Magandroid
Expert Member
One other question. Does dish size matter? Is it better to install a 90cm dish as opposed to an 80cm dish? I would assume that the 80cm dish is the standard size that the installers fit.
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Open View PVR
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Geoff.D
Honorary Master
The larger the antenna the better is the general rule. Originally, the minimum size for proper reception from the 68.5 degree satellite position was 90cm. However, lately the closest one gets is a 80 - 85 cm antenna. Any larger is not easy to get and is expensive. The one to avoid completely are the 60 cm toy antennas. The manufacturing quality of antennas available in SA is atrocious.
If you have one of the original PAS 4 antennas in place that were 1.2 m in diameter, keep it!
The real difference in performance is noticeable on the fringes of the coverage area such as along the west and southern coast, where it is definitely a good idea to install a larger antenna. The effect is more noticeable under bad weather conditions, where a larger antenna will maintain reception better.
As the quality of decoders drops, we may see a move back to larger antennas becoming the norm again.
As signal quality demand increase with moves towards HD and 4K, those installations with larger antennas will be better off than those with smaller antennas.
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Geoff.D
Honorary Master
As already posted, a SLNB is a DStv requirement, and not needed for OVHD. IF you plan to add more OVHD decoders in the future, install a universal QUAD LNB. The minimum for your current requirement is a Universal TWIN LNB, also called a DUAL LNB.
A quad LNB combined with a 24-1Z DStv switch is equivalent to a DStv SLNB model LMX 500 which had 4 unicable ports available.
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Magandroid
Expert Member
Thanks for the info Geoff.D. I am meeting with an installer later and at least now I am a bit more educated. Just to confirm though that the smallest dish I need to look at is 80cm and that should suffice for my needs.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
Yes I would not go smaller anywhere in SA.
Dretastic06
Expert Member
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I saw them openview advertising the PVR yesterday, also i have a smart tv I could record most of the channels that it picked up on FTA
jimo
Member
News Item:
http://www.etv.co.za/news/2018/07/25/openview-launches-pvr-capable-decoder
Must the NA9200 Openview decoder model. Just plug in your USB memory stick.
http://www.etv.co.za/news/2018/07/25/openview-launches-pvr-capable-decoder
Must the NA9200 Openview decoder model. Just plug in your USB memory stick.
Magandroid
Expert Member
Okay, had the installer around for a quote and he confirmed that he installs a 90cm dish. So next question. Is there any particular brand of dual Lnb I should look at or would something like the Ellies brand be fine. I see SpaceTV also have their own brand.
Any brand is fine. It's all about the installation being done properly. Buy a DSTV decoder and dish with installation voucher for R549 from Pick N Pay and connect the OVHD to that. Much cheaper.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
Any of the two suppliers are okay. It is all about how well the installation is undertaken. Go for a quality installation above all else.
Magandroid
Expert Member
Okay so finally had OpenviewHD installed over the weekend and it works quite well. Thank you for everyone's assistance to my queries. Now I have another question.
In addition to my alarm going off in the morning, I have always set my TV to switch on as well, as a back up in case we fall asleep again after switching the alarm off. The constant talking from the TV keeps me mildly awake so I don't dose off again. Anyway, I have now set the tv to see the HDMI port as the channel when switching the TV on in the morning and that works. Problem is that the decoder goes into standby mode during the night and has to be powered on again if I want any programmes to display. I can set the decoder to also switch on at a specific time (Daily setting option) but that doesn't seem to work. I tried this setting on both decoders with the same result. Is there anyway to disable the standby mode. The manual does not show anything.
In addition to my alarm going off in the morning, I have always set my TV to switch on as well, as a back up in case we fall asleep again after switching the alarm off. The constant talking from the TV keeps me mildly awake so I don't dose off again. Anyway, I have now set the tv to see the HDMI port as the channel when switching the TV on in the morning and that works. Problem is that the decoder goes into standby mode during the night and has to be powered on again if I want any programmes to display. I can set the decoder to also switch on at a specific time (Daily setting option) but that doesn't seem to work. I tried this setting on both decoders with the same result. Is there anyway to disable the standby mode. The manual does not show anything.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
When you say both decoders go into stby. Which decoders are these?
As far as I know, there is no autostby setting on DStv decoders.
As far as I know, there is no autostby setting on DStv decoders.
Magandroid
Expert Member
Sorry, these are the new OpenviewHD NA9200 decoders. There is no standby setting that i can see anywhere. There is a "Wakeup" setting where I can select either OFF, Once, Weekend or Daily and then the time that I want it to wake up. So I have set it to daily wakeup at a certain time but this does not seem to work.
Then there is also a "Sleep" setting which is set to off by default.
Also there was no-one home yesterday and the decoder was still on when we got home in the evening so it's not like it went in standby mode after X hours of inactivity.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
Looks like I need to advance my plans to get a NA9200 decoder ...
Magandroid
Expert Member
It seems to be working pretty well for the most part. When it was activated it took a minute or two to scan channels so I was online almost immediately. Will still need buy the PVR dongle but the stores I have been to doesn't have the 64GB version yet.
I just ordered a 64Gb Openview PVR doongle. I reside in Botswana. The retailer a Chinese sold me for P500.00 equivalent R385.00. I wonder if I been ripped off. How much does it cost in RSA? He also told me his supplier said it needs to be activated in a single decoder only as switching it between decoders once activated will damage it or corrupt it I guess? Is this true? Can someone out there try copy the application files in the stick on PC publish them for us to install on larger external hard drives for more recordings??
any replies regarding your request ?
any luck finding the dongle and or a store that stock them 64Gb's ?
Magandroid
Expert Member
No, only places I saw 32GB for R199 were at Checkers and Makro. Haven't seen the 64GB yet. Guy at Checkers said the 64GB will cost R299.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
Some more info:
The Zapper decoder DSD 4139 is the same as the 4U HD decoder used by MC. The decoder has a USB port on the rear, so should be upgradeable to OpenPVR after a software upgrade. The SABC channels are all 576p, which is at best HD Ready and thus not HD.
Older decoders without USB ports will have to be replaced.
PS: MC is transmitting the SABC channels at 720p and not at 1080i.
The Zapper decoder DSD 4139 is the same as the 4U HD decoder used by MC. The decoder has a USB port on the rear, so should be upgradeable to OpenPVR after a software upgrade. The SABC channels are all 576p, which is at best HD Ready and thus not HD.
Older decoders without USB ports will have to be replaced.
PS: MC is transmitting the SABC channels at 720p and not at 1080i.