Reviews: SatHawk PVR800 WorldDVB DVB-S2 HD FTA Receiver

[scottc98]

Any network streaming capabilities with this STB? I see that it has a ethernet port on it. Any means to lock on to a TP and stream it to another device (i.e PC )? If the decoder is the limitation for 4.2.2 viewing, then maybe it can stream the TS to a device that can decode it?

 

[zamar23]

DVBWorld answered they "will consider" developing actual LAN functionality. In practical terms it may mean a 6-to-12-month lag if ever. Currently it has none, and seems to play nothing via the USB port either except own recorded content, but I haven't seen any reports saying it does it well. It should display at least Jpeg files via USB though, and depending on audio codecs included hopefully play some common audio file formats at a future point.

 

[Mr Tony]

I read somewhere in this thread that the Composite output does not work when the resolution is set to 1080i. Can someone confirm what happens when the resolution is set to 720P? What I would like is to have HDMI, Component and Composite working simultaneously or at lease HDMI and Composite working simultaneously.

well I just tried something and not too happy with it

Hooked up Sathawk to HDMI on my HDTV and hooked composite to the HDD/DVD recorder I have. Turned on HDMI and set to 720p and HDMI works fine but on the DVD recorder it says "no OSD..press V format to change" and there is NO PICTURE

so unless its set to 480i the composite outputs are useless to record or even view. I have not tried component and unless I unhook part of my system I can't check. Hope someone else can

 

[Jim S.]

I thought you had already determined that there was no composite output unless you had it set to 480i. I must have misunderstood you.

The component output does 1080i and 720p, so you're not going to be able to use it to record SD when set to HD either.

 

[Jim S.]

It should display at least Jpeg files via USB though, and depending on audio codecs included hopefully play some common audio file formats at a future point.

The last time I tried it, it played MP3s. I didn't do an exhaustive test, but it played several files chosen at random.

 

[Mr Tony]

I thought you had already determined that there was no composite output unless you had it set to 480i. I must have misunderstood you.

I thought maybe if HDMI was set up it would allow you to view via the composite. Guess not

The component output does 1080i and 720p, so you're not going to be able to use it to record SD when set to HD either.

good to know. I have one DVD recorder that can do component in/out. Maybe I'll try that

 

[thebaggins]

Has the new FW been posted somewhere?

 

[Jim S.]

good to know. I have one DVD recorder that can do component in/out. Maybe I'll try that

Unless your DVD recorder converts HD to SD, the only way you're going to record anything from the component output is if you set the SatHawk to 480i. (Or maybe your recorder will support 480p.)

The good news is that I just checked, you can still view HD channels with it set to 480, it converts them. The not-so-good news is, you have to go into the menu to switch to 480. The video format button on the remote only cycles through 576/720/1080. This needs to be fixed, because besides the omission of 480, the HD modes are set to 50 frames per second instead of 60. In other words, the video format button only cycles through the European modes even if you start out set to an American mode. If somebody has a monitor that doesn't support 50fps, they're going to push the button someday and have no way to get back!

 

[Lak7]

Has the new FW been posted somewhere?

I guess not....

 

[zamar23]

Jim S

If you get a chance to look under the hood, I'm curious, what Audio DAC chipset model is soldered there - may be a closeup photo? It would allow to find out what audio format conversions the box can support in HW.

 

[big o]

Thanks Laks, For the FW update.

 

[Mr Tony]

Unless your DVD recorder converts HD to SD, the only way you're going to record anything from the component output is if you set the SatHawk to 480i. (Or maybe your recorder will support 480p.)

I guess I'll leave it at 480 then

my 2 "main" dvd recorder/hard drives only have composite anyways so its recording 480 anyways. The sathawk should be able to "default" those outputs (composite) to 480 regardless of what setting you have ti at. The azbox does (that is set to 1080 normally)

 

[Mr Tony]

Looks like they fixed the "moving dish" bug where if you scanned a sat it would say "moving dish" even though it was there already

It shows up but leaves within 2 seconds.

I do like if you are on say 105W and you tell it to blind scan 91W the dish moves ot 91W FIRST then scans

 

[thebaggins]

I guess not....

Thank you Lak7 :up

 

[Jim S.]

Is anyone finding that if you use manual time setting, it loses the time every time you turn it off? This is annoying, and I don't remember it happening with the previous version.

The reason I don't use automatic time setting (option GMT ON) is because there are a lot of broadcasters who apparently are setting their time to their local time instead of GMT, and so you end up with the wrong time.

 

[Mr Tony]

Is anyone finding that if you use manual time setting, it loses the time every time you turn it off? This is annoying, and I don't remember it happening with the previous version.

yes it did. I had mine set to manual and every time I turned it on I got 00:01 2008/01/01
This was on the previous software

 

[Jim S.]

So has anyone tried timer recording yet? I don't understand how it could work, if the unit forgets the time when you shut it off. Or does it remember it if you have it set to the GMT option, and you happen to remember to leave it on a transponder with the correct time?

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
I tried and its about as useful as the Coolsat is (which is useless to a point)

I was on the test channels on 91W which apparently do sync right with time. I told the receiver to go to CCTV9. Set up the timer

at the time it said something like "event timer" very qucikly on the screen, then the dish moved to 95W....then the time showed some real weird time like 2008/12/31 19:22 (this was at 11:00 this morning)

The receiver was on when the timer went off. I did not try a timer with it off.

 

[Jim S.]

Today I had the first lock-up ever since upgrading to the new firmware. And, it's repeatable. There's a 720p feed on 74W at 12160H SR 29269 that keeps locking it up. It won't do it 100% of the time, but it does it a lot more than not.

 

[Mr Tony]

I stumbled upon another thing. If you go into the TP list and change the info, the frequency changes on the channel too.

In other words....its like a Coolsat 5000. The other day the Echo test card on 85W scanned in at an oddball spot...like 12134 V 3978. It is back to the normal spot of 12182 H 3978. I manually changed it in the TP list and then it showed the "new" info on that channel when I backed out. I did not rescan