DVB-T2 + S2 receiver

[#1]

Has anyone got any experience of one of these jobbies?
I am looking at a combined freeview/sat box for my caravan.
The one I am looking at has T2 & S2 built in. But from a google all I can see is that T2 is Freeview HD, does that mean no sd channels?
This is the box Digital Satellite Receiver Combo dvb t2 + S2 HD 1080P dvb-t2 tv Box H.264 / MPEG-2/4

[#2]

You may have missed "Product Details" 

Quote

Item specifics Type:     Digital FTA(Free To Air):     Yes Package:     Yes High Definition:     Yes Model Number:     DVB T2+S2 CPU:     Montage VT6000 S2 TUNER:     M88TS2022 T2 TUNER:     MaxLinear MXL 608 Flash:     4M bytes TV System:     Auto / PAL / NTSC Memory:     32X16Mbit DDR2 f #400MHz Demodulator Type:     M88DM6000 Teletext, Subtitle:     Support Video Output Resolution:     480i/576i/480p/576p/720p/1080i/1080P Aspect Mode:     Auto / 4:3LetterBox / 4:3PanScan / 16:9

My Bold....  and I don`t really understand what all the specs mean.... but....  it is saying that it "can" use HD    not that it is "only" HD... by the statement      "  HD    Yes  "     
Looking at the Video Output Resolution  it seems to cover very low to very high resolutions, so I would consider that being the SD video standards  ? ? ? ? 

[#3]

As far as I know, all T2 tuners and demodulators in existence can decode DVB-T too. It can decode MPEG2, so you're fine for Freeview and Freesat SD (MPEG2 at 544x576, 704x576 and 720x576). Freeview HD is another quirk in the UK, in that it uses AAC rather than AC3 for the audio tracks, but again, you seem to be covered.
I'd be more concerned about the usability of it from a program guide perspective. Freeview is probably going to fine (i.e. full 7-day EPG for all channels), but Freeview HD and Freesat/HD use a non-standard format for encoding the program-guide. Officially only licenced decoders (with the Freeview HD or Freesat logo) can decode it, although a few projects such as MythTV have reverse-engineered it. Without the decoding tables, you will only get Now/Next for the current channel or multiplex, not the full 7-days.
You're a Linux guy - wouldn't you like to tinker with a MythTV server whilst away in the caravan.   (incidentally, mine has been rock-solid, better than any of the Windows based PVR apps)

[#4]

I've recently bought an August DVB-T210.
It works great on the house aerial. I've had no luck with it's own aerial - but then we are so far from the transmitter have have to have a signal booster on the house aerial so I'm not surprised. Haven't tried it with the caravan aerial yet as the caravan is in store.

[#5]

Quote from: shutter

Looking at the Video Output Resolution  it seems to cover very low to very high resolutions, so I would consider that being the SD video standards  ? ? ? ?

In common with a load of DVD/Android boxes etc the HDMI output can cover any of the mentioned standards, BUT this doesn't take into account if it will actually WORK in the UK. E.g. buy a dvd player in France and good luck using it here (ignoring the language issues)

Quote from: CX

As far as I know, all T2 tuners and demodulators in existence can decode DVB-T too. It can decode MPEG2, so you're fine for Freeview and Freesat SD (MPEG2 at 544x576, 704x576 and 720x576). Freeview HD is another quirk in the UK, in that it uses AAC rather than AC3 for the audio tracks, but again, you seem to be covered.

Cheers I couldn't figure that out from wikipedia etc, all they said was the HD channels were in T2, nowt about T2 decoding T.

Quote

I'd be more concerned about the usability of it from a program guide perspective. Freeview is probably going to fine (i.e. full 7-day EPG for all channels), but Freeview HD and Freesat/HD use a non-standard format for encoding the program-guide. Officially only licenced decoders (with the Freeview HD or Freesat logo) can decode it

Hmm not really bothered about the longer guide as long as I can see what is on now/next

Quote

You're a Linux guy - wouldn't you like to tinker with a MythTV server whilst away in the caravan.

Not got the room for full pc box (one of the reasons for this meaning I don't need 2 boxes) , and have never managed to get Myth to actually work for me. Not seriously tried though. The Freeview PVR is good enough for MRS HB (I rarely watch ANY TV), and I tend to use Kodi for my media playback.

[#6]

I see it's been covered, but DVB-T2 tuners should be backwards compatible with DVB-T.
You might find the HD Now/Next doesn't always work well if it's a "reversed engineered" job.
jelv might be able to tell us about the HD EPG on the DVB-210.

[#7]

Unless there's a way I haven't found the channels come up in the order which the search finds them (not 1 for BBC1 2, BBC2 3 ITV etc) and channels occur more than once if you pick up a signal from multiple transmitters.
The EPG can pick up crazy characters if signal isn't good - see attached.

[#8]

Since it is only for the caravan and not a main box, I ain't bothered too much about quirks. As long as it displays the signal and we can watch both freeview/sat on it I will be happy. Have ordered it and will update when it arrives next month.

[#9]

Quote from: jelv

Unless there's a way I haven't found the channels come up in the order which the search finds them (not 1 for BBC1 2, BBC2 3 ITV etc) and channels occur more than once if you pick up a signal from multiple transmitters.

I don't have your TV-card type (I use TBS cards) so can't comment on what's possible with the (presumably) native software, but have you tried third party software?
e.g. MediaPortal allows you to re-order channels; has multiple choices for display order; let's you delete duplicated channels; lets you decide what channels to display in the EPG; re-name channels; offers the ability to create groups of channels, e.g. All Channels, BBC Channels; HD Channels; - basically you choose which channels you want in a group. etc. etc.

[#10]

The box arrived today.
Very small.
Detected all the sat channels no problems and the tv ones. (It has FTA scan setting for the sat ones so no sky ones shown)
HD & SD all OK.
EPG is weird, and it has skip/lock/fav channels so will set it up when I am in the caravan in May.
It had 4 channel 4's at the start of the list, and loads of duplicates, so will be skipping a lot, unless I can figure out how to use the Fav. It has move so should be able to get the ones I want to watch at the start.
Not a bad box for £20. It also does recording to a usb stick & playback of .mkv/avi etc from it. Not tried that yet.