Archive for March, 2009

HDTV Satellite Dish Sony LF-PK1pm

March 30th, 2009 zou

HDTV Satellite Receiver Sony LF-PK1 TV all over the house and all over the world HDTV is not the only subject that has been dominating the scene; other areas have also enjoyed a boom such as Dish TV.And we’re not just talking about commercial IPTV; boxes such as the Slingbox that we highlighted in the 09/2007 issue of TELE-satellite or the Sony LF-PK1 that we will be introducing to you here have migrated from being a niche product to one that is becoming popular with the average user. These boxes link the reception mediums with the Internet and thereby make the location where you watch and listen independent from where the antenna is erected.


On the front panel of the Sony LF-PK1 are five status LEDs that show its current operational mode as well as the type of network connection in use. Near the bottom is a button to turn the box on and off.

The rear panel is equipped with six RCA jacks (2x composite video in and 2x stereo audio in), an S-Video jack, a VHF/UHF tuner, a network connection, a jack for the external IR Blaster as well as a connection for the 12-volt power supply.

The box can also be used with a WLAN connection although no external antenna can be attached. The necessary software comes on the included CD-ROM plus there’s also a short user manual that explains the most important steps of the installation. As expected from Sony, the box is very well manufactured and includes every desired feature.

Everyday Use

After setting up the box and connecting it with a satellite receiver, we quickly assigned it an IP address for the local network and then started the installation of the Location Free Player, Sony’s own player software designed especially for this box. Before the installation could really even get started, an error put a stop to everything: it seems the player is not compatible with Windows Vista.

For us this was no problem since we had plenty of PC’s to work with in our test labs and one of those sure enough was still working with Windows XP. But for normal users this could be an inconvenience.

In the meantime, Sony has released an update for the Location Free Player so that it can also work with Windows Vista. Unfortunately, this update can only be installed if an older version of the player is already in use. According to the Q&A section on Sony’s website, they suggest you make sure that the Location Free Player is already installed on your PC before you upgrade it to a Windows Vista machine since the update could not be installed later on.

If you already have Windows Vista on your PC, Sony’s website doesn’t have any-thing to say about that. Not very customer-friendly, is it?

After we finally got the Location Free Player to run on our PC, the next ugly surprise appeared: the software announced that it cannot link itself to this box.

At first we thought it was an error in the player configuration or in our own router in the test lab, but it very quickly became clear that it was a problem with the English version of the  Location Free Player  that we were using. So, instead we installed the Korean version that was included on the same CD and, wouldn’t you know it, the software immediately linked with the box and in just a very short time the picture from the satellite receiver could be seen on our monitor.

It would seem that Sony, a company that is also heavily involved in the business of international film and Dish Television, placed special emphasis on country- specific uses for its box. Supposedly, they want to prevent, for example, viewers in Europe from receiving channels from the USA or Asia and viceversa. Similar to Freesat receiver, it all seems to be a question of movie and TV rights.

The picture quality even at first glance was exception-ally good with hardly any load on our dedicated line. Even our tests using a 6 Mbit DSL connection turned out positive with the box providing outstanding picture quality. And while using a modest 1.5 Mbit, there was still enough bandwidth available to surf the Internet.

Naturally, things were a little different at the other end, but if a half-ways decent DSL connection is used, this should also be no problem.

In the next step we wanted to take full control of the equipment. For this purpose, the Sony box comes with a so-called IR blaster that is used to control the attached equipment. The IR diodes of the blaster are simply positioned on the front side near the IR receiver of the box to be controlled and with the help of the virtual remote control in the Location Free Player, all necessary control commands can be sent via the Internet and then relayed through the IR blaster to the receiver.

We quickly found an appropriate receiver for this test and in just a short time we were able to completely control the PVR box without the use of a remote control and, for example, have a look at its saved recordings. We were happy to see that the software reacted very quickly enough to various remote control commands so that the box could be operated with hardly any recognizable delays.

An additional feature of the LFPK-1 is the integrated WLAN connection. This makes it possible, for example, to effortlessly route the picture from your PVR box to a laptop in the backyard. Watching your favorite TV series in the great outdoors when the weather is nice can now be done without running any cables and without any great expense.


In our tests the integrated WLAN antenna did a fair job although an external antenna would have been better for extended range. This whole idea would become especially interesting if a Sony PlayStation Portable were available. You could then enjoy wireless video and audio from any desired source on the PlayStation Portable’s monitor anywhere in the house. Surprisingly, the reception range was quite good; we had no reception problems even outside of the test lab.

All things considered, we can say that on the one hand the Sony LF-PK1 is the ideal box for anyone who wants access to their receiver and watch their favorite pro-grams while on the road. On the other hand, it is also the perfect tool for users who want to watch their favorite channels on mobile devices such as a laptop or a Play-Station Portable. Thanks to the relatively narrow band-width required, the transmitted TV picture can even be received in a hotel with exceptional quality without putting a strain on the Internet connection.

The box is completely unsuitable for anyone that, for example, wants to use a friend in the USA to transmit those local channels to Europe or Asia. It would only be possible if the country-specific version of the “Location Free Player” were used. In such a case, we strongly recommend using alternative systems such as the Sling-box.

Conclusion

The Sony LFPK-1 is an easy to use and simple to install box that provides access to your local  channels any-where in the world.

The overall quality of the box is very good; even the included software  the Location Free Player  functions properly and is child’s play to use.

At the moment Sony doesn’t offer any real support for Microsoft’s newest operating system Windows Vista despite it already being available for almost a year.

The manufacturer attempted to limit the use of the box to specific regions in that the box and the Location Free Player must use the same language.

Overall, the Sony LF-PK1 left us with a two-part impression: outstanding technology along with artificial limits while in practical use.

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HD TV Satellite Eycos S50.12 PVR

March 30th, 2009 zou

Satellite Receiver Eycos We’ve been waiting a long time for the first PVR receiver from the very young company Eycos out of South Korea. On a dark and gray cold winter morning the delivery truck trudged through a thick layer of snow all the way to our doors. Finally, the long awaited test unit is sitting here in front of us.


We were very excited while opening the package and the initial impression from looking at the outside of the receiver did not disappoint us. Sleek but elegant is the best way to describe the S50.12 PVR. The front panel sports a four-digit display as well as eight buttons for complete operation of the receiver should the remote control go missing. Behind a centrally located flap are hidden a pair of CI slots that can be used with a variety of modules (Irdeto, Seca, Viaccess, Conax, Nagravision, etc.)

The nicely equipped rear panel also put a smile on our faces. In addition to the IF input and looped-through output for the two tuners, there are also a set of Scart connectors as well as an S-Video connection, three RCA jacks for video and stereo audio, a programmable 0/12-volt output, an RS-232 serial interface, a USB 2.0 port for connection to a PC, an RF modulator and also an optical digital audio output for perfect sound. Rounding out all of this is a main power switch.

The included remote control is ergonomically designed, clearly labeled and sits nicely in your hand. Eycos also provided a second remote control that is smaller and equipped with limited functions. This could be quite practical when you consider that your nosy little one could have otherwise easily messed up the entire programming of the receiver.

We also need to highlight the user manual written in English and German. It is clearly and concisely written, covers every aspect of the receiver and is properly illustrated where it needs to be. All in all, it should be able to answer almost any question you might have regarding the operation of the S50.12PVR.


Everyday Use

To our astonishment, this test satellite receiver came to us programmed with a very up-to-date channel list for Astra, Hotbird and Turksat. If you happen to have a somewhat standard antenna configuration, then it should take no time at all to get the first pictures on your Dish Television set. Accessing the nicely designed and animated main menu reveals a number of additional setting possibilities. The Eycos is quite international: aside from German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Hungarian and Dutch, you can also choose from Romanian, Russian, Swedish, Turkish and Farsi as an OSD language.

The Main Menu is divided into six sections. In the first section, Channel Search, all of the settings for Dish TV antenna configuration as well as satellite data are handled. The receiver supports the DiSEqC protocols 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 (USALS). Every user, regardless of whether they have a Wave Frontier antenna or a DiSEqC motor, should have no trouble adapting the receiver to their system. Contrary to HD receiver from other manufacturers, the Eycos was designed in such a way that the user need not worry about which tuner to select except for determining whether both tuners would be fed with the same satellite signal. We find this to be a very practical feature and once everything is correctly set up, the user will no longer need to think about which tuner to use. The receiver handles this all by itself.

It has become almost standard for most satellite receivers to offer an automatic, a manual and an expanded PID scan. The Eycos is no exception here. Of course a network scan is also available. At a little over three minutes, the automatic scan of 80 transponders is quite good although the receiver needs quite a bit of time to actually store all of the channels it found. For the manual channel scan, Eycos came up with a rather interesting idea: if a single transponder needs to be scanned that is not yet in the receiver’s transponder list, there is one transponder in the list with a frequency of 00000. Simply enter the desired new frequency and once the channel scan has been completed, this new frequency will be transferred to the transponder list. This can be done as many times as needed to complement the existing transponder list.

If up until now you have been frustrated with the poor picture quality of CVBS signals, you can seek help in the User Settings menu. The receiver can provide the video signal in CVBS, RGB and S-Video. YUV for connection to flat screen TV’s or projection systems is unfortunately not available. The reception of US feeds in NTSC format did not present any problems; the automatic switching between PAL and NTSC signals functioned perfectly.

The remaining three menus deal with CI modules, the hard drive and subsequent decryption: the receiver is capable of recording multiple encrypted programs on the hard drive for later decryption. As long as the CI module supports this function, the receiver can also record two decrypted programs at the same time. In our test using an Alphacrypt module, this also worked without any difficulties.

Features

After this excursion through all of the S50.12PVR setting possibilities, we wanted to immerse ourselves in the features used on a daily basis. The capability to record four programs at the same time jumped right out at us. Since this receiver uses only two tuners, the four programs to be recorded would have to be on two transponders. Unfortunately, the receiver only shows the number of current recordings. If you want to know what and for how long/time remaining, the proud owner will only find out after pushing the large PVR button on the remote control and checking out the list of previously recorded programs. A little improvement here might not be a bad idea since with up to four simultaneous record comings, it won’t be too difficult to lose sight of what is going on. Contrary to most other receivers, the list of recordings in the Eycos is in descending order – that is, the last recording is shown first. At first it may take some getting used to, but after a while you won’t want it any other way.

After every channel change if desired this can be set to a gradual fade out/fade it an Info bar is displayed that shows information on the current and upcoming program.

The EPG is very logically designed, is very quickly loaded with data and displays all of the information correctly and legibly.

The Eycos manufactured tuner is very sensitive to incoming signals and was easily able to handle the weak signals on Arabsat 2D at 26° east. The receiver also mastered the SCPC test signal on Pas12; the signal with a symbolrate of only 1.325 Ms/sec. was no problem for the receiver.

Even though the movie industry and some Pay TV provider might not be happy with this feature, nearly every manufacturer must equip their PVR receivers with a USB 2.0 interface in order to survive in the market. Eycos is no different. In fact they seem to have put a little extra effort in this in that they man-aged to find a chipset that can take full advantage of the capacity of USB 2.0. It took just about three minutes to transfer a 2GB recording from the receiver to a PC and this without any supplemental software since Windows recognized the hard drive in the receiver. Eycos also offers a settings editor at no charge that can be used to edit the channel and favorites lists comfortably on the PC.



For dealers there’s even a self-diagnostic menu. After entering a code known only to dealers, they can determine if the receiving correctly. This is a powerful tool for the service tech. The question now becomes, is this receiver really the goose that laid the golden egg? We believe that it is definitely headed in that direction. The manufacturer is willing to please and has promised to react to our small list of bugs that we stumbled on during our tests. Without a doubt, Eycos has developed a very solid receiver with the S50.12PVR.

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HD Receiver Jiuzhou DTS6600 PVR

March 26th, 2009 zou

Satellite Receiver Jiuzhou For Jiuzhou it goes without saying that they provide up-and coming market segments with innovations. This is also why we were hardly impressed to find aprerelease model of Jiuzhou’s HDTV DVB-S/2 PVR receiver in our test lab. After all,HDTV Satellite in combination with PVR functionality is a clear step into the future. And with the DTS 6600 Jiuzhou intends to become a significant player in future.

The receiver comes in a rather plain but nonetheless good-looking silver case. The front panel supports a very easy to read 4-digit segment display, flanked by two LEDs to indicate the box’s operating mode.
Hidden behind a flap are seven keys to operate the DTS 6600 without remote control, as well as two CI slots which accept all standard modules such as Irdeto, Seca, Viaccess, Conax, Nagravision and so on. Only the standby button can be reached without opening the flap.

The back panel reveals a comprehensive range of connections such as the satellite input and loop-through output, a HDMI interface for fully digital video and audio transmission, three sockets for YUV as well as three additional RCA jacks for stereo audio and composite video and specifically for the European market two scart euro connectors.

A digital audio output makes sure any home cinema system is fed with crystal-clear audio and a USB 2.0 port is available for connection external storage media to use the PVR functionality. The perfect overall impression is rounded off by a main power switch.

The included remote control sits nicely in your hand, its buttons are easy to reach, clearly labelled and provide convenient feedback when pressed.
The user’s manual is drawn up just as smartly and provides a clear structure, features illustrations where they are needed and answers all questions that might arise when using the receiver. To sum up, this receiver creates a good first impression in terms of workmanship and hardware quality, even though some might lament the somewhat conservative design.

Everyday use
The Jiuzhou DTS 6600 does offer an installation wizard and our test model arrived with a preset list of 122 mainly German language channels. On a positive note we can state that all available HD TV channel from the German and English countries transmitted via ASTRA 19.2° East and ASTRA2 28.2° East were already included in that list.

In order to customise the box according to personal preferences all you have to do is press the MENU button to call up a clearly structured and well organised menu of available options. The main menu is divided into five group swith a number of sub-groups each. For the time being the latest Jiuzhou receiver is not yet a genuine globetrotter as the OSD is only available in German, English, Dutch or French. You can be assured, however, that this list will be extended by the manufacturer in one of the upcoming software updates.

In order to allow full use of the HDMI connection the receiver supports video output in 576p, 720p or 1080i. The only feature we missed was an automatic switch, but we assume that the manufacturer will add this feature in due time as well.

If you connect a regular CRT TV set to the box you will most probably decide to use the RGB video output mode. CVBS is available as well and if your   Dish Television set has the corresponding inputs you may also use the YUV output.
Of course, basic features such as the 16:9 aspect ratio and a number of 4:3 options are all implemented, as is a digital optical audio output which can provide a PCM or Dolby Digital (bitstream) signal.

This latest Jiuzhou receiver takes the correct time directly from the satellite signal, or you can decide to set the time manually, if you so desire.

What we like: you can set the HD receiver to show the current time instead of the channel number even when it is turned on. Before you can actually use all the features of the DTS 6600 it first has to be set up to work with your existing reception system. To this end DiSEqC protocols 1.0 for up to four satellites, 1.1 for up to 16 satellites as well as 1.2 and 1.3 (USALS) for motorised antennas are available.

A current satellite list featuring 56 European satellite positions is pre-stored and we noticed that even the transponder data must have been updated only recently as they are very up-to-date. With an easy-to-use satellite and transponder editor it is child’s play to add, delete or edit satellites as well as transponder entries.

Apart from receiving Ku band signals the Jiuzhou HDTV receiver can also be used for C band signals and thanks to freely selectable LOF data even the most exotic LNBs can be made to work with this receiver. A whole range of options for switching between bands and polarisations makes it even more versatile.

Now that the basic setup is completed the 5000-channel memory needs to be filled with entries. To accomplish this, automatic or manual search modes can be selected. And here we were in for another pleasant surprise: the channel search OSD is remarkably clear and self-explanatory.
An indefinite number of available satellites can be chosen for an automatic search, which are then scanned in a single go. You can of course define whether FTA, encrypted or all channels should be found. In addition, you can tell the box whether you’re after Dish TV channels,radio stations or both.

If required, you can also activate network scan so that any pay TV transponders that are not yet prestored will also be detected by the receiver. For our test satellite with just over 100 transponders finally took almost ten minutes, which means it is a little on the slower side.

Naturally, a manual scan gives you even greater options and you can manually enter frequency, symbol rate, polarisation, PID, modulation (with the receiver supporting QPSK in DVB-S and QPSK as well as 8PSK in DVB-S2) and FEC.

After our test search on several satellites we ended up with thousands of more or less useful channels, which is way too many for real viewing pleasure. So what needed to be done next is bring some order and tidiness into this huge mess.

Luckily, the DTS 6600 offers a number of options for achieving this. Individual channels can be deleted, moved, renamed or protected with a PIN code to keep your kids from watching unsuitable material. A total of eight favourite lists are available to be filled with just the channels you really watch on a regular basis.

During our test editing both the channel and favourite lists went about smoothly and flawlessly.Here again the manufacturer has come up with a logical and user friendly concept which even novices will come to understand in next to no time.

Now that the channel list is filled and well organised we can exit the main menu by pressing the you guessed it! EXIT button. This prompts the receiver to switch to the first channel on the list.The OK button calls up the channel list which lists all available channels in a clearly arranged way. Using the FAV and SAT buttons of the remote control you can either call up the channel list of a different satellite or one of the favourite lists.

Sorting the channel list can be done by pushing the Zoom button on the remote.
The new Jiuzhou receiver is reasonably fast when switching between channels, which holds also true for changing between SD and HD offerings. What we really appreciated in our test was the video quality via HDMI on a 42-inch plasma and a 40-inch LCD flat screen TV. There really was nothing to be left desired.

Whenever the receiver switches to a new channel it inserts an info bar with details regarding the currently showing and next event as well as icons for encryption, subtitles, DD audio etc. Signal quality and signal strength as well as satellite and frequency of the currently watched channel are also shown.

The remote control comes with dedicated keys for selecting the audio track and subtitles (if provided). In case your TV set has no built-in teletext decoder you can always fall back on the integrated software teletext decoder of the Jiuzhou box. While the DTS 6600 does not (yet) offer automatic output resolution switching, it can be done easily by pushing the Function key on the remote control to quickly change between the available options.

This is very handy whenever a HDTV channel transmits in 1080i (and can best be viewed when this resolution is set for the receiver as well)
and you then zap to a SDTV channel, when either 720p or 576p should be chosen for best video display.
The EPG menu always shows information for six channels at a time. With the help of the colour-coded buttons you can change the date or jump to the current time. Of course the info bar provides information on currently showing and next events as well. If you need to make sure not to miss a particular event you can define upto eight timer entries. These have to be set up manually.

Just like all our test receiver the Jiuzhou DTS 6600 finally had to prove its worth when the going gets tough. What we liked in this regard was that it delivered useful results even when the signals came in very weakly, such as for horizontal transmission from NILESAT 7° West or ASTRA 2D 28.2° East at our location.

SCPC was a different story, though, as we could not verify the manufacturer’s claim of 1 to 45 Ms/s. We even encountered problems when trying to receive various TURKSAT 42° East transponders with symbol rates of way above 2 Ms/s. Yet, once the tuner is able to lock a signal reception becomes very reliable.

Finally, we want to address one of the main features of this receiver, the USB 2.0 interface. It can be used to attach external hard disk drives or USB memory sticks, which transform the DTS 6600 into a genuine PVR receiver. This feature worked without a glitch in our test and both HD and SD recordings could be played back perfectly, including the time shifting. The remote control does not come with a PVR key, which means that the ZOOM button and the colour coded buttons are used for PVR commands.

A File Explorer can be accessed via the main menu and is used to show data located on the external storage medium. The DTS 6600 does not only list all available recordings, it can also list and display JPEG images on the TV screen, which is a very handy feature and an excellent replacement for those old fashioned slide projectors.

Apart from PVR functionality and displaying JPEGs the USB interface is also used to update the receivers operating software, which is first downloaded from the Jiuzhou’s website to the PC and is then installed on the receiver with the help of a USB stick. If you prefer it the easy way you will also be able to download new software directly via satellite as this feature will be implemented by the time the final product hits the shelves.

Summing up, the new Jiuzhou DTS 6600 is a HDTV receiver with great potential. It includes a number of useful ideas which are combined with just the right mix of ease of use and comprehensive features.

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HDTV Satellite RELOOK 400S PVR

March 21st, 2009 zou

HDTV Satellite Receiver RELOOK Linux OS, Twin Tuner PVR The Sky is the Limit! This latest model from the well known Korean manufacturer DGStation ,conference call companies the Relook 400S has been introduced to the market very recently and has also arrived at the test labs of Tele-Satellite for an in-depth examination. Unlike the majority of today’s digital  receivers, the Relook 400S operates under Linux and what makes it unique for time being, is the double tuner!

After unpacking, we discovered a full sized unit (approx. 37 x 27 x 7 cm) of an elegant sober design in metallic grey colour. On the front, you see just one big round on/off button which lights-up in blue upon its circumference as soon as the receiver is plugged into the mains, goes off during operation but blinks as a feedback, when commands are received from the remote control. Next to it is a wide window for the VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display).

This whole front panel is in fact a flap and once opened, it reveals 8 push buttons to operate the PVR, two card readers and two CAM slots.
The rear panel is even more surprising: Besides the classical two Scarts, the RCA analogue outputs for audio conference calling stereo and video and a serial interface, you will discover two sets of LNB in/outputs for the 2 tuners, a UHF modulator, an optical digital audio output, a USB and an Ethernet interface and even a power switch. The remote control is rather small for the consider-able amount of functions it has to command on a PVR receiver and people who use glasses for reading will certainly need them for this remote. A plus point is that it can be configured to command your TV set. The overall workman ship of this receiver makes a very solid and visually appealing impression.

Features
After the external appreciation, let’s now take a closer look on the features of the Relook 400S. According to the manufacturers’ specifications and besides all the classical features found on most of today’s set top boxes, this receiver is capable of conference call recording two channels, while it plays back another recording. In case a Viaccess CAM is fitted, it can as well descramble simultaneously two channels so that one could be recorded while you watch the other one. No CAM is needed for the playback of a scrambled pre-recorded program. The channel memory allows up to 10’000 channels to be stored, which is very convenient since the Relook 400S implements the DiSEqC 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 or USALS protocols.

The unit that was sent to us did not include a hard disk. Normally it is sold with a hard disk already installed. The receiver supports unlimited HDD size. Our first job was to install a 3,5inch200 GB HDD which was very easy as the cables and the cradle were present inside the receiver. After this, we could finally connect the unit and power it up.
The Relook 400S first displays a message to announce that it is preparing the hard disk, this takes a certain time depending on the disk size. After this the user is invited to select the various main options like the menu language, the time zone etc. The Cable services output signal can be configured RGB,CVBS or YUV. Since this receiver has two tuners, we decided to connect the first tuner to an antenna on a Stab USALS motor and looped the signal trough to the second tuner.

The next step is somehow unusual since each satellite the user would like to access, has to be installed in the tuner menu as a different LNB (i. e. one for Hot-bird, another for Astra etc.), and here again each of these LNBs has to be assigned the appropriate DiSEqC protocol, in our case USALS. While each satellite LNB is assigned, the signal strength and it’s quality are displayed on the menu page. The next step is to scan these satellites. The scan is rather slow but complete. After all, does this slowness really matter since such a scan is certainly not performed every day? The satellite fans who decide to look for new channels will certainly know in advance the frequencies and could enter them manually to memorize this very particular station they are looking for. Even better, the transponder list can be edited thanks to the Relook PC Editor software and the USB port which allows updates from SatcoDX.
After the scan, you always end up with an almost endless list of freesat tv and radio stations. Many of them will either be scrambled or not interesting for the one or the other particular user. To organize such a crowded channel list, the user has two options: Either manually, or the second and more elegant way is to use this very same  Relook PC Editor. This program is free to download at the site of the manufacturer www.dgstation.co.kr .

Daily Use
Now that all these preliminaries have been dealt with, the next step would be to sit back and start watching your favourite channels. The switching from one channel to another is immediate, even on scrambled channels, the picture quality is flawless. Owning a PVR with a double tuner is factually a challenge for the user not to miss any of his favourite transmissions. The Relook doesn’t deceive here, neither. Just press the Record button while you watch a movie and it will be stored on the hard disk. The default duration of the recording is 2 hours but this setting can be modified in the menu. This way you don’t have to worry about the ending time of your recording.

Another way to achieve a recording is via the EPG, in this case the receiver inserts a  reservation time before and after the programmed recording to allow for any changes in the schedule. Last but not least, thanks to the double tuner, a second simultaneous recording can be started manually or programmed in the EPG. In our antenna configuration, this could only be achieved on a channel from the same transponder but in case of a different LNB for the second tuner, said recording could be from another transponder or satellite. The time shift function is available too. All these recordings on the hard disk can be downloaded to a PC where in a first pass they will have to be transformed into MPEG format and then edited with your preferred edition software. This transformation is taken care by the  Make PS software available at DGStation’s website.

Linux, Ethernet, USB and Co.
So far, we have described features that could be found on numerous other receivers. The Relook 400S has mastered them during our tests without any problems. But what makes this box so special is it’s firmware compiled in Linux. Since Linux is an operating system with an  open source philosophy, DGStation have made public the source code of their firmware to allow any interested user to develop his own modifications, improvements or add-ons. Alternative firmware is already available trough the numerous forums on the Web which transform the Relook 400S to an even more powerful tool for the HD satellite enthusiast, and this seems just to be the beginning! Talented programmers are constantly trying out new features very similar to those developed for another receiver from a German manufacturer that was tested here at TELE-satellite approx. two years ago. The second reason all this has been made possible, is the presence of an Ethernet port. This way, the Relook 400S becomes an extension of your PC, can exchange data with it, connect to the Internet etc. As they say, The Sky is the Limit!

Despite all this, the Relook 400S remains a well thought-out receiver for the whole family with a very stable operation. On our test receiver we used the latest official firmware from DGStation, version 1.18 and never experienced any lock-ups, even after an intensive use.

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Satellite TV HDTV Topfield TF7720HSIR

March 19th, 2009 zou

HDTV Satellite Receiver in particular highlights a trend that has emerged over recent years, namely that high-quality programming is increasingly shown on pay TV channel only. A number of manufacturers have picked up on this and are now offering HDTV receiver with integrated encryption systems in addition to the CI slots that are common these days. South Korean manufacturer Topfield has joined these ranks with its new TF7720HSIR .

The receiver comes in a stylish silver case which will blend in smoothly into almost any Dish TV rack out there. As usual with Topfield receiver, the front panel features five buttons to operate the box without remote control, as well as a four-digit segment display and three status LEDs indicating the cur-rent operating mode. A flap on the right side of the panel hides the Irdeto compatible card reader.

Next, let’s take a look at the rear panel which is nicely equipped as well with all connections needed. Apart from the HDMI socket which comes with all HDTV product, you’ll find the satellite IF in and out sockets, two scart euro connectors, six RCA jacks for composite video, stereo audio and YUV, an optical audio output and an RS-232 interface for connecting the receiver to a PC.

The remote control sits nicely in your hand and the pleasant surface texture of its buttons together with their clear labelling and pleasant pressure point make it the perfect companion to the TF7720HSIR.

During the various tests we performed we even discovered that the remote works perfectly with other Topfield devices as well. For instance, the some-what outdated TF3000CIPro we use to operate our rooftop rotating antenna was only too happy to accept any commands we sent from this remote.

The manual that comes with the receiver is clearly laid out, has appropriate illustrations at all the right places and uses easy-to-understand language to explain the receiver’s range of features so that you’ll soon be comfortable with this new box.

Firmware

TF7720HSIR firmware : Download

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HD Satellite TV Topfield TF7700HSCI

March 16th, 2009 zou

High definition television a synonym for crystal-clear video and brilliant colours . Now that the industry and program providers have finally agree don the H264standard for transmitting their HDTV program the manufacturers of satellite receiver are also in a position to start offering new reception equipment for satellite viewers. All major manufactures are currently working on their first HDTC DVB-S2box.Some even offer a completely finished box, like South Korean company Topfield.

Their latest development bears the name Topfield TF7700HSCI and is a CI receiver which can process both DVB-S2 QPSK and DVB-S2 8PSK signals. Since products like these only reach their full potential in combination with plasma or LCD screens which usually feature a very stylish design – Topfield has decided to give its latest baby a very elegant appearance as well. So the TF7700HSCI has the same style as the premium range with the TF5000PVR Masterpiece and TF6000PVR, which means matte black surfaces, a width of 43 cm and a look that will enhance any living room rack.

An easy-to-read VFD display is located in the middle of the front panel and either shows the selected channel or the current time (in standby mode). Five buttons are positioned below the display and allow using the receiver without the remote control. A flap hides two CI slots for all the usual modules (Irdeto, Seca, Conax, Viaccess, Cryptoworks, etc.).

An extra treat is hidden on the back panel of the box  a small switch to select whether the video signal should be transmitted via the HDMI/YUV or euro scart interface. Depending on the position of this switch, the on-screen menus are adjusted accordingly.
The remote control that comes with the receiver sits nicely in your hand and has a user-friendly layout. Unfortunately, the control codes of the remote are partly identical to other Topfield models like the TF3000CIPro which we use in our test lab to control a 36V rotating antenna system.

A very comprehensive operating manual in English was also part of our package, by the time the box will be on sale officially we can expect various language versions for all respective markets.

Firmware

TF7700HSCI firmware : Download

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HDTV Satellite Topfield TF 7700 HD PVR

March 15th, 2009 zou

HDTV Satellite Receiver Some times it happens really fast, so fast that it surprises even us! While we introduced to you the first single tuner HD DVR box in the last issue of TELE-satellite, this issue already gives us the opportunity to present the first twin-tuner HD PVR unit. This HD receiver was produced and developed by the South Korean company Topfield. Would you have expected any thing different? This manufacturer somehow always manages to implement the latest technology as well as an easy-to-use concept in their receivers.

We were quite anxious when the delivery truck showed up and dropped off a package from South Korea. Hidden inside the box were a receiver and a remote control that just by looking at it gave us the impression of sheer elegance and excellent quality.

On the front side of the black and silver cabinet an easy-to-read VFD display is located in the center. Below the display can be found a set of five buttons that let you operate the receiver if no remote control is at hand. Unfortunately, if no fresh batteries are available for the remote control, these buttons don’t really let you do more than turn the box on and off or adjust the volume and change the channel.

Hidden nicely behind a flap are two CI slots that Topfield integrated in the TF 7700 HD PVR. They can accept any compatible module such as Irdeto, Seca, Viaccess, Conax, Alphacrypt, etc. Directly alongside these slots can also be found a USB 2.0 interface that can be used to link the receiver with external devices such as USB sticks, hard drives as well as digital cameras and MP3 players.

The rear panel of this new Topfield receiver is also very nicely appointed: in addition to the two IF inputs with corresponding looped-through outputs, there is also an HDMI connection, six RCA jacks for composite video, stereo audio and YUV video, an S-Video jack, two Scart connectors, an RS-232 serial interface and optical digital audio output as well as a LAN connection . All things considered, there’s really nothing missing here.

The included remote control sits very nicely in your hand with buttons that are efficiently arranged making it fun to play with this receiver. The well-written user manual comes with numerous pictures that make it easy for users to step into the world of the TF7700 HDPVR without overloading them with several hundred pages at first glance.

Firmware

TF7710HDPVR firmware :Download

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