For FreeSAT you have the option to go for the FreeSAT, Sky UK or Sky Irl ordering. You need to pick a region here, too, but that just affects what regional BBCs and ITVs you're getting in your bouguets, like BBC NI or Scotland or whatever. There will be an extra bouquet for all the regional BBCs, too.
Configure
Everything 'no' or 'none' except 'Skip services on non-configured sats' 'yes'
Providers
I prefer not to have an 'All channels' bouqet with 160 channels and I dont bother having a separate HD bouquet either. I simply want the typical sections and I want HD where an HD channel exists and where it doesnt it's gonna be non-HD. Also all the encrypted and pay channels will be weeded out (Free-to-air only).
- FreeSAT UK
- BBC East Anglia
- FTA only 'yes'
- Create main bouquet 'no'
- Create sections bouquet 'yes'
- Create HD bouquet 'no'
- Swap channels 'yes'
For Saorview the options are fewer 'cos there are fewer channels. I just go with the one main bouquet 'All channels' which I later rename in OpenWebif's BouquetEditor to 'Saorview'. Again no HD bouquet, we only got three atm anyway. HD channels automatically replace SD channels in this section, no 'Swap channels' option needed.
- Saorview
- FTA only 'yes'
- Create main bouqet 'yes'
- Create HD bouquet 'no'
Providers Order
I go with terrestrial (Saorview) as first bouqet
Hide Sections
I usually get rid of some sections like Children, Special Interest, Shopping etc
Keep Bouquets
Keep nothing, its all that stuff from other satellites, continental ones etc. None of it relevant in a typical home setup.
Start Scan
'Scan' means 'Autobouqetsmaker' will now apply the above rules to all the channels that have been found during the 'Automatic Scan' in step 2 and order them accordingly
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After this you will have the basic setup and all the relevant channels. When you press EPG you can browse with PREV/NEXT through your bouqets and select and watch channels
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Note
The 'Automatic Scan' (tuner) and the 'Autobouqetsmaker' scan are not steps you need to do on a regular basis. Only when channels change (disappear). But when channels do disappear they typically have changed the frequency on them. In which case you simply do 'Automatic Scan' and ABM scan again. Potentially also update the ABM plugin or at least run 'Update provider files' in ABM.
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A couple of more things I would defny do right away
4 - Hard Disk / USB Drive (if you've got one)
/Menu/Setup/System/Storage Devices
- format
- convert to EXT4
- Mount manager - mount on /media/hdd
This will allow configuration of the hard disk as your store for all the important stuff that needs storing
/Menu/Setup/EPG/EPG Setting
- EPG location -> /media/hdd
- similar for CrossEPG (see below)
/Menu/Setup/Playback, Recording & Time Shift/Playback Settings
- default movie selection location -> /media/hdd/movies
This is where the 'movie planner' (recordings) is looking for recordings
/Menu/Setup/Playback, Recording & Time Shift/Recording Settings
- Timer recording location -> /media/hdd/movies
- Instant recording location -> /media/hdd/movies
This is where all the recordings go, scheduled ('timer') and spontaneous ones
/Menu/Setup/Playback, Recording & Time Shift/Time Shift Settings
- Timeshift location -> /media/hdd/timeshift
This is where the 'timeshift' data is being stored, 'timeshift' as in the feature where you can pause, rewind, ffw live-tv
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Now you will be able to pause, rewind, ffwd live-tv and set scheduled recordings (timers) and also 'series link' recordings called auto-timers. Auto-timers work off 'matching' the epg data, like channel, program name, dates, times etc. Auto-timers work nearly all the time, but can't account for short notice program schedule changes. Either way timers will need working and regularly updated EPG data. See below 'CrossEPG'.
Drives & Sticks
You will need a speedy enough storage device. Fortunately the H7 has a proper SATA hard drive bay and also USB 3.0, allowing for internal and external drives.
If you're using a USB stick/drive make sure you plug it into the USB 3.0 port and not into one of the two USB 2.0 ports. If you use a USB stick rather than a USB hard drive make sure its a quality USB stick, ideally a 'SSD' stick e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N7QDO7M/
If you're using an internal SATA drive I would recommend buying an SSD. I found mechanical hard drives can make noise through vibration and a 500GB no-name SSD costs very little these days, e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fanxiang-S101-Internal-Compatible-Desktops/dp/B09XDJPPMB
As for space requirements - full HD from the satellite requires roughly 3.2GB per hour meaning a 500GB drive will have enough room for about 150 hours of recordings.
5 - Essential Plugins
/Menu/Plugins/Manage Plugins
CrossEPG Downloader
For FreeSAT you don't automatically get a 7 day EPG (for Saorview you do, no worries there). This plugin will prepare and maintain the satellite EPG data for you. It will pull the EPG data from a special satellite channel and from online sources.
Install the plugin if not already there, then...
/Menu/Setup/EPG/CrossEPG
- Storage device
- ideally hard drive or USB stick
- schedule daily download at 4am or so
- OpenTV providers
- Sky UK OpenTV (the 'special' EPG data satellite channel, if you dont have wifi/network thats your only source)
- XMLTV providers
- UK/Ireland - FreeSAT
- UK/Ireland - FTA
- Download Now
OpenWebif
The OpenWebif plugin lets you access the H7 from your browser within your local home network. It makes for example bouquets renaming and re-ordering much easier and lets you do a few handy other things too including streaming your box's channels to your laptop etc.
Once the plugin is installed your box should be accessible at http://zgemmah7. If that doesnt work find out through your router what IP address is assigned to your box and use this, e.g. like http://192.168.1.25
Skin?
Matter of taste, I like the standard 'Sly' HD skin (Menu/Setup/Software Mgmt/Skin Packages/kiddac-1080-slyk-r19). Mostly because I had a SkyHD box for years and its what my household is used to.
There is also a slyk 'Q' variant and a blend of the two available. There are 'virgin' lookalikes too and all sorts of other ones.
Skins affect your menus too. Beware with some of the more exotic and lesser maintained skins you could be struggling with some of the menu options. But the ones in the pre-configured OpenATV repos should be safe.
Fine tuning?
My 'fine tuning' is usually no more than configuring the EPG/skin. The Slyk skin author has some handy guides here: https://www.linuxsat-support.com/board/1462-enigma2-kiddac/.Basically you want 'Graphical EPG" with the little preview window and you can install little program logos (picons) that will show in your EPG. All this looks best with certain column sizes, font sizes etc
Post edited by icdg on5 -
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Customs fees are the %23 Irish VAT. If the shop is any good (are set up for exports) they subtract the British VAT first. Which WoS apparently do. On the checkout page for my Irish address they go with the ex VAT price.
(lol at the possible delays due to brexit & covid, wonder will they still have that message in 5 years time)
You pay Irish import VAT on the full purchase price including the shipping. £99 are roughly €116 lets call it €120) + 23% VAT (€27.60) comes in under €150. If AnPost want a €10 handling fee (its probably less) this is still good. Considering even on amazon.de I dont see them for less than €200 with shipping.
If I didn't have one already I'd get it from WoS. Has the added value of getting a UK plug, too. Not a biggy but still. Hate those flimsy adapter stacks or god forbid buying an extra UK plug power supply which is another tenner or more.
Edit: Overlooked the Fedex bit. I dont know what Fedex charge for 'handling' the VAT money/process. It if was €35 Euro like Andy says that would change things a bit. On the upside I dont feel so bad having bought locally now. ;)
Post edited by CalamariFritti on1 -
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