SD-PVR to HD-PVR Upgrade Advice Needed

DominionZA

DominionZA

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Hey peeps,

Currently I have an HD-PVR (first model) upstairs in my theater room and an SD-PVR downstairs in the lounge.
My SD-PVR has started to give us small issues lately so I am considering upgrading it to the new HD-PVR.

Do I have to get an installer to do the upgrade? Do the cables stay the same in which case I can just go out and buy one and swap them out?

I have heard the new models are a bit dodgy regarding the firmware. Is this so?

Thanks in advance for any advice :)
 
Mike Smit said:
Do the cables stay the same in which case I can just go out and buy one and swap them out?
Click to expand...
Pretty much. Both SDPVR & HDPVR2P use 2 dish cables and Xtraview heartbeat cable.

Mike Smit said:
I have heard the new models are a bit dodgy regarding the firmware. Is this so?
Click to expand...
Define dodgy, you wont find rock solid with MC's kit, but I wouldn't say my HDPVR2P gives any more trouble than my SDPVR.
 
I have 4 cables going into my SD-PVR.

I don't know how to define dodgy. I have heard from a contractor at Multichoice that the firmware is kak and I should wait. After owing the original HD-PVR I cannot imagine any firmware being any worse.

My main concern is just the installation. Do I need to get someone to come do it for me, or can I just swap out the SD for the HD.
 
Mike Smit said:
I have 4 cables going into my SD-PVR.

I don't know how to define dodgy. I have heard from a contractor at Multichoice that the firmware is kak and I should wait. After owing the original HD-PVR I cannot imagine any firmware being any worse.

My main concern is just the installation. Do I need to get someone to come do it for me, or can I just swap out the SD for the HD.
Click to expand...

4 cables into the SDPVR? Are you sure? My SDPVR only had 2 cables. The HDPVR2P also only needs 2 cables so you're sorted, no need to get an installer.
 
Mike Smit said:
I have 4 cables going into my SD-PVR.
Click to expand...
Last one if probably RF (UHV/VHF) antenna coming in or RCA output. Either way the equivalent ports are on the HDPVR2P

Mike Smit said:
My main concern is just the installation. Do I need to get someone to come do it for me, or can I just swap out the SD for the HD.
Click to expand...
Depends how flush you are.

If youre not technically confident and dont want to hang on the phone to get Xtraview reconfigured, then get someone in. Otherwise shouldn't be too difficult to attempt yourself.
 
1 into TV1/TV2
1 into Aerial
1 into 300ma VER
1 into 300ma HOR

I am very technically minded - but also lazy :) Not into running cables. If these cables will be fine on the new HD-PVR then I will go do it myself.

Makro running a special at the mo: http://www.makro.co.za/p/33717/multichoice-hd-pvr-decoder/
Is this the latest decoder? If I get a yes - then I am shooting out quick to grab one.
 
Mike Smit said:
1 into TV1/TV2
1 into Aerial
1 into 300ma VER
1 into 300ma HOR

I am very technically minded - but also lazy :) Not into running cables. If these cables will be fine on the new HD-PVR then I will go do it myself.

Makro running a special at the mo: http://www.makro.co.za/p/33717/multichoice-hd-pvr-decoder/
Is this the latest decoder? If I get a yes - then I am shooting out quick to grab one.
Click to expand...

yes that is a 2p PVR

for a 2P PVR yu need 2 inputs from the dish and a heartbeat to the other decoder so you seem sorted
 
Thanks a lot for the tops everyone. The best quote I got for upgrading to the HD-PVR was R1,899. Because of your help I sourced a decoder from Makro for R1,399 and am up and running 45 minutes later :)
R500 saved because of the helpful peeps of MyBB. Big thanks guys.

grav80 said:
Out of interest what kind of issues is your SD decoder giving?
Click to expand...
Overheating dude. The little fan inside that keeps the HDD cool gave up. I opened it about 2 months ago and gave it a good go with the compressed air to get the dust out then oiled the fan. Got it going nicely for a bit then a week ago it started it's hassles again.
I recently upgraded my HD-Ready 40" LCD to a nice new 47" Sammy Full HD so figured it was a good opportunity to upgrade the SD-PVR too :) The SD-PVR looked horrible on the Sammy. The new decoder is much much better.
 
nice glad you came right

those SD PVR's are somewhat in demand if i am not mistaken so i am pretty sure you could sell it even with that issue, just do tell them
 
D3x! said:
nice glad you came right

those SD PVR's are somewhat in demand if i am not mistaken so i am pretty sure you could sell it even with that issue, just do tell them
Click to expand...

I will sell it dude. My wife is a contractor on a Multichoice project so easy to get the decoder dropped off and repaired/swapped out. So going to get it 100% first then I will sell it off.
 
Def a good idea.. you can probably get your HDPVR upgrade for "free" once you've got the SDPVR swapped out and sold.... lucky.
 
B.O.F.H. said:
Def a good idea.. you can probably get your HDPVR upgrade for "free" once you've got the SDPVR swapped out and sold.... lucky.
Click to expand...

Are they that much in demand that I could sell if for the price I paid for a brand new HD PVR? Is it because of the View 2 Record 1 functionality that none of the HD PVR's have?
 
I have to agree with the reliability part big time. Had the SD-PVR since day 1 of launch and it only recently started to give hassles - and down to old age. Also a very simple repair to keep her going for a while longer.

So this is how I used to have my setup...
SD-PVR downstairs. One viewable channel in the lounge and the other for the kids (they had to set times to watch what they wanted).
HD-PVR upstairs shared between my home theater and bedroom.

Now in the lounge we have the HD-PVR too. This means we have lost the second viewable channel to the kids rooms. They have to watch whatever is going in the lounge. Generally by 20H00 the wife and I are upstairs so not toooo much of an issue as the kids have their channel again.

I want to throw a spanner in here now :)

Is it possible to have all THREE decoders setup? That way upstairs can remain as it was, but downstairs we get 3 viewable channels (2 on SD and 1 for HD).
Or am I really pushing the limits of the Xtraview capabilities?
 
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