new setup to buy - am I on the right tracks?

[Midnight Tboy]

Hi all,

Hope I'm in the right forum section......wasn't sure whether should be in the Sky section, but its primarily the DM800C I'm looking at at moment so guess this one is better. Please move if not

It's been quite some time since I've last been on the forum....good to see its still as active as ever though.

A long time back I used to use a DM500C, til that went the N3 route. I don't watch much TV myself so that never really bothered me too much, more the kids and wifey....though a year or so ago I did look into whether it was worth going down a satellite or the likes of Kryptview etc routes with Cable, but opted to leave it, partially with the faffing about (at the time) of having to get satellite dish wired in etc.

Anyways, since then in the summer gone, I had a 'freesat package' installed that was with a Tesco deal, which was an SD freesat box, regular dish and installation etc, all for £90 which seemed a bargain at the time. So....I had them do that, setting it up to go in my bedroom, then changed the LNB myself and ran an extra cable to the downstairs (easier for me to do than the upstairs one ) to go into my Samsung SmartTV for the FreesatHD tuner in that.

All great kindof.....except for when the kids go to friends houses now that they're older etc, I get pestered for quite some time about Disney and other kids channels that they love to watch....and must admit I'm getting sick to death of them watching the Smurfs cartoons on the Pop channel lol......

So I'm back to looking at a new receiver route, but for satellite this time preferred seeing as the kit is in place (albeit it a bog standard sized dish etc but does job).

Sooooooo......I'm thinking of the DM800SE for around £185 tho options are still open for the other boxes.

I then want to find somewhere to c/s......not too fussed about sport channels as noones heavily into sports in this household (to the wifeys relief), nor movie channels as I tend to watch movies only on my HTPC, but all the cartoon channels, and HD channels, and stuff like National Geographic etc are a must....Sky 3D would be nice too though not essential - suspect have to switch a tv to 3d mode manually for SBS content when using linux boxes though.

I just want to check though that I'm not missing anything out that I need/understand..........

Would I be right in thinking then that I need/must do....

1) Have dish (obv)......done already
2) Decent linux box...........just have to decide and order whichever one. Main ones as far as I can tell now seem to be the DM800SE, Vu+ and Blade.
3) wired connection to router (not a problem - wouldn't trust VMs wireless internet though with their recent firmware shambles to hold a steady wifi connection)
4) Once got my box, flash it to the latest image.
5) Set up a softcam (presuming that is in similar way to my old DM500C box - ie basically software drivers that pick the best suitable one at the time).
6) Find a 'source' to pay and then enter the line details I'm given from them to open the connection.
7) Tweak away for bouquets/epg options (to be most user friendly for young kids/missus)


As far as I can tell that is all I need, or am I missing something? I don't need a 'blank card' or anything I think, and only need a card if using my own sub?

cheers guys, hope you can get me back on track. If get a main box up and running for the kids downstairs, then I'll likely be hit with the bug to upgrade dish and other satellites etc I'm sure

 

[00360362878]

I think you have it covered there mate you obviously you know the basics. I wouldn't suggest which box because that's a personal choice and has been covered many times so just read all the comments made and should help you to decide.
c/s talk is not allowed in most forums you need to do some searching for that, but what I will say it can end at any time so as long as you are aware that you pay your money and take your chance, that's for your sub and your set up then you will be good to go and it should keep you busy for some time.

Have fun

 

[Midnight Tboy]

cheers bud,

just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing on any other step.

Yeah, I'll get hunting for a decent place/guy to get my 'extra info'........just have to decide on the box but thats no biggie I'm sure someone can hopefully pm if any other info I've missed out or some pointed



Another question too though......Obv once I've got my setup and cs'd.....if I was to decide to get another box for upstairs in the bedroom - would that require a 2nd cs, or able with no problems to use the same line/info? I can't see me bothering upstairs though tbh as tv rarely gets switched on

 

[jamesyboyjim]

Hi mate if you did go for the dm800se you can get it cheaper than 185

Feel free to pm me if you need help with anything as we have to be careful when it comes to cs talk

 

[gsmtech]

If you've already had experience with cable dm500c your already in good stead. Cable n1 still used a softcam and key files, then auto roll used nagra rom images like rom7 and rom10 etc. Satellite isn't that much different you still have your softcam then instead of nagra rom images or static key files, you need an internet connection and softcam config..

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Midnight Tboy]

Thanks guys, I ordered the DM800SE from china in the end (cheers for the link Jamesy) Looking forward to it arriving now for a 'fiddle about'. Some experiences of the DM500c put me off, (vlc streaming never worked well at all for example), but these new images like Rats sound good, and the CoolTVGuide looks tidier.

Basically I'll be happy so long as it plays HD smoothly and reliably with a good stream set up, and EPG is user friendly enough for my 8yr old son to work it out too once I've set it all up

 

[00360362878]

Good choice that mate I have one myself, and you wont have any trouble streaming nor should you have any problems with the HD quality.
In a few day's you will be hooked on getting it set up.

 

[loftboy72]

Enjoy your Dm800 mate they are a tidy little machine

 

[Midnight Tboy]

Crikey - that was fast delivery from China.....Just arrived on our doorstep about 30minutes ago.

There was a red sticker on the packaging saying "Security Checked" by DHL, so looks like they've opened it. The guys had written it down as a $24 value "Video Switch"....though it was in full packaging etc. Here's hoping I don't get billed later by some customs or other......though if remember right (or least by old experience years back) they'd have to bill you upfront before you receive the product.

Hope I get chance to get it flashed and ready this evening.

Of course sods law from what I saw no people allow 'test lines' at weekends.......but I presume I can get FTA images still using same image.

Rats image I think I'll try - got a learning curve coming up my way

 

[jamesyboyjim]

Good to hear it turned up you might get a letter from customs asking you to confirm the parcel was what it said, but I filed mine in the usual place

Have you read a tutorial on how to flash the box? It's straight forward

 

[Midnight Tboy]

would the usual place be the bin by any chance?


Kids are finally about to go to bed now, so can finally start getting it plugged up and ready to mess about.

I believe https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/index.php?threads/287036/ is the first step, then flash the Rat image, then the SSL84B after that.

After then, I think I need to look at putting on the mgcam or cccam file, though haven't read that far in yet Then hopefully for now at least I'll get FTA stuff, and then figure out the other stuff and get a test line

 

[jamesyboyjim]

would the usual place be the bin by any chance?


Kids are finally about to go to bed now, so can finally start getting it plugged up and ready to mess about.

I believe https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/index.php?threads/287036/ is the first step, then flash the Rat image, then the SSL84B after that.

After then, I think I need to look at putting on the mgcam or cccam file, though haven't read that far in yet Then hopefully for now at least I'll get FTA stuff, and then figure out the other stuff and get a test line

Haha yup, the bin being the correct answer, although I am responsible so I recycled it

Also yeah micks guide is spot on

 

[Midnight Tboy]

cheers.

Plugged in now, just let it load to whatever dash is on there and its some Sunray one. I'm sure I saw mention somewhere before of some different image to use for Sunray clones......hmmmm time to have quick looksie

 

[Midnight Tboy]

well I was too impatient to double check all the sunray stuff and flashed - both images - all fine, and booting up straight to ITV HD

Now to figure out the main remote options etc before I look any further

Might just be me, or my tvs input display settings, but the pic looks better I think than the built in freesat HD tuner on my samsung tv.

Sooooo.....now to suss out the cooltvguide and how to shove on the magiccam or whatever files on

 

[Midnight Tboy]

sooooo........

Found the options where ccams etc are selectable. I used ccam 2.3.0 for now, still only on FTA so makes no difference for now.

Had annoying message something about the timeshift not being valid etc....presume thats simply because theres no internal drive in it yet....found the option and disabled that anyhows

Took me a little while to figure out how to get my main channels back to normal instead of showing random junk after pressing a few buttons

Now I have to figure out where and how I go about setting up the 'other' stuff and putting lines in

 

[Midnight Tboy]

currently loving how I can stream with v little issues, HD channels, direct to my Nexus tablet

Now if only I can figure out how to do the cline type stuff ready for before I get info needed for trying it

 

[wiz569]

currently loving how I can stream with v little issues, HD channels, direct to my Nexus tablet

Now if only I can figure out how to do the cline type stuff ready for before I get info needed for trying it

There is a thread on here detailing it,can't remember exactly where,maybe European satellite section

Sent from my Ployer Momo 12

 

[Midnight Tboy]

think I've sussed it.......so if I'm right......navigate to var\etc then edit the ccam.cfg file accordingly (if using ccam that is)....presume its more or less the same with mgcam

 

[wiz569]

think I've sussed it.......so if I'm right......navigate to var\etc then edit the ccam.cfg file accordingly (if using ccam that is)....presume its more or less the same with mgcam

On an e2 box it will just be /etc,
Mgcamd configs go in usr/keys

Sent from my Ployer Momo 12

 

[Midnight Tboy]

Cheers.

I'm all up and running now on a test

No problems there, channels picked up straight away.....still using ccam. I'm not sure what the benefits of the mgcam are at the moment over ccam....but so far its working sweet.

I take it about a second after turning the channel its normal for it to freeze a couple of seconds, presumably whilst it buffers some key info or something like that? Only seems to do that on non-fta channels....but running fine so far other than that from the quick test I've had

One minor issue that bugs me a bit with the remote control, is a quick change Up or Down a channel doesn't seem possible.....only as Up/Down on the 4button directions bring up the bouquet menus, and my fingers have the urge to press the "bouquet up/down" buttons as they're kind of where a normal channel up/down would go. It would be nice to be able to flick channels without having to bring up the full menu each time.