Which box?

[piagio2000]

I'm on the verge of getting my first system. Going to go for a 1mtr motorised set up.
It's now coming down to the choice of boxes.
Any recomendations?

I want to watch some football though not overly fussed about EPL I would like to get the Scottish games. These are carried by Sly of course, but I know they turn up on Al Jazeera, Italian Sly ETC.
Also wouldn't mind some discovery channel type stuff, maybe movies and kids stuff. Not really interested in adult channels.

Now, I was on the verge of going for the Protek Unix 500 which Ian at Southern Satellites is currently pushing. The Protek server access sounds interesting. As does the CCcam it can do (though I have absolutely no idea whatsoever how I would go about that at this stage), but the lack of PVR facilty and ability to use a CAM worries me. Is it possible that the access to that server negates completely the need for say a DIABLO2? Or would it be better if I had both?

I'm also reading on the forum about patchable boxes which can also take a CAM. Would that be a better option than the Protek? And if so....can anyone suggest a box?

And finaly....is there a "does all that" box? ie is patchable, can use the protek server (or similar) and has a slot for a CAM?


Basically I want to future proof myself as much as I can. I'm not looking to view every channel in the world, but I'm thinking I'm better covering most eventualities...don't want to get a box then realise after a couple of months I could have got a more comprehensive one.

So opinions.....patch and cam better than protek and possibly using CCcam?

And if Protek and CCcam is as good/better....is there a version which allows PVR? If there isn't a version supporting PVR...is it conceivable that I simply put the output through a digital recorder that I can get in Tesco and places like that?

I know that's a lot of questions, but I would appreciate any advise

[southernsatellite]

No such thing as future proof! The diablo2 is opening some viaccess channels on Hotbird and Astra 1, these are also open with a blank card that you programme the card is called Omnia or Millenium card, you would need a CAS2 or 3 to programme it. Currently (apart from C/S) the Protek is opening more than a patched box or diablo2 cam. You can record via HDD recorder or VCR. The other way is to buy a Dreambox 8000 and C/S but expect to pay £1000+ with one with a HDD installed.

[kerrywez]

Hi mate, depends what you have to spend, a dreambox 8000HD and a Sly Italy card would not leave you much change out of £2300, but that is the extreme. Even getting a Sly Italy card and box you would be looking at over £1000. A lot of the SPL games are on the Polsat channels, not sure what it would cost you and you would get some discovery type channels on there, not sure you would get English audio though. At the moment most of the games are shown on digiTV on 1W, but it is going to N3 soon, so would not be a very good bet, especially when you consider that each country has it's own card for that package, and I do not know what they would all cost, even if you were able to get them.

You could go down the CS route, but there is talk of Sly implementing some form of CS blocking software soon, they did try it on the Sly Italy cards, but there was a way round
it found.

You should give Ian, at Southernsatellite a call he can tell you everyting you need to know, with the exception of discussing CS with you, he is not allowed to do that, under British law.

Regards Wez

[Hare_Krishna]

What does CS mean? What does it stand for?

[Analoguesat]

Card Share - a risky way of getting extra channels if you join a pay server.

[Andy20]

Card Share - bang it in google for full details

[mksuperhoop]

Originally Posted by southernsatellite

No such thing as future proof! The diablo2 is opening some viaccess channels on Hotbird and Astra 1, these are also open with a blank card that you programme the card is called Omnia or Millenium card, you would need a CAS2 or 3 to programme it. Currently (apart from C/S) the Protek is opening more than a patched box or diablo2 cam. You can record via HDD recorder or VCR. The other way is to buy a Dreambox 8000 and C/S but expect to pay £1000+ with one with a HDD installed.

hi,
you say you can record via HDD or VCR, but i thought this box only had 1 scart socket which would be connected to TV?
what other connections are there?
thanks

[southernsatellite]

Thats correct, but you can loop the scart through the VCR or HDD recorder and still watch the programme as the VCR or HDD recorder will have a TV out scart. Other connections is composite video.

[mksuperhoop]

Originally Posted by southernsatellite

Thats correct, but you can loop the scart through the VCR or HDD recorder and still watch the programme as the VCR or HDD recorder will have a TV out scart. Other connections is composite video.

ok thanks.
is there anyway to set up a recording or do you have to manually hit the record button?

[southernsatellite]

the recording control will be done via your HDD or VCR recorder, you would need to leave the receiver on the channel switched on and connected to record