Receiver advice.
There are 2 types of receiver,
1.
Standard receivers - These can be free to air receivers or Free to air with a card slots and or cam slots. These receivers
will tune to any channels on any satellites as they have the following software protocols built into them, Diseqc 1.0 and 1.1
(for switching between multiple LNBs and Diseqc 1.2 and USALS (for controlling a Diseqc motor on a motorised dish)
There is no extended program guide, only now and next. (However some receivers run a Linux operating system and it may be
possible to find a "plug in" online which can offer an extended program guide for various program providers but this does
need some research and IT skills.
and
2.
Dedicated receivers like Freesat receivers. These receivers (Like Sky receivers). They have been built and licensed by
a particular program provider. (A program provider usually has a number of channels on a satellite as do other program
providers who share the same satellite and there may be individual channels on a satellite which are not part of a package)
Dedicated receivers often have pre-programmed tuning capabilities and it may not be possible to scan in other
channels / frequencies at all (e.g. freesat receivers) of it you can, only the frequencies it lets you and not others
(like Sky receivers - if you scan another satellite with a Sky receivers it will only scan in a % of channels, once the
ones which coincidentally have the same frequencies as Sky channels).
Dedicated receivers usually do not have Diseqc 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 or USALS. Freesat and Sky receivers do not although other
receivers on other satellites may have. (e.g. The dedicated "Strong" receivers for the French TNTsat package do have
Diseqc and will tune to anything). Freesat receivers and Sky receivers are therefore not suitable for other satellites.
Dedicated receivers like freesat receivers do, however, come with a licensed extended program guide (epg) which looks forward
(usually about) a week. The latest generation freesat and Sky receivers also have an epg which can look backwards a week
(this requires and internet connection with a UK IP address). It is also called catch up TV.
Then there are single tuner receivers and twin tuner PVRs.
The latter lets you record one channel and watch another. Cheaper twin tuner PVRs may only have an external USB hard drive
option. The top of the range receiver from any manufacturer (flag ship model) is a twin tuner PVR with an
internal hard drive option.
There are receivers with a standard operating system and receivers with a Linux operating system
This does not apply to dedicated receivers (only from option "1" above). Some receivers run a standard operating system
and some receivers run a Linux operating system. The latter is more complicated, it is best if you have reasonable IT
skills but you are rewarded with more features - Examples are - better IT connect-ability, steaming, and control
from any computer in the world through a web interface.
Receiver Examples.
Good free to air (or card / CI) single tuner receivers -
(Note - single tuner receivers usually have USB and an external hard drive or USB stick can be connected so the the
channel you are on can be recorded now or later).
Low cost -
Sab Sky 4780 HD (Sky is the model name - nothing to do with Sky TV)
If a larger budget is available -
Technomate TM5402
and
Technomate TM6902
Linux single tuner -
Vu+ Solo SE Version 2
Good twin tuner PVR receivers -
Low cost twin tuner PVR -
Icecrypt s3750
Ultimate twin tuner PVR -
Icecrypt s6600
(The Icecrypt s6000 is Linux but unusually is as easy to use as a standard receiver).
and advanced Linux twin tuner PVR -
VU+ Duo 2
Good dedicated UK single tuner receivers -
Freesat -
Humax HB-1100S
Sky -
DRX595
Good dedicated UK twin tuner PVR receivers -
Freesat -
Humax HDR1100S
Sky -
DRX895
SLX Omni Link Kit. Wired control
for all receivers with a UHF output
Just like the TV eye link system used for Sky Digiboxes, this system works with all receivers.
It all works with the existing UHF distribution system in your home.
Control up to three devices. One remote link eye includes for one remote room. Extra
SLX link eyes for more rooms are available below.
Connect up the link to the satellite receiver and the TV link at the end of the cable in the remote
room and have full control of the satellite receiver from that room.
Click here to order.
Primesat HD Modulator. 1080p
This HD modulator, has an HDMI input and a coaxial cable output. Many houses already have a UHF distribution system.
A similar system in the past would take the coaxial output from the UHF (RF) connection of a receiver, maybe to an existing
distribution amplifier in the loft, then cables down to the rooms. This new HD modulator will work with your existing
distribution system. Satellite receivers now have an HDMI output. Connect the HDMI output from your satellite receiver
into the HD modulator. This uses the only HDMI output and so it is now not available to go to the TV next to it. There are
two solutions of sending the HD signal to both the TV and the modulator, 1. buy an
HDMI splitter. This splitter converts
one HDMI output to two HDMI outputs. Then one HDMI cable can continue to go to the TV next to your satellite receiver and the
other to the HD modulator (optional splitter below). 2. Only connect the one HDMI lead to the modulator, the output then via
coax to the distribution amplifier. From there send the signal via coax to many TVs in many rooms and also back to the TV next
to the satellite receiver. With the second plan an HDMI splitter is not needed but a coax cable back from the distribution
amplifier is. To summarise, the coaxial output of the modulator can go direct to a second TV elsewhere in the house, or it
can go to a distribution amplifier (which may be in the loft) and then to many rooms. This coaxial cable then plugs into the
digital tuner input of your TV. All you then have to do is tune in the channels on your TV and one of the channels will be the
satellite receiver from the main room. This can be in full 1080p HD. Additional notes. The old UHF system in use for, probably
30+ years from an RF output was analogue and not very good quality. Usually there was an RF modulator built into the satellite
receiver and you had to tune in the analogue tuner of your TV set. Today many flat screen sets have both analogue and digital
tuners. Since there is no analogue TV any more the analogue tuner only tends to be used for tuning the old UHF, RF distribution
system but the new HD modulator works through the digital tuner of the TV in full HD. There have been some HD distribution
system which use CAT 5 cable but this system of HD over coax means that the old existing distribution system using coax can
be used and will it all work in full HD. There is an aerial loop through on the back of the modulator (just the same as the
old analogue loop through in the back of a satellite receiver with RF in and out) and so if the TV aerial can go into the
modulator, the aerial will then be carried with the satellite receiver signal to every TV through the distribution system in
the usual way. Please also note, for control you may also need an
Omni Link kit. Then you can change channels etc.
from any room. Also remember out dedicated telephone support line just for our customers is there to help you
Click here to order.
See our other web site at-
www.primesat.eu
This site includes many products that are exclusive to the Satellite Superstore.
The site contains -
• Products that we manufacture (e.g. We have manufactured heavy duty wall mounts and ground stands since 1991).
• Selected products which have our own Primesat brand name and have been prepared to our specifications.
• Selected products where we have been appointed the authorised UK or European distributor by the manufacturer.
www.primesat.eu is an information site. Here you will find full specifications and many detailed pictures.
To buy any of these products, simply order them on this web site.
